13.8

For 12 weeks I participated in a biggest loser competition at work. The competition is open to all women in the department and the winner is determined by the highest percentage of weight loss at the end of 12 weeks. Each participant contributes $20 up front and any week they gain weight, or don't weigh in, they have to pay $1. The total amount of funds collected gets distributed to the women with the top 5 percentages of weight loss.

Well, I signed up for round #10 of the competition and it began the week after Superbowl (lucky because I totally splurged that weekend when we were in Monterey!). I signed up for two reasons: 1. I wanted to lose weight and 2. I wanted to win money. I am highly motivated by money when I think I can control whether I win. I knew that past rounds of the competition had some serious money involved and I thought it would be the perfect motivation for me to finally lose some weight.

The first few weeks of the competition my weight loss was slow. Under a pound a week. It was discouraging and I was ranked like 15 out of 30. I had some serious work to do. So I got strict with my diet and started cutting carbs from my breakfast and lunch during the week. That wasn't hard to do, but I knew it wasn't going to be enough. I had to start working out more.

Hubby got a bonus check from work for some back pay at the beginning of the year and offered to use it to buy me an elliptical. He likes to work out at the gym but I like to work out at home where I'm not constantly thinking about how I look running or if my sweat is smelly. Plus, if I work out at home then hubby and I can work out at the same time and I can still watch Chelsea (well, while she sleeps).

The elliptical took a few weeks to arrive and once it did I began working out a lot more. I started doing 30 minute routines a few days a week. The results showed on the scale but after a few weeks I could tell it was getting too easy. So, I started doing 45 minute routines (while watching an hour-long TV show on Netflix!) and that was much harder.

By about week 8 or 9 I was in first place. I was stoked but also worried that I wouldn't be able to maintain the lead. Being the smallest girl in the competition who could only lose 1-2 pounds per week, I was worried that someone bigger was going to squash my percentage. I mean, I'd heard that past winners had lost upward of 20% of their body weight. I knew I wouldn't be able to do that.

For the next few weeks I went back and forth between first and second. I signed up for the competition with a friend and she was kicking butt as well. With us in first and second, I was happy. I definitely wanted to win, but if I was going to get second I wanted her to win.

The last week was stressful. I had just gotten a big fat negative on my pregnancy test, had a UTI, work was crazy, and I wasn't focusing on my eating as much as I should have been. Even so, I was determined to do what I could. I did my 45 minute work-out 5 out of 7 nights and by the night before my final weigh in I felt like I did my best. Whatever happened, I was proud of myself.

Well, I lost 3.4 lbs that last week. By far my best week. It wasn't quite enough to win but I came in second. Not bad. I lost a total of 13.8 pounds which equated to about 10% weight loss. Pretty good. I was still happy.

My goal had been to get into the 120s. My final weight was 128.8 so I met my goal! I still have some more work to do but I'm not going to be as strict as I was during the competition. I feel like I look way better in my clothes and that's always a good feeling.

So what did I get for second place? Over $370!!! Actually, my winnings from the competition were only $195 but I had made some other wagers and they paid off. Plus, I had a bet with hubby on who would lose the most between us two and I won that too.

I don't have any before and after photos but here are some cute ones of me and Chelsea from last week: