$600 Weight Loss Challenge: Day 9 of 70
March 19, 2010 Posted by Tyler CruzIt’s already day 9 out of 70 in my blogging weight loss challenge versus Paul Piotrowski.
While it may seem like there is still a lot of time left, the fact is that when you’re doing a challenge that is time-based, time seems to go faster than ever.
Apart from just humiliation on the line, remember that if one of us doesn’t lose our weight quota on May 21st, 2010 at 10PM Pacific Time that we will have to pay the other $600 out of our own fat pocket.
Having to pay a penalty is much greater motivation to me than winning money. For example, I’m much more motivated to prevent having to pay $600 than I would be by winning $1,200. It’s partly because it’s such a double hit; you lost the challenge PLUS you had to pay $600 to the winner.
This is why I prefer to use “penalties” more than “rewards” in these types of challenges.
Wishful Thinking Gone Bad
When I did my official weigh-in, I was actually 203 pounds. However, since I had thought that I was averaging more around 201, I decided to declare my official starting weight at 201, so that I wouldn’t have an unfair advantage.
Unfortunately, this turned out to be a major blunder on my part. Apparently, I had regained more weight over the past couple months than I thought, and was probably actually averaging closer to 204 pounds.
I’ve been weighing myself daily since the challenge started, and indeed I have been averaging around 203-204 pounds. I was even 205 pounds the other day.
This is a huge deal because if my “starting” weight was actually 204 and I put it as 201, then that I means that I have to lose a total of 15 pounds instead of just 12. Today I weighed in at 203 pounds which means that I have to lose 14 pounds in 62 days with the help of one free hypnosis weight loss script, or I’m going to have to pay Paul $600.
That means I have to lose a quarter of a pound EVERY DAY for 62 days, and keep it all off! So for those of you that were thinking that this challenge is a walk in the park, I’d like to beg to differ.
I think I can do it, if I push myself hard, but it will be absolute hell.
An Update on Paul
I’m old school when it comes to many things, including losing weight. My focus is on cutting out the real bad foods and exercising a lot more.
Paul is different. He is very technical and analytical in his approach. For example, I bet he is counting how many calories are in all of his meals and is possibly even weighing his food.
He is also an extremely firm believer in the mentality behind things (personal development, life coaching, psychic development, energy healing, etc.). While I think that sort of stuff works to a certain extent and has some merit, for the most part I think it’s all bullshit 🙂
To prove how much Paul really believes in this stuff, check out his Preliminary Strategy blog post, in which he has a video explaining how he is planning on losing weight through hypnosis!
However, Paul told me last night that he just started attending martial arts classes last night again, so it does appear that he is doing some exercises as well.
I just asked him how much weight he lost so far, and he said 2 pounds. However, he didn’t eat anything yet today.
My Efforts
Once the challenge began, I restarted my “daily lists”. This is a physical ledger I have in which I have a number of different quotas that I fulfill everyday. For example, I do 10 “nose” pushups (where my nose actually touches the floor), 32 crunches, etc.
This is something that I am supposed to do everyday, regardless of being in a weight loss challenge or not, but I have been really bad to stick with it since last summer. I’m happy to say that since the challenge started, I’ve done everything on my “daily list” every day. In fact, I even incrementally increased a couple of the items (crunches and daily walk time length).
As mentioned above, I also cut out most of the bad foods immediately. I haven’t eaten out or ordered in once since the challenge began, and don’t plan to for the rest of the challenge. I am also cooking a bit more, relying less on premade frozen foods, drinking my coffee black, and just making other small food choices such as buying sugar-free Red Bull (which I’m not looking forward to), and low-sodium V8 drinks.
However, the biggest (in my opinion) thing I’m doing is going around Westwood Lake again. It is a 6KM trail that goes around the circumference of the lake, and I went around it many times during the last challenge.
It’s an absolutely beautiful trail, but it’s not a nice flat “walk in the park”. There are a number of inclines, and the beginning of the trail has an absolute killer steep incline hill that seems to go on forever, followed by its inverse brethren on the way down that is knotted with tree roots and rocks that kill your shins.
I went around Westwood twice so far. The first was 2 days after the challenge began, and it was absolute hell. My feet and shins were killing me and I was actually wincing in pain during some parts. It wouldn’t be nearly as bad if I wasn’t always trying to go for my best time, as going up and down those inclines does a real number on your feet and shins.
