After a bit of time off to focus on fixing some bad habits, I’m bringing back Weight Loss Wednesday. I haven’t been working on losing weight (unless complaining counts as working on something), but would like to get back on track. I was partly motivated by Sara Fit’s Weight Loss Bet. She organized this competition via diet bet – each person puts in $15. For 4 weeks, each dieter tries to lose 4% of their weight. If you make your goal, you win and split the pot with anyone else who also did it too! To keep yourself in check for your weight loss goal, apps like calculate tdee can be a gane-changer.
Weigh in Wednesday.
I want a prize of some sort for putting this picture of me on the internet machine. Or rather, you should get a prize for looking at me?
In order to get my money back (or more) I need to lose 6.5 pounds. Um, that is a lot in 4 weeks! But, I haven’t been eating clean so maybe a lot of water will abandon ship, we’ll see. My plan is to just track to 1800 and keep up the usual exercise. I’m curious to see if the fact that there is money at stake will motivate me at all. I bet it would motivate me if I told myself I can buy $15 worth of Yogurtland at the end…
Morning
Since my little brother Matt is staying with us this week I am making him and Ben breakfast and packing them lunches each day. This has given Ben and I a good little preview into the world of taking care of someone other than Vegas. 
Ben (who has major baby fever), swears he will get up early and take care of our kids so I can continue to run in the morning long term. Since his current work schedule has him going into work pretty early this method isn’t working just yet. He would change his schedule if needed for our family.
So, this morning I did a quick 3 mile WALK and came back to be a morning Mom 
On a positive note, I’m the best multi-tasker!
I made 3 breakfasts and 2 lunches in no time!
On a less than positive note, I made the biggest mess while putting it all together. 
Okay, I gotta get to workin’
Question: Are you a good multi-tasker?
I am, but I am the messiest person ever. I think I managed to dirty 32 pots and pans this morning alone.
you should get more tips here.best of luck
is good to have a motivating factor.all the best
Wish you all the best.I am also trying to loose my weight.
This is a brilliant idea. Money is a great motivator! Best of luck. You can do it!!
Hey Monica! Good going,I do agree with amanda, you need not to lose your weight, this means your are awesome, really admire what you did for your great body.Thanks for sharing.Great post
some time in the future, will you write about how you cook eggs in the microwave? I am having issues in this area
you made all that?really you will make a great mum.all the best
I think you are beautiful and don’t need to lose an ounce. I just wanted to say that. I, on the other hand, DO need to lose weight. The dietbet sounds like it could make the process a little more motivating and fun. I should look into this!
Fun idea! I joined after reading your post about an hour ago. It was still accepting new people.
While weight is the easiest number to tally…I wonder if there’s a bet for losing 4% of fat or put on 4% of muscle. I’ll probably sign up for something like that than this (I don’t wanna lose weight coz I’m underweight!) – I want be more toned and fit, lose the flab etc. Just me.
Longtime reader, and I think we have a lot in common… I personally wouldn’t enter such a public contest. That could create a lot of internal stress that could well wind up backfiring! Just take care of yourself and don’t beat yourself up/restrict too much/over-exercise if you don’t lose scale weight at exactly the rate you have planned according to the bet, okay??
Yeah, I know the bet required weight is very ambitious. I’m just going to do my best 🙂
LOVE the idea for that bet!! That is some serious motivation-do you have a link for that??? Good luck!
I’m doing the same DietBet! I thought it was such a great motivator when I first saw it on SarahFit. Good luck!
Sounds like you will make a great mom since multitasking is a prerequisite. I think it’s a rare moment that I’m not doing at least three things at once!
I do the same thing multi-tasking. I really hate to cook in general because I dirty so many dishes. I feel like I load and unload the dishwasher all the time…soo not my thing.
Maybe I should join in on this weight loss challenge idea. Ever since I have lost my job my motivation is completely gone because I just want to sit on the couch, eat yogurt, and watch TV. Not productive but Im not really sure what Im supposed to be doing except waiting. I have been running but other than that I am just blah.
I’ll toot my own horn and say that I am a very good multi-tasker. I can have dinner cooking on the stove, fold laundry, and still be able to watch the TV and carry on a conversation with my husband all at the same time. That being said, I’ve been known to let a few dishes get a little burnt, so maybe I’m not as great as I think 😉
Every time I try to multitask I end up leaving devastation and chaos in my wake. Poor kitchen looked like world war 3 happened after making dinner and finishing homework and laundry and feeding the dogs… So I try not to do more than one thing at a time 😉 Doesn’t mean I can’t get it all done, I just don’t want to clean up afterwards! 😉
And way to go on joining a bet! You’ll do great! Keep up with clean eating and you’ll feel great, too! 🙂
I love this post. I weigh in each week to keep me accountable and try to track everything I eat. I am fine with my weight but it is easy for 5 pounds to creep up!! Good luck and I think you look great!!!!
I’ve been doing Weight Watchers for over a year now and lost about 35 pounds. I want to lose another 15 or so. But wow, losing 6.5 pounds in four weeks seems daunting! My weight loss has slowed down to maybe .5 pound a week and I am comfortable with that. From reading your blog, I know you have the grit to do this! I’ll be sending skinny thoughts your way.
Thank you 🙂
Good luck on your challenge! I’m doing a Biggest Loser Challenge at my gym right now!
I’m a good multi tasker, but I’m super messy too!
I had never heard of diet bet before. This sounds awesome.
I joined the challenge! I love the competitve aspect of it. It’ll def encourage me to make better food choices (err…get my sugar intake under control).
Wow 6.5 in 4 weeks! I just calculated what 4% of mine is…. Totally not going to enter the competition now. Hahah! I’ll have a little competition on my own. Reward – ice cream 🙂
That is a lot of weight! But I have every faith that you’ll get it done.
