Fit Happens Chapter 17 - Post Interview 4 (B-Bo)

The Fit Happens series is finally done. After 181 days and several post-contest interviews, we've reached our conclusion.

The last post-contest interview is of the third-person variety. Yours truly was fortunate enough to be crowned the Fit Happens champion, losing over 32 pounds (almost 14% of my body weight) in the six-month contest. 

Here, I answered the same questions that I asked the other three gentlemen. I offer a different perspective in what surprised me the most about the contest and what I have done in the first month outside of the contest to motivate myself to keep in shape and hopefully lose more weight in the process.

1. What are your overall impressions of Fit Happens? This contest did wonders for me. It was exactly what I needed at exactly the right time.  It helped that I won, but more importantly, the best thing it did for me was get me to work out again.

2. What have you changed about your exercise regimen and/or diet during the contest? After stopping my workout and weight loss in 2010, I had not worked out consistently since then - so it has changed completely. I wish I could say my diet has changed dramatically -  it hasn't. That's my next major hurdle in weight loss.

3. What challenges were the toughest during the past six months? My biggest challenge was actually in the last month, when Jen and I moved to a new place. Our last place had a gym in the basement of the building, so I focused more on running in the neighborhood in June than previous months. Outside of that, I would say the occasional overeating was the biggest challenge.

4. Did you reach the goals you set forth at the beginning? Yeah, but I adjusted my goals once April hit and did not reach those new goals (reaching and maintaining a weight under 200). I can't complain with losing the amount of weight I lost in 6 months though.

5. How much did being in the contest motivate you to lose weight? Could you have done it w/o the contest? As mentioned above, it was the biggest motivation. When I heard about this contest in late December, I liked the money aspect of the weight loss but in the back of my mind knew that I needed something like this to get me back into working out. I may have eventually started working out again (like I randomly started getting into shape in November 2008), but this definitely kick-started the process.

6. Will you continue your weight loss journey? Yes. I am still looking to lose about 20-25 more pounds to get back to my adult-low from a few years back.

7. How will you keep yourself motivated with the contest ending? Back at the end of April, I installed a running app on my phone that I have used to track outdoor runs. I've been using one of my friends (who installed the same Nike app after me) as a measuring stick and a motivational source to run about 4-5 times a week. In fact, I've set a goal of running about 35 miles this month (the first full month out of the contest).

8. Did anything or anyone surprise you during this contest? How so? As much as others have said I surprised them the most, I didn't look at it that way. I knew I could lose a lot of weight once I motivated myself and made changes (I lost 20 pounds w/in 2.5 months of working out back in 2008, so I knew I could again). So short answer long, I would say that there were not any major surprises with anyone or anything. I expected all of us to have our ups and downs (which we did). I may have had less, but we all had our issues at some point.

9. How much more weight do you want or need to lose to get to your ideal weight? I would like to first get down below 200 and keep it that way consistently. Once I've established that, I'd like to focus on getting to about 175-180 pounds. At that weight, I am very light on my feet and will be very efficient in my neighborhood runs.

10. Should we keep tabs on each other as the months pass to keep each other motivated? If so, do you think we will? No doubt. I'm gonna give these guys a little space, but not too much space. I feel like checking up on each other will keep us more personally responsible to keep up with our fitness and dieting goals.

Chapter 16 Fit Happens - Post Contest Interview 3 (Hippo)

As you have read in the last couple of Fit Happens, I've reached out to all of the participants to get a sense of what they got out of the contest and what they might need to do in the near future to keep losing weight (or at least maintaining shape).

The next interview is w/ Hippo, who at the halfway mark was challenging for the lead. While he still lost over 7% of his body weight during the contest, he faded in the last few months. He speaks of those struggles as well as what he needs to do to get back on track.

1.    What are your overall impressions of Fit Happens?
It was a pretty good success. I thought it was telling that the two most overweight of the four competitors made the least net progress. I guess this makes sense since that's how they got that way in the first place.

2.    What have you changed about your exercise regimen and/or diet during the contest?

I ate a lot less and worked out more regularly, the two things I knew I needed to do a better job of. But I changed those things at the beginning and didn't make any other major change once we got going.

 

3.    What challenges were the toughest during the past six months?

I totally fell off the wagon in May and just now (early July) have I gotten back on. It was hard to stay motivated. Even with the contest going on, after the first couple of months it seemed like our group enthusiasm had waned and we weren't as active with each other.

 

4.    Did you reach the goals you set forth at the beginning?

No. I never set a weight loss goal, I just wanted to make it to the end without a major relapse and that didn't happen.

5.    How much did being in the contest motivate you to lose weight? Could you have done it w/o the contest?

It didn't play all that big of a role. It gave some extra motivation at the end of months, and because B-Bo just kept winning, but once it was clear he wasn't going to be caught it didn't help at all.

6.    Will you continue your weight loss journey?

I never went into this thinking of it as a journey because it was about changing my lifestyle, not just losing weight. I don't think I succeeded in that transformation so I am far from done.