It was also really muddy that day which sucked, and I went too late as it was very dark when I finished… almost pitch black, and I couldn’t see the trail very well. While I tried my hardest to set a good time, I ended up finishing in at 1:10:12 which was a HUGE disappointment for me. My best time in 2009 was 57:55, but my first day last year I did 1:06. Being 4 minutes slower than my first and worst day last year was incredibly disappointing and disheartening.
I went again yesterday, this time remembering to wear my good running shoes (sponsored and paid for by MarketLeverage last year) and stretching beforehand. I also left earlier while it was still nice and bright out, and while there were still muddy areas on the trail, it wasn’t quite as bad as the previous attempt.
I ended up finishing at exactly 1 hour (to the second), which was awesome and rather surprising… how did I shed 10-minutes off my time in just one run? It’s possible that wearing my good shoes and stretching beforehand had that much of an effect, but I’m actually hoping it was the fact that I started doing my daily lists again which includes walking everyday (currently 10-minutes a day), as then it would mean that I can expect further improvement. If it was just stretching and wearing my good shoes, as well as going around during the day instead of night, then that would mean that further improvement will be much more difficult.
We’ll have to wait and see after my next run or two to see what happens. I have another Open House tomorrow, so I’ll be doing Westwood Lake again.
By the way, after doing all of my “daily lists” yesterday and then going to Westwood Lake, I went home for a couple of hours to have supper and then went out again to play badminton for a couple of hours. When I came home, I felt good and wasn’t even sore anywhere or out of breath!
Westwood Lake Time
| Date | Time | Distance | Comments |
| My 2009 Best Time | 57:55 | 12 KM | Jogged much more in the middle area |
| March 13, 2010 | 1:10:12 | 6 KM | Feet and calves absolutely painful. Very dark out. |
| March 18, 2010 | 1:00:00 | 6 KM | Stretched and used “ML” shoes |
(Note: Times are for first 6KM only)
Weight Loss Status
| Date | Weight | Total Pounds Lost | Days Left |
| March 11, 2010 | 204 | 0 | 70 |
| March 19, 2010 | 203 | 0 | 62 |
I only have 62 days left to lose 14 pounds or I’m out $600. Wish me luck – I’m going to need it.
And the excuses start. “Boo Hoo, my official weigh in weight wasn’t accurate. It was 203, not 201. ” Man up and quit whining Cruz! 🙂
I just got back from Costco where I was looking around at the nice new TV you’re going to buy me in 9 weeks when this competition is over and you lose!
Then we’ll see if my “personal development” stuff is bullshit.
All I’m gonna say is you better start running that lake boy!
🙂
Man gorge yourself on fruit and vegetables. They will fill you up, give you good health and keep you away from frozen pizza. Drink water like your life depends on it, your goal is totally do-able !
mmmmm
You can win!We know you can! 🙂
Personal development is a lot of bullshit.
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MoVa is experiencing problems on the edit level, Mr Cruz. See all the whining on the *What is in your mind* thread in Squittle.
Good Luck on your Fatty Odyssey, soor!
Man up, eat less (more healthily) and start a regular exercise regimen. This is just sad attention whoring.
Paying for something when you loose is really a big motivation for anyone.
Sounds like its going to be a tough match. good luck!
It sounds like your bad 1st time around the lake was due to the poor visibility and muddy trail conditions. You shouldn’t get too discouraged when things like that affect your times. It is your weight loss that is important, not meaningless lap times. Instead of always just focusing on overall time, you should look at how you can run differently to burn more fat. You might want to try mixing in some power sprints. Those will give you a great full body workout. If you’re still eating packaged frozen foods, that has to stop right away. By improving your diet, you can lose a lot of weight. Learn to drink water all the time instead of relying on your red bull.
Those are two very important points. Many people have replaced water with energy drinks it seems like. I continue to drink water. And more importantly, pace yourself more than aim for outright speed or laptimes. It isn’t a contest after all and more of an endurance, so treat it that way. 🙂
Till then,
Jean
Do the Insanity workout — same folks that make the p90x system. High end cardio, big calorie burn, and it is a 60 day cycle. Weight will fall off your body. You will sweat more and feel it more with Insanity than bikini or running.
John is correct.In “Insanity” its like running without stopping even though your as tired as a old dog walking.It kills so much calories.When I did it I burned about 500 calories for a 1000 calorie video.I am just a kid so that is why I only burned 500 calories.So Tyler if you won’t to beat Pual you gotta do this workout.It will change your life and earn you $600!
