Week 10 - Thanksgiving

It’s been a busy two weeks. I missed last week’s weigh-in due to a prior obligation. I had no idea what I was in for when I weighed in this week! I gained 3.2 pounds. It was a little disheartening, but I continue to be encouraged by the success I have had up to this point.

I bet you are all wondering how I did on Thanksgiving. Between all of the food we and the Cowboys on TV, it was a bit tough to restrain myself. I just bit the bullet and played like I was a carnivore. Meat, meat and more meat. That’s what I ate. Not huge portions, but I skipped the sides and dined on turkey, ham, meatballs and salad instead. I also downed about 15 Cavatelli. I managed to stay away from the dessert table, opting for popcorn. I thought I was being good and then I find out this week that popcorn is something on the “don’t eat” list. It has too much fat. Peanut butter too. So I’ve had to stop eating both of those. It goes against conventional diet wisdom and everyone I’ve talked to is astonished to hear it!
I was able to start lifting last week and am really enjoying it. My goal is to get my strength back so I can out-lift my son!

One thing I’ve noticed this week is how encouraging people are. When they hear that I’ve gained weight they try to find reasons of why it could be. A lot of people have been saying that it’s because I’ve started lifting again and muscle weighs more than fat. That’s true, but I have a hard time believing that I’ve gained 3.2 pounds of muscle. I’m sure that’s a factor, but it isn’t the whole reason. I appreciate the support, though. It is really nice to see people being so supportive of the positive lifestyle change I am making.
There are a few other staff members at the Massillon Recreation Center that have been dieting and losing weight and they say the same thing – people are always cheering them on. We should all be each other’s cheerleaders, especially when it comes to making healthy lifestyle changes. I want you to be able to make healthy changes and so does the staff at Massillon Recreation Center. That’s why we are going to give you money to lose weight. Annual members, new and current (except everyone who took advantage of our Fall Back Special), can sign up to receive $1 per pound they lose in a 6 month period. As Gandhi said “Be the change you want to see in the world!”