The Biggest Loser - My Body’s “Multi-Step” Savior
Posted on March 7, 2008
Filed Under Personal Development |
Step 1: Where I’m Very Overweight And My Wife Is Not Happy
This isn’t a review of the hit NBC TV show “The Biggest Loser“.
Rather this is an admission that I had allowed the pounds to creep up on me over the last 3 or so years and how I’ve gotten out of that rut.
A 1/2 pizza here.
Some cookies there.
Add in very little aerobic exercise and my waistline had begun to expand like an inflatable raft. My wife would always pat my love handles and say “Just Move On Out” in a vain attempt to get it to listen to her and melt away.
Well, I think I finally found a way to help the love handles “pack their bags”.
That “way” … my friends, is money and competition.
How I Arrived Here
At 6′3 I’ve always been pretty athletic. My perfect weight was around 195-205lbs. However, as I previously mentioned, I allowed my weight to balloon up to the 230 lbs region. Now, I’m a very self-motivated person in many aspects of my life but for some reason I just couldn’t muster the motivation to really hit the gym. Oh sure, I would lift weights with my brother-in-law and occasionally do some cardio but I think overeating and not doing enough exercise were killing me.
Step 2: Where I Gain My Motivation
So there I am at 232lbs in late December 2007 and my coworker mentions ( over lunch at a Mexican restaurant) that some friends and their coworkers are going to do a version of the “Biggest Loser ” contest. The entry fee is $100 and winner takes the majority of the pot (1rst prize $900, the other $600 is split up between 2nd, 3rd and 4th place). Well, 13 guys had already signed up so another coworker and I agreed to do it. Imagine, $900 if I win, but I still lose. My wife was so happy she immediately grabbed her purse and forked over 5 crisp $20 bills. She laughs about it now that she realizes that money and competition are HUGE motivators for me.
The Rules Are Laid Down
The Rules are pretty hardcore.
- The contest would last from Jan. 8th, 2008 until April 19th, 2008.
- There would be an initial weigh-in, followed by 3 periodic weigh-ins and then the final weigh-in on April 19th.
- You had to weigh in with the same clothes each time.
- At the initial weigh-in they took a picture of you to make sure you had the same clothes at each weigh-in.
- Each contestant is on their honor to not engage in any un-healthy diets ( like starvation for example)
- The other contestants have the chance to call “BS” on the previous rule. So if you didn’t lose any weight for the first 3 periodic weigh-ins but then lost 45lbs they would call “BS” and you would lose
- No getting your money back once you start
- Winner would be determined by biggest % weight loss.
Step 3: Where I Feel Like Gulliver
The biggest advantage I have in the competition is that I’m only 1 of 3 guys that are 6′2 and taller. The rest of the guys are 6′0 and under (most of them in the 5′8 - 5′10 range). Now this means I can usually drop more weight than the other guys but it also means I have to work hard than them too (more on that later).
Step 4: “Bulking Up” And The Initial Weigh-in
Since I knew I could lose 15 lbs or so without too much effort I decided to actually gain weight in order to provide me with more of an advantage. So the cheesecake with the meal was always ordered ( I usually never eat dessert). After stuffing my face for 3 weeks I weighed in at 245lbs (the most of any competitior). I was 4 lbs heavier than the closest person and he is 2 inches taller than me. So…245?
Boy did I have my work cut out for me !!
Step 5: My Plan
I immediately identified that most of my carb choices would have to be rethought. Out went the potatoes, white rice, white bread and pasta and in came the vegetables and whole grain breads. I decided to not skip eating meat, but what I did was practice portion control. I basically used the old rule of thumb that you only eat something about as big as your fist. Couple that with eating something (a handful of nuts, some cheese, etc…) every 3 hours and downing water like were running out of it and I had a dietary recipe for success.
I then focused on my workouts. I increased my workouts from just Monday, Wednesday and Friday (the days I lift weights with my brother-in-law) to Monday through Saturday. I still lift on Mon/Wed.Fri but I also add in 30 minutes of cardio at the end of my workout. On Tue/Thur/Sat these days are pure cardio. Next week I am adding Yoga into the mix on Thursdays as well. For those who are skeptical, Yoga is a fantastic way to clear your mind, gain strength, build up your “core” (your midsection) and gain flexibility.
So… did my plan work so far?? Read on and see.
Step 6: The First and Second Periodic Weigh-Ins
My plan has worked perfectly. At the first periodic weigh-in I had lost 16 lbs! This was good enough for Second Place at the time because someone who initially weighed in at 178.8 lost 13 lbs for a 1% higher loss. Remember, this is where I said I’ll have to work harder than the rest to win because with 3 less lbs lost than me, the other contestant is in First Place.
At the Second weigh-in, I lost an additional 5 lbs. This added up to a total of 21lbs lost in roughly 2 months! I had planned to lose 10lbs that month but I had bronchitis which didn’t allow me to workout as hard (and cardio was a “no-go” as I could not breathe). Still with being sick for 10 days, I’m pretty pleased with an added 5lbs loss.
Where Am I Ranked Now?
The competition is still on and we’re still getting everyone weighed in this week. Once I have the figures I’ll let everyone in on where I stand after the “second leg” of the competition. My coworker tells me that from what his roommate has told him, the competition looks like it is boiling down to me and 1 other guy. He said that we seem to be pulling away from the pack while the rest of the guys are hanging out and enjoying their modest losses.
I hope I can come out on top. Its not so much about the money (although $900 would be sweet). I sincerely want to win. And I know by winning this competition, I will be setting my life on a path that will only have positive things for me if I keep concentrating on fitness.
Are you lagging behind on your fitness goals?
Summer is coming up soon. Why don’t you try doing the same thing with your friends and coworkers?
It will be fun, rewarding and best of all, you get fit!
Not bad at all if you ask me.
-Thai
Comments
7 Responses to “The Biggest Loser - My Body’s “Multi-Step” Savior”
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heh, so basically after 2 months and a hundred bucks, you’re about 5-7 pounds lighter than you started
(remember you added 15 extra pounds to win)
Yeah. True.
But I’m on a roll now. Eating healthier and working out 6 days a week. Well worth the investment. If I can keep it up over the next 7+ weeks I think I might win.
Good luck!
heh, you’re very own blog and you comment anonymously
Hit the button too quick on that one
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