Here are some of your scores as reported……

A much more acceptable 116 for me. Getting some classic rides in — 2 to 2 1/2 hours of solid effort with no breaks and plenty of hill climbing. Some cool wildlife — have seen red foxes and deer, but no beavers as yet.  AR

Consider the rumor substantiated. I got a 162. I was poised for the perfect but my Saturday night got the better of me. I’m going for the perfect this week. I better get on the water today if I’m going to make it. – KJ
 
 Kind of an average, not great week in these parts. I got a 123 and my wife a 107.  I missed the six day bonus (and its big 25 points) for exercise and would have ended up with a 140 with just one more workout.  The weather is getting nicer, days longer, sun out long after work hours, things are just going to get easier from here as far as motivation goes.  Time to get outside!  Okay, it is still snowing in the midwest, but it has got to get better soon! – RJ

I realized I didn’t send out our scores last weekend.  It was a brutal week.  All four of us with a stomach virus.  Couldn’t keep anything down.  Luckily, for me, it didn’t start until Thursday.  So I was having a perfect week and then a ton of zeros after that.  I finished with a 94.  We are all doing much better now.  I even lifted weights today for the first time in a week.  I report all this because, the weeks of 94 and 87 make the weeks of 130 or 140 even more sweet.  Hope you are having a sweet week!-  NH

Bounced back from a bad week last week with a quiet and efficient 155 this week.  I was “pitching a no hitter going into the bottom of the ninth” but we went out for Chinese food Saturday night and I managed to kill two categories with one dinner.  I’m to a great start for next week as we both got out for a run today dodging rain drops – so we get those special Sunday two points.  Hope you all are having an active and healthy winter.  It is exercise in the winter that makes exercise in the spring so much easier.  I feel like I have twice as much energy when I’m not wearing a knit cap and seven layers of clothes! – RF

I’m sending my score of 155 late to you this week.   Since I didn’t count the  two weeks I was in San Diego, it was much easier to do well back at home. My few walks outside were so exhilarating, all that fresh air and freedom to move unimpeded. – NB

I got a 74 this week.  I know I can do better.  I’ll let you know next week.  – FA

Boy, the bonuses play a big role in getting the big scores.  I only got the “Bonus if all 6″ in ONE category this week and I end up with a 109.  My wife gets a 123 this week.  She got the “Bonus if all 6″ in three categories. One great thing about this game is that each week brings a new opportunity! – DL

I check in with a 121 last week.  I had two perfect days but four less than perfect.  It was a tough week with a lot going on.  With a lot of effort, I can get 6 exercises in a week for the super bonus.  Last week I got five.  It is the little things that turn perfection into just another week.  Just ask Tom Brady. – LF

Well, I had that kind of week in Fantasy Healthball this week.  A  horrible Monday.  I failed in more than half the challenges I selected on that day.  I didn’t eat my bag of vegetables, my portion sizes were way too big, I didn’t do my stretching or yoga, and I didn’t do my “other” category challenge, which was sit ups.  But, I took that pitiful day as motivation for the rest of the week.  I was adamant I wouldn’t return to Monday’s futility.  The rest of the  week I didn’t miss one challenge and finished with a 141.  – JM

I’m falling off. My score was 102! I’m gonna hang in there though. My mom will be my inspiration this week!  – AF
 
I remember when I did a lot of situps everyday.  That was a long time ago . . .I got a 122 this week.  – DB

…and she is headed out of town.  She didn’t get a chance to email you but asked me to tell you that she got a 118.  She is feeling healthy and excited about her new health regime.  She made a cooler full of veggie bags for the next 3 days!- SL

What’s a Good Score?

So you’ve checked out what we have to say on Diet and Nutrition and Exercise and now you’ve filled out the Daily Challenge Team Roster Scorecard for a week.  How do you know if you have a good score?  First of all, a good score is one that beats your NFL fantasy opponent team that week!  But let’s dig a little deeper. 

