Author Archives: Mark

About Mark

Mark was the at-home winner of Biggest Loser season 10, a prize he won by losing 208 pounds! Today, this New Jersey native is committed to changing the world and having a good time doing it.

Digital Weight Loss Consultations on Expertory Virtually Eliminate All Excuses for Skipping Meetings

A lot of us these days are extremely busy. It seems as though we barely have time to do the important things in life, like taking care of our health (or those long naps on a comfy couch, who am I kidding?!). It is increasingly difficult to be able to budget our precious time to make it out somewhere to achieve our health goals. Being that we are so connected to those crazy interwebs these days, I figured I would try to take care of my wellness through an online format. Enter: Expertory.

skype-call
Expertory is a website dedicated to educating on YOUR terms, not the schedule of someone else you have to work around. I had no excuse like “Oh, I can’t make it at this time because of this, or this time because of that.” Your workouts or counseling sessions are achieved through video chats that you schedule with their enormous panel of experts, which range from fitness and nutrition experts to people who can teach you to speak Mandarin!

Being several years off of the Biggest Loser, I have a stubborn 20 pounds I wish to lose which have crept back on me (much better than the 213 pounds I had to lose originally!). I am pretty happy where I am now, as I am fit and healthy beyond my wildest dreams, but just want to tone up a bit more. Since I work out like a fiend, I know it is my diet that needs cleaning up, which is why I decided to book a session with Amy Goldsmith, a nutritionist, whose session was titled “Boosting Your Metabolism.” (more…)

Posted on October 3, 2024 by Mark

Sprint to Orangetheory Fitness for a Seriously Sweaty and Worthwhile Workout

When I first heard the name “Orangetheory Fitness,” my mind immediately conjured up images of some kind of old school punk band playing a set in someone’s basement. Boy was I wrong! As it turns out, it’s a rapidly expanding fitness sensation (locations in more than 15 states and 2 Canadian territories) that is taking the continent by storm!

I ventured over to the Naperville, IL location (as I am now a Chicagoland resident) to try out a class to see what it was all about. When I entered I was greeted by a very friendly staff who explained the workings of what was to transpire in class. I was given my own heart rate monitor to wear for the workout to see how hard I’d actually be working.

orange theory fitness
The workout starts with interval training (which I am a HUGE fan of). The first part consisted of Indo Row machines (rowers with water in them for a real rowing effect) and then switching to the box area where we did various strength training moves. This persisted for about a half hour. At first, I was like “Easy Peasy!,” but by the third time around, I was sweating profusely and was feeling the burn!

The second half of the class had us on the treadmills. We did various lengths of intervals, running and jogging, mixed with recovery walks in between. I felt as though I could run a lot harder and faster because we were doing shorter sprints, rather than long drawn out runs. By the end of the second half, I had clocked more than two miles in sprints! (more…)

Posted on September 19, 2024 by Mark

Health-Conscious Foodies Must Discover Seitenbacher’s Organic Oils

Even though I have lost several hundred pounds, this has not diminished one iota my love of good food. Even when I was tipping the scales at close to 450 pounds, I adored fine dining, unique flavors, and overall great food finds. You see, I wasn’t that morbidly obese guy who spent all day eating fast food. Did I eat drive thru? You bet I did, but I also have more of a refined palate than that.

I had the good fortune of being in Baltimore for the FitBloggin’ convention last fall, which helped me network with tons of like-minded people in the health and fitness world, as well as aid me in furthering knowledge on my health journey. It just so happened that the natural products expo (Expo East) was right next door! I wandered over there and was like a kid in a candy store! Being the foodie I am, one of the booths that stuck out was Seitenbacher’s selection of oils.

Being a foodie I not only enjoy EATING the food, but also COOKING it (so I can then eat it). There are some bad food oils out there that aren’t too good for you, but this, being the natural products expo, I was expecting something exceptional, and I was not disappointed. (more…)

Posted on February 11, 2024 by Mark

Biggest Loser Finale Recap [Video]

Biggest Loser season 11 has come and gone. It will be a memorable finale, most notably as the first featuring three women as the finalist, not to mention a female at-home winner. Deni lost 125 to win the at-home prize of $100,000. After weighing in the most contestants of any other season, it all came down to Olivia and Hannah. With a narrow three-pound difference, Olivia Ward won after losing 129 pounds, taking home $250,000.
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Posted on May 25, 2024 by Mark

It’s the Last Week on the Ranch in the Biggest Loser Recap: Season 11 Episode 20

This is probably the most unlikely final four anyone could have imagined would be standing when the dust settled from the last elimination. It’s official. Hannah, Olivia, Irene, and Jay. This week there are no more eliminations, but there is another weigh in. In lieu of running the famous marathon this year, they stay on the ranch for another week and weigh in one more time to face the yellow line and leave it up to America to decide who will be the three to vie for the big prize.

