$600 Weight Loss Challenge: Cruz vs Piotrowski
March 11, 2010 Posted by Tyler CruzLast year, I competed in a weight loss challenge against Jonathan Volk in which we both ended up managing to lose 10 pounds each.
Due to the (personal) success of that competition, and since it’s already been nearly a year since the last competition started, I am engaging in yet another blogging weight loss challenge.
This will come to the chagrin of many readers, as I know that a lot of you simply aren’t interested in these types of posts, but I have raised the stakes for this competition so maybe it will now be a bit more interesting than it was previously.
Some of you may ask what the hell this has to do with making money online or being an internet entrepreneur. It’s true: this is largely a personal issue. However, you’d be surprised how much your health can affect how much you make.
I’m sure nobody will contest the fact that eating well and exercising routinely has a direct and positive effect on your energy and concentration levels. I haven’t been working much lately, and I blame most of this to the fact that I’ve been so lethargic again the past few months. I’m hoping that getting back into shape will help give me energy to work and focus better.
The Challenge
This weight loss challenge is between the personal development and make money online blogger, Paul Piotrowski, and myself.
- I must lose 12 pounds within 10 weeks
- Paul must lose 13 pounds within 10 weeks
Paul needs to lose 1 more pound than me since he weighs more than me. We based these numbers off of 6% of our total body weight.
The final official weight loss will be weighed on May 21st, 2010 at 10PM Pacific Time. If one of us loses the weight earlier, that does not declare a win; it must stay off by the deadline.
Whatever each of us weighs in at on May 21st, 2010 at 10PM is what the results will be based on.
The $600 Penalty
In order to provide a bit of drama, as well as to provide true incentive for each of us to follow through with this competition, we have both agreed to pay the other person $600 should we fail.
Therefore:
- If I don’t lose 12 pounds by May 21st, 2010 at 10PM, I have to pay Paul $600.
- If Paul doesn’t lose 13 pounds by May 21st, 2010 at 10PM, he has to pay me $600.
If both Paul and I make our goals, no penalty is paid out. If neither of us make it, then we’ll essentially break even.
This latter point may sound like a way out for us, but it really isn’t. If Paul is having trouble losing weight, it’s only in my best interest to keep going as then I’ll have $600 in my pocket. Similarly, I could be out $600 if Paul ended up losing his weight at the last minute.
Paul’s starting weight is 212 pounds so he will need to weigh in at 199 pounds or less. My starting weight is 201 pounds so I’ll need to weigh in at 189 pounds or less.
Challenge Rules
Both Paul and I have agreed to the following rules for this challenge:
- We each must make an official post announcing the challenge with an overview, the rules, etc. In this post we must each post a current "before" photo of ourselves (preferably a front and side portrait). We must also post a short video clip of ourselves getting on the scale to prove our current weight at the beginning of the challenge.
- Similarly, at the end of the competition on May 21st, 2010 at 10PM, we must again post current photos and a video of getting on the scale.
- Preferably about once or twice every week, we must each make a post updating the status of the competition (current weight, things we’re doing to lose the weight, etc.) Photos and or videos here are not mandatory but would be nice.
- No weight loss pills, dietary supplements that have weight loss as their primary advertised benefit, colon cleansers (haha), starving of oneself, dehydration techniques, etc. of any kind. Must be all natural old fashioned weight loss.
Let it Begin!
Here is my official starting weigh-in video:
In the video, I actually weighed in at around 203 pounds, but I think I’ve been averaging closer to 201 so to be fair as well as push myself a bit more, I have declared 201 as my official starting weight.
Also, I made the video a couple hours before deciding to tack another pound onto the challenge with Paul, which is why I say in the video that I’m going for 190, when in actuality it is now 189.
Here is my official starting (before) photo:
Let the humility begin! Paul Piotrowski’s weigh-in post can be found here.
6% in 10 Weeks for $600
For those of you who think that losing 12-13 pounds in 10 weeks is easy, I’d like to disagree.
While it may be easy for some of you, it isn’t for me. I had to work my ASS off in the first challenge in order to just barely make the final weigh-in on the last day. By the end of the 10 weeks, I was jogging/power-walking around a lake 14KM a day.
12 pounds accounts for 6% of my total body weight, which is rather significant, and there is a $600 penalty on the line if I don’t lose the weight in time.
Effects of My Previous Competition
Some of you may be wondering why I’m back in the 200 pound range again. After all, I finished the last competition by weighing in at 195 pounds.
As I had predicted, I regained half of what I lost over the past year, which is why I’m now at 201. I was originally 206 last year, but managed to keep half off which I’m actually pretty happy with.
To be honest, I reverted to my old horrible diet and lack of exercise (my only exercise being going to badminton twice a week) which is why I have been slowly regaining some of my lost weight back.
