The Fruit Company

by Stephanie, Graphic Designer – Brand Manager

We’re making this a quick weigh-in results entry seeing as we were late on the last post and am only just now reporting Friday’s numbers. This last week saw a drastic improvement with many of our participants. Everyone either lost weight or maintained their weight. I know for myself that while my numbers didn’t change, I did finally measure myself and found I’ve lost 10 inches! That definitely made a -0 a little less depressing.

Brett is one of the biggest losers thus far with Team Oregon Booty De-Lite. He and his wife are in this together and he had this to say about their efforts to live healthier:
“I am doing the elliptical almost every night. I started with 20 minutes and am now up to 40 minutes per session. I track calories daily (no more than 1700 calories per day) and try to stay away from too much fat and sugar. The single most helpful thing is my wife is involved as well. She’s a really good cook and it is hard to resist seconds. Since we are both in the competition, we have been eating a much healthier diet and watching our portions.”

And now… the results!
Team Terminal Ice
Janelle, -1 (5 week total: -10); Scott, -4 (5 week total: -7); Rhonda, -1 (5 week total: -9); Katelyn, -0 (5 week total: -4); Aaron, -1 (5 week total: -8); Pepe, -0 (4 week total: -9).

Team Oregon Booty De-Lite
Ryan, -2 (5 week total: -6); Machel, -2 (5 week total: -14); Marcela, -2 (5 week total: -8); Brett, -2 (5 week total: -11); Becky E., -0 (5 week total: -5); Steph, -0 (5 week total: -9); Belen, -0 (4 week total: -6).

Keep it up!

by Stephanie, Graphic Designer – Brand Manager

Oh, the trials and errors of losing weight. This past week’s weigh in definitely proves that this change is no walk in the park (maybe a light jog?). Some people have slowed down in their weight-loss process, a few gained weight back.

The key thing to remember right now is that while the numbers on the scale might not be what we want, the last thing we can do is give up. One of the biggest difficulties with weight loss is setting realistic goals and realizing that it’s not all going to happen right away. Sure, after the first week we all had a gleam in our eye that hey, maybe we can even double what our 100-day loss would be. But that’s not how our bodies work and we have to keep coming up with new ways to become healthier. Run an extra 5 minutes on the treadmill. Have a larger portion of vegetables and a smaller portion of carbohydrates. Find a new, fun physical activity that will challenge your body more than it’s used to.

Above all, being realistic about your weight loss goals and being determined to continue on your path to overall fitness is the key to your success.

With that being said, here are today’s weigh-in results!
Team Terminal Ice
Janelle, -2 (4 week total: -9); Scott, +5 (4 week total: -3); Rhonda, -1 (4 week total: -8); Katelyn, +3 (4 week total: -4); Aaron, -1 (4 week total: -7); Pepe, -2 (3 week total: -9).

Team Oregon Booty De-Lite
Ryan, +3 (4 week total: -4); Machel, -0 (4 week total: -12); Brett, -0 (4 week total: -9); Becky E., -0 (4 week total: -5); Steph, -1 (4 week total: -9); Belen, -2 (3 week total: -6).

Also, THANK YOU to Troy W. Vincent, the Director of Live Healthy America, who commented on our previous entry! We’re thrilled and flattered that our little account of our company’s healthy living goals have garnered a bit of attention.

by Stephanie, Graphic Designer – Brand Manager

Today marks day 25 in our challenge, and to celebrate we had a bit of a competitive relay through our warehouse. It began with a sprint from our office doors, around the outside of the production floor, all the way around to touch the door of our main cold storage facility and back, all while carrying a basket full of fruit (naturally!). Before we could pass the basket on to the next runner, we had to move 7 boxes of pears from one pallet to the next and then do 25 jumping jacks.

Please keep in mind that not only were all the team members there watching and participating, but the entire production floor stopped work to watch us run around like crazy. The warehouse echoed with words of encouragement, of laughter, maybe even a little bit of heckling here and there. In the breathless end my team, Oregon Booty De-Lite, caught up with Terminal Ice and won with a photo-finish.

Speaking of photos, we documented the event for everyone’s enjoyment. Okay, I’m sure a number of us are not going to enjoy these pictures of ourselves (this is easily the worst picture of myself I’ve allowed to go public!), but that’s the idea. Hopefully after the next 25 days we’ll be a little skinnier, a little healthier and look better in these ridiculous pics.

Click on any picture to make it larger!

The first is Janelle running back from the cold storage door, fruit basket in hand.