(resort to water pills if necessary.
i kid.
not really. take the pills.
i kid.)
You’re my favorite.
Glad to hear it’s not just me! My husband has crazy baby fever and I’m just like bleh right now!
I like to pretend like I’m a good multi-tasker, but to be honest most people aren’t that good at it because you are constantly switching your focus between multiple things. That takes extra time.
That said, I still feel like I can do it all! lol
What a fun idea that challenge is. I think I might try the next one. It’s weird it says it started today but then when I clicked on it to register it said “are you sure you want to join it has already started and you only have 27 days.” I might join tonight when I get home, not sure. Though I HATE weighing in at the end of the day after a full day of food, always first thing in the morning.
I am a great multi-tasker, almost to a fault cause I am always running around doing something at the house and it drives my husband crazy. But with working full-time and having my baby with me all day at the office and doing it all at home there isn’t much a choice. Oh and ya fitting in this working out stuff.
Ok call me nosey but I did the math and I can not believe you weigh what it says if your 4% is truly 6.5lbs. Curious, did you up the number for your own goals? I know weight is so personal and it can be annoying if people keep telling you “oh you look great” but you don’t feel great and that is what matters, it’s about you and how you feel. But honestly you do look great and I’m in total disbelief of those numbers. Makes me second guess my goal weight that I put at 140. Sorry weird, random thoughts…
Question for you: Last night at the gym I had the guy test my body fat with the little caliper thing it seemed strange to me that he didn’t need to know my height or weight. Does that sound right to you? And yes I was well over the 32+ obese mark – good times. Poor guy was nervous to tell me like I had no idea how fat I was.
Yep, I weigh a lot. I didn’t up the goal for myself.
It is weird that he didn’t know your height or weight, just because it’s relevant to your overall health. But, you don’t need it for the caper fat measure. The calipers are measuring the amount of fat in those key areas.
I had the ‘pinching’ assessment and then was hydrostatically weighed (same day) for extra credit in a nutrition class I took in college. According to the the pinch method I had an extra 2% of fat than when I was hydrostatically weighed. I was told body fat measurement was more accurate with hydrostatic weighing than with the ‘pinching’ method. It’s a little scary exhaling completely and holding still under water though…
Regardless, I liked the hydrostatic results better 🙂
I think something like this could be super motivating, at least while it’s going on. I’ve been pretty good about tracking my calories for about 6 weeks and have last 11 pounds doing it- once I stop tracking, I get sloppy, though. I definitely need something keeping my focused at all times. Money would be nice… I’m pretty good at multi-tasking. As I’m typing I’m also vacuuming, painting my toenails and paying bills 😉
I was reading this post aloud to my boyfriend and he asked the all-important question: “What happens if no one loses 4% of their body weight? Who gets the money? Is it like the lottery?”
I’m not sure what he meant by “Is it like the lottery?”
I think you look fabulous, btw. 🙂
I’m not sure what happens if no one loses… I just looked it up: If no players have reached their Target Weight by the final Weigh-Out, the player who has come the closest to his or her Target Weight, percentage-wise, shall be deemed the winner.
But, some people weighed in yesterday and again today and already lost like 4 pounds, so I’m sure there will be a few winners!
I have a weight loss question for you… I am utterly confused by how many calories to eat. I was never good at math so this should be no surprise to me.
I’ve heard that I should eat at least my BMR (about 1550) which is fine on rest days. But what about days that I exercise? If I burn 500 calories on a run then I’m only netting 1050 calories which is insanity.
So should I just aim for a net of 1550 every day? Or something in between? I’m finding if I hit a net of 1600-1800 daily, then I’m not hungry but I’m also only losing about 1 pound a month… which isn’t really a bad thing.
But say I’d like to crank it up a bit without chewing my arm off or risking loss of muscle or messing up my metabolism, what do you think? Was this the most confusing question ever?
If you are eating your BMR, then you exercise – you can eat your BMR plus what you burn via exercise to maintain. If you want to lose weight, eat a little less. Many calculators have you subtract about 250 calories to lose. I think losing 1 pound a month is a good rate long term. You won’t have a hard time transitioning to maintain. Did that help?
Yes! Thank you! As soon as I read the first sentence I was all “oh duh!” Of course, lol. Sometimes it just takes someone else saying it a bit differently and then it clicks 🙂
You said, “My plan is to just track to 1800 and keep up the usual exercise.” Does this mean you are or aren’t going to account for calories burned? I would think with the long runs that you do, you would have to account for calories burned and replace most of them.
I agree that you look great already!
Yes and no. I am a great multi-tasker, but sometimes it gets the best of me because I truly can’t focus on just getting ONE thing done.
It sounds like a fun way to get motivated. How do I get in on this?
The site is http://www.dietbet.com. I think this challenge may not be including new people because it already started, but I’m not sure. However – you can do your own with your peeps!
I agree, I think you are super cute and have a great little body. But as a girl I get it, I totally get it! So you go for it! You can do it, I know you can. I am a mom and I am so glad my husband doesn’t go to work butt crack early so I can get my run in during the morning hours, as long as I am home by 7 everyone is happy! Good for you packing lunches and making breakfast…that I should be doing…gah.
I think letting your brother stay with you is adorable and great practice!! Maybe he can be your sous chef!!
Seriously killing me with the pictures of the strawberries because they look AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You’re gonna be such a good mom. 😉
6.5 in 4 weeks. You can do it! Nice bet going. what are you going to buy with your winnings?
ps – btw, you look great. you don’t need to lose it. but if you chose to, you can do it w/ those terms. weight loss is such a touchy subject. k. bye. enough double commenting.
Thanks 🙂