Biggest Loser - Reflections From Final Weigh-In

After 3 months of waking up at 5 am Monday through Friday, exercising with an intensity I never have before and keeping a daily nutritional log, I have reached the end of the Biggest Loser journey. In many ways, I am sad to no longer have the program to guide me on my quest for health and fitness. But, I know I have the tools in my head, heart and body to be successful on my own. I'm not done yet...not even close.

I lost 2 more pounds from last week making my total loss from January 3rd to April 4th 33 pounds. It's a number I'm feeling better about after learning that last year's winner, who lost over 40 pounds, had quite a bit of help with some cleanses. I'm not saying my colon is carrying an extra 7 to 10 pounds, and if it is then I'm seriously disturbed, but I'm glad that I know that all of my weight loss came off healthily and from making the lifestyle changes I need to keep it off.

I'm more excited about some other final numbers, however. In three months, I have lost 12 percent of my body fat. From each arm, I have lost 1.25 inches. From my chest, I have lost 2 inches (of all my areas, I was hoping for more from here.  Aren't women always complaining about losing their bosoms first?  Sadly, mine are persistent). From my upper abs, I have lost 4 inches. From my lower abs, I have lost 3.5 inches. From my hips, I have lost 5 inches! (I can't wait to fly.  Five inches just might keep me from touching the person next to me and that is one of my goals!)  From my legs, 2 inches off each. And, finally, my calves are .75 inches smaller. That is a total of 22.5 inches....gone! That's almost two feet off my body.

I believe there have been some definitive reasons for my success. First and foremost, I have the most supportive husband and children. They have never complained about my absence in the mornings. They have found ways to work together and become efficient at getting to work and school with new routines and habits. Last Thursday, when Jay and I needed to drive for a total of seven hours round trip to pick up his new truck, I chose to ignore my 5 am alarm. In my head, I justified my future missed workout with the defense that I didn't want to be in my car for any longer than I already needed to (it takes 20 minutes to get to where I work out. That's 40 minutes total). When Jay realized I wasn't moving, he literally started poking me in the back. Poke, poke, poke. After several minutes of him ignoring my protests and explanations that it just wasn't going to be a workout day, I realized he wasn't going to stop. So, I got out of bed, drove into town and had an awesomely hard boot camp workout. I hate it when he's right but I'm grateful when he's supportive.

Secondly, signing up and paying to participate in this program did what is called "putting some skin in the game." It was a significant chunk of change, an uncomfortable amount to waste, and there was a level of accountability, to trainers and teammates, that I've never experienced when I've tried to do it alone. Every day, I knew I had a class to attend. Every day, the workout was varied, difficult and pushed me past the point of being comfortable. And I had to go. For 2  hours, every day but Sunday, I had to go. Also, having someone literally look over everything I ate, every day for the first month (after that it was more random and eventually, just a verbal confession if I overate) was a huge motivation to eat well. Obviously, going to a gym on your own and eating healthy foods in appropriate portions all on your own will work, but I just never was consistent enough on my own to develop the necessary habits. I had to up the ante.

Third, I really think the size of my gym was ideal for me to shed my usual comfort of anonymity. I know ALL of the instructors. I'm starting to know a lot of the other people who come to work out. It's not a big gym where you can get lost and everyone keeps to themselves. There are no rows of treadmills or ellipticals, no large room of weights. Instead, there are three small studios and the only option is to take a class where they use toys you could buy on your own (kettlebells, bosu balls, resistance bands, medicine and fitness balls etc.) and be seen. Each time I ever joined Weight Watchers, I'd go to meetings for a few months but then stop because I couldn't see the point of paying to have someone weigh me and then sitting quietly for the class because I didn't know anyone. Sure, I could have been outgoing and gregarious and I could have made comments and been more involved. But, I didn't do it. Ever. I get oddly shy in situations like that. Same goes for large gyms. I don't even like to go to classes because it always seems like everyone knows each other. The small sized forced me out of my comfort zone and I think knowing and being known by like-minded individuals is a definite advantage.

Lastly, journaling about it has helped. I know I wrote about how embarrassed I was when my pictures were first taken and when my weight was displayed on that blasted white board, but, eventually, I lost that ego. Everyone knew how hard I was working so I cared less about the exposure. It almost became a source of motivations as more and more people started noticing the changes in my ability and size. The same thing happened here. Your comments, support and feedback kept me going. I've always wanted to quietly and, without fanfare, overcome my weight issue. Kind of like how I always wished I could keep my pregnancies quiet for longer so that the 40 weeks seemed shorter somehow. But, no, 5...maybe 6 weeks along and pretty much anyone who made eye contact with me would hear me confess my condition. I'm kind of a blabbermouth. It would have gone against my nature to go through the Biggest Loser silently. I'm so glad I was able to share it. Thank you for being so supportive.

Because I'm vain, I had to take a picture with some make-up on and clothes that weren't stretchy. Plus, I really didn't have any pictures of me over the last three months. No full body shots. It was interesting looking at the pictures I asked Seth to take this afternoon. I can see how far I've come but can still see so far to go. I'm going to take more pictures. I think it'll help me get where I want to go.

I'll still check in now and then. I'm not stopping and I've got some new goals to keep me in check, but it probably won't be a weekly post. But, it might be. If I need it to be.

February 6th.  Twelve pounds lost.  Only picture I have of me since early December in Memphis.  I didn't post this at the time because I was so disappointed with how I looked even after losing twelve pounds.  

Today, April 4th.   21 pounds lighter from picture above.

In normal clothes.  I bought these jeans at the end of last summer and couldn't wear them.  I couldn't even button them.  They are almost too big now.