But that’s what this new competition is for, and by mid-May I should be 189 or less which will actually put me at a normal weight (at least as far as BMI is concerned).
My Plan of Attack
I plan to do exactly what I did last year. After all, it worked. I will slowly adapt my diet by eliminating fast food entirely and then gradually cutting down on all the sugar drinks (pop, juice, sugar in coffee/tea) as well as the high calorie and sodium processed foods. I will also start eating more fruits and vegetables again.
However, diet only accounts for about 20% of my ‘technique’. I prefer to focus on exercise. I already go to badminton twice a week, but will once again start going around the 6KM circumference lake here.
I will probably start at just doing 1 circuit at 6KM, but my end goal is to break my 14KM ‘record’, as well as set a new personal best time for the first 6KM.
I’ll also be doing some daily crunches and push-ups, although I don’t like to do too many as that will just build muscle and I’m looking to lose weight here, not gain weight!
Wish me luck – this is going to suck.
Hahaha this gonna be FAn I go with Cruz LOL
Nice work Tyler. Health has to be a high priority and this sounds like it will be a fun contest.
Whoever loses should do a video of themselves in a speedo walking down the downtown area of their city for 2 minutes.
Paul would do that anyway. Did you see his post?
No, because Tyler’s going to lose and that is not something I want to see.
🙂
-Paul
This is really going be very interesting contest 😀
“maybe it will now be a bit more interesting than it was previously.” Um no.
Of course it will, because this time I’m involved. I’m already raising the stakes here by being brave enough to do my “before” pic with my shirt off. Tyler just doesn’t have the guts to do that.
It’s that kind of lack of commitment from him that’s going to put $600 in my pocket on May 21st. 🙂
– Paul
I don’t want to be the envy of the world – you should be thanking me.
And that’s where you’re wrong, Paul. Tyler has enough “gut”s and that’s why he’s not letting it all hang out! 😀
Just playing man!
Jay
Personally I’d like to thank Tyler for leaving his shirt on. I made the mistake of checking out Paul’s before pics. No offense, but you’re going to look almost exactly the same after losing 13 lbs. So a topless before picture will just accentuate your lack of progress.
Hahahaha, so did I. 🙂
Till then,
Jean
Booooo!!! No contest for the readers in this weight loss competition this time? Booo!!
And to think, I voted for Tyler in the last one. 😛
Lol I think I was the only one that officially voted.
But good luck to both of you guys, this shouldn’t be hard especially since both of you guys don’t want to lose any money… and hardheadedness is the best incentive! 😀
Jay
I agree with Jay that you should’ve got the readers more involved in this. Give us a reason to care about your weight loss challenge. It’s great that you’re taking the initiative to get in better shape, but it doesn’t help us the readers much.
Jay and…. “Laptop”:
I was going to involve the readers as I did last time, but as Jay mentioned above, there were actually only 2 people who ended up officially voting (one for me and one for Jonathan) in the previous challenge…
But what I don’t understand is why have these challenges and broadcast it when you’re just going to gain the weight right back 😛 Based on your last challenge from last year, you should weigh 195 not 201… then your weight is just gonna fluctuate instead of trying to keep your weight down permanently.
Hey, I’m just looking out for your health man lol
But then again, I guess winter is hibernation time 😀
Just teasing man… and looking out for your health 😀
Jay
I kept some of it off… I was originally 206 when I started last year… 2 steps forward and 1 step back is still 1 step forward 🙂
Sometimes the shifts you make in habits don’t “take” the first time. Sometimes it takes a few tries to actually make some changes and then to keep going with them.
Even if you lose weight and then gain some of it back, and then try again, and then gain some back, etc. at least you’re still trying and learning something about yourself each time.
I know people who have tried to quit smoking dozens of times. Each time they went back. But then, one day, they quit and stuck to it. However, if they didn’t “fail” to quit all those times they probably wouldn’t have stuck with it, so I don’t see the downside of doing something like this.
The other thing to consider is that he was at 205 lbs last year before the trial. What we don’t know is how much he would weigh if he didn’t go on the challenge. Maybe if he didn’t do the challenge he would be 220 lbs by now or more.
-Paul
Let’s keep the shirts on lol.
Good luck on the challenge!
Why do people always look so sad in the before pictures? 😆
Good luck on this one Tyler, you did well last time so hopefully you can keep it up and lose some more weight!
I agree…the before pictures are like police mug shots. I guess these guys aren’t too proud of their before bodies.
They look sad so when they take the after pics they put on happy faces and make the picture look even better.
Hey Tyler,
I think it’s awesome that you do these challenges. I’m doing one myself with my friends following the Biggest Loser style weight loss using percentages.
