Reporter faces the facts in weight-loss challenge
By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

FIT- Dorothy Sinclair is trying to lose weight, and succeeding.

Taking part in a local program called Weight Loss Challenge 101, Acorn reporters Stephanie Bertholdo and Sophia Fischer are waging a head-to-head battle of the bulge to see who can drop the most pounds The loser has to buy dinner, which figures to be cheap since there will be nothing on either person's plate except lettuce and a piece of celery. This week, Bertholdo gains ground on the scales.

I used to be thin- so thin, in fact, the American Red Cross wouldn't allow me to donate blood during my years in college out of fear I might collapse.

Three children later and a halfcentury old, I work as a reporter for The Acorn, sitting behind a desk 40 hours a week. All of this has taken a toll on my butt, stomach and thighs- even my fingers have grown three sizes since I was married in 1985.

Luckily, a nationwide program called Weight Loss Challenge 101, launched in 2005 by several women from Michigan, is helping me shave the belly blubber and extra inches.

The group meets at Lisa Sallin's home in Thousand Oaks, where we weigh in, get measured and discuss strategies to help us shed pounds and stave off obesity-related illnesses.

The 12-week program costs $39. Five dollars of each participant's fee goes to Fit Kids Foundation, a nonprofit organization that fights childhood obesity. The rest of the money goes into a kitty and the three people who lose the highest percentage of their weight at the end of the challenge split the dough, with the biggest loser taking most of the prize.

The coach's earnings come from the nutrition products she sells to participants.

Ulterior motive

At the first meeting Sallin asked us to write down why we wanted to lose weight. While I would love to feel comfortable in a bathing suit one day, my reason to lose weight is more pragmatic: to avoid the diabetes that runs in my family.

Even though I hadn't gained a lot of weight while pregnant with my children, the fact that they were all over nine pounds at birth places me at high risk for the disease. Since I also carry a disproportionate amount of my weight in my stomach, a march toward diabetes, heart disease and stroke loomed ahead. Of course there are plenty of steps I can take to avoid, or at least postpone, an early demise. I can fight my genetic failings with a healthy diet, more exercise and better sleeping habits.

Sallin, a former schoolteacher, is warm, funny and knowledgeable. She coaches us each week on how to embrace healthy eating habits and stay on course. We've explored the importance of protein, the wonders of water and, last week, the need to choose healthy carbs to energize our bodies.

Pound for pound

As of week five, I had miraculously lost 7.6 pounds, a minor miracle because I hadn't been very diligent about drinking eight glasses of water a day, cutting down snacks or exercising beyond the sporadic walks with my dog or jaunts through the mall. My lack of focus makes me feel like a fraud.

Maybe Sallin's digital scale isn't working correctly. I chalked up my first-week loss of 3.8 pounds to stress. My daughter had been hyperventilating her way through Europe on a student trip, and I was unable to come to her rescue. Stress has a way of messing with your body, mind and soul.

In week five I'd lost another 3.8 pounds, and it was a magical moment because the night before I'd chowed down on Kentucky Fried Chicken and all the fixin's. I want Sallin's scale.

Participant Dorothy Sinclair, 73, also lost 3.8 pounds in week two, and by week five she had shed a total of five pounds. Her loss, however, was earned. She said she logs what she eats every day, exercises at least 30 minutes a day and has added protein and water to her diet.

Another reason I am not yet reveling in my weight loss is that my scale doesn't jibe with Sallin's nor is it synchronized with my doctor's scale. But other evidence suggests that my weight loss is real. When Sallin compared my arms, hips, thighs and waist measurements to week one, I was told I had lost a few inches. How can this be? I want to believe. . . . I want Sallin's measuring tape.

So far, the biggest loser is Alex Smith, 23, who's participating in the challenge with his mother, Vicki Sosa, and his sister, Laura Smith, 20. The Simi Valley resident lost 8.8 pounds last week and a total of 18 pounds as of week five. Men consume more calories and shed pounds more quickly than women- not fair.

"I really have a goal," Alex said. "I want to look better." He'd like to drop an additional 47 pounds, he said, and, having taken Sallin's advice to heart, he's committed to eating less fast food.

Carb trap In week five's discussion sesson, which focused on choosing the best carbohydrates, Sallin noted the differences between simple and complex carbs.

"The key is having the right carbs," Sallin told the group. Simple carbohydrates are found in processed foods, including white bread, rice and pasta. They break down faster in the body, which leads to food cravings, she said.

High-fiber food on the other hand, including brown rice and pasta and bread made with whole wheat flour, stabilizes blood sugar and creates feelings of fullness. Fuller tummies mean less snacking and eventual weight loss.

Scary grocery stores

Sallin also warned against certain food additives. High fructose corn syrup is hidden in many foods and should be avoided. Reading labels is vital, she said.

She recommended that we stick to a list when grocery shopping. She also suggested focusing on the perimeter of the store, where produce, meat and whole grain foods are located.

"The middle aisles are scary," she said. As for the bakery aisles, she told participants to "keep their blinders on."