Way back in April(ish) I was going to join a Facebook group doing a 8 week health challenge. You pay in $25, but there are winners every two weeks for highest points, and then overall winners for points and weight loss. I hadn't sent in my money yet, but I was planning on doing it all the way up until the morning of. Then I said, no way. Can't do it. Mostly it was about the weighing in. I don't feel like the number on the scale is a great indicator of how you are doing. Yes, it can be a big part. But what I mean is, there is a big difference between 200 pounds of flab and 200 pounds of muscle.
I opted to stay part of the group, even though I didn't participate in the challenge. I watched people lose weight and better their health and by the time that competition ended, I was ready to join.
This challenge started the Monday after the 4th of July. Here are my before pictures:
I was not trying to be a grumpy gus. I just don't like taking these kinds of pictures. And they certainly weren't flattering. Clothes certainly make a big difference.
The daily point categories are contact with teammates, drink 64 oz of water, eat 5 fruits and/or veggies, no sugar (6 days a week), no soda, keep a food journal, workout for 45 min (5 days a week) no taking seconds at any meal (including no grazing), no eating after 9 pm, a personal goal, plus weekly challenges.
I was determined to be perfect, but the very first week I had two back to back genuine mistakes - but big ones. The first one was that after dinner on Friday I sat for a while and then realized I was still hungry and went back for more. No seconds! I asked the group about this and they said since I waited for a while it could be considered a snack. The food was put away in the fridge after all. However, I wasn't thinking about it like that when I went back for more. I wasn't thinking period. I would have been willing to excuse myself... but it was pizza that I went back for. If I had gone back for a snack of Brussel sprouts that might have been different. This ended up killing me because the no seconds rule was worth double points that week. The other thing that kicked me in the rear was the Chunky Monkey. Remember than teeny tiny taste of ice cream I got? I had intended for that to be my sugar day. Even though Devry got all of it, I didn't care. I was okay going without sugar that week - which if you know me, is a really big deal. But the next morning I made German Pancakes and had syrup on them without even thinking about it. Whoops. There go my sugar points. Natural sugars like honey and agave are okay. I typically put yogurt or applesauce on my pancakes, but not that day! Oh well.
The first week was really rough. My energy was in the basement. I felt like I was dying. Seriously. I asked the other people in the challenge if they felt that way and they said that it is a natural reaction - a literal withdrawal from sugar. Oh boy. After that, things were much easier.
I wasn't perfect. Well, I was for weeks 3-4, so I won my money back in a four-way tie for 1st place. After that I was typically perfect one week, but not the next. However, I lost a lot of weight. This was really unexpected. My goal was to lose 8 pounds. One pound a week. I followed the caloric intake recommendations from my food journal and in the first week I had dropped 6 pounds. I was shocked. I know that's probably not the case for everyone, but by the end of the challenge I had lost 14-16 pounds. I put the variation because 16 was pre-shower in the nude, and 14 was post shower dressed. Though I do feel that the 14 is more accurate. Either way, I feel better than I have in a long time. And I won first place in the weight loss percentage category. Woot woot!
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