I can't tell you how many times I have vowed to get back into blogging for all of you--my devoted readers (all 8 or 9 of you), and for my kids who are crazy, hilarious, and completely blog-worthy, but most of all for me. I once told one of my writing instructors in college that I would always write--that it would always be a part of me because it always had been. But how could I have foreseen this overwhelmingly, bursting at the seams life of mine way back then?
Regardless, I'm back--to try again. And I have news. No, not THAT. (Clayton starts with C. Same as CABOOSE. For real this time).
No the news is, I am about to become the fittest and thinnest I've ever been. For real this time. I have serious motivation. And this time it's the kind of motivation that really could propel me past the next birthday cake bonanza (remember this post?) We celebrate 3 birthdays in 3 weeks starting last Wednesday in this household (and 3 out of 4 grandparents, 2 nieces, and a brother in about 5 weeks) so the cake influx alone is enough to keep me fat until it's time to start breaking into the Halloween candy. And the turtlenecks, thank God.
But not this year.
A little over a week ago, a friend of mine sent out a mass Facebook invitation to a number of friends and family she suspected just *might* be interested in some extra incentive to dump some plump. It sounded interesting, cost only about $20 (plus $2/week for additional contests etc.), and we had just come back from our summer vacation after which I discovered I had gained a modest 10 pounds (!!!) I am currently praying my way into my pre-baby pants (yeah, that's pre-Gracie--so whether or not clothes that are 10 years old are worth wearing anymore is another post). But, as is the case with most of my adult life, I'd like to lose about 15 (okay 25) pounds and I'd like to get back in some kind of shape.
So, what's another weight loss competition? I've been joining them for years. From Dump your Plump back when I worked at the ice cream shop (yeah, ironic—and not highly successful, big surprise), to Lighten Up Iowa, Body for Life, and Weight Watchers, I've hopped on every get-skinny bandwagon that rolls by. And I’m still not. Skinny that is.
But there are 2 differences this time:
1. I'm fed up. I'm sick to death of my excuses and my lack of follow through. I'm tired of waking up every Monday with new resolve that THIS time (no REALLY) I'm going to lose the weight and get fit. And I'm tired of waking up by about Thursday having worked out once and having eaten 3/4 of a pan of scotcharoos the night before and hating myself and my lack of willpower.
and, (the real incentive)
2. The pot for winning this particular contest is over $900!!! You read that right. $980 to be exact!!
That is real incentive. And I really want to win. The contest is for % weight loss with 2 possible monthly prizes of about $136. It’s a fairly simple contest (but even so, I won’t go into too many details here). Suffice it to say there are incentives for healthy habits (eating fruits and veggies, avoiding sugar, drinking water, exercising) as well as prizes for greatest percentage of weight loss by month and over the course of the 3 month contest. There are about 70 of us vying for the prize.
We started on Monday. As I laid awake Sunday night attempting to digest all the calories I ingested over the weekend in a last attempt at bulking up before the first weigh in (I told you—I’m in it to win it. And also any excuse to gorge on junk food does not often go unsatisfied with me), I came up with a 5 step plan:
A: Avoid preservatives (more on this later)
B: Blog about the experience every day
C: Count Calories (keep a food journal—i.e. weight watchers points)
D: Drink water (a lot)
E: Exercise
So far, I’ve had the best 4 days of eating and exercising in years. I fell short on just one goal (guess which?) So I’m attempting to resolve that.
So for the next 3 months or so, I expect my blog content to be heavily weight loss and fitness oriented. (With a few little duck stories thrown in—as if I would skip that!) I’m really excited about this contest because honestly, even if I don’t win, I still lose—know what I mean? And I’ve been fighting that battle off and on for more than a decade.
But I am making a tiny modification to that original plan. Realistically, if I am working out every single day (this week I’ve been doing it twice!! No, really!), there is no way I’m going to be able to blog every day. Typing doesn’t consume enough calories to be counted as a workout, and I also have the minor matter of raising 5 kids and holding down a full time job to consider. If I think I can blog every day, I might also consider running for public office, growing my own fresh herbs, and cleaning behind my refrigerator. The reality is, none of that is going to happen.
But the weight loss is. It’s on.
