March Madness

March was a bumpy month for a lot of the group, in large part because of the natural ebbs and tides of a six-month long commitment. We saw two members removed for non-participation (putting us at 26 active members), smaller losses this month than in January and February, and even some gains. Oops!

But there seems to be serious solidarity among members in the kicking of April’s butt, and we’re getting ready to huddle to bang out April’s playbook and get everyone back on track.

Many thanks to Whole Foods Market in Reno for sponsoring March’s prize, a $100 gift card that went to Bryan W. for the largest percentage of body weight lost this month. Congratulations, Bryan!

Can the rest of us bring it in April? Stay tuned!

Member Spotlight: Sara

Hi, I’m Sara, and I’m February’s winner with 12 lbs lost last month (23 total since January 1)!

I joined this group in January with very little hesitation. I know where I am physically; my mirror and scale don’t lie. I am extremely blessed to have a man in my life that loves my body the way it is… but I don’t. And I haven’t in a long time.

I have joined “loser” competitions before, on a smaller scale, and for shorter time frames. They worked, but I always gained the weight back. I think the reason for that was the short time periods: crash diets and crazy exercise doesn’t work long term.

But I keep joining because I crave competition. It is one of the only things that drives me… even to the point where I have been accused of being “too competitive.” But it’s what I need, and I know it! Thank goodness I have good friends that are willing to be friendly competitors with me!

I have struggled with my weight on and off all of my life, from being bulimic as a teenager, to just giving up the “purging” part as an adult (an unfortunate side effect of bulimia). Binging has always been my downfall. I have also always had a problem with boredom eating and obsessing over food. I still do. But now I’m trying to keep things like frozen grapes and plain popcorn around, so when I do eat out of boredom, I’m not adding an extra 1000 calories a night.

Every single day is a struggle. Getting up in the morning early to go to the gym is easier when I know that people are waiting for me and will be upset if I’m not there, but I won’t lie, there are days when it’s easier to sleep in. I’m just praying that I have more days that I want to get up and go.

Winning is great, but that isn’t my ultimate goal. My ultimate goal is permanent weight loss, and looking good in a wedding dress in September. Better than good! With 23 pounds lost so far I’m off to a good start…45 to go.

Member Spotlight: Shannon

My name is Shannon Kimbrel. I am 36 years young and a full-time working, single mom of three. I am new to the Reno area, having transplanted here from Tahoe City in May of 2009.

People describe me as a “thick” girl. I would like to know when “thick” became the politically correct way of saying someone is fat? I have lived, complacently, as a fat girl for most of my life. Not really happy, not really unhappy.

When my marriage ended, I spiraled downward into depression for the first time in my life. Food was my medication. I realized I was an unhappy person with no passion for life. I was EXISTING.

I was home with a sick kiddo on New Year’s Eve when I stumbled upon the listing for The Biggest Little City Losers on Craigslist. I had been considering joining Weight Watchers (again) and thought that this would be a great alternative. I signed up and almost immediately, had a response and welcome email. The following day, I found myself in the South Reno Athletic Club with 30+ strangers. It felt right from the start. It was a diverse group with a common goal.

January was a great month! For the first time I enjoyed, not dreaded, going to the gym because I saw friendly faces there. Members became friends! Group events and meetings kept us motivated and energized. We experimented with different classes and had a bowling night. Plans for February include roller skating, rock wall climbing and a cooking challenge! We are learning and what we learn, we share with the others on our own website. The support is amazing!

On January 30th, after a long month of eating right and working out, 30 of our members attended our first weigh in. I am very proud to say that I was the biggest loser for the month of January! I lost 18 lbs and 9% of my body weight. I am pleased with my accomplishments but what excited me were the achievements of all my new friends. For me, it was a group victory!

People ask me daily, “What is your goal?” I don’t have a definitive goal. It’s not a number on the scale. I do not want to run a marathon or fit into a bikini by summer. I will say this, though: I want to find my passion in life. Being “thick” has held me back from trying new things. I want to climb a mountain and repel down. I want to go white water rafting. Most of all, I want to learn to scuba dive. For the first time in my life, I feel like these things are within my reach.

Three things that are keeping me on track:

Support – We, the Biggest Little City Losers, want each and every member to succeed in their goals. They are there to push me harder when I want to quit, teach me things I have yet to learn, and lend a shoulder if I need to vent.

Accountability – Yes, my new friends and team will hold me accountable. However, I refuse to disappoint these people, therefore I hold MYSELF accountable for what I am putting into this process.

Motivation – I want it for the right reasons. I want it for me! I refuse to waste anymore of my life just “existing” and I WILL find my passion!!

February is going to be great! I can see it, I can feel it! The energy and enthusiasm is infectious!

I’ll be back with more on February 28th!

What a weigh-in!

So today was the big day: our official 30-day weigh-in. I admit I was a little apprehensive getting ready. But my husband and I packed up the kids and headed to the gym, signed the kids into the gym’s daycare center, then started looking around for fellow contestants. We found a couple of others and all decided to do a quick work out before the weigh-in…maybe it would better our chances on the scale!

Just before 9:30 we met up with the rest of the group by the dreaded scale upstairs. One by one people jumped on the scale, and most were excited about their results! Watching my fellow “losers” were losing pound after pound, I got up the nerve and jumped on myself. After standing there for a little while, I realized that I actually had to move the little markers down for my weight. So I did it, and I loved the results. I lost 16lbs in 30 days! I was so jazzed I think I actually jumped off the scale!