7.    How will you keep yourself motivated with the contest ending soon?

With the contest being over I don't think it will impact me all that much. As I already stated, the contest wasn't motivating enough for me that I will miss it.

8.    Did anything or anyone surprise you during this contest? How so?

I never thought B-Bo would lose so much weight and dominate so much. I was surprised in general with how much B-Bo and Chris lost since I didn't think they had as much to lose. I also was surprised I fell so hard off the wagon *before* the  contest ended.

9.    How much more weight do you want or need to lose to get to your ideal weight?

I don't have an ideal weight per se. I really just want to be considered "healthy". Whatever weight I get to at that point is my goal.

10.   Should we keep tabs on each other as the months pass to keep each other motivated? If so, do you think we will?

I definitely think we should keep tabs on each other. Since B-Bo and Chris don't have a lot more to lose I think the goals of the contest should vary for each person for the rest of the year. Those of us who didn't lose enough should have to lose a bunch and Chris and B-Bo should only have to keep their current weights without relapsing.

Chapter 15 Fit Happens - Post Contest Interview 2 (Magic Bus)

As you may have read in my last Fit Happens chapter, I asked all of the guys in the contest to share their thoughts on the contest and how they plan on approaching their health and fitness post-contest.

The second in the series of interviews, Magic Bus shared some of the motivational issues that he had with as the contest progressed as well as his proposal to do another Fit Happens in the future.

 

1. What are your overall impressions of Fit Happens?

It was super helpful in the beginning to have some camaraderie and competition, but that tailed off during the second half of the contest for me. I'm to blame for that; I withdrew from the social aspects about mid-way through and that definitely hurt my progress.

 

2. What have you changed about your exercise regimen and/or diet during the contest?

I've still mostly focused on diet. I each much less fast food and processed foods than I did prior to the contest and am overall more cognizant of what goes into my body. During the last couple of months I've started walking and jogging as much as I can and have found it to be quite enjoyable actually. In the future, I think that will help a lot.

 

3. What challenges were the toughest during the past six months?

Exercising has been really challenging for me. With a small child, I never feel like I have enough time to go to the gym or take a walk. Of course, that's really just an excuse. The fact is, it was not important enough to me to sacrifice my personal time.

Something I'm still struggling with is sticking to my plan after I've screwed up. I'm prone to say things like "I'll start back on it on Monday" after I've binge eaten once during the week. The rational part of me knows that I should just pick up right away instead of waiting, but for some reason I feel like the week is shot. This is probably the biggest contributor to me not losing the weight I wanted to.

 

 

4. Did you reach the goals you set forth at the beginning?

Nope. I hoped to get down to 250 lbs.

 

5. How much did being in the contest motivate you to lose weight? Could you have done it w/o the contest?

At first, a lot. I would say the first 3 months were of the contest were fun and really pushed me to lose more, but after that, I sort of withdrew. In hindsight, I would have preferred a shorter duration with smaller goals. We could have had say, 3 or 4 one month contests where we could "reset" in between. I think that would have kept me motivated longer.

 

6. Will you continue your weight loss journey?

Definitely. This is not the end for me. I've got a small person's worth of weight to lose still.

 

7. How will you keep yourself motivated with the contest ending?

My wife has recently started a much more rigorous exercise plan and is training for some races coming up. I'm planning to get in on some of those to keep myself active.

 

8. Did anything or anyone surprise you during this contest? How so?

B-Bo! It's crazy that the lightest guy was able to lose by far the most weight.

 

9. How much more weight do you want or need to lose to get to your ideal weight?

70 lbs. That would bring me down to around 200 lbs. By no means would I be a small guy, but I think that's when I would be happy.

 

10. Should we keep tabs on each other as the months pass to keep each other motivated? If so, do you think we will?

Absolutely. I think we should take a month or two to reset and maybe kick off another shorter competition.

Chapter 14 Fit Happens: Post-Contest Interview (Chris)

I've delayed a little on the release of these, still waiting for one member to submit the questionnaire (inserted passive-aggressive jab right there). Instead of waiting any longer, I will release the question/answers from everyone. 

First, starting with the runner-up Chris, who lost 28.6 pounds (11.56% of his weight) in the six-month contest. He shares his thoughts on the contest and what he is aiming to accomplish with long-term fitness goals.

1. What are your overall impressions of Fit Happens? Enjoyed it.  I accomplished exactly what I wanted and this was my motivation in part.  It helped to have some support/competition along the way.

2. What have you changed about your exercise regimen and/or diet during the contest? My exercise regimen was increased during this competition.  I barely missed a day up until about a month ago when I started tailing off.  I have since regained that steam and have been working out just about daily.  As far as diet, I still eat basically the same stuff.  I am much more hesitant to eat boatloads of things though.  I am better at portion control (although I definitely suffer lapses).  That is what I aim to continue to work on.

3. What challenges were the toughest during the past six months? I can't think of anything that was really toughest.  I guess maintaining the rigorous exercise routine was tough, but I generally enjoyed it.  The toughest part was probably resisting the urge to overeat.  I have been recalling moments where I had the willpower to do so and it is rewarding in its own.

