Believe it, or not, I used to run the 3200 meter race for my Jr High Track and Field team. I mainly did it to get in shape for football, but I also had a sense of accomplishment after each race. Not because I won, because that never happened. Although, there was one race that I did not finish last. I finished almost a full lap ahead of a kid at Rose Hill Jr High. (But now that I think back, he may have been a special needs kid.) The 3200 was a race that not that many Jr High kids wanted to run. The mile run in PE class was dreaded enough. Why would anyone want to run two miles when they didn't have to?
Like I said, I wanted to get in shape for football and with each race, my times improved. I started out with a monstrous 19 minutes and 30-something seconds. By season's end, my personal record was 14 minutes and 12 seconds. Shaving over 5 minutes off my time felt great! I did not continue running for the track team in high school, but I did run often to stay in shape for football. After my football playing days were through, I did not find much use for running. I ran three 5k's for the CCFA (Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America) in support of my brother Chris, who has suffered from Crohn's since we were young. I never matched my 7+ minute mile pace, but I was proud of my 27 minute - 30 second time.
Running a half-marathon is not something I have ever considered attempting. I don't even like to drive 13.1 miles, let alone run them. My brother Chris has run 9 of them. That's right, 9! Nine! As in, one more than eight, 9! Chris has done so much to promote the CCFA's Team Challenge Half-Marathons that the CCFA has created an annual award for the person making the greatest impact on the Team Challenge program, in which he was the first recipient, and is now named after him. This year, Chris will be the one giving this award to someone else.
This weekend he is running his 10th half-marathon in Las Vegas, and my mother and I will be there to cheer him to the finish line. And as proud as I am of my brother's accomplishments, I can't help but to worry about my personal challenge of being healthy and losing weight.
I fly out Thursday night on the 1st. The day I start my challenge! So the first 4 days of this life style change will be in Las Vegas. Home to buffet after buffet, and cocktail after cocktail. I threw myself into the fire! The fire of temptation! The fire of a town that sucks your will-power to say no. The fire of everything I want to change.
This morning, I received my 113th pledge. A good friend pledged $2 per pound to give me a total of $151.50 per pound! Now that is the fire hose needed to douse the fiery temptation of Las Vegas!
Run baby run!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
3 and a half days left...
Thanksgiving weekend is coming to a close and I find myself reflecting on the past two weeks.
First, I overcame the embarrassment of having to admit that I am morbidly obese to most of my friends and family(whose email addresses I had in my gmail account). Then the flood of emails of support, and offers to help. I will admit, at first, I was a little sensitive to receive so much immediate support, and ideas to guide me through the process. I thought, "Wow. These people have been thinking I was a huge fatty for a long time and have been wanting me to be less disgusting." Luckily, my more sane side of my brain broke down that thought, and I was encouraged that so many people cared enough about me to help in so many ways.
As word spread, my original idea of 25 people sponsoring $1 per pound started to seem a bit like a parent who wants to take just a couple of photos at their child's birthday party, but at the end of the day, there are hundreds on the camera. It is hard to sort through them all, and you are not sure where to start.
I have a 104 people that have agreed to sponsor my weight loss. I don't know where to start thanking people. Do I write individual emails to everyone? Do I call each person to give my gratitude for their kindness? Do I write thank you cards? And then the answer seemed so simple. The best thank you I could give, is to do my best over the next six months to full-fill your hopes for me. To create a new life-style. To become the person you envisioned when you pledged me. In that way, I will give my best thank you.
With 3 and a half days left, I have been pledged $142 per pound. How cool would it be to reach $150 by Thursday?
Much Love
First, I overcame the embarrassment of having to admit that I am morbidly obese to most of my friends and family(whose email addresses I had in my gmail account). Then the flood of emails of support, and offers to help. I will admit, at first, I was a little sensitive to receive so much immediate support, and ideas to guide me through the process. I thought, "Wow. These people have been thinking I was a huge fatty for a long time and have been wanting me to be less disgusting." Luckily, my more sane side of my brain broke down that thought, and I was encouraged that so many people cared enough about me to help in so many ways.
As word spread, my original idea of 25 people sponsoring $1 per pound started to seem a bit like a parent who wants to take just a couple of photos at their child's birthday party, but at the end of the day, there are hundreds on the camera. It is hard to sort through them all, and you are not sure where to start.
I have a 104 people that have agreed to sponsor my weight loss. I don't know where to start thanking people. Do I write individual emails to everyone? Do I call each person to give my gratitude for their kindness? Do I write thank you cards? And then the answer seemed so simple. The best thank you I could give, is to do my best over the next six months to full-fill your hopes for me. To create a new life-style. To become the person you envisioned when you pledged me. In that way, I will give my best thank you.
With 3 and a half days left, I have been pledged $142 per pound. How cool would it be to reach $150 by Thursday?
Much Love
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
100!
I reached my 100th pledge! Right now, for every pound I lose, $135 will be donated to Relay For Life of Northshore! The American Cancer Society is dedicated to providing support for cancer patients and researching to find a cure. This generosity will go a long way!
Thank you all!
Thank you all!