For fantasy football veterans, it is already understood that weekly consistency is very difficult to achieve, and greatly desired for your fantasy team.  The same lineup that scores 100 points this week, could struggle to break 50 the next.  This is where the game aspect of Fantasy Healthball really comes out.  Of course, we want to strive for consistent high scores, but as we all struggle to meet these weekly health challenges, the inevitable question will come up, have I done enough this week?  We’d like to believe we will all strive for maximum scores every week, but we all have our moments of weakness.  This is a very natural thought process we all will be presented with at some time. 

While the most die-hard NFL football fan will believe he or she knows what is going to happen this upcoming Sunday, the league has a way of always surprising with it’s results.  Parity has found it’s way to the NFL, and there is a lot of truth to the cliche, anyone can beat anyone on any given Sunday.  Therefore, when trying to determine if you’ve amassed enough points to win, it will be very difficult to predict most times.  

You’re Fantasy Healthball score of 80 may win one week, and lose the next.  However, you should be able to figure out a reasonable probability for yourself.  Of course, there are no guarantees.  For example,  the maximum score you can receive in a week of Fantasy Healthball is 169.  A ‘good’ score usually will be in the 90’s.  Getting to triple digits always feels good.  If you score 100 points in Fantasy Healthball, you figure you may win 80% or more of the time.  Over 100 raises your probability of winning.  But, you never know when your opponent is going to put up that 140 score and beat you despite your best efforts.  The only thing you can do is tip your cap to your opponent for a huge scoring week, and get ready to get back at it on Monday.  This uncertainty of how your NFL fantasy opponent will fair will push you to do your best week in and week out.  You can’t let up, because your NFL opponents likely won’t!  Next, we’ll blog post some actual scores and comments from players — Jim Ballard

 

Jeff Hagen Gets an “A” on his Diabetes Report Card

I’ve got excellent news to share from my doc!  Yesterday, I had my regular visit.  In order to keep my diabetes in check, every four months I have blood samples drawn and lab-tests completed.  The test results were the best they have been since I was diagnosed with Type-2 Diabetes in 2002.  My blood sugar (Hemoglobin A1c) test was at 6.1%, a full point lower than 16 months ago..prior to starting our work on Fantasy Healthball.   Guidelines I’ve receive from my doctor indicate a treatment goal of < 7.0% for diabetic patients. 

My doctor commented with raised eyebrows when he looked at my scores, “Most patients I have get higher numbers as they age…but yours are going down…whatever you’re doing…keep doing it.”  As you all know, what I’m doing is playing Fantasy Healthball!  Cholesterol and Lipids Panel were also the best in over 6 years.  The life-habits I have been slowly changing are starting to kick-in with real, improved data.  I was losing about a pound a week but have fallen off that average a bit lately.  The snow melt here has me encouraged that I’ll be back on that track or better soon.  However, it is an undeniable fact that I am healthier today than I was a year ago.  Better days are certainly ahead…If you’d like to join the growing number of Fantasy Healthball players, just click here.

More on Shopping

As you look at labels and packages, watch out for words like “light,” “reduced calorie,” “less,” “healthy,” etc.  Most of the time they are in a large font, in color, with a series of exclamation points after them.  Just because a package says its contents are “healthy,” go to the nutrition facts on the label and check it out. 

Also remember, “fat free” doesn’t say anything about calories.

Look for stores that stock a good amount of healthy foods.  We’ll travel further to a store that has well-priced, healthy foods.  Does the bread aisle have breads in other colors than white?  Do they have whole grain breads?  Does the chip aisle offer no salt and non-fat chips?  Can you find whole grain breakfast cereals that are high in fiber?  Low or non-fat yogurt?  Organic items?  A great selection of fresh produce?  Extra lean meats and fish?

Buying the right foods, and keeping unhealthy foods out of your house, is a huge step towards healthy living.  It helps you plan ahead so you are more prepared in moments of weakness!