4. Did you reach the goals you set forth at the beginning? I have surpassed my original goal and am teetering on the edge of my secondary goal of 215. 

5. How much did being in the contest motivate you to lose weight? Could you have done it w/o the contest? I probably could have done this without the contest, but it was nice to experience it with friends and have your own cheering(jeering) section.  That extra motivation made it easier, plus sharing an experience is always better than going at it alone.

6. Will you continue your weight loss journey? I hope so.  I am going to attempt to make my eating habits a lifelong deal.  As far as working out, I don't anticipate I will slow down all that much, so hopefully I will continue to slim down, even if it is at a much slower pace.

7. How will you keep yourself motivated with the contest ending? My motivation has been to continue to live healthy.  The contest was all but over about halfway through, so I have conceded that much.

8. Did anything or anyone surprise you during this contest? How so? Cannot believe B-Bo was able to drop so much weight.  Especially since he was the lightest at the start.  I guess he had a lot less of a muscular base than anticipated.

9. How much more weight do you want or need to lose to get to your ideal weight? I don't know that I really have an ideal weight at this time.  I guess long term, it would be cool to drop below 200.

10. Should we keep tabs on each other as the months pass to keep each other motivated? If so, do you think we will? Absolutely.  One of my heroes, Adam Carolla, is an advocate of public shaming as a motivator.  If any of us start to slip, I think a public shaming is in store.  On a serious note, yes - it is good to keep tabs.  Again, we have a shared experience and can relate to one another.  It should continue on that way with encouragement and the occasional shaming.

Chapter 13 Fit Happens: Closing the Door on The Flab Four

I can remember January 1st like it was yesterday.

Jen and I had just gotten home from a wedding evening in Lasalle/Peru. I put on my "workout clothes" (I put this in quotes because in order for clothes to be classified as workout clothes, you need to, you know, work out) and walked to the elevator to begin my first workout while Jen relaxed after we had a long fun night the night before.

There was only one other person in the gym, which had three treadmills, a stepper and about 10-12 different weight machines for the various muscle groups. Most importantly, there was a television, which allowed me to watch the bowl games that were on (most of which I had some kind of bet on). The only thing that got me through the pathetic struggle of my first workout was the fact that all of my bets hit that day (several while I was in the gym for that 40 minutes or so).

At that time, I weighed in at over 235 pounds. 235.6 pounds to be exact. The first workout, along with about the first 2-3 weeks worth of workouts, showed me just how much I had gotten out of shape compared to my recent fitness focus from November 2008 through July 2010, where I was able to shed my weight from 220 to a low of 175 thanks to a rigorous workout routine - 5 times a week in the gym, with many one hour runs on the treadmill that spanned 6-7 miles.

My initial thoughts on January 1st brought me down to earth and realized that I had to get my ass back in shape. Sadly, 4 mph on the treadmill was tough at first, but after a month or so, I was able to run back at my normal 6 mph pace. As you've seen through the blogs before this, the pounds shed as the workouts became more intense.

Fast forward to now, and I am much better off for my Fit Happens experience, as are the others. While we all had our slight regression towards the end, we've all developed better habits (exercise and diet) that can carry over in the future months.

The Final Standings

User	lbs	%
Dave	-22.2 lbs	-7.69 %
Hippo	-19.5 lbs	-7.9 %
LionEsquire	-28.2 lbs	-11.56 %
B-Bo Knows Weight Loss	-32.6 lbs	-13.84 %

The good news for all, aside from the good amount of weight we all lost, was that no one will have to face any punishment.

And also good news for me is that as a result of winning the contest as well as three of the five recorded months (no monthly winner for June), I was able to score $220 profit from the others. Which is funny, because a part of me was motivated by the money at the beginning.

But as I stood on that treadmill January 1st, I knew it was much more than about money at that point. It was about making a lifestyle change while I could before long-term health damage could take place.

Sure, I still have my share of bad diet habits that will likely never go away. However, as long as I am physically able, I will make sure to continue my workouts/runs to ensure that getting fat has disappeared into thin air.

Nike Fit App

Since I have yet to join a gym, I have been relying on my runs to keep in shape. I have found the Nike Fit App to be a great tracker of all of my runs. And the nice thing now is that I have a few friends who are on the app, possibly because of me.

I admit there were a few times I ran this month when I saw my closest competitor in miles creeping up on me. In all, I ran a total of 24.17 miles on the app for June. A great total, which I only hope will improve on a monthly basis.

Next month, our first month away from the contest, I am aiming to get 35 miles of running. This would likely require me to run about 20 times. With my cost-cutting efforts likely keeping me away from the gym for the time being, I will be focusing on running even more to keep myself in shape.

Also, seeing my friends adding to their running stats will get me going for sure.

The Next Steps

So what becomes of the Fit Happens crew?

If I have anything to say about it, we will still keep in touch about our goings-on. Some of us are using Chris' wedding date in October as a platform for our next set of weight loss goals. At that time, I hope to be about 190-195, and the other gents have set similar reasonable goals to reach by that time.

In the coming days, I will have some exit interviews from the Flab Four, including what experiences we gained from the contest as well as our next steps in improving our health.

