Final Weigh-In

The Results
The competition is at its end!  Thank goodness.  A co-worker asked me how I felt at the end of losing 10 pounds.  "Hungry." was my reply. 
"Do you feel energetic and full of life?" 
"No.  I feel hungry."

Fortunately, I do not have a scale here at home.  Because since the completion of my goal, I'm sure I've doubled back.  In fact, last night we hosted a pie night with our neighbors, and fully took care of two pies.  I have sampled gorged myself on everything I'd been saving up while on the diet.  There is even a carton of eggnog in my fridge.  I'm so very glad I'm not stuck to that diet THROUGH Christmas!

The Take-Home

• The accomplishment for me meant dropping into a weight bracket that I've not previously seen in over 10 years. 
• I have a new-found respect for hunger. 
• The workout regimen required for this will be a great segway into my next goal:  Windermere Marathon 2011.  Last year I began training for that marathon at a weight of 193.  This year I begin at 169.  Somehow, I think that's gonna make a difference.

Your Results
Anywho...if you took the 10-pound challenge, post your results here, and I'll make a trip to Spokandy next week.  Cause you've earned it!

Weigh-In Day #3

Admittedly, I am weighing in more often than once a week.  I have been keeping daily...sometimes twice-daily tabs on myself.  My original intent was to lose all the weight in the first 2 weeks and not have to suffer for the third week.  It's a good thing I did that, because the extra effort I maintained (and subsequently doubled...twice) barely got me to where I needed to be.  I would be suffering now otherwise...kinda like Fatty.

Today (after my noon-time workout) I weighed in at 170.5, which means I have 1.5 pounds to go!  I'm staring disaster in the face, though:

Jamie wants to celebrate her birthday at Maggie Moo's.  Yes, THAT Maggie Moo's.  I think it's impossible to go into Maggie Moo's and take in less than 1500 calories.  In fact, I take it as my fatherly duty to limit the caloric intake of my children by "trying" their individual shakes.  (It's amazing how their shakes are always gone first!)

I've mostly cut dairy from my diet already to make the cut, but there's no way I'm ordering one of those lactose free or sorbet-type drinks when I go into a place with a cow in the logo.  That's just not right (unless you have to, of course...for reasons other than a diet).

I'm pretty much committed to balance the calories by exercise.  Maybe I'll run home from the ice-cream shop. 

How about everyone else?  Final weigh in is on the 23rd.  Britt, how about that lump sum loss?

By the way, I've got some Spokandy Pastel Mints for everyone that makes the cut!

Santa...

Together, these girls are finally daring enough to confront the big man in red! Santa was a real winner at this year's ward Christmas party. In fact, he was the best part of the night...aside from the great cookie spread. Seriously, a lot of effort was put into decorating Santa's room.

Weigh-In Day #2

As it turns out (and fortunately so) Fatty has postponed today's weigh-in until tomorrow.  But I still feel the need to check in and report here.  This past week I put in a lot of effort to reduce my portions, forego treats and basically starve myself.  (Just ask Sarah, I made plenty of noise about it!)  And I exercised almost every day.

BUT...but, I could not bring myself to walk away from a few certain treats.  Generally the week went pretty well, but on Saturday, Sarah was baking sugar cookies.  Sarah makes the most amazing sugar cookies.  Soft and moist with a perfect mild flavor.  Add sugar sprinkles or frosting or frost and sprinkle, and you've got a real treat.  I really felt great about only eating 3 cookies.  HOWEVER, I probably ate 3 cookies worth of dough as I helped roll them out!  And all of this happened BEFORE we took those cookies to a Christmas party where everyone else brought cookies to share.  I do take pride in stating that I ate only 2 cookies there.  You know...self control.

Despite all the effort I put into the week, I'm down only 1/2 pound, weighing in at 173.5 today.  4.5 pounds to go in the next 11 days.

On the good news end of things, the snow has melted enough for me to ride my bike to work again...should help a little.

Weigh-in Day #1

I signed up for Fatty's challenge last week because it was silly, ideally helpful, and promised the chance for some sweet free gear.  Then today, he upped the schwag list.  Take a look.  Among other things, the prize-list now contains a new bike, snowshoes, a wheel set, a bike trainer, and many other sweet items.  My ability to forego part of my lunch just increased!  (Yet I find myself scraping the last bit of gravy from my bowl.)

The great part is that he has opened entry to anyone who is now willing to try the challenge in 2 1/2 weeks.  That's right.  If any of you that signed up under my challenge (including you, Britt) would like to go for the gusto, just sign up over at fatcyclist.com.  Otherwise, stay tuned for the announcement of my completely insignificant prizes for all who make the grade.

My sister, Brittney, has entered under the assumption that her weight loss might not count in this challenge.  There were no rules as to how the weight must be lost.  In my opinion, you're going to go through much more pain and suffering giving birth than anyone else will burning calories.  Have at it!  And eat some ice-cream for the rest of us, will you?

So far I've found that the word "diet" makes me hungry.  It makes me crave cookies, candies, and cups of hot cocoa with ice-cream (preferrably mint-chocolate chip).  I now know that a cup of hot cocoa with a couple spoons of mint-chocolate chip ice cream chimes in at about 250-300 calories.

Despite my inability to withstand all the sweets this week, I dropped from 179 to 174.  As predicted.  The last 5 pounds will not be easy.  I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

How's everyone doing?

Welcome Winter!

Sarah and the girls got out last week and put together this impressive little number.  His name was Poncho.  Was...because the next day it rained.  Then Caitin tackled him.  You know...cause she's like that.  Now Poncho is a headless snowman.

Before the rain, though...we had an all-time record snowfall for the month of November in Spokane.  Something like 18 or 20 inches.  I guess it's not THAT big a deal.  Not big enough to know the exact amount.  (OK, I looked it up:  25.9 inches...Samsonite!)

About 14 of those inches fell while we were away for Thanksgiving.  Amazingly, we came home to a completely shoveled driveway, and most of the walks clear!  That's just how awesome our neighborhood is!  Seriously, we can't thank them enough.

Challenge

Yeah...first post since Halloween.  Nice.  Seriously, though...nothing really happens in November.

Holiday Challenge
Yesterday I signed up for a challenge that I will be pressed to meet:  Lose 10 pounds by Christmas.  My starting weight is 179.  So my target weight is 169 (I know...had to break out the calculator for that one.) 

There are a couple of reasons this will be challenging:

• It's the holidays.
• I haven't had eggnog yet this year.
• I am not as die-hard a cyclist as I envisioned prior to the snowfall.
• The last time I weighed less than 170 was in 1999.

My lowest weight this year was 174, which was actually measured a couple of weeks ago (Thanksgiving was a bit glutinous).  I anticipate hitting that point again by the first weigh-in:  next Monday.  That is, if I can steer away from the seasonal treats that are already starting to pop up here and there.

Fortunately I Have a Plan:
My simplified plan
Eat less.

My detailed plan
Smaller portions.  Try to exercise.

That should do it.  My saving grace will be replacing my cycling effort with a decent snow shoveling regimen.  3 hours last night. 1 1/2 hours this morning.  I'm well on my way.

Anyone else want to join me in this challenge?