What’s personally helping me is a book you can get from Amazon written by the editor in chief of Men’s Health magazine called “the Abs Diet”. It’s more about an overall healthy lifestyle change than just a quick fix diet. It stresses lean meats, lots of good carbohydrates, cardio and strenth training. It’s really worth the $10 I paid.
I also use XS energy drinks (from my own online store of course) as well as Evolv.
I know you can win this contest easy. Heck, you could probably lose those 12 pounds in 4 weeks if you follow the abs diet, and by the end of 6 weeks you’d be seeing your six-pack with jaw-dropping results.
I know you can do it! Don’t give up!
Man you sound like an eBook.
ahaha this is really exciting goodluck to both of you guys. Keep us updated with the competition.
wow. this looks like a cutthroat contest lol
This is really exciting goodluck to both of you guys.
If neither of you make your goals, how about the both of you donating $300 each to charity =)
Losing weight is fine, if you want to be a “skinny guy”. If you want to look like your in shape you need to build some muscle, and focusing on just losing weight isn’t going to do that for you.
I totally agree, but it’s really disheartening trying to build muscle when you’ve got a “fat jacket” on. You work out trying to build muscle and it just looks like you’re getting fatter and heavier because the muscles underneath push the fat out even further.
That’s why this time around I’m going to try to put more emphasis on losing fat first and then more focus on building muscle a bit later.
When I was younger and “skinny”, it was way easier to build muscle because as soon as I’d work out I could totally see the results in a short period of time.
-Paul
Hey Tyler. Good luck with your ‘contest’ but you should really consider a lifestyle change and start eating better and doing light and regular exercise to better maintain your body (you only have one for life).
You do not appear to be even over 180cm tall so I would guess you are quite overweight at 200lbs. This puts a great amount of stress on your body on a daily basis and over the years it will take it’s toll. You would be better off being around 160~170lbs with muscle instead of love handles. Be good to your body and it will serve you well.
Tell is like it is…lol
I agree with Jay that you should’ve got the readers more involved in this. Give us a reason to care about your weight loss challenge.
YOu can win if you follow diet and exercise ..
I pray for you tyler
The fact that you aren’t focusing on building muscle is a big mistake.
The more lean body mass you have the more overall caloric expenditure you will have. The more overall caloric expenditure you have the more weight you will lose (obviously).
Also, plenty of research has shown that the metabolism stays elevated for a much longer period of time after an intense weight training session compared to a cardiovascular exercise session.
This is a good article by Alwyn Cosgrove that has a some good info on fat loss and how to maximize it.
http://alwyncosgrove.com/2010/01/hierarchy-of-fat-loss/
Hey Tyler – just wanted to throw in some stuff I learned this past year. Since June 1, 2009 I’ve lost 30 pounds and only have 10 to go before I reach my goal weight. I still eat out almost every day – cooking sucks and I hate it.
As long as what you’re eating fits within your calorie/fat/carb/protein/sugar budget it doesn’t matter where it comes from. I think a lot of people try to immediately cut out fast food thinking that will help them, but you can make a 600 calorie salad at your house just as easily as you can buy that 600 calorie burger from BK.
I still highly recommend sparkpeople.com for people first starting out with trying to get a hold of their daily intake.
It’d be nice if all we ate were carrots and peas, but some (a lot) of us like burgers. It might not be the healthiest thing but as long as you eat the bad foods in moderation you can still lose weight (while developing a life-long diet you can actually live with).
Good luck again!
I try to gain weight but it never works. Good luck with the challenge
Yea, I know what you mean. I’m the opposite as I seem to gain weight even when I diet. 🙁 It’s just all about different metabolisms in different people. I know guys who pig out on junk food daily and rarely work out, still they stay slim and then there’s guys like me who are careful about what they eat, exercize regularly yet still keep maintaining the same weight or gaining more.
Till then,
Jean
I sure hope you win, Tyler. One thing I might suggest is to eat less but more times during the day rather than eat a lot but a few times a day. That way the calories will have more time to burn off and you won’t gain as much weight.
Till then,
Jean
Nice work Tyler. Health has to be a high priority and this sounds like it will be a fun contest.
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What an ambicious goal to take! I wish you both good will and keep my fingers crossed for both of you.
I don’t think 10 weeks will be enough time but we will see.
Wow! That’s going to be fun Tyler! I’m going to see how you can achieve your goal within this period. I did slim down in the past, but now I’m back to slightly fat. When I’m on diet, I used to eat less every meal, and I played football every evening. I slim down in about 1 month.
So, that was my experience. 🙂
Wish you luck Tyler!
Regards,
Lee
wow. this looks like a cutthroat contest lol
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Eating more fruits and vegetables again is an excellent idea. Helps me.
Good luck on the challenge!
Getting stressed makes a person fat. Try a healthy sleeping schedule and you’ll be surprised.
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