Time for Another Weight-Loss Challenge

Anyone remember me talking about the Queen of the Circuit contest at my gym over the summer?

Well, I didn't win. I did all of the activities faithfully and got a ton of exercise, but didn't lose an ounce - which was kind of the point of the contest, you know? I hit the gym 3x/week faithfully, did the Do Life 5K and the Warrior Dash, and went camping, biking, hiking and swimming all summer. But I also ate as much as I burned off.

I'm defnitely stronger than I was even a few months ago, but I've been plateaued at my current weight for a loooong time and have been getting lazy about doing anything about taking off those last 35lbs. 

Huh. 

As I write that out, I completely understand that 35lbs is simply too much extra weight to be carrying around. 

But even so, I likely wouldn't be doing anything about it just yet...except that an email went around my office this week - Anyone want to join in a 'biggest loser' competition? 

Oh, alright. I'm in. Let's see if I can shift some of this extra weight over the next 10 weeks.

If' I don't sound excited - well - it's just because I know what to do (eat smarter, keep a food diary, keep exercising), but I'm not looking forward to the extra effort of planning meals and packing my lunches & snacks.

See? I told you I had gotten lazy!

I'm also struggling with the loss of privacy a bit. I've never gone to Weight Watchers or other similar centres, which means that until now, no one on this earth except my doctor and my trainer knew my actual weight, and no one except me was watching my week-by-week progress closely. This sort of semi-public, group effort is supposed to be very effective though...so...LET'S DO THIS.

The good news - I do have a personal reason to commit to this and help to keep me motivated. I'm run/walking two 5Ks in October and am planning on another in early December, and I'd dearly like to set a new PR in at least one of them. My current PB is 40:43 and I'd love to achieve a sub-40 minute race before the end of the year. Trimming down a bit will definitely help.

MyFitnessPal? I've been neglecting you. Time for us to be BFFs again.

I work with a competitive group of people.  This is going to be interesting!

Here's this week's recap -

Saturday - 2K dog walk followed by a family trip to the dentist. We're all scrubbed and polished and gleaming!

A small corner of the former Brickworks Quarry. You can just see part of the marsh.
The trees in the background conceal the old west wall of the quarry.

Sunday - Hike around the Brickworks, one of our favourite spots in the city. Formerly a quarry and brick production factory, it was decomissioned in the 1940s and the site sat vacant for a long time. It  has since been reclaimed as a marsh / green space and an eco-education centre. So fabulous. It also features one of the best off-leash parks we've seen. Something for everyone in our family!

Down in the basin of the quarry where we can't see or hear the city. Just the birds. We saw a blue heron today!

Monday - Pouring rain but the dog doesn't mind. Took her for a 1.9K run-a-block/walk-a-block, something I NEVER would have bothered to do on a rainy day if it wasn't for her. Later - Curves workout + 25 pushups.

Tuesday - First day of the Biggest Loser contest at work. Ate well. Logged it in MFP. 2K round trip fast walk to the dog park.

Wednesday - Stairs to 7 at lunch; Zumba + once around the Curves circuit + 25 pushups after dinner.

Tired dog and a very proud girl coming home from the park -
This was her first time being in charge of leash all the way home, and Stella behaved beautifully the whole trip :-)

Thursday - Stairs to 7 in AM; 2K round trip to the dog park, 1K fast dog walk before bed.

Friday - Stairs to 7 in AM; Curves after dinner, followed by 2.7K run-a-block/walk-a-block with my son and the dog.