the "don't gain" challenge

I read a stat that the average weight gain over the Holiday season from Nov to Jan is 12 pounds. Say that out loud "I am going to eat so stinkin much & not work out, that I am going to gain 12 pounds." 

That is a drastic change in lifestyle. More food in general. More junk food and less physical activity. That is why I am throwing out this little challenge. If you are up for it feel free to join in. 

Here are the details:

//Weigh yourself on Monday November 24th. That is the weight you must maintain until Jan 3rd. This is not a weight loss competition - lets be realistic. It is only to help keep from gaining. You don't have to tell anyone what your weight is, you just need to use the original weight as the target. 

//Each week you weigh yourself. If you have gained any weight, you owe $1 per pound you have gained. You cannot earn this money back if you lose it a different week. If you lose weight, that is great but you don't get anything for losing weight (other than the sheer satisfaction of knowing that most of the country isn't able to do what you just did).

//Every week you report your status. Either "no change", "gained ?" or "lost ?". Again, you owe $1 per pound gained. I will keep a tally of the money owed and keep everyone updated of the pot weekly. 

//At the final weigh in on Jan 3rd, the person/people who did not gain any weight wins the penalty money. If more than one person wins, we put the names in a hat and draw out one winner. 

//If no one maintains the weight, the person who gained the least amount over the competition wins the money. 

//If 3 people maintain the weight and one person loses any weight, the person who lost the weight still only gets the name in a hat. The goal is not to lose but not to gain. 

By saying "maintain" that means you never incur a gain penalty. Every time you weigh in, you have either stayed the same or lost. 

Here is a scenario. You start out at 150lbs. The first week you weigh in you weigh 148lbs. You owe nothing. The next week you weigh 150lbs again, you still owe nothing because you do not weigh more than the original starting weight. The next week you weigh 151lbs, you owe $1. The next week you weigh 150lbs again, you owe nothing but you don't get your $1 back. 

There are many people who said they would be interested in a competition to motivate them through the holidays, lets see if they meant it and will put their money where there mouth is...

My point: accountability is the best way to accomplish a goal. The goal is not to lose weight but to not gain weight. We can beat the national average if we do it together. The average person is going to gain weight over the next few months, lets not be average. 

Let me know if you are interested by leaving a comment or emailing me g3fowler@gmail.com