We waited as everyone got their results, and I couldn’t wait to hear how my husband did. When it was his turn to step up, he did even better than I did: he lost 20lbs! A few members didn’t lose as much as they’d hoped, but everyone encouraged them to keep going and reminded them that when we’re building muscle, too, sometimes the scale doesn’t reflect accurate progress. (When I say that our group has a bond like no other, that’s what I mean: everyone banded around and encouraged anyone who felt disappointed.)

Most of the group decided to stay for our Total Body Conditioning class with Brie, a cute SRAC trainer who volunteers to torture us every Saturday morning. I think she does it for the enjoyment of watching us struggle through it (not really, she is an awesome instructor). We got through our class and as usual, took a beating in it. But we left feeling accomplished and excited to see what the new month will bring!

- Maria

Four days ’til weigh-in!

My name is Maria (pronounced Mariah), I am a 33 year-old, stay at home mom of three boys and I run a home daycare. My husband, Patric, and I have been married for almost 10 years.

I have always battled with my weight, but having three kids and then ignoring the problem didn’t help. After my youngest son was born I was diagnosed with high blood pressure, not what I wanted to hear, and about three years ago started noticing how tired I was and that I didn’t have the energy to play with my kids. Then I realized I wouldn’t be able to be around for my boys if I didn’t do something about my weight and health.

My husband has been into martial arts for the last 10 years, but because of the economy he hasn’t been able to actively for awhile, so his health was going downhill too. I had one of my dear friends tell me of this program that was starting in Reno on New Years Day, so I told my husband, and we decided to show up to see what it was all about.

When I showed up to the first meeting, I was a little nervous and even thinking twice about what I was doing. The meeting went well and I actually got to talk to a few of the people I didn’t know (I only knew two besides my husband). I am a very social person so it wasn’t hard for me to adjust, but I think even more was that we all had the same problem. We all had too much extra “baggage” and the lack of people who understand that is usually the one reason I don’t join gyms. I have always been on the big side and that gave me something to overcome when meeting new people. But now it was something I had in common, which was almost as comforting as chocolate.

So we all went our separate ways on January 1, with not much more than a private group web site connecting us. I became addicted to the site, and found myself on it more than Facebook. I was checking on my team mates, seeing when people were going to the gym so maybe I could meet them there. With a daycare and three boys I have a hectic schedule, so meeting at the gym isn’t always ideal, but I found myself rearranging my schedule as much as I could to get there. The more I went to the gym, I met more people and everyone I met was so supportive! I started to feel as if I had known these new friends for years.

We had our 1st team challenge that Saturday, kinda scary having only spent time with our teams for an hour a week ago. But it was a very well-laid out obstacle course, and, to our dismay, Team 2 won. (We will get them next time!) Everyone seemed in good spirits, so we took the tour offered by the gym. That’s when friendship started to build, we were all just cracking jokes and laughing.

Our first official weigh-in is still a few days away, but when we started this journey I weighed in at 338 lbs (ouch) and couldn’t even use my Wii Fit, due to the 330lbs limit. After being very discouraged and wanting to give up, I got on the web site. After looking around at comments people were posting, I thought: I shouldn’t be on the computer! So I found an exercise show on TV that I knew I had passed them up numerous times before. I did a whole show and then some yoga. So then I had to tell all my new friends that I didn’t give up. I got so much encouragement that I knew I couldn’t give up on this group.

So now three weeks have gone by since we started, and it seems like just yesterday I met my new friends. We have seen each other at the gym, hung out at the bowling alley, and even met for a day at the spa. I can’t wait until our official weigh-in, because I know I’ve lost at least enough that I can now use my Wii Fit!!!! So I can’t wait to see what I have actually dropped!

I will leave you with this for now, but I’ll be back. I’m going to try rockclimbing at Rocksport with another team mate, and will let everyone know how that goes. Until then just remember whatever you set to accomplish, you can be your own worst enemy. Take some friends along, they will keep you plugging away!

- Maria

Member voted out, group feeling changes for the better

The Biggest Little City Losers January mid-month meeting was held tonight at South Reno Athletic Club, where we discussed changes we’re experiencing (from confidence boosts to energy levels to newfound interests in exercise), upcoming challenges, and made a decision to vote out a member of the group who hadn’t participated since we began – leaving us with a solid 34.

We’re just five days away from weigh-in. The winner this month will receive a great prize package from discount indie bookstore, Grassroots Books. Stay tuned!

Two weeks down, 23 to go

Is that some long-lost definition I see beginning to re-emerge?

You wouldn’t know by watching and listening to us when we meet at the gym that we’ve only known each other for barely a couple of weeks. Friendships are being forged, workout partners are hooking up to support each other, sub-groups for boot camps and athletic classes are taking shape around interests. This project has taken on a life of its own, and some days I feel like I get my workout in just trying to keep up. I’ll take it!

We’ve got some hardcore members who’ve grabbed the bull by the horns, to use a terrible cliche, and are still hitting the gym just about every day, pounding it out, sticking to routine, pushing through the urge to let up or take a break. But for many of us, the honeymoon of the hyper-energized first week is over, and that weighted sense of hard work and long-term commitment has kicked in.

We don’t have a Jillian Michaels hovering over us, pushing us on (or a contract that says we have to or face legal action, for that matter) and so that motivation has to come from within, and from each other. And we’re workin’ it. I’m VERY encouraged that there’s only been one day of the past 14 that I’ve walked into South Reno Athletic Club and not run into at least one or two of our 35 members there working out at the same time, and several members have walked away from the scale smiling this week. Let’s keep it up!

Check back in a few days to see how our group’s exclusive Beginner’s Total Body Workout class with hardcore SRAC trainer, Brie, goes this Saturday. Wish us luck!