Monday, April 27, 2009

losing myself




...and it's a good thing!

So, we are doing a semi-formal biggest loser program at work.  $5 buy in for each participant (the sum of which will be awarded to the winner at the end of the 12 week program) and $1 per weighin (awarded to each week's biggest loser by % of body weight), plus the prime parking spot by the dumpster.  I know, I know...

I haven't won anything yet except for some additional respect for myself and you know what?  I'll take it.  

I have exercised at least 30 minutes each day almost every day since March 18th.  That is not when we started the program but it is when I had a firm talk with the ol' self and said things had to change and change immediately.

I already rarely eat red meat.  I am not interested in following a vegetarian diet so I do eat alot of turkey, chicken and fish.  

I have recently become quite studious in avoiding high fructose corn syrup.  I watched a documentary called King Corn and that was all she wrote.  I haven't been able to avoid it altogether, but I'm always looking for a new product to replace the HFCS one!  I have moved away from artificial sweeteners to organic natural sugar and am looking to try some agave syrup if I can find it.  The only thing I ever sweeten is my one cup of coffee in the morning so I don't feel like I'm going overboard with cutting out the artificial stuff.  

Water, water everywhere..and I drink it.   Lots of it.  I eat 6-9 servings of fruits and veggies everyday, most of them raw or lightly steamed.  

I hope that the way I am living now will shortly be reflected in how I look.  I know there are people everyday who look at me and think there is nothing in my lunchbox but a coupon for McDonalds and a twinkie (as if!  LoAdEd with HFCS) but I'd like to stack my pantry against theirs and I bet I would win the Gold Star of Healthy Eating a good bit of the time.  

I've lost significant amounts of weight before (most recently, 180 lbs about 5 years ago) and failed to keep it off, but something feels different this time and I truly hope it is not just a phase.  I want to do different, feel different, and be different.  KT and E are participating in the program at work too and I believe we will all benefit from the experience whatever number pops up on the scale!  

I bought a pedometer yesterday so I will post a total when I get home for the day!

6 comments:

Kenny P. said...

Very admirable! It's never easy making changes like that. But, a little good ol' fashioned competition makes it easier.

I saw King Corn, too. It was enlightening. I admit, sadly, that my sweet tooth often overpowers my brain!

Katie said...

It's so hard to stay away from HFCS!
I am glad we are being losers together, I just need to get my hands on a pedometer!
k

Holley T said...

I do have a weakness for Reese's PB Cups and the beast must be indulged from time to time but I lost my taste for sodas altogether and I'm quite excited about that!

Get your pedometer and we can pedominate together! (too corny?)

Anonymous said...

i want to see king corn...but i'm afraid. :(

i don't eat much red meat--i was actually off it for 419 days after reading 'fast food nation', but i don't eat seafood or pork...so chicken and turkey were getting a bit boring.

good luck on the healthy living. i hope everything goes well for you!!!

Holley T said...

Unfortunately, the only things I absolutely don't like are tomatoes/tomato based products and liver. I haven't traveled internationally very much so I'm sure there are other things out there but those are the only ones at this point. I spent much of my childhood with my maternal grandparents (they were 7th day adventist so very little meat other than, occasionally, fish and chickne) so I also like soybased products (a 7th day adventist staple) just fine.

Often I think this whole process would be easier if I were culinarily picky...

Jenne said...

Good luck! I used to have a pedometer, lost it in the last move, but I loved seeing if I could bet the previous days score.

AS to HFCS check out the "Eat This Not That supermarket guide". I just returned my copy, it was really helpful!