Today marks the first official day of our weight loss and exercise competition! Which, of course, means that it is taking every ounce of my willpower not to eat my way through my kitchen cabinets. It’s totally mental, of course – mouth-hungry, not stomach-hungry. But still. OMG ALL I WANT IS A COOKIE. MAKE THAT A BOX OF COOKIES. It will pass, I know it will. But in the meantime…
There are 24 of us signed up right now, and I am so excited about this response. If there are any last-minute stragglers, I’d be happy to let you in if you email me a starting weight and $10 through Paypal by the end of the day today (Monday). For the rest of you, LET’S GET IT ON!
[Also? This thing needs a name. Any ideas? All I've got is "get your fat ass off the couch, Liz," but GYFAOTC,L is a terrible acronym.]
I’ll be profiling a bunch of our competitors during our 8 weeks, and I figured I’d kick it off with my own answers. Hope you don’t mind. (And yes, there will be “normal” programming on this here blog over the next two months, too. Don’t go away!)
1. Brief Bio
Um, I’m pretty sure you guys know me. I’m Liz. I live here. 33 years old, SAHM, 4.5-year-old twins, almost-1-year-old Ellie. When I find a few free minutes, or am trying to avoid laundry, exercise, or something else more important, I like to make quilts.
2. Fitness/weight goals, for the competition and longer-term
I’ve decided not to hide the details and just tell you my real numbers. Today, I am 215 pounds. GROSS, I HATE IT, ETC. My goal for the eight weeks of the competition is to lose about 10 pounds. A little ambitious, but totally do-able if I stay on track. Longer-term, I would like to be down 30 pounds by my step-sister’s wedding in July, and a total of about 50 pounds. But I can’t think about the big number, I have to break it up. So for now, my focus is this 10.
3. Least favorite part about losing weight / getting fit
That first week or two of changing eating habits SUCKS SO HARD. All I can think about is eating. Specifically, eating complete junk. Stuffing my face with it. After a week or so, I remember the tricks and recipes, and it gets a little easier… until I lose track, again.
4. Favorite / easiest / most enjoyable part of the process
Once I get into a groove with exercising, I really do enjoy it. I feel good doing it, I feel even better after I’m done. I feel stronger, more productive, and generally like a better version of myself.
And as much as I wish the weight would come off of my belly first, it’s kind of nice that my face tends to show the differences relatively quickly. Makes me hate photos a lot less.
5. Where do you find motivation?
Obviously, competition is an extra kick in the pants for me. I also do best with structure and routine, so I stop having to convince myself to exercise every time – it’s simply what I do on that day, no thought required. And a deadline really helps (like the bridesmaid dress for my stepsister’s wedding, ahem). I’m also such an extrovert, I have to have buddies. I need people I can talk to or compare notes with.
6. Favorite type of exercise
I really like Spinning. It’s a really hard workout, and it’s a group class, which I really like (nice to have an “appointment” to exercise, knowing I have to show up at a particular time). But I love that I can go at my own speed if I need to, without being terribly noticeable or getting in anyone else’s way.
7. Food tips and tricks
The more water I drink, the better I feel. Fewer headaches, fewer cravings, less hungry overall. I also have a rule that I do not eat after 8PM. We have dinner at about 6:30. If I’m still eating after the kids go to bed, then it means I’m mindlessly grazing for sweets. It’s never because I’m *actually* hungry. So, after 8PM, nothing but water until breakfast. It’s hard the first few days, but I get used to it quickly and I can only imagine how many completely unnecessary calories it removes from my day.
Woo! I’m excited to officially start! Reading your bio answers made me realize I REALLY need to edit mine down. I’m a little wordy sometimes.
We do need an official name. Hmmm….
Darrah recently posted..Another year older. (The jury’s still out on "wiser.")
Love how you’ve broken down the goals into immediate, mid-term and long-term! I also do really well when I get into an exercise regimen, but it’s so easy to get out of it. And my absolute favorite method is playing soccer and that’s obviously logistically challenging with kids a lot of the time.
Wiley recently posted..I smell like cabbage…
I’m excited for an official start too! Since I’m incredibly poor at setting reasonable goals, I might borrow your short-term goal if that’s ok. Will be hard to meet, but not completely out of reach given the whole 1-2 lbs a week is a healthy rate of weight loss thing. I already have 3 dinners planned post-cleanse and a plan for both breakfast and lunch. That gets me to Friday… will have to start my menu-planning for the next grocery run in the next couple of days. Woot!
