I feel like I should start by saying that I'm probably not who comes to mind for most people when they think of weight loss. When I weighed myself for this challenge I wasn't surprised by my weight; it's what the doctors had weighed me in at for the past year or so. I am a short 5'3" and I weighed in at a whopping 146 pounds. HUGE, RIGHT?!

No, it's not. I know it's not.

But why should I have to bite my tongue from saying I'm on a diet and defend every run, every exercise, every counted calorie? To my coworkers I am already "small enough". To my parents I'm "healthy". I am unprovokingly squawked at for being on a diet.

"You're so skinny!"

I wish I had your body!

"Stop running so much - you're making us look worse!"

Why is okay to bash people when they're trying to feel better? Why are you making me feel guilty for wanting to live a healthier life?

I've come to find out that there are stigmas to dieting, not only for overweight or obese individuals, but for so-called skinny ones as well. If someone sees an overweight friend make a good meal choice, they say to themselves (and deargod hopefully not aloud) how nice it is for her to smarten up about food. If someone sees an obese coworker skip lunch they may think, "Oh, well he can afford it." And that's bad. Don't get me wrong; it IS bad. Yet I think we have all been guilty of thinking these things at one time or another because our society is biased against overweight people, even as this country becomes more overrun by government and big food giants and sugar is forced down our throats and diabetes is out of control and and and...

But I digress. That is for anther post entirely.

I know that I'm not morbidly obese. To you I'm actually not even overweight. But I know myself and I know my body, and I could be doing much better.

My acid reflux was out of control. I was tired and cranky and probably malnourished. I rarely got any exercise. When I had to take the steps up to my office (one flight, mind you), I was out of breath at the top. I hated that I'd become so lazy.

So when my friend turned me on to DietBet a couple of months ago, and I thought, "How great! I can reward myself for something I want to do anyway!" You see, I'm a finance guru and fitness wannabe. Over the past year I've managed to get my satellite bill down to $19.13 a month (with a DVR, thankyouverymuch) and even persuaded my family to jump on my cell phone bill to save an extra $30. I rarely buy things full price and I'm building a Tiny House from mostly salvaged, rescued, and recycled materials. So you can see how this concept appealed to me, right?

So I signed on for my first DietBet and I was READY! I used to eat fast food every day. And I mean every...single...day. I live alone and cooking is just so time-consuming. Where are all my single ladies at?!

But you know what? It hasn't been so bad.

I love salads and fresh fruit. I prefer brown rice over white rice and a banana smoothie over ice cream. I feel better at night after I DON'T eat an entire block of cheese. And as it turns out, popcorn is not a sufficient dinner. I mean, cooking still sucks, but I'll get there, right?

Right?

Someone say I'm right.

...I really hope I'm right...

I've lost 7 pounds to date and I'm in the middle of my second DietBet (Sarah Gilbert's You're Still Worth It Kickstarter). I may not make my weight this time, but it's started a positive life change, and for that I am grateful. I just hope that together we can all help to end the stigma that surrounds being healthy.

 

Until next time,

R.C.