Lindsay Wight
Group Leader
Biggest Loser Ladies
Southwest Michigan
http://www.biggestloserclub.com
http://www.biggestloserclub.com
February 5, 2008
Well, this year brings new meaning to "Fat Tuesday". It's a big day for the season, as it is also Super Tuesday with the primary elections for the upcoming Presidential race. I want to take this moment to suggest a link for all you registered voters out there. The Washington Post has a great candidate coverage page that gives information on all of the men and women running. I hope that everyone will take the time to not only vote, but to make an educated vote. No matter your party, affiliation, or lack thereof, I think it's really important to educate yourself on who the candidate is that is best for you so that the President-elect really is representative of this country's citizen's needs.
So, this past week has been a rollercoaster for my diet and fitness journey, both physically and emotionally. Last weekend, we celebrated the birthdays of two of my good friends, as well as celebrating the Superbowl between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants. I ate horribly and even drank a couple beers - something I've totally foregone since starting my journey. While we had fun, the gluttonous behavior I exhibited made me just miserable by the end of the weekend. It was the first major fail I had since starting this. I weigh in tomorrow morning, and I don't know if I will lose anything at all, if not gain. When I have dieted in the past, it's upsets like this very one that have made me give up. The thing I've told myself this time, though, is that this is no longer a "diet" in the classic sense. I am committed to making a change that I will continue for the rest of my life. And in staying committed to that, I have been forced to forgive myself and learn from it. When I did that, I became both happy and found a renewed sense of motivation that is almost as strong as when I started this journey. Maybe sometimes we need that reminder.
A month ago - almost to the day, I made the decision to do this. I weighed 15 lbs more than I do now. I was exhausted all the time. My doctor was voicing concerns. My self-esteem was horrid, and I felt hopeless. In ONE MONTH, I have seen changes that I didn't know if I could ever attain, and I know that if I just keep pushing forward, they are only going to grow exponentially. I hope that any of the women who hit a wall like I did will learn from it, forgive themselves, and use it as a reminder of the person they were who they have promised themselves they will no longer be. I'm proud of myself, and I never want to lose that.
January 26, 2008
I worked out for the first time tonight to the Biggest Loser Cardio Training exercise video. OH MY GAWD. I could barely keep up with the Level I (there are three levels)! Even the warm-up had me going "owww." Talk about making me see just how much I need to get into better shape. I didn't even *realize* how out of shape I was until I did that and saw how hard it was to keep up. The nice thing about it, though, is that Bob leads a group of past contestants (including Bill, Neil, Julie & Holly from Season 4 as well as a couple old school contestants) - and they're very interactive with the person using the video - they're encouraging, and remind you to do what you can and work your way up to keeping up with them.
When I go to the gym, I use the elliptical and treadmill, but there's a whole slew of muscles I don't get at with that routine. The videos are great by helping me identify where my fitness needs are, and making me want to do that video every night until I'm laughing at Bob when he says to 'slow down if you need to'. But WHEWWWIE am I bushed!
Still not sure why I found the need to exercise at 11:00 pm - especially on a day I already went to the gym for an hour - probably because there was nothing on tv. I guess I will take motivation whenever it decides to rear its head! Better "late" than never!
January 23, 2008
Alrighty! So I have decided to start a weight loss blog about my progress. I'm currently on Week Three of the Biggest Loser diet program, and have lost a phenomenal 13.5 lbs. so far. I love this diet, but moreso, I love all the new friends I have made on the website that keep me motivated. Membership has worked out to about $20/month and for all the tools it's given me, it's been worth far more than that. For someone who's serious about wanting to make themselves healthier, this is a great program.
I began this diet on January 4th, at a beginning weight of 193.5. This was the highest, by far, that I had ever been. I've never been much of a dieter - I go for about a week and give up. I've promised myself I'm not doing that anymore. I know that the one time I was really successful in taking weight off, during college, was when I started going to the gym and exercising regularly. I lost 30 lbs and felt phenomenal. Of course, as soon as I stopped going, it all came back on.
In May of 2006, I started a new job and a year later, I bought my first home. Since I moved here and began working nearly two years ago, I have put on nearly 35 lbs. It's been a slow progression, but that is what has me most worried - that it won't ever come off. I got consumed in the busy lifestyle of my new career and found myself not exercising, eating on the road a lot, liking to kick my heels up with a beer from time to time when I got home from work, and constantly baking yummy goodies to take into work (well, those that didn't disappear into my tummy before they got there anyways...). As time progressed, so did the belly. And the bum. And the thighs, hips, gut, chin, etc. Before I knew it, I was pushing a 40 lb. weight gain if I didn't do something. Not to mention that I was already overweight to begin with. I'd now crossed the line into the obesity realm.
That's when I decided to turn to the Biggest Loser. For those of you familiar with the show - never before have I seen such a motivating program. I just knew I wanted to be a part of that. Cancer, heart-disease, and diabetes all run in my family. I, personally, have suffered from back pain issues, sleep apnea, and extensive lethargy caused in part from my weight issues - not to mention some major self-esteem problems that also surfaced.
So, here I am, three weeks into it and still ready to push forward like it was my first day! I owe a lot of my motivation to my mom who is my biggest cheerleader of support. I also owe a lot to the women who have invested so much of themselves in our message board already. Here are a few of my rules I'm going by, in case you're interested:
1. High protein, high fiber.
2. Weekly challenges.
3. Having as many people to be accountable to as possible.
4. Cut the salt!!!
5. As much diet soda, water, iced tea, green/black tea or coffee (black) as I want, SKIM milk, and juices in moderation. NO full-calorie pops or otherwise.
6. Move. Just move. Find a way and don't take no for an answer.
Good luck to all! Keep watching for posts as I continue to progress on this journey.
