DEALS O’ THE WEEK, CLASS SCHEDULE

WEIGHT LOSS
I was in a weight loss contest at work. I had those 5 to 10 pounds that I wanted to get rid of, but was harder to get rid of as I get older. The contest was 10 weeks long and it ended the other week.

One of the toughest things about the contest – this year and last year – was that we went on vacations just before the last weigh-in. Last year it was London and Paris. This year it was New York. So while in New York I ate a lot of fish and didn’t go overboard eating or drinking. I walked a ton just like last year. I also bench-pressed strangers. When I got the munchies I’d lick some pigeons. For some reason the pigeons with a smattering of gray patterns on them tasted better. I found reciting the Magna Carta kept my mind off hunger too.

I lost a total of 16.25 pounds. I also went from 15.72% body fat to 11.81%. Apparently I ate me spinach. I ranked 5th overall with a 25% body fat loss. The best was 38.75%. My wife now plays the xylophone on my abs. And she has taken to bouncing quarters off of me because she likes the clink sound it makes. What is amazing is that I did the contest last year and my body fat then was 20.96% and went down to 16.97%. So I started this contest below last year’s measurements, but my weight was almost exactly the same as the previous year. Now I just gotta keep the weight off. I don’t want to do this contest again because I gained all the weight back.

Our team won with the most workouts. One of the team members, my boss, won Mr. Two-a-Days. I won the Chief award – I played the Captain. One guy from another team lost 49 pounds. That’s about losing a 1st grader…I think they would weigh around 49 pounds.

In the end it comes down to eating less, making healthier food choices and excercising more. Simple, but not always easy. With all the tasty freebie food I get it’s easy to snack on it into the night. Five pounds becomes ten becomes twenty in no time. But it was like Lent, giving up food for a period of time like candy, cookies, and anything else that tasted really good.

Being overweight has its own issues from health to social to relationships. It can cost you money through extra food and doctor visits and operations that are weight-related from knee problems to getting rid of that arm gaggle. I noticed how some of my suits got a little tight. They were so tight that one cough and I’d be standing in my socks and underwear.

How many of you out there have asked your spouse, “Do I look fat?” That’s a loaded question and has made liars out of many spouses, but think about it…don’t you want your spouse to be healthy and let them know when their weight might affect their health and thus the family. Answers that might get you in the dog house:
“From the back or the side?”
“Saturated or unsaturated?”
“No, I think you will still only be charged for one airline seat.”

The U.S. has an issue with obesity. Mississippi had the worst obesity rate. Here’s the list of states rates: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/07/01/obesity.rankings/index.html?eref=rss_health#cnnSTCOther2

Need some help with your weight loss? Try http://www.fatsecret.com, http://www.sparkpeople.com, and http://www.fitday.com. Another great site that tells you how bad some food is to eat and what would make a better choice is http://www.eatthis.com. Many restaurants are now listing calories and fat in their meals. You’d be amazed how much is in some restaurant meals. At times your better off just licking pigeons.

TOP TEN SIGNS THAT SPRING IS HERE
10) Windshield washer fluid now replaced with lemonade.
9) Robins no longer have to thaw out frozen earthworms over hot mufflers.
8) Package of Crocuses I forgot in my car trunk are now blooming.
7) Potholes now being filled with cypress mulch.
6) Migrating birds scavenging for french fries again at the local McDonalds.
5) Time for my spring bath.
4) The smell of baseball and steriods is in the air.
3) The gray of winter is now replaced by the gray of spring.
2) Local hibernating mammals are awaken by the sound of back-firing lawn mowers.
1) Clocks I forget to move back one hour in the fall are now on the right time.

CENSUS
Fill out your Census form! It will help your state and community, especially with federal funding and representation.
Check out the latest participation rates:
http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/

APPLIANCE REBATE
Ohio is offering rebates on Energy Star rated appliances. The number of rebates offered is limited and there are stipulations to the rebate. Check Lowe’s and Home Depot for their additional 10% off specials. Appliances and their rebate amounts:
Refrigerator $100
Clothes Washer $150
Dishwasher $100
High-Efficiency Gas Storage Water Heater $100
Electric Heat Pump Water Heater $250
Click here for more information and to reserve a rebate for your purchase:
http://www.ohioappliancerebate.com

OUR TOWN COUPON BOOK
Get a free $50 Willoughby Brewing restaurant.com gift certificate with each Our Town coupon book order! Each Our Town coupon book costs $25. Find hundreds of coupons in the Our Town book including those for restaurants, golf, West Side Market, wineries, pizza, dry cleaning, movies, and fast food.

