I'm a Big Loser

It seems I have entered myself into a new 'lose weight to build camaraderie with my co-workers' program. Maybe one or two of you readers remember my days competing in the Biggest Loser competition at my old job (memory jogger: whoever won got a week away at a spa). 

Those days were stupendous. I just remember being really motivated (because I had to be weighed in front of my teammates) and really trying to be healthy (because I wanted the spa trip so badly). Sadly, I did not win...or make it to the final four and therefore did not get to lounge around blissfully pool-side while getting my feet massaged.

My new company announced a few weeks ago that they would be hosting a similar competition with a few differences. There are no weigh-ins and everything is measured in "Life Points". Overall, it is way less competitive and barely anyone gets all up in my business about how many "Life Points" I have earned in a day.

Essentially, to win, you have to exercise or participate in some sort of physical activity and for however many minutes you did said exercise is how many points you get for the day. And exercise is quite a loose term because upon reading the rules online, I realized that if I vacuumed my apartment I could record 15 "Life Points" for the day. And all of this is recorded on an honor system.

At my old company, we taunted each other mercilessly and to stay in the game you had to lose weight or you were finito my friend. We played legitimately by the rules of the TV show. 

I have to admit, I do like the fact that I have a bigger chance of making it to the final rounds of this new competition since I do a fair share of walking to work everyday. And my team captain sends us out emails on a daily basis motivating us to do better and drink more water (because for every 8 glasses you drink a day you earn "Bonus Life Points"). 

But I can't help but wish this competition was a little more fierce to pump me up. I have like zero motivation to be active since they aren't telling us what the prize is yet and I'm scared it's going to be like a $25 Target gift card and a membership to our building's lame-o gym (which I wouldn't hate, but really motivate me with something great people!). 

So here is my plea. What are some things that motivate you to lose weight? And do any of you workout at work (like running around the building at lunch type of thing)? Because my team captain would love it if we power-walked everywhere and anywhere.

The Biggest Winner

When I told you about my drunken escapades out west, I forgot to mention one thing. 

My company gym is doing a new program called "The Biggest Winner," much like the show The Biggest Loser and what WG2 did at work in the spring. Since I've been paying $60 a month for the gym in my work building and haven't worked out in months, I thought this would be the perfect motivation to get my ass to the gym. In order to participate you need to be on a group of 4. 

So, what does this have to do with WG1 getting wasteface, you ask? 

Well, during all of the drunkenness Michael Scott mentioned that he wanted to participate in the program. I told me I wanted to also. Now, we're on the same team. Along with my female boss and another coworker. We get weighed-in once a week and will soon start bi-weekly tandem workouts.

My coworkers think this is the most hysterical thing ever. Almost every day Michael Scott asks me if I worked out or when I'm working out or if I weighed-in yet. While this a sufficiently awkward situation for me, it's also helping me to develop a working relationship with Michael Scott. 

For example, last week a coworker of mine informed me that Michael Scott's daughter was dressing up as the same thing I was for Halloween: Hannah Montana. Upon learning this, I went to his office and asked what she was going to wear. Because she's like 7, she was able to purchase a special Hannah Montana costume. Something they do not have for adults. Yes, I checked. Before the drunkenness and "The Biggest Winner" I would not have spoken to Michael Scott about it because I would have felt weird. 

So, wish me luck! I need to get my act together, get my ass to the gym and help my team win otherwise it could get really awkward. 

I Lost (But Not Enough)

It truly pains me to announce that I have officially lost the title of 'Biggest Loser' of my company. I think what really pains me about this fact is not that I rightfully lost more weight than my competitors (because I don't think I lost as much as Nikki who lost all her baby weight to stay in the game), but because I could truly taste my victory. I could smell the citrus lotions that would be used for my spa treatments at Rancho La Puerta. I had picked out what hikes I would participate in, what fitness classes I would take, and even what meals I would partake in with my fellow spa-goers. 

Even a week later, I sometimes find myself thinking 'don't eat that piece of cake or you won't be eating your spa cuisine in Mexico in a month'. My dream of a week-long spa vacation has been ruined by the Finance Alliance.

The Finance Alliance was formed back during week one of the competition and has been dominating the votes the entire game. I thought I had flown underneath the radar long enough to stay in the 'Biggest Loser' competition until the final four but I was wrong.

While I was vacationing in sunny, 80-degree weather Las Vegas for my faux Spring Break 2008 I slept in until noon almost everyday (it was a vacation after all). The time change was really a killer for me and when I called the office to put in my ballots for vote-off's it was already almost the end of the work day for my co-workers.

It was then that I found that even if I had called in on time to vote that it wouldn't have mattered – every single competitor left had voted me off! To say I was shocked and appalled would be putting it lightly. It did help, however, that we had just ordered room service that morning and I had already had a mimosa and was preparing to sit at the pool all day instead of sitting at my dreary cubicle being taunted by the remaining 'Biggest Losers'.

