My Back Porch View: The Biggest Loser :-(

Just before Christmas, Vince and I started discussing how we were going to focus on losing weight this year. I suggested that we do our own version of the biggest loser - a competition (which I knew would peak his interest). So then we said something to the rest of the family, and now everyone is in on it. Kristy and Kelli had a competition going the last couple of months about excercising three times a week, so they were all for starting a new one.

So here's the deal. We started today, because Jon just got the clearance to work out from his doctor (after his knee surgery). We are all participating - Mom, Kristy, Kelli, Me, Vince, Jon, and Aunt Bonnie. I guess Dad decided he didn't need to lose weight anymore. We all paid $10, and weighed in today and will do so every week for the next 16 weeks. At the end of the 16 weeks, whoever has the largest percentage of weight loss (based on your original weight) will win the whole pot. There were only a couple of rules. One of them is: no diet pills, no anorexia or bulimia, and no gastric bypass. Lol.

Vince is so determined that he is going to win! Absolutely determined! And considering that he has this insane addiction to caffeine - he may be right. So two days ago he decided to quit caffeine. Sigh...I mean, seriously, I am the one who has to deal with all his side effects! First his quitting smoking and now caffeine! He has definitely been a pleasure to live with. But after two days of not drinking soda, he was sick on his stomach and had a raging headache. So today, he bought a soda. And I have trouble sympathizing cause I am not addicted to anything per say. Not smoking, not caffeine, not chocolate. So I have no reason to be fat besides I am just plain lazy when it comes to excercising. Lol. But considering he is literally like 3 lbs. shy of me, it should be a pretty fair competition with him.

Anyway, we weighed in today and Vince tried to cheat and somehow got the scale to read 295.5 lbs! We made Jacob stand in the bathroom with him to make sure that he didn't cheat again. So Vince and I have about the same amount of work to do. I weighed in at a super depressing 265.5 lbs. That's a long way to my goal of being under 200 this year. To make it in the next 16 weeks, I have to lose an average 4.5 lbs a week to be at about 198. This is going to take a little bit of effort. Who am I kidding?!?! How about a lotta bit of effort! Well, here goes. The plan is to get rid of the junk food - both for us and for Jacob, make healthier decisions for dinner, and workout regularly. Ideally, I'd like to shoot for 3 times a week. Sixteen weeks is enough time to get a habit, and that's the tough part. Its a goal I would like to accomplish for not only myself but if I want to get pregnant this year, I have to take better care of myself. I am also starting a vitamin regimine too. So...if you know me....keep me accountable! Ask me how I am doing? Ask me if I have been to the gym. I promise I won't get pissed :-D

Jacob always does a good job of taking pictures of me that make me look particularly attractive. So here are two (one from this summer and one from Christmas) that can hopefully be used as "BEFORE" pictures. Now just to defend myself a little bit...the picture from the summer - I also had a HORRIBLE case of chemical burn on my face b/c of a friend's attempt to give me "tan lines" - so don't judge too much! :-)