I really should be joining in.
I’m in eating through the kitchen cupboards mode here myself.
good luck!!!
I’m so glad to be joining in. I really need a kick in the butt to get going and hopefully this time I can maintain any loss and keep the exercise going. Looking forward to hopefully being motivated by everyone!
Amy recently posted..Getting Our Family Healthier
I quit sugar (and simple carbs like bread, rice, pasta, potatoes) cold turkey right after Christmas. So it’s been about 3 weeks. The first two days I was fine, then the cravings kicked in. (We still have a pantry full of Christmas candies.) I found that I could tame my sweet craving with, and I know this is odd, a single spoonful of natural peanut butter, straight off the spoon. It takes a few minutes to eat since it sticks, it’s just sweet enough to satisfy and has lots of protein. It’s gotten me through some tough days when I wanted to curl up with a bag of M&Ms. So far I haven’t broken down and gone back to sweets. My problem is moderation. I can’t eat one cookie, I have to eat like 7. Better to just say no for now, and slowly re-introduce the sweets.
Unexpected side-effect? My daily headaches I have suffered for about the last decade seem to have gone away, or at least I haven’t had one for about 2 weeks, which is the longest stretch (except when I was pregnant and everything else was uncomfortable but my head was fine.) in seriously 10 years.
Jen W. recently posted..The Tale of the Midnight Snuggler
I think Jen W. is my long-long twin. Same challenge to lose some weight and the same Hungry Horrors. She’s right – a spoonful of peanut butter does seem to help.
Best of luck to all participating! I’ve already committed to keeping the Hubby company on his struggle. We’re doing the South Beach Diet… I would prefer to do the diet while ON South Beach, but hopefully by the summer I won’t be embarassed to be seen in a bathing suit!
WorkingMom recently posted..Saga of the Dance, Part 2
Hello, Liz.
I’ve been a lurker for several months, and have tracked your progress with your twins with each stage I’ve been in. Currently my girls are five months old and I just wanted to finally comment and to say I think you’re great; that I’m proud of you for doing this weight-loss event; that your kids are gorgeous and that I thank you for all the advice you’ve provided me over the past several months.
Hey Liz- While I’m not doing the competition I just want to say good luck to you and everyone who has joined in. I’m going to throw out boxing again to tone up before the summer wedding. There is something freaking awesome about punching something counting as exercise.
Heather V recently posted..An Occational Friday 2012 Series- Project Runway
Naming stuff is hard! How about “No time for illness,” based on “Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness.: – Edward Stanley, Earl of Derby?
The program at work is named nice at simply: Get Fit!
Sadia recently posted..Going private
I was trying to come up with a variation on the “in Progress” theme, since it fits with the blog and with what this whole process is about–progressing beyond our current state of health/fitness. “Bodies in Progress” “Ladies in Progress” “Lives in Progress”?
Darrah recently posted..Another year older. (The jury’s still out on "wiser.")
So excited to be part of this group! Let the games begin-Perhaps I need to put down my coffee and get some water!
Momma Hunt recently posted..Gracie’s Gift-A Review
It is rough going trying to reform my diet. I am really glad that we are doing this together. On my own, I don’t think I would have the follow through. This really is the push that I needed. Thanks!
Sooo excited to be a part of this! I’ve always thought I should lose weight but have never actually gone on a diet. Weird, right? The hubs and I had already decided to do Meatless Mondays, Fish Fridays, and two low-carb days a week, so this fits right in.
With two little kids and no car, walking is my best exercise. The summer I was a dog walker in college I lost 15 pounds – if I can get in the same habit of daily walks I think I can do some damage. Just got a double stroller over the weekend, so now I can really moving! (Not that wearing a baby while pushing a toddler to the grocery store wasn’t fun…)
Plus I got an XBox Kinect and Just Dance for Christmas – anyone want to join me in a little dance workout?
PS – Liz if you haven’t already considered it, a Google Doc spreadsheet shared with everyone that has a tab for each person that they can fill in themselves would be a good way to make the administration easier for you. I know, I’m a spreadsheet nerd.
As for names, I vote MYFA – Move Your Fat Ass. Or Better Babes In Progress. Or Artemis In Progress – she’s the greek goddess of the hunt and athletics.
Good luck!!!! You go girl!!! I’ll be rooting for you!
Heather recently posted..Back to Work