Thankful at Thanksgiving
Growing up, Thanksgiving meant the same to me as I am sure it did to a lot of you. Family, football, friends and an absurd amount of food. By the time I woke up my mom had already started preparing the stuffing by sauteing some celery, onions and other ingredients in what appeared to be a cube of butter. I would sneak into the kitchen and grab a few of the cookies she had made the night before, and sneak back out to the living room to devour them. I would then enter the kitchen as if I had just woken, and ask if I could have a couple cookies with breakfast. Mom would also say no at first, but I knew if I bugged her enough, she would give in as long as I left her alone so she could cook. I always seemed to figure out how to manipulate a situation to get food.
When my aunts and uncles started to arrive, usually around noon, eating the treats was OK because they were appetizers and we were supposed to eat them. I don't think I was supposed to be eating them in the quantities that I had grown a custom, but what did I care? They were good!
My uncle Jerry was the "Pull my Finger" uncle that always tried to make the kids laugh. He is a big guy, 6 foot 4 inch and probably 300 pounds at the time, and he would take pride in he fact that he would eat Thanksgiving dinner on a platter; not a plate like the rest of us. Of course, when he would pack down two platters worth of food, I was impressed and wanted to be able to do that one day. He told me his "eating secret" once. About an hour before they came over, he would drink a gallon of water really fast. This would expand and stretch his stomach, but the water would work its way out of the body before eating began, allowing him to fit more in his stomach and not feel full. I now regret the fact that I can say I have used this method on a few occasions.
My uncle Jerry has since made changes in his life and seems to have his eating and weight under control. I am impressed and want to be able to do that for myself.
So tomorrow when the cookies are laid out, the stuffing is sauteing in butter, and I convince my younger cousin to pull my finger, I will have a new meaning for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving will be about the 97 people who signed on to sponsor my efforts. Thanksgiving will be about those willing to workout with me, shop with me, cook with me and hold me accountable. And I will be thankful for all the love that they have shown me with their generosity and support.
I have a new "eating secret." It's you. Thank you for being there for me.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Snowball effect
I can honestly say that I thought it would take 2 weeks to recruit 25 people to sponsor me in my weight loss efforts. After just 2 days, over 30 people had offered to pledge, 5 people offered to help me shop, 12 people offered to help me learn how to cook healthy, 9 people offered to help with workout plans, and everyone one of those people offered up their time and energy to help in any other way.
I was overwhelmed by this response. But it did not stop there. People started forwarding the original email. People talked about it at work. People called other family and friends. Emails started flowing in constantly. Voicemails were left on my phone from friends and family who were genuinely excited for me, and they wanted to be a part of my life change. I am humbled by everyone's kindness.
Friends started to get creative with their pledges. $1 per pound up to 50 lbs, and then $2 per pound if I can lose over 50 lbs. Another said, if I can keep the weight off until next year's Relay, they would double this year's donation! Wow! "Hello Motivation. I am Ryan."
Right now, I have 88 people who have pledged to hold me accountable and donate at least $1 per pound. This incredible act of kindness by my family and friends adds up to about $115.50 per pound. It is hard to say the exact amount because of the per pound pledge changes for some people based on if I lose 25, 50, 75 or more.
I still have 13 days before I start on December 1st. Will the snowball keep rolling? I hope so.
I was overwhelmed by this response. But it did not stop there. People started forwarding the original email. People talked about it at work. People called other family and friends. Emails started flowing in constantly. Voicemails were left on my phone from friends and family who were genuinely excited for me, and they wanted to be a part of my life change. I am humbled by everyone's kindness.
Friends started to get creative with their pledges. $1 per pound up to 50 lbs, and then $2 per pound if I can lose over 50 lbs. Another said, if I can keep the weight off until next year's Relay, they would double this year's donation! Wow! "Hello Motivation. I am Ryan."
Right now, I have 88 people who have pledged to hold me accountable and donate at least $1 per pound. This incredible act of kindness by my family and friends adds up to about $115.50 per pound. It is hard to say the exact amount because of the per pound pledge changes for some people based on if I lose 25, 50, 75 or more.
I still have 13 days before I start on December 1st. Will the snowball keep rolling? I hope so.
How this started...
Dear Family and Friends,
I need help. I did not know how to start this email, but that seems to sum it up. I need help.
I have allowed myself to lose control of one aspect of my life that is hindering other parts of my life. I need to be motivated, and be held accountable to make a positive change in my life.
My weight has always been an issue. I was a big kid, who became a big teenager, who became a big college student, who has now become a morbidly obese adult. Not many of you know that last Spring I auditioned for the show Biggest Loser. Some of the people who were in the know, said you are not as big as "those people." In fact, I am bigger than most of those people. And in the past year I have only grown bigger. I thought being on that show would be the motivation I needed. I would be motivated to not let my family and friends down. I would not want to be the guy who got on the show and did not take advantage. Unfortunately, I was not chosen.
For years I dwelled on the fact that my lumbar discs seem to herniate every time I start making progress, or the random staph infection that nearly took my leg. But my back has been feeling good for nearly 2 years and still I have done nothing. I have realized that losing weight is truly not that important to me because I have not even tried to start. But there are a couple of things that are very important to me.
