100 Days of Weight Loss challenge

When I updated my About page earlier this year, I added that “This year I’m committed to getting fit.” I haven’t exactly lived up to that pledge. There are 60-ish days left in the year, however, so I’ve decided that it’s not too late to meet my goal. And keep going well into the New Year. 100 days is a long time! But I can do it. If I can stick to this for 100 days, than I can do anything.

PRE-CHALLENGE

• I bought the book “100 Days of Weight Loss,” by Linda Spangle.
• I picked my meal plan. I’ve started the Medifast plan. I’ll tell you more about it tomorrow. For help with deciding which type of diet approach is best, take the quiz at www.thedietquiz.com. My result was a high-protein, lower carb diet, but since I’ve tried that in the past (and failed) I decided to go for a meal delivery plan instead. High-protein, low carb easy-to-prepare meals.
• I wrote a list of reasons I want to lose weight…

1. Feel better about myself.
2. Have more energy.
3. Wear a bathing suit without a cover-up.
4. Have a flat stomach.
5. Look and feel younger.
6. Be comfortable in front of the camera.
7. Be a role model for my daughters.
8. Be attractive to my husband.
9. Fit into cuter clothes.
10. Be a size 8 for the first time… ever?
11. Prevent future health problems.
12. Enjoy shopping for clothes.
13. Sleep better.
14. Wear sleeveless shirts with confidence.
15. Feel in control.
16. Overcome my struggle with food.

• I wrote a list of excuses as to why I haven’t been making progress up until now…

1. I don’t have time to exercise.
2. I don’t have time to make healthy meals.
3. I don’t have money to invest into my weightloss.
4. I love food too much.
5. I don’t have any support.

Basically a bunch of whining. When I read my list of excuses out loud, I realized just how pathetic they sound. None of these excuses work any more. From now on, they don’t matter.

• I lined up a support system. For me, it’s SparkPeople. I joined the “Serious Medifast Losers” team, as well as the 100 Days Challenge team, which I’ve been a part of for weeks, but never participated. I plan to blog about the challenge on SparkPeople every day. I posted this there yesterday, and within hours already had several comments!
• I’m monitoring my progress. Besides blogging daily, I’m using a calendar. I’ve written each day’s number in each box. As I go, I’ll color each box in with either a green, yellow, or red marker. Green if I’ve lost weight, yellow if I maintained, and red if it was a gain day. This means I’ll be weighing myself every day.
• I’m working on creating a finish line. A vision collage. Something to visualize how I’ll look, feel, and act when I cross the 100 Days finish line in February, 2012.
• I dedicated a space beside my bed for my tennis shoes and workout clothes. I have several reusable water bottles lined up on my kitchen counter, ready to be used.
• I’ve removed tempting foods from the refrigerator. If I don’t need them, neither does my family. I’ve hidden other foods – cookies, crackers, early Halloween candy – out of reach. Out of sight, out of mind.
• I purchased a large case of Coke Zero. I know this is a no-no to some, but for me it’s a real treat. I’m better off reaching for this than a cup of ice cream! Hopefully I’ll wean myself off this completely. I didn’t have one today!
• I found an incentive. I set up $1 jar and will put $1 in it for every day I stick to the challenge. I’m also going to look through my “skinny” clothes and pull out a favorite pair of jeans that I want to fit into again.

I’m doing it! Just finishing up day two…