I just love a challenge!
People who know me know that the best way to get me to do something is to challenge me to do it. Mr Diva didn’t ask me for a date, he dared me to go out with him, and then later challenged me to marry him. Since I started running in Nike+ challenges last October, I’ve run more than 1,600 miles. According to my Runner+ profile, I’ve completed 272 runs for a total of 1,677 miles, and 173,937 calories (50 lbs.). That’s right 50 freakin’ pounds. Now ask me how much weight I’ve lost. Actually, I lost quite a bit, but then I gained it back for a net of 0. That’s right, if I hadn’t been running, I would have gained 50 pounds this year. Getting injured in July didn’t help, because I didn’t have the good sense to stop eating when I had to stop running. In fact, I was pouting about being injured, so I probably ate extra. As a result, clothes that were baggy in February are snug again. Rats! Last week I got disgusted enough to get back to a more sensible eating plan, and today I saw Nancy’s post about the weight loss challenge the Pieces of Me blog. What an excellent idea, and what perfect timing. So I will now disclose to the world information that I normally try to keep a big, fat secret!
When I stepped on the scale this morning it said 142.8. This is better than some of the things it told me last week, but not really the answer I’m looking for. I’m really looking for something in the 130 - 135 range, and if I could see numbers smaller than 130, well that would be lovely, too. The thing about being in the 140s is that I’ve tried to make 150 a “never again” number. Actually, I had hoped that 140 would be a “never again” number, but the ship has kind of sailed on that one, so I’m doing the next best thing and defending myself from 150. The best defense against 150 is being in the 130s. If you’ve ever lost a lot of weight and then gained it back, you know what I’m talking about. In the early 1990s a job change and new marriage converted me from a very active person to a sedentary person, and the weight packed on quickly. After a couple of years of that, I got serious, and with exercise and sensible eating, I got back down.
Sensible eating isn’t really my strength, especially since I like to eat, and HATE to cook (or any form of food preparation). If I can’t order it or heat it up, it isn’t going to happen. Three cheers for bagged salad and pre-shredded carrots. Now I just have to chop up the red peppers, which annoys the heck out of me but until someone will sell them to me in pieces, I’m stuck. The more complicated life gets, the more likely I am to revert to take out. It only took a few years for life to get complicated, and the weight came back, and brought its friends. After avoiding the issue of weight for several years, I stepped on a scale in late 2002, and much to my shock and dismay, it rolled up to 200. That was enough to get me motivated.
By the summer of 2002, I’d become an expert at dodging cameras. Here I am accepting a check for Christmas House, and though it is a big check, you can see that I am a big Diva.
I started eating right and managing my portions. After losing 35 pounds and hitting a plateau, I started walking. I walked a lot, and eventually started walking half marathons, and then in December 2004, I walked a full marathon. By January I was down to 128, and feeling invincible. I was walking 45 miles/week, but it was getting harder to make the time to do that much walking, so I took up running. I started gaining wait after I took up running, because running made me so darn hungry, and I think it also gave me more free time, which I spent sitting. I’ve bounced back and forth between 135 and 145 since then. I’m ready to bounce down again, so here I am airing the dirty laundry and announcing my intention to get to 130 by February 1, 2008. I’ll be reporting my progress each Monday, and checking in with all my blogging friends to see how they are doing, and to offer encouragement. If you would like to join us, check out this post from Pieces of Me, and our cool new Runner’s Lounge group.
This is me in July, 2007. I’ve gained at least 5 pounds since then, and I’m anxious to get back to where my pants aren’t so snug!
October 30th, 2007 at 6:12 am
Wow, you’ve done great!! I bounce around too, but haven’t been back down to the 130’s since kids. I just like food so dang much. But, it’s time to get serious!! Glad you are along for the challenge. You walked a whole marathon? Holy crap!!
October 30th, 2007 at 7:03 am
Diva, that is a great achievement. I know that the pounds come off fairly fast once you get into the routine, but then the progress stops as the body adjusts to the new energy expenditure. I too lost some weight over the almost 18 months I’ve been running, biking and swimming, but in the last few months I have been consistently around 80kg / 177lbs which is OK for a guy, but I would really like to get it down to 75kg. But it is hard with my wife and my mother in law cooking all the great food. I need to get more veggies and fruits into my diet. I do not think I can train more than I currently do - it would start to eat into the quality time with the family. So I guess less latte’s and more carrots is the plan :-). Keep doing what you are doing you look great.
Jan
October 30th, 2007 at 9:03 am
What a transformation, the before and after photos! Amazing! You’re not alone, I love eating too, sometimes too much. I did very well during my pregancy, weighted 5 lbs over my normal weight a 3-4 days after I delivered our daughter…but that number started climbing over the course of the next few months to almost 20lbs over! I never had to work so hard to take most of it off since I finally started back into running. But you’ve done very well with your progress, good luck.
October 30th, 2007 at 9:59 am
oohhh… i like the idea of posting pics. I have some scary ones and some good ones.
Look how far you have come already! The rest here is just “icing on the cake.” ha ha no pun intended.
Isn’t it liberating to say the numbers? I have lied about my weight since I was 16. Not anymore baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 30th, 2007 at 11:07 am
This post comes at a very strange time for me as just this morning I reached what I’d probably call a weight loss “milestone.” Now I can say ______ will be never again (I’m not quite ready to type it yet). I hope. It was strange, though, because I realize sometimes you don’t realize how much you should (or can) lose until you have lost some and see the little areas that could stand to lose more. I’m at that point now.
Considering all the brave things people are doing in this world right now, it may seem a stretch to call posting one’s weight brave, but in some ways, it is. Brave, and bold, which doesn’t surprise me coming from you. Just, please, don’t dare me to do it. I think we know how that might turn out!
October 30th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
You are so brave! I don’t think I have enough guts to tell you what I weigh, but let’s say I don’t think I have ever weighed 130 pounds. :}
I like your holiday weight loss challenge. I have been trying to refocus my energies around a strategy to drop my extra weight from not running for the last few months - this gives me the motivation I need. I hope. Right now, its that darn tasty Halloween candy.
PS — You looked great in that photo and I bet still do - even with 5 pounds. But, I know, it is so different when you are the one wearing it.
October 30th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Wow! What an incredible transformation.
My “hope to never see again number” (other than 200, of course!) is 170. I came within .2 pounds of that the other evening, so I’m glad we’re doing this. It’ll be tough during the holidays, but hopefully we’ll be able to encourage each other!
October 31st, 2007 at 12:53 pm
You look fantastic! I started in a very similar place. I am no where near my goal yet. Keep up the great work!
November 5th, 2007 at 6:24 am
Wow!! You look great!!
I am looking forward to meeting my goal with my new running friends.
December 10th, 2007 at 12:02 am
[...] I didn’t take a camera along for the run. Here I am back at home, ready to celebrate with pizza. Things are not looking good for me in the Holiday Weight Loss Challenge. [...]