One of the things I was really big on, and still am, is nutrition. This week’s pop challenge is to cook the best turkey burger possible (but can they top MY turkey burger recipe?). The winner gets $5,000 and a two-week stay at The Biggest Loser Resort for a person of their choice. The judges for this have the most discerning of palates: A bunch of children! Olivia’s green slime burger didn’t seem to win over many kids and neither did Irene’s burger. Jay’s volcano burger and Hannah’s burger as well seemed to be the overall favorites with Jay barely squeaking it out for the win. (more…)

Posted on May 17, 2024 by Mark

The Final Four Are Revealed in the Biggest Loser Recap: Season 11 Episode 19

We all thought that the final four would be determined last week. However, due to a wish granted by Tim Gunn, we have to wait an additional week to get those results. What’s in store for us this week? The end is in sight for everyone and it is time for them to bring together everything they have learned on their journeys.

First up for the contestants is a final exam! Are they in school again? What is happening?! I for one would be able to rock this as I am kind of a closet nerd. There are four parts to this exam with each of the trainers. (more…)

Posted on May 10, 2024 by Mark

Tim Gunn Hosts Makeover Week in the Biggest Loser Recap: Season 11 Episode 18

Well, well, well. Looks like that much anticipated time is here. Makeover week!!! All those months of blood, sweat and tears as well as the wear and tear your body goes through are rewarded with just a bit of pampering. The guys may not want to admit it, but it’s just as special for them as it is for the girls. I know my beard was getting to the point where I was about ten days away from leading prayer and was dying to shave it off. My hair was also getting a wee bit feathery for my liking. Let’s see what magic the “Fairy Godfather” Tim Gunn will bestow upon the cast! (more…)

Posted on May 3, 2024 by Mark

Rulon Walks Off the Biggest Loser Ranch in the Biggest Loser Recap: Season 11 Week 17

 

 

 

 


 

Meanwhile, back on the ranch! That’s right, bye bye New Zealand, hello the daily grind of the Ranch! The contestants go back to the daily rigors they had grown so accustomed to and there are many adjustments that need to be made now. It’s the final stretch of the competition. What’s in store for the contestants? (more…)

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Mark

Adventurous Challenges in New Zealand in the Biggest Loser Recap: Season 11 Week 16

First off, can I say how unbelievably gorgeous New Zealand is? I’m not sure I clarified that in my recap from last week. This episode takes the contestants to Queenstown where they are first informed that they have made it to singles! This is a big milestone in the game as you have to rely on yourself and ONLY yourself from here on out. It is a true test of one’s grit, determination and character from here on out. One more little twist for them, however (there’s always a twist). Brett is back! He decided to drop in from above via a parachute, so the pressure is back on. (more…)

Posted on April 19, 2024 by Mark

Bungee Jumping in New Zealand in Biggest Loser Recap: Season 11 Week 15

Everyone is still visibly shaken by Courtney’s departure, but Alison actually has some good news for a change! Guess where the cast gets to go for their travel episode? Are they going to pile in a van and drive two hours south like my season? Not happening. They are going to New Zealand!

This is quite a magical place! Middle Earth itself. We are treated to ridiculous views of this gorgeous land. I am just a bit jealous to say the least. But to one person in particular this place has special meaning, Moses. His father spent a lot of time as a child getting his education in New Zealand. He has such a deep feeling that Bob even breaks the rules and lets him use his phone to call his father! (more…)

Posted on April 12, 2024 by Mark

A Heartbreaking Elimination in Biggest Loser Recap: Season 11 Week 14



This week’s episode starts off with Courtney’s reflections of last week. She only lost two pounds while Jen lost nothing, causing her to be a team of one. She admits there were mistakes made by both of them relaxing too much, causing a disastrous weigh in. Now it is up to her to save herself as well as Brett, because who will he train if she goes home?

There’s a pop challenge right away and it seems pretty easy at first. What is a mile? The teams have fifteen minutes to pace a mile and plant their flag. To the winner goes a night out in Hollywood. The losing teams all have to scrub the ranch. It seems like no one has a clue what to do. They start measuring and what not, but no one is really sure. Turns out the winner was decided by only four feet! For the win, the black team! Hannah gets her night out! But we all know what happened last week when people got some pampering. (more…)

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Mark