Competition Complete

I'm sure you have all been waiting with bated breath to find out how my office Biggest Loser competition went.

Well, much like on the show I'm going to make you wait to find out.

First let me tell you a little about my two month journey.

The atmosphere in the first month was intense. Co-workers were eating salads without dressing, celery sticks and protein shakes of their own devising. There were rumors about people getting nutritionists, Insanity work out DVDs and personal trainers. The spirit of competition was in the air and people were attacking the challenge with visible results.

During this month I lost about ten pounds largely through diet. I ate three meals a day with usually one snack. I stopped drinking soda and started drinking tons of water. Since over-eating crackers and bread is my personal kryptonite I decided to cut out carbs with the exception being my breakfast of oh-so-yummy oatmeal. In addition to eating better I also did occasional work outs. Some swimming, some cardio machines and a little bit of yoga.

During month two people started to get tired out. Weekend vacations, free cupcakes, and overconfidence at the initial success were getting in the way of the healthy foundation we all built during the first month.

During this second month, things went all over the place for me. I started swimming more intensely, attempting the goal of swimming a marathon in a month. I could see how much my body was changing its appearance. I didn't lose any weight during this period (in fact I gained a little weight, due to muscle mass) but I felt my clothing fit differently and saw a more toned lady in the mirror.

Oh how I wish the story ended there.

Because I increased my activity level by swimming more often, I allowed myself more food calories each day. This lead me to make some poor choices in the types of food I ate. Back came the afternoon cracker snacks, and soda. Then after two weeks of intense swimming, I stopped swimming, and kept the unhealthy eating habits. (We don't even need to go into the number of cheese burgers I ate in Seattle. ... It was two.) Some days I ate very healthfully, some days I didn't. Some days I walked/ swam, other days I didn't. Overall in month two I gained three pounds and a ton of muscle, then I lost seven pounds along with some of that muscle.

So over two months, I lost a total of fifteen pounds. I'll hold for your applause.

Thanks!

My fifteen pounds out of (mumble) pounds was enough on weigh in day ...

...

to get me ...

...

third place.

Darn.

However, my consolation prize is to be fifteen pounds lighter. And as my co-worker says, hotness is the gift that keeps on giving. I plan on trying to keep this momentum up. Stay active (without burning out) and eat healthfully (without binging) and hopefully I can build on this great start.

~Claire Out.