Zero Excuses Challenge Recap

In 2009 I arrived at blogging as a 49 year old hypothyroid woman approximately 30 pounds overweight and pretty miserable.  I spent the next two years fussing around and trying every which way but loose to get some weight off.  It worked – for a bit – but I guess when you keep gaining and losing the same 5 pounds you can’t say anything is working.  Then, from October of 2010 to November of 2011 I gained 15 pounds – while trying to lose weight - which made my doctor send me for extensive testing and to a specialist.  The news was discouraging:  my thyroid had shut down again and I was showing insulin resistance.  

Here I was, a 51 year old hypothyroid woman with insulin resistance, now approximately 45 pounds overweight – blech!   In a case of serious karma, I had been contacted by the PR firm for the Zero Scale and asked if I would be willing to participate in a six week challenge run by Rich Kreps, of Zero Excuses Fitness.  They sent me some information about Rich and his clients and when I replied in the affirmative, they overnighted me the Zero Scale.

The Friday before the challenge was to begin, I received the exercise and eating plan and had a phone conversation with Rich that resulted in him decided that ‘I’ was going to be his challenge. But what Rich didn’t know is that while I’m a stubborn hard headed lady it would work to his advantage (and mine!). Once I said I would do his silly little challenge, there was no way I wouldn’t give it my best try.

I’ll admit I emailed Shelley to whine and told her I was terrified of the diet.  I knew from past South Beach Diet experience that I would miss my carbs from grains.  In a way that only Shelley can, she calmed me down and I moved forward into the first week.

Much to my delight, the exercise plan was easier than I thought, which I give full credit to Muay Thai for.  All that functional fitness had made me stronger than I realized.  Even the diet wasn’t that bad, though my legs definitely could feel the lack of grain carbs when I ran.  At the end of that week I was rewarded for the hard work and diligence with a 3.6 pound loss!

Week two rolled around and motivated by the first week’s loss I charged forward, but soon ran head first into cravings that were literally making me feel crazy and like I was going to jump out of my skin!  I left the mall and stores several times due to food smells or displays that were so distracting I could not concentrate.  Really, I was miserable and wanted to give up, but deep down, I’m not a quitter so I soldiered forward.  Imagine my complete dismay when I got on the scale and my loss was .2!  I cried and stomped around my house for a while then I texted Shelley and emailed her.  Thank goodness she had the forsight to remind me that even the contestants on The Biggest Loser, who do nothing but live in a controlled environment have terrible week 2 weigh-ins.

I decided I’d give it one more week and not a minute more!  Imagine my surprise when, in week 3, I seemed to hit my stride. Even with the Thanksgiving holiday and my first non-Paleo indulgence, I lost 2 pounds! Maybe there is something to the theory that it takes 21 days to create new habits?

After that, I really was on a roll, right up to this week, the last week of the challenge.  So how did I do? Well, you’ll have to come back Monday for the final results and some answers to the questions you have been asking.

Have a great weekend – with Zero Excuses - and don't forget, if you want to have a Zero Scale of your own, just type the word ZERO in the promo code box when you order for a 15% discount.  Don't delay, the discount is only good until midnight on December 22, 2011.


The Zero Scale was given to me for participating in the Zero Excuses Challenge.
All opinions of this product are my own.