Thanks for reading once again

Looney Junes: My Crazy Busy Month from A to Z

It's been a hell of a month for yours truly. A little bit of everything has happened. A tour of the alphabet is in order....

Awesome girlfriend and cat family. I'm loving the new set-up and loving it even more with the loving g/f and cats that inexplicably entertain me on a daily basis. We've all adjusted to the new neighborhood quite well.

Bowling this summer. Our team has sucked so far this year. However, to start the second half of the year, we swept our first series. Let's see if this carries over into July & August.

Cell Dwelling at US Cellular Field. I've gone to a few games there this June, both unique in their own ways. I experienced my first-ever fog delay on a Monday night game when the White Sox faced the Blue Jays. I also attended the second game of a doubleheader on June 28th as the White Sox blew a 9th inning lead against the Indians.

Donations. Thanks to a last-minute pledge for money in my St. Jude/Warrior Dash efforts, I was able to gather a total of $1070 from my network of family and friends. I know those kids at St. Jude appreciate every single dollar donated. Thank you to everyone who donated.

Exercise. I need to find a gym soon or find new workouts to do. I don't want to regress to what I was before January 1st.

Fit Happens Champion. Over 30 pounds lost. Still have about 20-25 pounds to go before I'll be completely happy.

Game 6 - in both NBA & NHL Finals. Watched both in different venues (NBA at home, NHL at a bar). Each viewing experience left me shocked and reaffirmed why I love watching sports - the unexpected, unscripted drama that you can't get anywhere else.

Holding pattern. I had big plans coming up (trip to Seattle, new bowling league in Fall) that may need to be put on hold with the layoff. Hoping that I can find work quicker than the three months it took between jobs last time.

Ink for my computer. Yep, need some more ink. I had no idea what to write for the I portion of this blog, as you can tell.

Job search in progress. Yep, out of a job starting the end of day, July 5th. Any help would be much appreciated.

(5)K runs. I did my first one in quite a while on June 2nd. Fittingly enough with one of the guys who helped get me into shape. Thanks Chris. Going to try making them a monthly thing. Might hold off on this, depending on cost of 5K. Me needs to save some dough, yo.

Logan Square - love the new neighborhood feel. Moved here June 1. Love it here so far.

Mohawk. It may be short-lived, especially if I start to get interviews soon. I got it in dedication to my cousin Marilyn and the Warrior Dash run. Plus I look awesome with it.

Networking. It's the key that got me my last two jobs. It's exactly where I picked up when I heard the news of being laid off. So far, it has not produced results, but I have faith that my networks will be what gets me employed again.

Olivers. This remains my go-to suburban bar, particularly after bowling on Wednesdays before heading back to the burbs. I caught most of Stanley Cup Game 1 there, the end of Game 4, and always share good stories and good times with my friends there.

Pizza places. My favorite part of moving into a new Chicago neighborhood is to try new pizza places. I do miss Pat's Pizza, but there's a few good joints around here that I'm sure we'll enjoy just as much.

Quarterback Keeper. In less serious news (or more serious, depending on your level of fantasy football interest), trying to decide who to keep in my fantasy football league. Earlier in June, I was thinking Kaepernick. Now, I'm thinking Peyton Manning. I'm not sure how much longer Peyton has. I can keep either one of these guys for the next three seasons. Who would you choose?

Rear ended on June 14th. It was my second accident in a row where my car was not in motion when I got hit. Luckily, it was only a few minor bumps on the bumper. The guy who hit me offered to pay for my troubles, but I was not about to bother with that.

Stanley Cup Playoffs. Definitely the most active I've been involved with hockey in my life (from betting it to watching it). While I give bandwagon people a hard time, I have no problem with them. Bandwagons breed new fans of a sport, and that's never a bad thing - as long as people take the time to learn the sports they follow.

Trans mount. I needed a new one of these for my car (I couldn't tell you what a trans mount is or where it is in my car). I was about to get a new one and pay $400 last month at Firestone, but they didn't have one for my model car. Luckily they didn't - totally forgot about what was covered by CarMax and the warrant. Just got it fixed by CarMax for the low price of free.99.

Uncle Brian. Still is awesome to say. Will always be awesome. Every moment I've had to hold my nephew Brayden has been a fantastic moment. The last two times I saw him this month, he has been looking around and soaking in his environment. Can't believe he's already six weeks old.

Victory parade. I debated whether to attend the Blackhawks parade, but my parade experience in 2010 was all I really needed. Millions of people, with even just 5 or 10 percent of them drunk and an even higher percentage annoying, was not my cup of tea for this year's celebration.

Warrior Dash completed on June 16th. It was much tougher than when I did it three years ago. Glad to be a part of Team Carter.

eXcel Spreadsheets. As I was transferring files to my personal email before my work computer is taken away, I forgot how many excel spreadsheets I've worked with over the years. Many of my blogs had data stored in excels.

Year is half over. The year has flown, but it feels like this month has lasted longer than 30 days, as you can see by this blog.

