My gym recently had a "Biggest Loser Couples" type contest. I talked Jeff into entering. I'm not sure why, because honestly, I didn't really like the first individual one I did, so I have no clue why I wanted to do another one. Temporary insanity, probably.
Let me clarify...I didn't like the first one just because I felt so restricted. Restricted by the competition. If I wanted to indulge in a glass of wine or whatever...no freaking way...I'm in the competition. And, I need another scheduled weekly event like I need a huge chocolate bar on my kitchen counter. THAT is why I didn't enjoy the first one.
So, off we go for 8 weeks of competition. Here's where I must confess. I am competitive...just a little. But the hubby...well, he's got some serious competition moves...he's gonna take you down, no matter who you are. He's competitive. And, after 15 years of wedded bliss...I know this about the man, so who better to team up to lose some weight and win some prize money...right?
Ugh...did I mention I don't like restriction???
He was good...oh, so good. No drinking...no eating badly. He dropped his daily caloric intake down to something less than it takes to keep normal humans alive. But he's in competition mode, so he's all over it. He's dropping pounds left and right. I'm just humming along like usual. I'm losing weight slow and steady, but I've done my kamikaze time and I'm ready for a little tortoise living. Slow and steady, baby....slow and steady.
Then we were out of town for a week for work. He was still good. I got enough exercise, but I ate and sometimes not the best choices. It's a crazy week and there were nights that if I didn't grab a slice or two of pizza then I wasn't eating, and as we've covered here before...I NEED to eat. If I don't, I'm gonna binge. Then, there was a dinner meeting...business stuff...you know. Yeah, well, red wine. That's all I'm saying on that matter.
So then we get back from that and we have 2 weeks of competition left. Time to dig deep, get serious, and see if we can win this thing. The team in 1st place was losing at a nice steady rate. We did the math and it was gonna take some serious commitment from us and some slacking from them. Commitment I can do...the other team slacking was looking doubtful.
Well, the day of the final weigh in, the husband on the 1st place team gained .5 pounds. Jeff and I both lost again, and that put us over the top. It was CLOSE...way close! They lost 6.65% and we lost 6.99% of our combined body weights. WOW...that was really close!
And now, we're out of competition, so I can get back to my wicked ways! I say that very tongue-in-cheek, folks. What I mean is that if I want to have something that's not particularly diet-friendly, I'm going to have it, but I'm going to have to get back on track with my eating and work out a little more to compensate for eating something more caloric than normal.
We took the kids to the state fair. I had some of Avery's snow cone...a fried tenderloin...some of the kids ribbon fries...some of Avery's ice cream...and a bunch of other fair food junk that I normally would not eat. My burn that day was high due to exercising and then walking all over the fairgrounds. But I don't even want to venture a guess as to how many calories I ate that night! But you know what? That's OK...and it's only OK because on Sunday, I went back to clean and healthier eating choices. I ran 4 miles. I did not let that one extravagance define my downfall. It was just a choice I made that day and then I got back on track the next day.
That's where success lies...it's not in NEVER falling off the wagon; It's dusting yourself off and getting right back on it the next day.
If you've been doing less than you expect from yourself lately, tomorrow is the day...make tomorrow the day that you re-commit to your goals and to yourself. Getting healthy is something we all deserve. Tomorrow is YOUR day!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Who Needs A Bugg?
Recently I was out of town for a little over a week for a yearly convention that I go to due to my job. I see many of the people only once a year at this convention. These are the folks that REALLY noticed my weight loss.
And you know what happens when someone notices weight loss...the question is going to get asked! "How did you do it?".
Oh, how I hate that question, because EVERY single time I've given the answer (the TRUTHFUL answer) I can see the disappointment and let-down on their face. They were hoping for an easy, quick fix to the problem. Here's how it goes:
"Wow...you look incredible. You've lost a lot of weight."
Me: "Thanks, yeah, I've lost a little over 50 pounds."
"Wow...how did you do it?"
Me: "Exercise and watching what I eat."
"oh"
Ha ha...it's sad, but true! They're looking for the easy fix. I often tell them about the Body Bugg and how it has helped turn weight loss into fairly simple math for me. This often leads to someone pondering if they, too should purchase one of these Body Bugg things.
Which leads me to my post title...Who Needs A Bugg?
Here's the thing...I don't think everyone needs one, because it's not going to work for everyone. That's right...I said it...it WILL NOT WORK for everyone. There is one simple reason for that statement...everyone will not work it, so it will not work for them.
Huh?
I think that in order for the Body Bugg to work for YOU, you need to be ready for the Body Bugg. I think that you need to start and stick to an exercise program. You should get 30 minutes of exercise 3 times per week MORE than what you've currently been doing. So, if you're doing nothing, then exercise 3 times per week for 30 minutes each time. If, however, you've been doing two 20 minute walks during your lunch hour each week, do not count this towards your 30 minutes 3 times per week goal. The 30 minutes, 3 times per week are IN ADDITION to what you're currently doing.