Next is a hilarious picture of our CEO Scott doing jumping jacks against our Quality Control Manager Belen, who had twisted her ankle during the run!

Here’s a speedy action shot of our Operational Manager Pepe, who’s hat matches the pineapple in his basket perfectly, might I add.

And now it’s Pepe and Brett, coming back from cold storage side by side.

Now we have Marcela and Aaron dueling it out with the stacking pear box relay.

Machel has been running almost every day and it shows during her portion of the relay. Look how happy she is!

Myself and Katelyn were the last contestants, and we finished it all up with a crazy set of jumping jacks.

Finally we have the two exhausted teams catching their breath and re-hydrating with well-deserved cups of water.

And of course, our weekly weigh in results! Almost everyone has been doing a great job keeping it up! A big props to Machel for being the first one to lose in the double digits.
Team Terminal Ice
Janelle, -1 (3 week total: -7); Scott, -2 (3 week total: -8); Rhonda, -2 (3 week total: -7); Katelyn, -1 (3 week total: -7); Aaron, +3 (3 week total: -6); Pepe, -2 (2 week total: -7).

Team Oregon Booty De-Lite
Ryan, -2 (3 week total: -7); Machel, -3 (3 week total: -12); Brett, -1 (3 week total: -9); Becky E., -2 (3 week total: -5); Steph, -2 (3 week total: -8); Belen, 0 (2 week total: -4).

by Stephanie, Graphic Designer – Brand Manager

Ok, we’re a couple days late with last week’s weigh in. We’re getting ready for Valentine’s Day here at The Fruit Company, which isn’t the greatest holiday when you’re trying to eat healthy. We’re bombarded with stereotypes that you need to get your significant other decadent chocolates or take them out for lavish 5-course meals to honor your love for them. What’s wrong with a box of gleaming, gorgeous Valentine d’Anjou Pears? Sweet and scintillating, they’re just as rich as the truffles you shouldn’t be eating. Sure, we’re biased, but we’re also committed to our goal for living healthy.

With that being said, a little bite of chocolate doesn’t hurt every now and again.

And now for the weigh in results!
They weren’t quite as stellar as our first week, but a few people are still charging ahead with fantastic results. We also lost one team member from Terminal Ice (we miss you Crispin!) and gained one on each team. Without further ado…

Team Terminal Ice
Janelle, -1 (2 week total: -6); Scott, -5 (2 week total: -6); Rhonda, -2 (2 week total: -5); Katelyn, +1 (2 week total: -6); Aaron, -2 (2 week total: -9); Pepe, -5 (1 week total: -5).

Team Oregon Booty De-Lite
Ryan, 0 (2 week total: -5); Machel, -5 (2 week total: -9); Brett, -2 (2 week total: -8); Becky E., -1 (2 week total: -3); Steph, -1 (2 week total: -6); Belen, -4 (1 week total: -4).

I’d like to note that several of us lost HALF pounds as well (ahem! I lost 1.5!), but we’re only registering whole pounds. Just saying!
See you later this week!

by Stephanie, Graphic Designer – Brand Manager

As employees of a company that provides exceptional healthy fruit it seemed a natural choice that we join the Live Healthy America program. For 100 days we will strive toward a healthier, more active lifestyle with support from each other and the organization, complete with weekly weigh-ins and online journal entries. We’re divided into two teams, Team Terminal Ice and Team Oregon Booty De-Lite, and have a healthy competitive spirit as we try to lose the highest percentage of weight each week.
Every week we will recant our trials, tribulations and triumphs (including pounds lost!) here on The Fruit Company Blog.

(Most of) Team Oregon Booty De-Lite. From L-R: Brett, Machel, Marcela, Ryan and Stephanie. Missing: Becky and Belen.

(Most of) Team Terminal Ice. From L-R: Crispin, Janelle, Aaron, Scott, Rhonda and Katelyn. Missing: Pepe.

Our first weigh in results are in and we all did wonderfully for this beginning leg of the race. But before we get into the weigh in results, I wanted to share a few of the competitors’ plans of action for becoming healthier.

Rhonda, of Terminal Ice, had this to say about her gameplan:
“My goal is to develop new habits that will stick with me after the 100 days. I’ve tried a lot of different ‘diets’ and inevitably lose weight regardless which one I choose. The problem has always been keeping off the weight and not gaining an extra 10 pounds in the process.
I decided I would have to include foods I know I can’t live without or I’d be sure to fail. One thing I can’t live without? PASTA! There are hundreds of recipes for low fat pasta dishes with wonderful, fresh flavor. I have decided to choose a low fat, low sugar lifestyle that includes lots of fresh veggies and fruit (of course!).”
For physical activity Rhonda is getting away from her desk several times a day and taking laps around our giant building.

