204.4 lbs. 20.44 lbs. 30.66 lbs. 10%. 15%. 180 lbs. 36. 38. Into the 170's…
Oh yeah, $650.
These were all numbers that have run through my head in the last 12 weeks. I started in December thinking I would like to lose some weight but didn't know much about exactly how I would get this done. I didn't know how much I thought I wanted to lose; just lose weight. This would have been my first mistake in my diet - my first diet, ever. Similar to many stories, I was 146 pounds when I graduated from high school in 1988. 21 years later, I weighed in at 204.4 to open our Biggest Loser contest at Jelecos. There was 13 of us who contributed to a 'winner take all' pot of $650. I thought I had a chance, but never having been on a diet before, I entered with a little hesitation.
Where I Started
I got to 204.4 and a 38" waist, my heaviest ever, by eating anything I wanted, as much as I wanted, whenever I wanted. I was active, sort of. I rode my bike from time to time on a 3.5 mile route in our neighborhood - in the summer, when I had time. I played a little golf, but always used a cart. I used to play baseball in an over-30 league, but that was a few years ago. I walked through car shows in the summer, but usually carrying a beer or stopping for a burger along the way. I guess I didn't get nearly as much exercise as I thought I did.
I would clear a plate of brownies or cookies, or could eat a good portion of a cake without any trouble or worries about my weight or health. I just figured “I am active enough, it will be OK.” I ate ice cream of some sort every day, EVERY DAY. My favorite was a large Goodrich chocolate malt.
My Goals and How I Met Them
I wanted to lose one more pound than I needed to win. I knew that it would probably take at least 10% to win, or 20.4 pounds lost. I wondered if I would need to lose 15% to win, which was 30.6 and thought that would be tough in 12 weeks. 10% put me at 184 or so. That would be great. I started really well. I was excited and this contest was just the thing I needed to get this done. And there was some sort of a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I figured something out right away. I do not enjoy exercising a lot so it would have to be done by eating better. If I eat right and lose weight, great. If I force myself to exercise, that is just all the better and more weight loss, not to mention the ability to get into an exercise routine. I tapered a little as I started allowing a brownie back in or a Girl Scout cookie; damn thin mints! I learned the art of moderation. Well I started losing weight and now my pants were too big; I went from a 38 inch waist to a 36 inch waist. I drank a lot of water and no soda. I ate multiple times per day but smaller portions. This helped my metabolism work harder and burn the fat, I think. I passed the 10% mark and was hovering around the low 180's for a while and thought that if I worked a little harder, I could be in the 170's. My goal changed multiple times. First it was 10%, then I wanted to get into all my suits that I was too big for, then into the 170's. It was fun to have a moving target, as long as it was a better goal and not a consolation goal if I started to fail. I finished at 179.2 on April 2nd and went to get a Goodrich Chocolate Malt, a small, but it was the only thing I wanted or missed during the 12 weeks.
The Hardest Thing to Change
The hardest thing for me to change has been not eating ice cream. I have figured out that I can have a brownie or a small bit of cake and ice cream at a birthday party but not 15 brownies or cookies. I still would like to have a bunch of brownies, but I know now that this is what got me to where I was.
The other day I was leaving the office and had my coat and shoes on and my laptop bag over my shoulder with files in it. I know how much 25 pounds 'seems like' but I had no real idea how much weight was now shed from my body. That laptop bag was heavy and when stepping on the scale, I weighed in at 203.2; 1.2 pounds less than I weighed in on January 6 with no shoes, laptop bag, or phone. I was amazed when I could hold in my hand, my lost weight. I feel better and want to stay this way. Now I need to convince myself that exercise is not a bad thing and get moving.
The Contest
So, I am lighter, have less body fat, feel better, and have a little more money in my pocket on top of it all. Two great things happened in this contest. First, by virtue of me being on a diet or focusing more on what I am eating, meant that we ate meals a little differently at home. I have a friend whose wife is a vegetarian and we tease him how that makes him a vegetarian. My wife also participated without making a lot of effort and was able to lose weight. Second, my brother who is 6'4" and has been skinny his whole life also found himself fatter than he used to be. This is probably attributed to his new cabin and the kegerator he installed out there. He started after I did and has lost 24 pounds to date. Not to boast, but I felt like I was the impetus to both losing weight and more importantly, eating more healthily.
The Money
For my efforts, I won the pot of $650 and I will be giving the money to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Incidentally, I am planning a huge fundraiser barbeque this summer with all proceeds to go to CF. It will begin with a hot rods/bikes cruise and then we’ll head to the party to watch some bands, eat some food, maybe have a little beer, and maybe a few more little items I am working on. All of my coworkers are invited and encouraged to bring friends. It should be a fun way to have a lot of people in one place helping support a great organization.
What if... 
What if... 
What if... 
