Ready for a little friendly competition? I'm really tired of seeing the same old numbers on the scale, and I've been inspired by all the television weight loss competitions I've been watching. While most of us can't drop out of our lives to focus on diet and exercise, we can steal some of their ideas, and try to adapt it to our own situations. So, let's do this thing.
Ground rules:
Follow whatever diet you want - but make it sensible and balanced, okay? No crazy only lettuce and diet soda routines.
Plan your dinners. If you are like me, breakfast and lunch isn't such a major dilemma. I can eat the same things day in and day out. But the family likes variety at dinner. Once a week, sit down and spend ten minutes planning out your week's food. I'll post mine.
Get moving. I'll be posting weekly exercise goals plus challenges. These aren't going to be difficult, and you can save your excuses for your mama. (You can also expect a little trash talking from me.)
Be accountable. At the start of each week, I want you to take a photo of your weight displayed on your scale. We'll do this every Monday. This is to keep you motivated through the weekends - and also to keep your pedicures current. Heh. We'll also take our measurements once a month.
I also want you to tell someone what you are doing. Tell your husband. Tell your kids. Tell your best friend. Encourage them to help you by joining you in exercise, not offering foods you can't resist, and by distracting you when you are feeling weak.
If you are already a blogger - consider blogging your challenge. If you aren't, CafeMom can have you up and running in five minutes. Send me your links!
Get enough rest. If you are a night-owl like me, start by moving your bedtime up by 30 minutes. And then do it again. Your body needs time to regenerate.
Drink your water. I don't care how you get it in, but you need 8 8 oz glasses daily. Start drinking in the morning, and keep it with you until you've gotten it all in.
Finally - we're going to stop the negative talk. We're going to forgive ourselves for gaining weight, and we're going to tackle one choice at a time. If you mess up at lunch, you'll go back to your sensible plan at dinner. If you mess up after dinner, you'll wake up tomorrow and start fresh.
Got it?
I'm going to create a one-sheet print-out-able file that will give you a place to record your weekly menu, your weight and measurements, your exercise challenges for the week and your water intake. I'll have that available in my sidebar by this evening. Feel free to modify it as you see fit. Mine will be taking center stage on my 'fridge.
Here's what we are playing for, and how I'm judging:
At the end of each of the next three months, I will compare your starting weight with your ending weight. I'm cooking up prizes for our progress check-ups. At the end of three months, I will do one final comparison. The dieter who has lost the most weight (in pounds) will recieve a $50 gift certificate of her choice. If there is a tie, we will use minutes exercised as a tie breaker. Track those minutes!
So! This weekend, take some Before photos. Find your measuring tape. Change the batteries in your scale. Start thinking about the way you want to eat.
I will keep the "official contest entry" open until Friday, March 9th. I don't know if comments are actually working - it has been a rough week. If you'd like to participate, but can't comment, send me an email bigslicejenny@gmail.com and let me know you're in.
Count me in! I need some trash talking motivation to get my butt moving! BRING IT ON! MJ
Posted by: MJ | 03/02/2007 at 06:36 PM
I'm in! Totally in! That gift certificate is mine girls!
Posted by: Fat Bridesmaid | 03/02/2007 at 06:47 PM
I'm IN, baby! This is just what I needed. I have passed my honeymoon stage of my diet and now it has gotten old and boring. This will spice things up a bit.
Posted by: Kris | 03/02/2007 at 08:05 PM
This looks like exactly what I need at the moment! Count me in too please. I'm in Australia so don't worry about the prize for me. Not that I'd have much chance of winning with the ways thigns are going at present
Posted by: Tess | 03/02/2007 at 11:31 PM
i think i am in. would i have to post my weight on my blog? yikes
Posted by: janet | 03/03/2007 at 06:00 AM
I'm in!
Blogger is acting funny and won't let me publish anything on there so I'm going to keep record of this challenge over at this site http://rae76.extrapounds.com/
Posted by: Rae | 03/03/2007 at 06:35 AM
Count me in
Posted by: HealthyMummy | 03/03/2007 at 09:26 AM
count me in!! I seen where (Fat Bridesmaid) posted about this site on extrapounds.com and i had to check out the action..
Posted by: sazzyredneckmama | 03/03/2007 at 06:15 PM
You would start this right as all the girl scouts are invading the storefronts while waving cookie boxes in front of me.
Posted by: Joann | 03/03/2007 at 08:09 PM
The girl scouts tried to get me on my way out of the store last night! Who knew cute little nine year olds could be so pushy? Haha.
Posted by: Fat Bridesmaid | 03/04/2007 at 10:28 AM
I'd like to join in as well, please
Posted by: Kimberly | 03/04/2007 at 07:11 PM
Quick question, where you do you want us to post our photos of our scale/weigh in? Do you want us to email them to you? I'll be posting my meal planning on my blog.
It's only a few hours away from the first day!
Posted by: Kris | 03/04/2007 at 07:58 PM
I'm in, of course. I'll blog it later today.
Posted by: HG | 03/05/2007 at 06:32 AM