One is my students. I am a passionate teacher, and feel like I am letting my students down. I am a terrible role model living this way. I need to do better for them.
Second is Relay For Life. I have dedicated a huge chunk of my life to this cause because Cancer has affected so many people in my life, and Relay For Life helps me feel like I am doing something to help.
Here is where you can help me with my motivation and accountability. I am asking people to sponsor my weight loss. Minimum is $1 per pound, you can decide on your own maximum. I will start on December 1st to give all of you some time to decide if you would like to help me, and for how much. Then I will do my final weigh-in a week before this year's Relay For Life, May 25th (Relay is June 2nd). This is about 6 months. All the money will be donated to my fundraising efforts for Relay For Life.
Here is what I am hoping for, at least 25 people to donate at least $1 per pound. If I can get that, then in six months if I lose:
25lbs - $625
35lbs - $875
45lbs - $1125
50lbs - $1250
Of course those numbers will be higher if people chose to donate more than $1 per pound. The more money, the more motivation I will have to lose weight. The more people that agree to donate on my behalf, the more people that will be holding me accountable. If I have a meeting, where a candy bowl is always available, I will not be eating any if people in the room are sponsoring my efforts. If I go to a friend's house for dinner, I will not be having any seconds if they are sponsoring my efforts.
Here is what you need to do if you would like to help: Reply to this email with a pledge per pound ($1 minimum. No maximum.) Forward this on to someone who knows me and you think might be interested in helping me. I left the addresses in the bcc, so they may have already received it, but seeing that you are going to help out might make them more likely to help out as well. Also, I don't have everyone's email address.
If you chose to pledge me, on December 1st you will get an email saying we have started, and an update of how many people pledged. This is hard enough for me to admit, so I won't be sharing my actual weight, but I will have people witnessing the weigh ins. Monthly updates will also be sent to those participating.
I know this email got a little lengthy. I hope you consider helping me, and that you find someone else who would help me. The bigger the support web, the more I can accomplish.
Thank you for your consideration!
I need help. I did not know how to start this email, but that seems to sum it up. I need help.
I have allowed myself to lose control of one aspect of my life that is hindering other parts of my life. I need to be motivated, and be held accountable to make a positive change in my life.
My weight has always been an issue. I was a big kid, who became a big teenager, who became a big college student, who has now become a morbidly obese adult. Not many of you know that last Spring I auditioned for the show Biggest Loser. Some of the people who were in the know, said you are not as big as "those people." In fact, I am bigger than most of those people. And in the past year I have only grown bigger. I thought being on that show would be the motivation I needed. I would be motivated to not let my family and friends down. I would not want to be the guy who got on the show and did not take advantage. Unfortunately, I was not chosen.
For years I dwelled on the fact that my lumbar discs seem to herniate every time I start making progress, or the random staph infection that nearly took my leg. But my back has been feeling good for nearly 2 years and still I have done nothing. I have realized that losing weight is truly not that important to me because I have not even tried to start. But there are a couple of things that are very important to me.
One is my students. I am a passionate teacher, and feel like I am letting my students down. I am a terrible role model living this way. I need to do better for them.
Second is Relay For Life. I have dedicated a huge chunk of my life to this cause because Cancer has affected so many people in my life, and Relay For Life helps me feel like I am doing something to help.
Here is where you can help me with my motivation and accountability. I am asking people to sponsor my weight loss. Minimum is $1 per pound, you can decide on your own maximum. I will start on December 1st to give all of you some time to decide if you would like to help me, and for how much. Then I will do my final weigh-in a week before this year's Relay For Life, May 25th (Relay is June 2nd). This is about 6 months. All the money will be donated to my fundraising efforts for Relay For Life.
Here is what I am hoping for, at least 25 people to donate at least $1 per pound. If I can get that, then in six months if I lose:
25lbs - $625
35lbs - $875
45lbs - $1125
50lbs - $1250
Of course those numbers will be higher if people chose to donate more than $1 per pound. The more money, the more motivation I will have to lose weight. The more people that agree to donate on my behalf, the more people that will be holding me accountable. If I have a meeting, where a candy bowl is always available, I will not be eating any if people in the room are sponsoring my efforts. If I go to a friend's house for dinner, I will not be having any seconds if they are sponsoring my efforts.
Here is what you need to do if you would like to help: Reply to this email with a pledge per pound ($1 minimum. No maximum.) Forward this on to someone who knows me and you think might be interested in helping me. I left the addresses in the bcc, so they may have already received it, but seeing that you are going to help out might make them more likely to help out as well. Also, I don't have everyone's email address.
If you chose to pledge me, on December 1st you will get an email saying we have started, and an update of how many people pledged. This is hard enough for me to admit, so I won't be sharing my actual weight, but I will have people witnessing the weigh ins. Monthly updates will also be sent to those participating.
I know this email got a little lengthy. I hope you consider helping me, and that you find someone else who would help me. The bigger the support web, the more I can accomplish.
Thank you for your consideration!
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