Not much fanfare at the YMCA – the person running this thing really missed out on an opportunity to create some excitement at time when membership is down and things are generally slow. They could have WELCOMED participants (a dry erase board would have sufficed), taken “Before” photos, provided some motivation; instead there was nothing, but a black and white information sheet that pretty much mimicked the e-mail sent the previous week. We (one of my team mates and I) had to go searching for someone to help us get started. The wellness staff member who was pulled from the floor to record our starting weight and show us our folder location was less than motivating and wouldn’t even spend the time to take a starting body fat percentage (they have a hand-held machine so it’s not like it would put them out). The whole contest idea was reduced to recording our individual workouts, and a sheet to log weight training twice a week (use the nautilus machines in row 2). The BIGGEST LOSER has been stuffed in the back of a file drawer without even a label to remind us where it is! HMMPH. I will take a moment to think about how this looks to me; an overweight person at a gym. It feels like something the staff is not embracing all of its members. It feels like FAT is some sort of COODIE that no one wants to touch; especially a “buff” trainer of athletes, and that this is obviously a contest that not everyone supported. I am a little disappointed.
“I guess we’re going to have to motivate each other,” said my teammate Michelle. And so we will.
My starting weight on the giant doctor scale was 192. As usual, it’s higher than I wanted to see, but expected, given the equipment. Michelle’s weight was 171, Tammy’s 163. I am the fattest of the bunch. I have my work cut out for me, and I am going to make a serious effort to lose the weight this time (REALLY SERIOUS). I had a GREAT first day, stayed within my calories and had a solid work out. Today I hope to repeat. I am just back from the gym where I took my first ride on a new “Expresso” stationary bike. IT was GREAT. This will be my new GOTO workout. My heart rate for the entire ride averaged 138 so you know I was working and it was fun to race along a computerized course. I think I had a touch of vertigo when I got off. The bikes have a corresponding website where you can monitor your progress and design your own avatar. In the future, I can even race against a ghost of myself from a previous ride to try and better my times. I LOVE new gadgets, and this is a keeper!
I have once again asked my family (primarily DH) for support by not bringing home junk (6 cans of Pringles) or takeout, or suggest that we go someplace where I will be tempted to eat something I really don’t want. TWELVE weeks of clean living is all that I asked for… By the time the Biggest Loser is over I will have a solid loss behind me and my eating habits should be firmly established. My teammates are both excited and positive. We want to win!
Will this be my time?
2 comments:
I came upon your blog by Mel at Diet Nake. I just wanted to say I am so impressed by your running! I want to be a runner so badly! I started on Jan.1st, and although I am making progress, it's slow.
Keep up the good work! I love reading about it!
Mary
Slow is what I am - just persistant. My idea is that you can't wait until it is warmer, you are thinner, you just to go with what you have and do as much as you can. It does get a little easier, in so far as it creates a habit. Keep going!!
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