2 year anniversary ... lessons learned.

Well year # 2 is coming to a close. Today 11/22/13 is my 2 year anniversary of my weightloss journey. So I only lost technically 15 lbs this year by itself. Let me explain why.

When I started this year my goal was 199 by today. I also, because I didn't last year, gave myself a reward that I wanted. I had networked with 2 people that could make it happen. I'll go into what that was here in a moment. But this reward overwhelmed me because it didn't make sense. I consulted with my mom, my friends, and some people outside my circle to find out why I wanted this reward. Most explained it adequately but I never internalized what they said and accepted it and moved onto putting in the work.

6 days prior (11/17/11) Jim Capoot of Vallejo Police Department was killed in the line of duty. There were constant news coverage about it and the statements from the family through VPD and their friends inspired me. I was completely and totally taken by his family, his wife Jennifer, daughters Jillian, Jamie, and Justine, and their “Charge On” spirit. They faced Thanksgiving without Jim to be there. This was my mitigating and motivating factor.

The following day, Thanksgiving, I told my mom that I was beginning my weightless journey. I told her that we need to prove that just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean we can’t “Charge On” and defy the odds and lose weight now. She jumped on board with me.

Every year I bought a prepackaged dinner from either Raley’s or Safeway. So after it was cooked up on Thanksgiving I broke out my plastic containers and portioned out (using measuring cups and a scale) a dinner into each container. My mom and I had our dinners and the rest went in the freezer for the following 7 days.

So my reward was I wanted to set up just a brief introduction with the family and tell them this. Today, 11/22/13, I did so indirectly. I posted the story in image format and tagged them in the comments on Facebook.

So while for the most part my calories were always on point the exercise never was. My days off led to overeating and destroying the calorie work I did on my work days. So in other words the loss I experienced on my work days was gained on my off days canceling itself out.

My Heart Rate Monitor died this year so tracking became almost impossible. In fact I can't track anymore I just have to know I'm putting in the work. 

But fortunately I have my mindset back where it needs to be thanks to an amazing person I met this year, a fitness place in Vacaville. She saw the potential in me and reignited the flame I had let it get buried under all that doubt.

I'm setting an aggressive goal for 183 by June 15, 2014. So beginning tomorrow I begin year #3.  Every year I've given myself a theme. My first year was The Biggest Loser theme “No Excuses”, Second Year was “No Limits”. I’m again steeling The Biggest Loser’s theme which this season is “Second Chance”. As I enter my 3^rd year of weight loss tomorrow I’m giving myself a “Second Chance” to get it right.

So here is to year #3 coming up tomorrow…”Second Chance” to “Charge On”!!

Brandon