Holiday Challenge

Thursday will mark one week 'til Thanks-giving, and six weeks 'til Christmas Eve. It is a time for gathering with friends and family, amongst good food and wine.

Uh oh. Get out the stretchy pants.

I don't want to graze my way through the holidays, but frankly, it's tough. My willpower is weak on any given day, never mind the holiday season. And if that's not enough, I've been trying to lose ten pounds since, I dunno, last year, but I've never been able to see the commitment through. I like to think that, as a trainer, this gives me more empathy for my clients. And on some level, I am my own test subject. I am ten pounds away from my good weight, fifteen pounds away from fighting weight. I've had some minor health issues that ended with blood work to test hormones, thyroid, all that. Everything came back good. Which means it's all on me.

I need your help. For the next six weeks, I will post what I exercise, drink, and eat, honestly, on my facebook page. I will approximate portion size (if it's relevant) and will include everything, including tootsie rolls I steal from my unnamed relative's kitchen. Here's why I am doing this. If, as I believe, I am eating and exercising like a champ, I should be leaner and more cut up than I am now. So I am publicly putting myself out there. No excuses.

Back in college, my professor, Dr. Rob Gilbert, would offer a challenge to one person every semester (lots of people wanted in, but only one got to make the attempt). It would be to quit smoking, or to lose 10 lbs., or to drink 64 oz. of water a day. If the person succeeded, they automatically got an A in class, but if they failed, they failed the class. The chosen person had to call into the professor's inspirational hotline every night, also, and leave a message saying that they didn't smoke/or drank water/went to the gym that day. And if anybody in the class saw that person doing something they shouldn't do, they were asked to report back.

Dr. Gilbert explained that publicly announcing a personal challenge really helped to keep a person on task. No one wants to humiliate themselves publicly. Not nobody, not no how (Wizard).

It's come to this. Dr. Gilbert, I will be reading your blog daily for inspiration. I will be painstakingly ~ crud ~ writing down everything I eat. I will be turning down that third beer (hey, the first two are required), and (sorry, Charlie) that wonderful, homemade cake. I will be eating lots of real food... healthy whole meals. I will not eat fat-free, 100 calorie magic snacks that are made of processed junk. I will eat fruits and veggies, lean meat, and occasionally, a cheeseburger. I will eat carbs. I will have one slice of pizza with a large salad and larger seltzer water, instead of two pieces, or three. I will eat well, and will not diet, however I will stay within 1,200 - 1,800 calories per day. I will allow myself a cookie, or 1 oz. of chocolate. This is a food plan, not a diet, and my restrictions are healthy restrictions that I should maintain pretty much for life. I will exercise as often as I can, and I am shooting for five days per week. I will lift weights, do cardio, and of course, yoga.

Today, on Wake Up with Cosmo Radio (Sirius 111, XM162), they were talking about a long standing quote that Kate Moss mentioned she lives by, and she got a lot of heat for it. She said, "Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels." They debated what this meant and how we interpret it. Here's how I interpret that statement. Before I put something into my mouth, I need to think about whether or not it benefits me, and helps me to be healthier and stronger, and leaner. Will eating that yummy cheesy garlic bread be worth the feeling of my jeans being too tight? Feeling thin (change that to lean) is a great feeling, and is far better than a two minute food indulgence. Wouldn't you agree?

I have six weeks to lose 12 lbs. Cheer me on. It's been a long time coming, and apparently, I only have myself to blame for not getting there sooner. Post your daily reports as comments to mine. Please. Come hell or high water, I'm getting this done.