Then, I think for the Body Bugg to work for you, you also need to keep a food log for at least a month. In January, when this all started for me, I HATED the entire concept of the food log. What a freaking WASTE of my time, I thought. Well, folks, it works. Because if you're going to have to write it down, you're going to think twice about it. So, keep that little notebook with you and start writing it all down.
If you can do those 2 things for a month or two, then I really believe that the Body Bugg WILL work for you. It will help you speed up that weight loss and see results. It will help you get through those plateaus. And finally, one day, it will help you MAINTAIN your weight loss and keep it off for good. Here's why I believe in this so firmly. For the Bugg to really work, you have to be accurate. You have to accurately log in what you consume during the day. If you can't make that work with a notebook, you're never going to be faithful to getting on the computer and doing it. Also, if you can't get your butt to the gym or outside or whatever a few times a week, no weight loss program is going to work for you. Body Bugg has shown me that weight loss is simple math:
Calories Burned - Calories Consumed = Weight Loss (or sadly, weight gain)
So, if you cannot exercise and get that calorie burn target in every day, it's just not going to work. The other amazing thing that the Bugg showed me is that you don't have to hit the gym to get to that burn target. On the days I wasn't going to make it to the gym I took the dog for an extra walk (or two), parked at the far end of the parking lot and walked the store browsing while I shopped, I went up and down our steps several times to get a few more calories burned...I learned to do whatever it took to get to that burn target.
I don't think that Body Bugg will work for anyone, but I do think that if you're serious about taking the steps to weight loss that the BB requires for success then it will work for you. I tell people all the time that if they can add some exercise and log their food intake for a month and stick to it, then they should buy one. If you've spent that month doing what it takes to succeed with the Body Bugg then once the device arrives you're well on your way to a success story!
And you know what happens when someone notices weight loss...the question is going to get asked! "How did you do it?".
Oh, how I hate that question, because EVERY single time I've given the answer (the TRUTHFUL answer) I can see the disappointment and let-down on their face. They were hoping for an easy, quick fix to the problem. Here's how it goes:
"Wow...you look incredible. You've lost a lot of weight."
Me: "Thanks, yeah, I've lost a little over 50 pounds."
"Wow...how did you do it?"
Me: "Exercise and watching what I eat."
"oh"
Ha ha...it's sad, but true! They're looking for the easy fix. I often tell them about the Body Bugg and how it has helped turn weight loss into fairly simple math for me. This often leads to someone pondering if they, too should purchase one of these Body Bugg things.
Which leads me to my post title...Who Needs A Bugg?
Here's the thing...I don't think everyone needs one, because it's not going to work for everyone. That's right...I said it...it WILL NOT WORK for everyone. There is one simple reason for that statement...everyone will not work it, so it will not work for them.
Huh?
I think that in order for the Body Bugg to work for YOU, you need to be ready for the Body Bugg. I think that you need to start and stick to an exercise program. You should get 30 minutes of exercise 3 times per week MORE than what you've currently been doing. So, if you're doing nothing, then exercise 3 times per week for 30 minutes each time. If, however, you've been doing two 20 minute walks during your lunch hour each week, do not count this towards your 30 minutes 3 times per week goal. The 30 minutes, 3 times per week are IN ADDITION to what you're currently doing.
Then, I think for the Body Bugg to work for you, you also need to keep a food log for at least a month. In January, when this all started for me, I HATED the entire concept of the food log. What a freaking WASTE of my time, I thought. Well, folks, it works. Because if you're going to have to write it down, you're going to think twice about it. So, keep that little notebook with you and start writing it all down.
If you can do those 2 things for a month or two, then I really believe that the Body Bugg WILL work for you. It will help you speed up that weight loss and see results. It will help you get through those plateaus. And finally, one day, it will help you MAINTAIN your weight loss and keep it off for good. Here's why I believe in this so firmly. For the Bugg to really work, you have to be accurate. You have to accurately log in what you consume during the day. If you can't make that work with a notebook, you're never going to be faithful to getting on the computer and doing it. Also, if you can't get your butt to the gym or outside or whatever a few times a week, no weight loss program is going to work for you. Body Bugg has shown me that weight loss is simple math:
Calories Burned - Calories Consumed = Weight Loss (or sadly, weight gain)
So, if you cannot exercise and get that calorie burn target in every day, it's just not going to work. The other amazing thing that the Bugg showed me is that you don't have to hit the gym to get to that burn target. On the days I wasn't going to make it to the gym I took the dog for an extra walk (or two), parked at the far end of the parking lot and walked the store browsing while I shopped, I went up and down our steps several times to get a few more calories burned...I learned to do whatever it took to get to that burn target.
I don't think that Body Bugg will work for anyone, but I do think that if you're serious about taking the steps to weight loss that the BB requires for success then it will work for you. I tell people all the time that if they can add some exercise and log their food intake for a month and stick to it, then they should buy one. If you've spent that month doing what it takes to succeed with the Body Bugg then once the device arrives you're well on your way to a success story!
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