Well we just finished the second month in our 12 week contest, so it’s time for another look at how everyone is doing. If you recall, we started with 53 people but only 40 people weighed in at the end of week four. This week, 30 people made the weigh-in.
I’d like to say the drop in numbers is unusual, but unfortunately, it’s not. At the beginning, I told them that half of them wouldn’t finish for one reason or another. Then I ask them which half they’ll be in.
In spite of our best intentions, life always intrudes. Something always comes up. Sickness slows you down. Bills you didn’t expect. Injuries you didn’t want. Even our own nature rises up, trying to get things back to the way they were. We’ve met the enemy and he is us.
We’re creatures of habit and comfort. We take the easy out when we have a choice. We like things a certain way, and don’t like to rock the boat.
Our bodies work this way, too. They resist extreme changes in either direction, always pulling us back to the center. Think about all the times you’ve lost weight, but then just put it right back on.
We like to keep it easy in our heads as well. Once in awhile, we’ll get disgusted enough to try to change, but then we find ourselves slipping back into our old ways. Why? It’s more comfortable that way, even if it’s not what we really want.
Isaac Newton figured this out. If something is standing still, it will keep standing still unless acted upon by an outside force. It’s called inertia. Even a moving object has inertia and will continue in a certain direction unless acted on by something else.
We need to find a way to overcome our own inertia. If we can figure out how to get things going, we could develop a new inertia that will lead to real and lasting change.
Of course, there will be a whole other set of problems to deal with, because life will intrude. Circumstances will conspire against you. It will be all too easy to slip back into the old ways.
In the end, it comes down to what you really want. You’ll do what’s important to you. If eating right and getting in shape really matter, you’ll do what it takes. You’ll find a way.
We have quite a few people with impressive numbers, but you know who really impresses me? It’s the ones who’ve stuck with it for eight weeks, in spite of the results.
These people have overcome not only the usual obstacles, but the biggest one of all—slow results, while being surrounded by bigger losers. If that describes you, I’m here to tell you that your perseverance will be the determining factor in you getting what you want.
You also have to believe that weight loss is possible. Not just for them, but for you too. If they can do it, you can do it. You can lose the weight. We might have to tweak things a little bit to get it working, but they did it—you can do it.
If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can’t, you can’t. Either way, you’ll be right. You might as well be right and thin.
Ask yourself, “How can I start winning too? What else could I be doing that they’re doing? Or, is there something they’re doing that I’m not?” Success is often just a breakthrough away.
Finally, we need to learn to be content sometimes, especially during plateaus. For normal weight loss, one pound a week is good, two pounds a week is great, and three or more pounds a week is fantastic. That means in eight weeks, we’d like to see at least eight pounds.
If you’re making progress, that’s good, even if it’s only one pound a week, or a half a pound. Take some comfort in that—even while you’re looking for ways to do better. You’ll be happier.
It’s a biblical concept. Paul said he’d learned how to be content in all things, whether he was abased or abounding. This was from a guy who was the foremost apostle to the Gentiles (you and me), who was content to be living in jail, preaching to his jailers.
I’ve learned that God has given me (and you) the ability to strive for all kinds of things, and he always helps me along the way. But some of my biggest blessings have come when I’ve learned to be content, too—and grateful for all the things I used to take for granted.
If it’s a pound this week, take it. Try for two, but be glad you lost a pound. If it’s zero pounds, how do you feel? Do you feel better? Take it and be happy that now you can do more than you did before.
Having said that, our winner in week eight was Erika Hollis, who lost 2.7% of her body weight and 4.8 lbs. Erika won a $20 Walmart gift card courtesy of Terry Elston and State Farm Insurance.
With four weeks to go, she’s also in the running to win the one of the grand prizes, also provided by Terry and State Farm. Here’s the current breakdown:
% loss Lbs
1. Weston Hughes 14.0 40.2
2. Erika Hollis 13.4 27.8
3. Logan Graves 11.5 35.4
4. Kelly Lynch 7.7 13.6
5. Dan Lynch 7.2 16.9
6. Carol Cline 7.0 15.8
7. Melissa Bradley 6.7 14.0
8. Shawn Bowers 6.6 19.0
9. Sue Sheeran 6.6 14.4
10. Steve Jones 6.5 14.6
11. Jean McConkey 6.4 12.8
12. Amanda Posey 6.4 13.8
13. Brant Walls 5.8 15.2
14. John Rigdon 5.8 11.9
15. Teri Dennis 5.7 12.4
16. Heidi Walls 5.4 8.0
17. Ellen Newlin 5.3 10.6
18. Pam Ogle 4.3 10.0
19. Gayle Dailey 4.3 6.2
20. Jennifer Bowers 4.1 8.4
21. Megan Sellers 3.8 7.5
22. Shirley Fiscus 3.3 6.6
23. Kelli Stidham 3.1 8.4
24. Kevin Branson 2.7 7.3
25. Amy Elmore 2.5 4.2
26. Kelly Reed 1.7 3.2
27. Pam Kelly 1.4 3.6
28. Darren German 1.3 3.6
29. MaryAnn Heinrich 0.8 1.8
30. Stacey Reed 0.0 0.0
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