The Challenge: Week Eleven

Weigh-in Week 11:

Weight: 338 lbs.

Last week I talked about the perils of the scale. I meant every word I said, but after today’s weigh-in I have to talk about some huge milestones that have occurred. I only bring these up because I know all of the other measurements are going to show some huge improvements along with what the scale says.

Here we go. The scale says I weigh 338 lbs. My starting weight was 376 lbs. - that mean I have successfully lost over 10% of my starting weight. My target weight has been 250 lbs., but secretly I have been thinking 240 lbs. is more where I should be. That means I have 98 lbs. to go.  Ninety-eight is a two digit number not three.  I know the difference between 100 and 98 is not much, but that extra digit really plays with your mind. To lose a digit is a really big deal!

Our General Manager recently went on a trip to New York and brought back some t-shirts for the staff. He got me an XL size shirt. Typically anytime I have received a shirt at a golf tournament or contest through work or hobby clubs, XL means it’s an automatic gift to someone smaller in my family. I kept the shirt at work, thinking maybe come June or July that I would fit into it. Last week our GM noticed I hadn’t taken it home yet and seemed slightly offended so I explained the situation. I let him know that if I took it home I would lose it so I was protecting it here. He encouraged me to try it on anyway and to my amazement it fit! It was a touch tight in the belly, but comfortable all the same. I normally wear a 3-XL so that is two sizes down.

I'm not sure why I keep sharing such personal information with everyone. I am guessing that on some level it is helping me. I keep getting support from readers saying it inspires them, so why stop now? When I got home today the biggest thing that happened was some dialog I had with my 17-month-old daughter. Her Mom was getting her dressed for the day. I popped my head into the room and when she saw me she got excited. It is part of our morning routine. I rushed over to kiss her on the cheek and I looked in her eyes. In that moment I realized with all the changes I have gone through over the past three months, my little girl is not going to know a FAT daddy. What is most important is that for the first time I really believe that inside me. I have zero doubt that by this time next year I will either be at my target weight or be very close to it. She is going to look at pictures of me from the past 37 years and wonder who that guy was.

We are down to our final week in the program. For many of us this is just the beginning of our journey. Habits have set in, new goals have been set and we have shared many successes already. I need to decide if I am going to continue writing about my journey or not. Maybe I can reduce the frequency. I have really enjoyed putting down in words my thoughts, my challenges and my successes. My next article will include some before and after pictures and final thoughts of the past 12 weeks.

Get it Back – Give it Back is a FREE three month fitness and weight loss challenge for anyone wanting to rediscover their health and wellness. The selected applicants will receive a 3-month fitness membership and weekly training, nutritional advice, weekly challenges, weekly tips, all valued at over $1,800. Plus a chance to win prizes monthly and the opportunity to win the Grand Prize valued over $2,500.

Dan Boundy, Marketing Consultant for Castanet Media has accepted this challenge. Dan is 37-years-old, 6 ft. 4 in. tall and his starting weight was 373 lbs.

To read Dan's previous articles, click here.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.