A Little At-Work Weight Loss Competition? Sounds Good!!

                             

Today, I'm going back to work for the first time in 24 days.  What was supposed to be a two week break, ended up being three weeks thanks to some nasty weather we got last week keeping us out for an extra five days.

And, I tell you right now, the WORST thing that could happen to someone who wants to lose weight is to give them an extra five days off work.  Especially when there was snow and ice outside for each of those days.  Kinda drains the motivation level, you know?

But, today, I'm going back.  And I'm not just going back to teacher mode, I'm also going to be stepping in to hardcore weight loss mode... because our school nurse has decided to do something that always seems to light a fire under my caboose:  Make it a competition.

Oh yes.  For the first time in two years, I will be participating in an at-work weight loss competition.  Nothing has been said about prizes or how long it will last or how it will work... all I needed was that one very important word:  COMPETITION.

That should have been my middle name, because that word somehow lights a fire inside of me.  I seek nothing more than the thrill of being a winner.  I don't need a fancy prize, I just like the glory that comes from winning.

Unfortunately, when it comes to weight loss competitions, I've never actually gotten the chance to claim that victory.  I mean, I've participated in weight loss competitions at work before, but haven't won one.  Each time, though, I've come pretty close.  Pretty close still isn't good enough.  No one remembers the person that came in second or third place.  

To go along with my whole "competitive mentality" that I want this year to be about, I thought that the introduction of a weight loss competition would be perfect.  We didn't have one last year, so this is the first (since I've been in the school) they've had.  And my plan is to kick butt and take names.

Even though I'm still sticking to the fact that I won't be "dieting" this year, I did go out this past weekend and stock up on some of the essentials I need.  My Greek yogurt, salad ingredients, lean meats, and veggies.  Like I said last week, I am certain that I don't need to "diet" to eat healthier.  I've been doing it so long, it's almost like second nature.  I know what I can and can't eat to keep me in the  calorie limit that will optimize my weight loss... as long as I've got plenty of exercise to go with it.  As long as I stick to eating my three small meals a day, and drinking my water, I should be fine.  If I'm not? Well, I'll deal with that hurdle if it comes.

To start off with, I'm going to see how I do with walking/jogging intervals.  I'm thinking about starting the Couch to 5K program again.  It's what helped me go from walking to running three miles the last time I got all gung-ho about my exercise, no reason why I can't do it again.  

The original plan was to use the gym after school for some sprinting and calisthenic rotations, but basketball season is starting so the gym will be off limits for a while.  But, that doesn't mean I can't find other ways to make it work.  There's a perfectly good playground at work, when the weather isn't too cold, and I have no problems getting out and about the streets of my neighborhood when I get home to get my work-out in.  

I really feel like this at-work competition will give me the kindling to the fire I want to ignite inside of me. I'm so competitive by nature, and I do my best when I feel like I'm competing.  Plus, I need to get in to training mode if I have any chance of running my first 5K in April.  Which I'm planning on doing, by the way.  Three and a half months to go from being able to jog for a minute or so to jogging three miles?  We shall see.  But it's not like I haven't done it before.  

I weighed myself this morning on my scale, but I'm going to wait and see what I weigh at work...then I'll update on all the numbers tomorrow.

But, right now, I have to go and get ready for work.  Which seems really weird... it's been so long.

Till next time....