Sunday, January 11, 2009

Setting a Goal

As the year starts we are all setting goals for improvement in our lives. My family and I are no different. This year, my family and I have gotten together and decided that we are going to have a weight loss challenge. Unlike years past, where the challenge is for a short period of time, we are doing it for the whole year. On New Years Eve we all got together and weighed in. There were 10 of us in all. The winner is the one who loses the highest percentage of body weight by New Years Eve 2009. That is right, a full year. The theory is that this will inspire us to make lasting change rather than just a diet. We took a group photo at the beginning of this challenge.

The number my Dad is holding is our combined weight. AMAZING! And depressing! We plan to take a similar picture next year with a much lower number. We are each putting in $5 per month. The winner take all. That will be $600! I figure that this isn't really gambling since I know I am going to win. I see it more as an investment with a 90% return.

Ok, so that is what we are doing. We are in it together and the goal is lasting change. To that end, let me climb up on my soap box for a minute. Lasting change requires consistently better choices. By just doing small things, we can make a big difference. For example, skipping dessert might save 200 calories (that is a VERY conservative number), not having seconds when you are already full might save 400 or more. Think about all the snacking. We could easily cut out 600 calories a day without really modifying our eating hardly at all. Add to that 30 minutes of exercise and we are easily at 1000 calories less a day. Since a pound of fat is 3,500 calories, doing that would result in 104 lbs in a year! It is that easy! Tremendous Trivials. Little choices that make a huge difference.

2 comments:

MomThatsNuts said...

oh man that was mean to post that picture!! lol just kidding. It IS a gamble for you dear brother, trust me. Did you see the Biggest Loser last week? I was telling mom, I have always understood what being fat makes you look like on the OUTSIDE, but they did these full body scan things, and it showed how being fat forces all your organs into crazy places and diminishes your lung capacity and I just never realized all the things that happen to you on the INSIDE when your overweight. It was really eye opening for me, especially with my liver problems. MY LIVER NEEDS ROOM TO BREATHE MAN!!

Mom

MomThatsNuts said...

How is everyone doing?? Anyone have progress? Suggestions?? Encouraging words???