The End Arrived (Lighter Than the Start)

In the beginning, there were 11 slightly/somewhat overweight and /or just-needing-to-shape-up family members, and after several slews of emails and financial motivation installed, the family competition was born.


I didn't win. (You can stop reading now if you want, but there are some pretty amazing pictures coming up.) Naturally, just as I wanted to focus on eating right and exercising, life got crazy. Plus, I just hated exercising. By mid-December, though, I cut out chocolate and most sugar, and in January I buckled down (much more regularly, anyway) to running and DVD workouts. The weight started coming off slowly, and as added benefits I developed a tolerance for exercise (i.e., I don't hate it anymore) and my back and hip problems got better/finally healed. Anyway, I ended up losing 24 pounds, and have dropped three more since we ended the official competition. (I'm less than 10 pounds away from the actual weight on my driver's license, and less than 20 from my final goal!)


Things got pretty heated, with speculation flying between two states as to who would win (people were very stingy about sharing any potentially motivating information), so I present to you now the photographic evidence of the progress of the top three Losers:



Before and After -

And the winner....

My sister, Kari! Woooooo! *throws confetti*

Pretty fantastic, eh? It's the same shirt in both pictures, and the jeans are several sizes smaller. She literally worked her butt off - running 5 miles a day, 6 days a week, adding a second workout at night, and cutting out sugar and deserts. (I've also heard a rumor that she only ate grapefruit for lunch and dinner... I haven't talked to her about that, but I do have several grapefruits waiting in my fridge now.)

The folks are wanting to start up another "contest", and incorporate the Wii Fit. (Mom says she wants one for her birthday/Mother's Day. Awesome.) This same sister is going to set up a half-marathon for interested family members when we all go visit for her daughter's baptism in June, so I have that to keep working for. Also, there's this dress I really want to fit into for an event I have in mind...

Good job everybody!

Chocolate, Ahoy!

Only eight more days. (Hallelujah.)

25 Things About... Forget It

I hereby declare that no matter how many people tag me for the Facebook "25 Things" meme, I REFUSE TO PARTICIPATE. It's not any kind of principle to uphold, just that I'm not really that interesting. I've tried to make a list, but honestly, that "6 Quirks" thing exhausted my store of idiosyncrasies, and even then it turned out they weren't all that unusual or "quirky". Maybe what I should do is start a meme where I ask people to contribute one weird/unusual/goofy thing THEY know about me - I'd probably learn a lot more that way!

* * *

I finished my first week working at BHS. My friend is amazing and I have NO idea how she manages to pull off everything she does as a drama teacher - I do know that I don't want to be a high school teacher. I love these kids, I'm enjoying the time with them and still looking forward to the next four months, but I don't want to do this for a living.

* * *

I've had the "Twilight" soundtrack and the song "Take a Chance on Me" stuck in my head for a week.

* * *

My body is refusing to lose weight, and it's not fair. I've been working out daily, drinking so much water I'm in the bathroom waaaay more than my pregnant friend, and eating only eggs, oatmeal, vegetables, and fruit (with the occasional plain turkey sandwich)... and - nothing. It SUCKS. Please exercise and stay in shape and take care of yourself WHILE YOU STILL CAN.

* * *

I am anxiously looking for advice and suggestions on how to be happy. Please contribute. (And don't tell me "Exercise and eat right" because I'll tell you IT DOESN'T WORK. But I'll try anything else!)


Coming Soon: a less-grumpy post (thanks for reading!)

Explain, Please...

... how it is that to guys my age (say, 29 - 39) I'm still the kind of girl they'd "marry, but not date", while to the much younger crowd (legal, at least) I'm definitely someone the guys would go out with, even if they wouldn't think of permanent hitching. I don't get it - Do guys really change THAT much from one decade to the next? I don't think I behave all that differently with different groups, but maybe I do... Any armchair psychiatrists lurking nearby?

* * * * *

The family weight-loss competition has everybody running like crazy (yay!) - some people have reported major losses in just the first two weeks, but then some people stocked up on winter clothing, big meals, and a couple of 44-ouncers just before they weighed in, too. I trust things will balance out. I've stayed pretty steady in the past week, going down a pound for each weigh-in (three times a week)... I did donate blood yesterday, so I'll have to work a little harder for the next time! (I resisted a fairly major ice-cream pull tonight, and had a little glow of pride to go with my evening carrots.)

* * * * *

Employment-wise, things are still shaky... but it looks like I've got a fun temporary job for the next three weeks, and then a (vague) possibility on something that could be really great (maybe) starting after the new year (perhaps). [Note: I'm kinda freaked that we're already back to a time when we can readily refer to things anywhere near the "new year". Brrrrr. OLD.]

I've De-voted Myself...

... to a weight-loss competition among family members! Woot!

(SO SORRY. But do you know how hard it is to find punny titles on days of national significance, for posts that don't actually include anything THAT momentous? I mean, yeah, I VOTED. Civic duty, *RAY*! Also, I've committed $100 to be put into a family pot - not really an actual "pot", but hey, maybe - that will be handed over to whichever "registered" family member loses the highest percentage of weight in the next four months. I weighed myself today, and let's just say that while I was surprised and appalled at the total, it does give me the motivation and opportunity to WIN should I hit my goal weight!)



That's right. VOTE for ME, to be the BIGGEST Family LOSER!


Huh. That doesn't quite sound right.