Machel of Oregon Booty De-Lite sent me her healthy living secrets.
“Since Day One I’ve cut out all sugar and carbs. I think it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done! (harder than labor!!) I’ve also started exercising every morning for 30 minutes and have made my meal sizes and portions much smaller. It’s only been a week and I have already realized that eating less in quantity, eating more healthy foods and exercising makes you feel so much better. It’s not easy but I know it will be worth it.”

And finally! What everyone has been waiting to hear: the cold, dirty numbers of pounds shed. Let’s get to it!
Terminal Ice lost the most weight this week, with an impressive 26 pounds between 6 people. Oregon Booty De-Lite isn’t too far behind, losing a total of 22 pounds in one week, with one person (Marcela) unaccounted for as she’s on vacation. We had two latecomers this week, Pepe on Team TI and Belen on Team OBDL, so their first weight loss will be counted next week.

Congratulations all! We’re doing great and only plan on doing better as the weeks go on! Stay tuned for more of our misadventures in dieting, lifestyle changing, whatever you want to call it… LIVING HEALTHY!

by Stephanie, Graphic Designer – Brand Manager

Every January across the world people make resolutions to better themselves in the new year. Health, happiness and money are often the reoccurring themes of many resolutions, and us at The Fruit Company are no different. This past Wednesday 12 of us joined the Live Healthy America movement, a competitive non-profit program with the goal to motivate and teach how to make positive and lasting changes with one’s health and lifestyle. As employees of a company that provides exceptional healthy fruit it seemed a natural choice. For 100 days we will strive toward a healthier, more active lifestyle with support from each other and the organization, complete with weekly weigh-ins and online journal entries.

Every week we will recant our trials, tribulations and triumphs (including pounds lost!) here on The Fruit Company Blog.

We’ve divided our 12 into two teams of 6. Our CEO Scott named his team “Terminal Ice” after the Terminal Ice & Storage Company, who originally built an innovative cold storage facility here back in 1935. I think he liked it because it sounded mean. The other team (the one I’m on, ahem) is named “Oregon Booty De-Lite”, inspired by our basket Oregon Delight and that part of my workout plan includes the entertaining DVDs Yoga Booty Ballet. Any excuse to use the word “booty” in casual conversation, really.

Group shot of both teams. From L-R: Aaron, Machel, Rhonda, Katelyn, Scott, Marcela, Brett, Stephanie, Ryan, Crispin and Janelle.

While we’re united in our goals, we all have different methods with which we plan on accomplishing them.
Mine? I’m really focusing on increasing my physical activity. I already run 2-3 times a week and am trying to increase that as well as integrate other exercise back into my life. Skiing (thank you season pass at Mt. Hood Meadows!), yoga, snowshoeing, hiking, and my most recent addition, bellydancing classes. I had my first class last night and am totally looking looking forward to more– my abs and sides especially feel the results today! I’m also being more selective about what I eat. While I’ve been eating an abundance of fresh fruit (company perks!), veggies and whole grains for a while, I’m watching portion sizes and trying to discipline myself against mindless eating. Also the indulgences in yummy cheeses and chocolates have to become a little less frequent. And more water! I’m hoping to lose a respectable 15lbs by the end of the 100 days, and already have lost 2!

Janelle, of team Terminal Ice, has been on a different diet plan with her husband for 12 days now. She based hers off of “The Maker’s Diet” by Jordan S. Rubin, which focuses on a 40-day diet of mostly meat, fruit, and vegetables found in the Bible. Broken up into 3 phases, there are foods to enjoy and foods to avoid, complete with weekly menus and recipes. Thus far Janelle has lost 8lbs and her husband as lost an impressive 12. For physical activity she’s been going to Curves 3-4 times a week, and hopes to lose 2 dress sizes by the time it’s all done.

Ryan, team captain of Oregon Booty De-Lite, is hoping to lose 10-12lbs during the duration of the program. He’s planning on running 5 miles three times a week instead of his current 3 miles three times a week and avoiding sugar and calorie-laden foods like cookies, candy and soda. As of today he’s gotten rid of 3.5lbs, so apparently we all seem to be doing something right.

Next week we’ll have more on everyone’s game plans toward success and the results of our Friday weigh-in. Stay tuned, and if you have any tips please feel free to offer them!