Biggest Loser

My office is holding a biggest loser competition. The premise is simple (and I assume the same as the TV show, though I've never seen it). Each month contestants fork over 10 bucks and hop on the scale for a weigh in. The contest lasts 4 months. The person who loses the highest percentage of body weight wins and takes all the money.

I signed up this year hoping to nab the 19 people * 10 bucks * 4 months = $760 prize. I weighed in at 203.6 lbs. My goal is to be around 180 by April, when the competition ends. I'm not dissatisfied with my current weight, but I am dissatisfied with my junk food consumption. About a year ago I started drinking delicious mochas and consuming sodas, chocolate, cake, donuts, etc. I think a little junk food is healthy now and again, but my frequency is not where I want it to be. I've also put on about 20 pounds and my riding has slowed down. I don't plan on cutting back what I'm eating so much as ensuring that what I'm eating is healthy. The riding increase should take care of the rest.

I also have an ulterior motive. The Tour de Phoenix is April 5th, one day after the final weigh in for the biggest loser competition. It is a 74 mile ride through the only mountains anywhere near the desolate wasteland that is Phoenix and is actually quite difficult. I am trying to lose the weight for this ride as it's a lot easier to lug 180 pounds up a mountain than it is to lug 200 pounds up a mountain. Especially if that 180 pounds has been riding his bike a lot. :)

The winner of the last biggest loser competition lost 5% body weight. If I reach my ideal riding weight of 180 that would be 10% of my body weight which should pull the win for me. My main competition is my coworker who is also a cyclist and is in the competition also. I can't really lose more than 20 pounds without looking like an emaciated skeleton whereas I've seen him 30 pounds lighter than he currently is (which is still less than me) and he was fit as a fiddle. He was also riding his bike 1000 miles a month at the time, which I've never come close to.

So far I've ridden my bike to work today and I haven't had a mocha in a whole day! I want to do a loop around Saguaro National Monument and Pistol Hill this weekend. If I push myself hard enough that should be a good introductory weekend ride with a few minor hills to prepare for the coming race.

I feel better already. :)