Is the Biggest Loser Just a Stupid Reality Show?

I really despise reality shows. I think that's why it's taken me 12 seasons to pick up the Biggest Loser. I watched it one night on a whim and was hooked! As much as I hate to say it, the Biggest Loser  changed our lives (with a "little" help from God, of course).

At first, the changes were small. We all of a sudden become interested in exercise. We found new and interesting ways to do it. We started trying to lose weight. We started making a lifestyle out of losing weight. We actually starting LOSING weight!

Then the big change. A few weeks ago it hit me that my husband would make a fantastic personal trainer. My dear husband has been floundering for a while. He knows that he wants to do some sort of ministry, preferably a para-church organization or church planting. Yet, we couldn't think of one particular place to start. He knew he enjoyed marketing, so he's been working towards his degree in marketing and accounting to hopefully help us create our organization someday. Yet, being poor+having a baby+being married+working 47 hours per week=very slow progress. It's at the point where we feel like we're never going to be able to finish this degree that he's not even sure he wants.

And then we started watching the Biggest Loser. It's kind of like God got a hold of each of us on so many levels, including this personal training idea. I carefully broached the idea with my hubby only to hear him say he was considering it already.

So we looked up the information. We could have his business up and running in less than 6 months and he would receive a generous pay increase with very little investment up front. Hmm... How can you say no to that? Honestly, we were already pretty decided before we learned those charming facts.

So this spring we hope to get my husband certified to be a personal trainer. I mean, what is there to lose? One class worth of time and money with rewards now? Training that will help him in his personal goals? Having to stay fit? Having to keep learning how to stay fit? I'm not seeing any negatives here.

I know it won't be all rainbows and cotton candy, but this answers so many of our prayers. For the first time, my husband has a career in mind that completely fits him!

So where do we hope this leads? Right now, just income. Eventually we'd both like to create a ministry within the church to help each other with weight loss.

Here's the craziest thing of all! I'm seriously considering getting my certification as well. Yikes! That's right, the girl that is super geeky, non-athletic, hates running, lazy, last to be picked on the playground, terrible at any and all sports is seriously considering becoming a professional athlete. Here's the thing...I CAN DO IT! I know I can. AND I WANT TO! Thank you Biggest Loser for giving me to confidence!

We'll see where this goes, but for now I think it's pretty darn exciting.

Did I ever consider this happening? Not in a million years!

One More Down!

I lost a pound!!! That just doesn't sound as exciting as it should. Nor does my weight loss ticker look encouraging. I've decided to change my diet start date. As my faithful readers know, I started messing around with this diet a few weeks before I started this blog. By the time I started writing, I had already lost 4 pounds and had hit that point where your body stops losing.

Since than, I have lost 1 pound!!! So really, I'm up to 5. Plus I would estimate 2-2.5 inches around the big places (Shame on me, I still haven't measured!). I decided to go ahead and change my weight ticker to the full total so it told the full story.

I'm still keeping on. Nothing exciting is happening. I am not winning huge battles. I still am not eating perfectly, just a little bit better than I was. I never win all of the battles, nor all of the ones I do completely.

I think that will come though. The important thing is that it has been over a month since I started playing with this idea and I am still keeping at it! I am not going to stop this quest for a healhier me. This is a lifestyle change. I just can't stop...I can't do that to my family.

I did see an encouraging article this week which of course I didn't put up and now can't find. It was about a woman who lost 100 lbs merely by making better choices and small goals. She only focused on 5 lbs at a time and did only what she honestly could. It is possible!

There is nothing I hate more than RUNNING!

As part of our exercise plan, my husband and I have been trying to start running. Running is a proven way to lose weight fast. It just works. Plus, it's cheap. We can't quite afford a gym membership yet, so...running it is.


We are following a workout plan I found online that made sense and fit our life. The plan is based on working into running for 30 minutes. You start by walking 30 minutes. When you can do that comfortably, you start running for 1 minute out of every 5 for 30 minutes. Than you try to run for 2 out of 5 minutes, etc. until you're running for all 30 minute.


We have changed it in that we like walking for an hour. We have been trying to walk for 60 minutes at least 4 days a week. We were doing really well, and then it got hot. Let's be honest, it's just not realistic to walk outside for an hour with a baby in 90+ degree weather. So we have let it slide recently so our progress has been slow.


However, yesterday we were finally ready to add in our minute of running! I was really excited to be making progress. We did our typical hour long route, but ran for 1 minute 6 times (only planning on running 30 minutes of that hour for now). My husband loved it! He was in heaven pushing his body to the next level and beating it into compliance.


I was miserable!!! I really hate running. I've known this for years, but this was a good reminder. There is nothing on this planet that I hate doing more than running! I hate every minute,no, every second of it!


I've heard all about the runner's high and how you need to just keep trying and eventually you'll start liking it. I did all of that. I faithfully ran for four months in college when I was already in shape and I learned one important thing.


That stuff is crap!


Running is just terrible and I'm convinced it will always be. I HATE IT!


We're going to keep trying though. Sigh. If we start consistently running for 30 minutes and I learn to like it, I will eat my words. Until then...deep seated hatred...