Note: Limited amount of Our Towns available. Expiration dates on gift certificates vary. Offer ends when Our Town books sell out. Restaurant.com gift certificates have stipulations (must order $100 worth with the $50 gift certificate, etc). Go to restaurant.com to see specific rules.

Order here: http://www.joethecouponguy.com/merchandise/index.htm

SAVVY SHOPPER BOOKLET
Now over 150 pages! Dozens of topics. The updated booklet features thousands of money-saving tips, over 1,000 savings web sites, travel savings, finding cell phone deals, freebies, gas and natural gas savings, couponing, restaurant savings, rules on saving money, wedding savings, home maintenance and utility savings, technology deals, entertainment deals, how to save 70% and more on groceries and toiletries, as well as loads of information on transforming you from an over-spender to a saver!
Click here to order: http://www.joethecouponguy.com/merchandise/index.htm

RESTAURANT.COM
Get 80% off on restaurant gift certificates! Spend $2 for a $25 gift certificate!
At checkout use coupon code: COOK
Ends 3/31.
Certificates are good for one year.
Click here to order:
RESTAURANT.COM 80% OFF DEAL

WALGREENS
Free after register rewards:
Dove shampoo or conditioner or styling product – plus use recent coupon
Simply Saline – plus use $1 coupon
Dulcolax – plus use $4 coupon at http://www.dulcolaxusa.com/
One Daily for Men/Women vitamins

ALDIS
Spectacular deals:
Baby carrots – 49 cents/bag
Bag o’ salad – 39 cents
Pineapple – $1.49
Idaho potatoes – $1.29 – 10 lb bag
Strawberries – $1.69

CLASS SCHEDULE
The following is my latest class schedule. If you’d like to book me for a speaking engagement, please contact me at joe@joethecouponguy.com.

Mar 31, 2010 – Wednesday – 12:00 to 1:00 PM – Columbus Community College
Mar 31, 2010 – Wednesday – 6:00 to 7:00 PM – Kenton Library
Apr 6, 2010 – Tuesday – 1:05 & 2:00 PM – Medina County Career Center – Tough Times Survival University Day
Apr 6, 2010 – Tuesday – 6:30 to 7:30 PM – Marvin Memorial Library – Shelby
Apr 8, 2010 – Thursday – 7:00 to 8:00 PM – Olmsted Falls PTA
Apr 12, 2010 – Monday – 8:00 to 9:30 PM – North Royalton Early Childhood PTA
Apr 13, 2010 – Tuesday – 7:00 to 8:30 PM – Elyria North Library at Lorain Community College
Ap 27, 2010 – Tuesday – 7:00 to 8:30 PM – Stow/Monroe Falls Library
May 3, 2010 – Monday – 7:00 to 8:30 PM – Wildwood Recreation Center – Mentor – Call 440-974-5735 – $12 fee residents, $15 non-residents
May 6, 2010 – Thursday – 7:30 PM – Cleveland Society of Poles
May 13, 2010 – Thursday – 5:30 to 6:30 PM – Madison Library (Mansfield area)
May 15, 2010 – Saturday – 11:30 to 12:30 PM – Ohio University Women’s Alumnae
May 20, 2010 – Thursday – 7:00 to 8:30 PM – Peninsula Library
June 14, 2010 – Monday – 7:15 to 9:15 PM – Lakeland Community College – $29 fee – Call 440-525-7116 to register – 2 hour class
July 13, 2010 – Tuesday – 7:00 to 8:30 PM – Parma Hospital
Aug 4, 2010 – Wednesday – 3:00 to 7:00 PM – Lake Hospitals – Tri-Point Medical Building – Concord
Nov 23, 2010 – Tuesday – 10:15 to 11:15 AM – Brookpark Seniors

LINKS
Check out some of my favorite sites:
http://www.joethecouponguy.com/links/index.htm

Joe
http://www.joethecouponguy.com

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