Zombie Seinfeld. I caught this production on June 14th, right after the rear-ending. It was an excellent adaptation of Seinfeld that does not require one to love zombies (I can't stand zombie stuff) or even Seinfeld. Great job by Jeremy & Dan Eden, as always.

Chapter 12 Fit Happens: The Final Four

Before I go into this chapter's topic, here are the latest standings, as of June 1:

User lbs %

Dave -18.8 lbs -6.51 %

Hippo -17.2 lbs -6.97 %

LionEsquire -18.0 lbs -7.38 %

B-Bo Knows Weight Loss -31.6 lbs -13.41 %

Overall, May was a brutal month for the contest participants. I was expecting a wall for myself, but I figured I'd break through. But that wasn't the case. Apparently, I haven't adjusted my workout regimen or increased the intensity enough to break through the 203/204 pound marker. The final four is proving to be a tough barrier to break through.

However, the biggest take away from this month is not about my weight loss exploits, but rather my friends who regressed this month. Hippo and Chris both gained a decent amount of weight in May, which I was not expecting given their four month track record in the contest, shown by steady decreased weight loss.

For them, I believe this will prove to be a crossroads in their future health for 2013. A strong bounce back in June could prove to be a catalyst for the rest of the year. A bad June might signal that the bad habits that crept into our lives have resurfaced.

By no means did we ever think it'd be easy. For the most part, we have made it look easy, although I've heard that it's easier for guys to lose weight (although I'm not sure if that's a myth).

Here's to hoping that my weight loss crew and I end the last month of Fit Happens on a strong note.

Step one in that, at least for me and Chris, is a 5k at Lincoln Park Zoo. Wish me luck.

Chapter 11 Fit Happens: The B-Bo Dynasty?

Rule of thumb: if you ever have the opportunity to refer to yourself in the third person, make sure you are doing so in the context of success.

With that being said, B-Bo feels pretty confident in his ability to speak in the third person vernacular for this particular blog - the eleventh chapter of Fit Happens.

The final weigh in was earlier on Wednesday, and while B-Bo was not delighted to see his bid for a third victorious month in the contest (out of four) fail when Williams posted his weigh in for April, he was still quite satisfied with his second place finish for the month, which accompanies his second-place finish in February. Here are the results from the month, followed by the overall results through 120 days:

User	lbs	%
Dave	0.6 lbs	0.22 %
Hippo	-1.4 lbs	-0.64 %
LionEsquire	-5.6 lbs	-2.51 %
B-Bo Knows Weight Loss	-3.6 lbs	-1.73 %

User	lbs	%
Dave	-15.8 lbs	-5.47 %
Hippo	-28.8 lbs	-11.66 %
LionEsquire	-26.4 lbs	-10.82 %
B-Bo Knows Weight Loss	-30.8 lbs	-13.07 %

As expected, this month was the lowest amount of weight loss and weight loss percentage for a winner of a month. Each month has been more difficult for the contestants to lose weight. Note the totals below for monthly breakdown in weight loss:

	B-Bo	Hippo	Chris	Magic Bus
Jan 1 - Feb 1	-13	-11.4	-13.2	-11.8
Feb 1 - Mar 1	-7	-8.8	-5.4	-4.2
Mar 1 - Apr 1	-7.2	-7.2	-2.2	-0.4
Apr 1 - May 1	-3.6	-1.4	-5.6	0.6
May 1 - June 1
June 1 - July 1
	-30.8	-28.8	-26.4	-15.8

So what will be different this month? What will be the next step in B-Bo's dominance? Some thoughts:

1. Nike+ - I just got this app on my Android, which tracks my distance, time, path, and calories burned for each run I do. I plan on using it just for outdoor runs. I believe it will get me to run outside more in preparation for the Warrior Dash that I am doing in June. Also, with this being my last month in the South Loop, I need to take advantage of the nice running area by Grant Park and the Lakeside.
2. Weights - I will be trying to incorporate weights (not free weights, but more machines and dumbbells) into my workout. This should help me shed weight at a slightly faster clip.
3. Shakes - Jen just bought us a blender that we plan on putting to good use. I just finished my first shake that had strawberries, bananas and oats, among other things. I believe having these shakes on a regular basis in lieu of some of the junk I may eat will help my diet out. (Just noticed that items 2 and 3 can be rearranged to become Shake Weight)
4. Outdoor Sports? - I hope to play an outdoor sport of some sort on a somewhat regular basis (basketball, softball, whatever). Perhaps joining a league is an option.
5. Below 200 - The above items, as well as the continued intensity of workout that I've been doing throughout the months, will hopefully help dip my weight to below 200 pounds. It would signal me reaching my contest goal a month ahead of time and would be a major accomplishment for me as I look to continue my healthy journey.
6. Uncle B-Bo - I am looking to reach the Below 200 goal before I become an uncle. Whether I have a niece or a nephew, I would love to be under 200 pounds for his or her entire life. With my sister-in-law due in about three weeks, I may not achieve this goal, but I'll do my best to get there.

That about wraps 'er up for Chapter 11. Hope you enjoyed this latest edition. I will return either later this month or at the beginning of June to share my latest adventures and hopefully another winning month.