Nice details, many thanks for the author. It truly is incomprehensible to me now, but in general, the usefulness and significance is overwhelming. Many thanks again and beneficial luck!
This can’t be a real comment.
🙂
Not sure what it is lol
Watch out for bears when you’re out at the lake.
Very good point there. You just never know when they sneak up on ya!
Till then,
Jean
haha, good luck Tyler! I need to shed at least 10 lbs myself, though I can’t stand exercise and I love to eat, so I’m not sure how on earth I will ever make it happen. 🙂
How the progress??
Do you get better shape now?
I am a bit overweight too.I too have started my exercises and stuff and have been inspired by your posts each time i read them.Keep your posts coming and help me get into shape again.
You have a lot of work ahead of you!
Go on a vegan or vegetarian diet, drink some smoothies(fruit and ice), do aerobics, drink water, and sleep… no snacks and u got it
I think eating right is more important for exercise. good luck on the contest tyler
I would hope that you make some of these changes a part of your every day life. Do a run around the lake once or twice a week. Don’t just fall back to your old lifestyle after this contest is over.
WHAT HAPPENED TO TYLER!?!?!
TYLER!?!
I MISS YOU!!!
Yes, I agree with the above mention of the insanity workout. I’ve been planning on trying it myself. I haven’t ran in getting close to a year and I can really feel the effects. I have the videos available 😀 Just haven’t used them yet… ya know… *cough*
At least your trying to lose weight, that’s always a good thing, so you “sorta” win either way haha.
P.S. I’m rottin for ya 🙂
As I type this message on Wednesday 31st March 2010 (BST), Tyler’s blog hasn’t been updated in some 12 days – the longest spell without a post in his blog’s entire history (spanning back to October 2005). Am I the only person starting to get worried? I’ve been following this blog since I was a kid damn it… don’t bail on me.
Dont’t worry hes back 🙂
I think after deciding to lose weight, go ahead a really good workout plan, stick to it, focus and keep going. I could see no other solution. Good luck dude!
You know what? I just started a work out plan too!
I have been inspired, but I also found out that I am err… a little heavier than I though. Funny how that happens. Keep the updates coming, When I started loosing weight last time (didn’ t stick with it) I lost belly before I actually started loosing pounds.
Thanks for the encouragement. I lost a couple pound this week too. Actually I can tell you how many pounds, as my scale counts in kilos. I went from 101.5 kilo 3 days ago to 96.4 kilos today.
How? Well, I am writing a diet book. once it’s done, I’ll let you know.
HP
Good luck Tyler! I have a few tips I can share with you if you would like. I have helped my friend lose over 40lbs and keep it off!
Contact me at my blog sometime if you would like any help!
Not sure how I missed this post the first time, but glad I came across it now!
Tyler, I really don’t get you. I followed your last weight-loss challenge, and it was an absolute joke.
15lbs is NOTHING. When I started seriously training, I lost 12lbs in the first 10 days, the majority of that being water weight. Within a month, I was down over 25lbs. By the end, I had dropped from 205lbs to 168lbs, with 11% body fat. I was a machine!
Fast foward a few years later, and I’m off the wagon, but for good reason – A torn tendon in my foot that makes it hard to even walk (I’m wearing an orthotic to deal with the pain), and a previous rib injury that kept me out of the gym for over 6 months.
That said, I’m now at 214lbs, and I’m itching to get back into the 180s.. If anyone wants to challenge me, I’ll show you what real determination can get you!
Do the Insanity workout — same folks that make the p90x system. High end cardio, big calorie burn, and it is a 60 day cycle. Weight will fall off your body. You will sweat more and feel it more with Insanity than bikini or running.
[…] and weighed myself and am down 2 pounds off my official starting weight. However, if you read my last update, you’ll know that my actual starting weight was really 203 so I actually lost 5 pounds so far. […]
Nice article like this blog! Thanks for all advice here
“this challenge would be a walk in the park” is the best advice you can give yourself. Losing weight just takes time: 30 minutes of brisk walking each day.
Bryan
Man up, eat less (more healthily) and start a regular exercise regimen. This is just sad attention whoring.
Its good to keep track in this way, but at the same time I think some people are wayyy too caught up in the mentality of measuring everything so much instead of simply sticking to something consistent and just keeping active.