Tuesday January 10, 2012
Looking to lose a few pounds and get in shape foe summer? A Chicago-wide weight loss challenge called the Chicago Matchup and sponsored by HealthyWage kicks off at the end of this month and pits dieters against each other to win cash prices totaling $18,000.
Check out a story we did on HealthyWage last May -- all of the information, except for dates, is still relevant for this year's competition, which starts January 27, 2012 and ends (verified weigh-outs must be completed by) April 20, 2012. Maximum weight loss per person in the contest = 16.7% (1.5% per week, compounded downward).
If you are interested in doing the competition, Chicagoan Sonja is looking for people to join her team. According to Sonja: "First and foremost, I am looking for team members who know how to laugh and have fun. In order to succeed, team members should be highly dependable, extremely competitive and committed to winning! It would be a plus if all members had enough flexibility to get together once a week in (or near) downtown Chicago for a group motivational activity i.e. group weigh-in, a long walk outdoors together, etc."
As Sonja tells her personal issues and motivations with weight loss:
Most of the time I feel happy and content with my life. However, lately I've been feeling like I'm selling myself short. While I have many blessings to count, I feel things could be better. There are so many more things that I could be doing to make my life richer and more fulfilling. I wish I had more energy to be able to do all the things that I want to do. I want to climb mountains with my best friends, play my musical instruments more often and go on more dates. I want to be at the top of my game as my body starts its mid-life change. I want to feel better. What it comes down to is that I want to lose weight! And, yes, I want more energy! I want to feel vibrant and healthy. Like everybody else, I also want to lose weight so that I will look great in a swimming suit and be a good role model to young people. However, in order to do this, I need the right motivation. If I was sufficiently motivated already, I wouldn't have a weight problem. So, for me this contest is all about its motivation factors.
To learn more about joining Sonja's HealthyWage team, you can contact Sonja at ajnos59@yahoo.com or e-mail Lisa Davis at Chicago.Guide@about.com, editor of Chicago.About.com, who would be glad to pass along your information to Sonja.
Looking for more ways to lose weight this year? Check out Whole Foods Market Lincoln Park's new Wellness Club that includes nutriton, fitness, yoga and cooking classes. You can also read Equinox Fitness instructor Tonya Dugger's top exercise tips for 2012.
Monday January 9, 2012
Free this Tuesday night and want to do something both fun and philanthropic?
Old Town Social (455 North Avenue) is having a special DJ night where 50 percent of all proceeds from menu items will benefit the Green City Market. (Old Town Social serves comtemporary American cuisine. Tip: Reviews of the restaurant say its mac n' cheese is worth ordering.)
Tuesday's guest DJ will be Eater Chicago editor Ari Bendersky who plans to spin a mix of pop, dance, indie rock, hip hop, and maybe some soul. "Just a lot of music that I love and am also currently listening to," says Bendersky.
In the past, Old Town Social has invited Chicago chefs, restaurant owners, and bartenders to DJ and has now extended its invitation to local food media like Bendersky who edits the popular Eater Chicago blog that covers Chicago restaurant openings and closings and profiles of the city's top and emerging chefs.
Bendersky will DJ from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. The event goes until 2 a.m. And remember: 50 percent of proceeds from menu items will benefit the Green City Market - Chicago's largest organic and sustainable farmers market.
More to Read: Volunteering in Chicago l Guide to the Chicago Botanic Garden l Chicago Annual Events 2012
Wednesday January 4, 2012
Perusing various news-related Web sites for Chicago this, I came across the following stories that I thought were worth passing along:
- The Chicago Convention & Visitor Bureau's Chicago Like a Local Blog had a detailed review of The Bedford, a new restaurant in Wicker Park located inside of a bank vault. If you enjoy comfort foods like mac n' cheese and eating among safety deposit boxes, this blog's review is worth reading.
- I am a huge fan of Chicago-based food and nutrition expert Dawn Jackson Blatner. She always has innovative weight loss tips and she creates her own super healthy recipes, a lot of which are listed on her Web site. Dawn, a registered dietician, teamed up with Windy City LIVE! this week for the show's Diet Challenge. Check out Dawn's segment on Healthy Eating Habits for 2012.
- The Chicago Mayor's Office launched ChicagoShovels.org, a site that is said to help Chicagoans prepare for winter with an "Adopt-a-Sidewalk" shoveling initiative; a volunteer "Snow Corps" program' and a real-time "Plow Tracker" that allows residents to monitor the progress of Chicago's snow plows.
Also worth reading: Equinox Fitness's Top Exercise Trends for 2012 l Ice Skating in Chicago l Chicago's Most Popular Walking Tours l Losing Weight with Whole Foods Market's New Wellness Club
Friday December 30, 2011
You might have heard the news, but if not: The City of Chicago has announced that the 2012 Taste of Chicago will be cut in half from 10 days to five days for financial reasons.
Typically, the Taste of Chicago, a summer tradition in the city for over 20 years, starts at the end of June and goes over the Fourth of July holiday. Even with its popularity, last year's Taste of Chicago was down in attendance and participating food vendors experienced less profits than in years past.
Learn about this year's Taste of Chicago with our Taste of Chicago 2012 Guide, including dates, times, location, and more. (Also check out another Chicago big event: St. Patrick's Day with our March 2012 Events in Chicago Guide.)
Related Stories: Chicago's 2012 Annual Events l February 2012 Events in Chicago l New Year's in Chicago l Chicago's Shedd Aquarium