Peace.

Chapter 10 Fit Happens: Large (Shirts) & In Charge

Yes, it's finally happened. About a month later than I expected.

It's the wall. Not as intimidating as China's or as musical as Pink Floyd's. But it's an inevitable part of a weight loss program.

It seems to be happening to all of us at the same time. Out of the 3 of us who have recorded our weights since April 1, we have lost a combined 1.8 pounds. At nearly the halfway point of April, that is 22 pounds less than we lost from the first 14 days of the New Year. Obviously, the main reason for that is the ease of the weight loss for all of us in the initial part of the contest.

It's difficult at times to be motivated by weight loss at this time of the contest when weight loss is at a minimum despite our improved dietary and exercise habits. But it's a natural process with this contest. We were all going to face a wall at some point. It's funny that we all hit it at the same time.

I know that we're trying to get through this, but I think it's a realization that we need to step things up. Increase the better habits: more intense workouts, different workouts, better diets than we've already been taking part of.

This month, I've been working out about 5 out of 7 days. My workout intensity has definitely increased. I have been stepping up my treadmill cardio to 45 minute sessions where I end up burning close to 800 calories by the time the workout ends.

I've managed to squeeze ahead in the weight loss this month, but it's not showing in the standings. And that's what we need to remember.

It's not always going to show up in the numbers. As long as the right mindset of continuing these good habits exists, everything will work out in the long term.

Oh yeah, and I can fit in large shirts again without looking six months pregnant. Go me!

Until next time, thanks for reading.

Fit Happens Chapter 9: Halfway There

In case you missed the individual profiles on each of the contestants from the past week, click the links below to read about our individual trials and tribulations:

Profile 1 (Chris)
Profile 2 (Hippo)
Profile 3 (Magic Bus)
Profile 4 (B-Bo)

We're halfway done with the Fit Happens Weight Loss Challenge sponsored by Papa Johns. Papa John did not sponsor us unfortunately, so we will not be able to give away two million free pizzas. April Fools!

Weight as of April 1: 208.4, a loss of 27.2 pounds. Currently leading in Fit Happens.

And the good news? I'm still in the lead...but barely. Below are the standings at the halfway mark.

User	lbs	%
Dave	-17.6 lbs	-6.1 %
Hippo	-27.4 lbs	-11.1 %
LionEsquire	-20.8 lbs	-8.52 %
B-Bo Knows Weight Loss	-27.2 lbs	-11.54 %

Other good news? I won the month of March, but barely. Thanks to my slightly less plump exterior compared to Hippo, who lost the same amount of weight but lost a less of a percentage.

User	lbs	%
Dave	-1.6 lbs	-0.59 %
Hippo	-7.2 lbs	-3.18 %
LionEsquire	-2.2 lbs	-0.98 %
B-Bo Knows Weight Loss	-7.2 lbs	-3.34 %

That makes two victorious months and one second-place finish out of the three months of the contest. Can't complain with that. Hell, I'm shocked I have lost 27+ pounds so far. I figured to get about 20-22, but 27 is a nice cubed number.

So what's next?

For me personally, there's a lot going on in the next month that can help me continue going strong in the contest:

1. Exercise bike - Thanks to a client of Jen's moving to Georgia, we inherited a free exercise bike for the apartment a week ago. It currently sits in our living room behind our couch facing the TV. I have used it three times and Jen has used it once or twice. I believe this will get used more than home exercise equipment that I've used in the past. Last year when I lived with my parents like a cool 29-year old, we inherited a machine of my grandma's that was covered in dust. After cleaning the dust for that and using it a little, it is currently gathering dust in the garage. The goal: use the exercise bike 4-5 times a week to ensure it does not turn into a coat rack with a plug.
2. Warrior Dash - I signed up for the Warrior Dash on Friday, ensuring that I will continue to run on the machine (and hopefully some outside as the weather allows it) to get into better shape. I hope to be in the 190s when I'm racing in June.
3. Zoo Run in June - I may be running this with fellow Fit Happens member Chris. It would be the day after me and Jen move into our yet-to-be-determined new apartment. It's a 5K, so I shouldn't have a problem running it at a decent pace (for my first 5K in a while, it'd be nice to have a 9 minute mile pace).
4. Free Time - For reasons I'd rather not discuss right now or at least online, I may have some more time to myself coming up. If this is the case, I will focus on making sure to maximize this time to working out and getting into better shape.

Not sure when I'll update this again (maybe next month). Hope you've been enjoying this series so far.

Fit Happens Chapter 8: Participant Profile 4 (B-Bo)

What better way to close out the participant profile section of Fit Happens than to interview yourself and talk in the third person in the process.

File photo of B-Bo. He has since gotten a lot skinnier and his tan has decreased significantly.

As the last official member of Fit Happens (a name he helped coin), B-Bo knew he had a good chance of winning this contest based on his previous attempts of losing weight when joining his gym (then called Cardinal Fitness) in 2008. In his first three months of working out there, he lost over 20 pounds.

