Pound For Pound Challenge

I'm a big fan of The Biggest Loser. I'll admit it. I know it's commercial, I know it can be sappy, I know the editing during the weigh-in portion is maddening. But it's just so cool to see people empowering themselves. I also think it's the first real big media push that

In last week's episode the contestants worked for their local food bank. Some of the contestants reflected on their past habits of overeating and how helping people without the luxury of even having extra food to overeat was an eye opener. I sometimes forget about the sociopolitical impact of overeating. Thinking of my personal eating habits on a macro level is really interesting. And kind of scary.

How different would the menu planning look in my household if I was thinking about how to satisfy what we need (calorically) & what was extra in my food budget could be donated to my local foodbank. I joined up in the Pound for Pound Challenge & pledged to lose my 30 pounds for a donation to my local food bank. That's at least a start.

The Before Pictures

So to do this thing right I think I need some "before" pictures. Ugh. Here they are. Vanity is going out the window. Hopefully it will be motivating.

Running mileage total:
3.9.2010 treadmill run: 2.25 miles
(997.75 miles to go)

I'm feeling motivated. Yesterday I was running late for work but asked myself "Is there anyway I can make a healthy lunch in 2 minutes?" And so I tried, And I did it- I threw together a turkey on whole wheat & a salad topped with beans. Even with an unexpected BBQ at a friend's after work I stayed within my calorie budget.

My run yesterday showed me I have some real potential to grow in my fitness level. I was purple faced, and had to switch from jogging to walking to get through it- then ran out of time to finish before work. Today I'm pretty sore but it feels good to have made a baby step.

Mission Statement

I just turned 31 years old. The older I get the faster time slips by. Birthdays have a cruel way of putting that in perspective for me. I am now firmly in the adult camp. Throughout my 20s I have gained and lost the same 20 pounds but never made a permanent lifestyle change that would get me to a healthy goal weight. Maybe you can relate?

If now isn't the time to clean up some of the ragged edges in my life, when is? I'm choosing to make want this year about major positive growth. So I'm throwing down the gauntlet for myself publicly. Really, what would my life look like if I wasn't always worrying about my health & my weight? Day by day, I will share my journey here. Here are my personal goals:

Run 1,000 miles this year
Yeah. I'm not a runner. But I am in awe of the lean joggers I see running from the sedentary safety from inside of my car. It seems almost like a miracle to imagine myself so light on my feet with breath to propel me through a long run. Even as a youngster (a husky youngster, I admit) I couldn't run in PE class. So this would be a HUGE accomplishment for myself. I did the math and I could run 1,000 miles this year is I ran approximately 3 miles per day. I'll log my journey here, every purple faced, shin splinted moment of it. I invite anyone reading this who would like to to join me in the comments.

Lose 31 pounds this year
Today I weigh 175 pounds. With a strong and frightening family history of weight related health problems including early death related to stroke, adult onset diabetes, and heart disease, I really can't use my youth as an excuse to be fast and loose with my health. I'm not in my 20s anymore. I'm firmly in my 30's and it's time to address my weight permanently and start a reasonable preventative regime. I'll publicly weigh in here (what am I thinking??!) and keep everyone posted on good weeks and bad. If anything in my story appeals to you, Join me. My challenge is to weigh 144 pounds by March 8th 2011.

Document my journey here
In the past, I have had a difficult time sticking to health plans & being consistent. I'm inspired to see what people can do when they work with the right structure. Has anyone else been watching The Biggest Loser?! I can't go on the Biggest Loser (although I do have some Jillian Michaels DVDs for at home workouts) but I can create effective structure for myself. This blog is part of that. Thanks for reading & helping me with the support I need to make this happen.