However, unlike last time, B-Bo needed a little extra push, some motivation to work out. He had tried to get back into going to the gym last year, but he was never fully able to motivate himself to go the gym as frequently as he used to, at least not enough to see a health impact from it.

The contest came a callin' and B-Bo answered. Today, he shares his story in the third person to tell us about his motivations and goals for Fit Happens:

1.       What made you decide to do Fit Happens? In December, I was emailed by Chris about this idea that they had about a weight loss contest. I had been dragging my feet about working out, despite having a pretty decent gym in the basement of our building. I've also wanted to lose a little weight for a while, but I had no motivation and drive when trying to restart my workouts last April. Thankfully for this email, I had the proper motivation. After we bickered a little bit about the layout of it, the contest was all set and ready to begin on January 1^st.

2.       What were your goals to come out of this? I won’t lie and say having a chance to win some money wasn’t a little motivation before we started the contest. But once I went to the gym on the first day of the year and weighed myself, it was all about my health at that point. It made me realize I needed to go back to Brian circa 2008 and started working out and eating a little better. I forgot how good it feels to listen to some music, dripping with sweat as I toil away on the treadmill. There's a sense of accomplishment from it, and plus, it's helped with increasing my overall energy on a daily basis. I actually look forward to my work outs because of it.

3.       What changes have you made to your daily habits during the contest? I am now way more active than I have been since starting my current job in July 2010. I try going to our basement gym about 4-5 times a week. And if I know I’m going to a bar within a couple miles, I’ll walk there instead of taking a cab or other form of transportation. Diet-wise, I have been eating a lot less. I can’t say I’ve eliminated bad foods (don’t think I ever will), but when Jen and I do order out, I will order chicken Caesar salads more frequently than I used to. The diet is probably the thing I have to work on the most—I have no problem motivating myself to work out anymore.

4.       Have you ran into any difficulties during this contest? If so, how have you overcome them or trying to overcome them? To be honest, I haven’t had any difficulties during the contest. Maybe at the beginning, it was difficult to accept that I had gotten so out of shape that walking on the treadmill at 4 miles per hour was a challenge. Now, I’m back to running my 6+ mph pace and have signed up for the Warrior Dash in June, the second time I will have participated in the race.

5.       When the contest is over, do you think it will be hard to keep up this level of intense workout and/or diet? Being a numbers guy, I will miss the weigh-ins once or twice a week and seeing how everyone has progressed and how I compare to them. Outside of that, I think this contest has done exactly what it was meant to do. It has gotten us into better eating and workout habits.  And I believe all of us are fully capable of living long, healthy lives. If this is the start of it for all of us, then I’m glad to be a part of it.

6.       Entering the second half of the contest, what are your goals for the next three months? Have you had to adjust them as time has passed? I’d like to keep losing weight at the rate I have been the past couple months (around 5-6 pounds per month). I know the first month’s output of 13+ pounds is likely unattainable again in the course of the contest. And I’ll be the only one who says it, but hell, I want to win this damn thing. It’s something I would be very proud of—even if I don’t win it, I plan on keeping up with the work outs and eating better.

As far as my goals go, the only way I’ve had to adjust them is to expect more of myself. My original goal was to get under the 200 mark (losing 35 pounds). Now that I am over 25 pounds lost at the halfway mark, I feel like readjusting the goal to a lower number (like 190 or 195) would be a good thing to do.

7.       What do you expect your final weigh-in to be? Originally, I would have been happy to be at or near 200 when we reached the end of June. Now, I’d like to be around 190 but am expecting something closer to 195.

8.       In your honest opinion, who do you think is going to win the contest? All of us are capable of winning the contest if we do the right things to our body—eating the right food, getting the proper weekly activity, etc. That being said, I think my motivation to get into shape is just as strong as these gentlemen. And with the small lead I’ve built at the halfway mark, I believe I’ll be able to carry that over into the last three months and come out ahead as the Fit Happens Champ.

Not to go cliché, but at the end of the day, we’ll all be winners as long as we continue to reach the goals we set out to reach when we started in January.

Fit Happens Chapter 7: Participant Profile 3 (Magic Bus)

The third profile of Fit Happens is on Magic Bus, a friend of Hippo and Chris who I have never met but have heard plenty about through their podcast and their famous Game-a-thon sessions where the trio plays video games for 24 hours straight.

Magic Bus had many different reasons for joining the Fit Happens challenge than the others. He has also faced some early difficulties during this contest, thanks in large part to a vacation which briefly set him back in early March. He might be trailing the pack in the contest so far, but don't count out the Bus. As you read below, you'll see plenty of reason for him to continue his weight loss journey beyond the parameters of the six month contest.

Magic Bus (middle) with Chris and Hippo at their latest Game-a-thon in Nov.

1.       What made you decide to do Fit Happens?

Honestly, as lame as it sounds, I wanted to get healthy for my daughter. I want to be a good role model for her as she gets older and continuing to eat as I was would be teaching her the wrong thing. I'd also like to be alive for her high school and college graduations.

2.       What were your goals to come out of this?

By June I'd like to be down to around 250 lbs, but I don't plan to end there. Ultimately, I'd like to get down to around 200 lbs or less. More than weight loss though, I want to change my lifestyle. In order to keep the weight off, I know I need a permanent change. I'm hoping at some point my tastebuds will change slightly and I'll crave fatty foods less and healthier foods more. That's actually already started to happen for me. I've developed a strong taste for all kinds of fruit and lots of raw vegetables. Still fighting those bad foods though!

3.       What changes have you made to your daily habits during the contest?

Most of the changes I've made have been to my diet. I used to eat a lot of fried and processed food. I've reduced those foods and have started to eat more fruit and vegetables. I've tried to make it a point to stay away from "diet" foods because I don't see that as maintainable in the long term. Way back when, I started WeightWatchers Online and that's been really helpful to me during "Fit Happens". It helps me gauge how much I should be eating and which foods I'm willing to splurge on and which I'm not.

Another thing I'm trying to do is be more physical, just in general. I take the stairs when I used to ride the elevator and try to take a walk a couple of times a day. The Nike Fuel band was nice for motivating me in the beginning, but I've gotten away from it recently.

4.       Have you ran into any difficulties during this contest? If so, how have you overcome them or trying to overcome them?

Oh Yeah! My vacation to California was really hard. I almost fell apart, but I decided that I'm not going to deprive myself from the foods I love, but try to make at least one good choice at each meal. That might have been something as simple as getting a water instead of pop, or passing on the appetizer or bread. I did end up gaining a couple of pounds, but I think it would have been a lot more if I hadn't kept "Fit Happens" in my mind.

5.       When the contest is over, do you think it will be hard to keep up this level of intense workout and/or diet?

No. I've deliberately made changes to my diet and physical activity in a gradual way for just this reason. I'm fairly confident that I'll be able to keep it up past June and hopefully into the next year!

6.       Entering the second half of the contest, what are your goals for the next three months? Have you had to adjust them as time has passed?

I'm currently behind in the contest portion of "Fit Happens". I'd really like to pull closer to the pack, so being a little more stringent on the diet and especially physical activity is going to be important for me. I think my overall goals have stayed pretty consistent though. I just want to be healthy.

7.       What do you expect your final weigh-in to be?

250 LBS!!!!! (I hope)

8.       In your honest opinion, who do you think is going to win the contest?

My initial though was B-Bo, but I'm not sure how much more weight he's got to lose. With that in mind, I'm going to say Nick.

Fit Happens Chapter 6: Participant Profile 2 (Hippo)

Looking to take the belt of Fit Happens Champion

As you may have read in Chapter 5, we are nearing the halfway point of the contest. In that chapter, you read about Chris, who shared his goals and challenges in the contest so far.

Next on the profile docket is Hippo, who is close on my tail as far as the overall percentage lost is concerned. To his credit, he started losing weight outside of the contest in December, so all things considered, he's lost the most weight of all of us the past four months.

He shares some of the same goals and concerns as Chris, as we see in the latest edition of Fit Happens, Participant Profiles.

1.       What made you decide to do Fit Happens?

I have been overweight my whole life, and as the years pass by it becomes more and more difficult to lose weight. I basically came to the conclusion that if I didn't get healthy now, I never will.

 2.       What were your goals to come out of this?

I want to be "healthy". No matter how many pounds it takes me to lose, or how much time it takes, I want to be able to walk into my doctor's office and have them tell me I am healthy. 

3.       What changes have you made to your daily habits during the contest?

First and foremost I am eating a more "normal" amount of food. In addition to that I am eating more fruit and less extremely bad foods. I am also exercising a few times a week. Most importantly I am trying to break my obsession with stuffing myself.

4.       Have you ran into any difficulties during this contest? If so, how have you overcome them or trying to overcome them?

It's definitely been hard, but it gets easier every day. Getting through the first few weeks and getting to the point where I could eat less was definitely the biggest challenge. Staying motivated has also been an issue. After the initial rush of losing a bunch of weight wore off, it's hard to keep it going day in and day out.

5.       When the contest is over, do you think it will be hard to keep up this level of intense workout and/or diet?

It will be hard for a long time. I don't plan on stopping when the contest ends because I won't be at my goal. But once I get there I won't be confident that I can keep it up for a while.

6.       Entering the second half of the contest, what are your goals for the next three months? Have you had to adjust them as time has passed?

No new goals. Just keep up the same routine, keep losing weight and trending in the right direction.

7.       What do you expect your final weigh-in to be?

Originally I wanted to drop around 30, but I am already there, so I have moved my target to 50 pounds. But as long as I am still moving in the right direction I will be happy.

8.       In your honest opinion, who do you think is going to win the contest?

Honestly, my money would not have been on B-Bo, but he has absolutely dominated so far. Chris was at a massive disadvantage since he already worked out so much. And while he is definitely in the best shape now, and will be when it's over, I think it will be tough for him to lose too much more. Even if he doesn't win, he will have still accomplished a lot. Dave doesn't seem to care enough at this point, and even though he is behind if he wanted to he could easily catch up. I like my own chances at this point, but B-Bo has gone the extra mile so far, and he is the favorite at this point. Ask me again in a month though.