While I am truly upset I didn't get to vacation to Mexico for a week of spa treatments and utter relaxation, I am proud of that I lost fifteen pounds during this game and that the competition has brought me closer to people in the office I wouldn't have known otherwise (like my Board Member teammate and the new girl that worked in our office upstairs that I had never met).

I'm a loser – just not the biggest. 

Still in the Running

When reading the header of this post, you might think I plan to discuss the presidential debate and give you a million and one reasons to vote for Hilly (too soon for a nickname?) since she could potentially be the first woman President of the United States. While we should probably give her a shout-out soon or at least have a guest blogger post about her since WG1 and I are not known for our knowledge of politics (reality shows yes, politics not so much), today, I’m writing about a different campaign - a campaign close to my heart and I mean that literally because after The Biggest Loser competition at work ends and I'm not the winner, I’m pretty sure my heart will ache for years to come if I don't get the grand prize of a week-long spa trip paid for by the higher-up's of my company.

While I wish I could say I have lost more weight, I have only lost 6 pounds after four weeks, which is just two pounds shy of my goal weight at the month mark. I have been trying to lose at least two pounds per week, but unfortunately long weekends, hung over food, and maybe one too many glasses of wine (hey, it was V-Day after all!) have prevented me from reaching negative eight pounds.

And while I've only lost a mere six pounds to my other components ten and sixteen pound losses, I'm still in the running to be the next Biggest Loser of my company. And this fight hasn’t been pretty either. Two weeks in, I saw a forty-year old Cuban man practically burst some blood vessels when he was voted off his team the Jelly Bellies. Let's just say his outburst was so bad he's still not speaking to me (and I wasn't even on his team and therefore did not vote him out of the game). This game is slightly out of control, but of course it adds extreme enjoyment to my days toiling at my cubicle. 

Truthfully, I made an alliance back on day one so I'm not too concerned about being thrown out this far in the game. But in two weeks I have to step up my game because the competition is going to change big time. After the seventh weigh-in, all the teams will be clumped into one large team and whoever loses the most weight will become The Biggest Loser. 

I never wanted to be a loser so badly. 

I Will Be the Biggest Loser

I hate dieting. I prefer McDonald's over Lean Cuisine and take-out Chinese food over homemade dinners. I used to be good at exercising at least twice a week, now I'm lucky if I work out twice a month. And it shows. And mostly I blame my leniency with what food I put in my body and how often I exercise on work. It's easier to get fast food when you only have an hour to eat and I get home late so I don't have time to make it to the gym. This my rationale at explaining how I've suddenly gained ten pounds since entering the work force.

I never thought, however, that the solution to my problem would be what I deem my nemesis – the workplace. Research has started to show that workplace diets are becoming more and more prevalent in the United States. Mainly because group dieting has proven to be more effective than dieting alone is. A lot more "enlightened" companies are beginning to offer healthier lunches in their cafeterias, lunchtime exercise programs, on-site gym facilities, and my personal favorite "Biggest Loser" competitions where employees compete over a period of time for a large prize for losing the most weight.

Even I, Working Girl Two self-proclaimed hater of diets, have joined in on the workplace diet phase and have entered my company's "Biggest Loser" competition. My company is trying to follow the actual show's rules as closely as possible, which means we were separated into five teams of six, told to elect team captains, and were assigned colors to tell us apart. You are now looking at the red team captain (oh, and our team name is "The Milky Weighers" in case you want a good chuckle today). Every week, we get weighed in and we are judged on the percentage of weight we have lost. According to that, our teams go back and deliberate on who should be voted off (yes, Survivor style). Eventually, like on the show, the teams will condense into four individual players who will then compete for the grand prize. And oh, how grand this prize is…a week-long spa vacation including airfare paid for by our CEO (and no, this doesn't count for the one week vacation I get yearly, this is in addition). I think you now understand why I have entered.

Even though my teammates and I have only been dieting for a week now, I am already starting to feel better about myself. I've visibly begun to lose some weight (although I'm told this is just water weight), am starting to enjoy low-calorie, low-fat pre-packaged meals, and am sweating like a pig at the gym every night. And let me tell you, it feels great. And the only reason that I'm able to do this is because of my co-workers. Every day, they come over to check what I'm having for lunch (today was Lean Cuisine Mac & Cheese which was delicious!) and even gave me tips before I went off for a long weekend filled with day drinking and basketball games – I was warned to only drink clear liquor, light beer, and to avoid nachos and hot wings. And to my surprise, I didn't eat any pizza or French fries because I didn't want to disappoint my team when I step on that scale this Friday.

A few quick tips from the pro (that means me), try to bring your lunches everyday and this will reduce your need for a taco from the restaurant around the corner. A special tip, try going early to work on Monday and stopping at a local supermarket to purchase meals. This way, you'll have your lunches for the week right at your fingertips. Don't skip breakfast – eat an apple or some oatmeal instead. And last but not least, try teaming up with someone at work. If you're doing this for someone else instead of just for yourself, odds are you won't cheat as much.

For more tips on staying skinny at your workplace, click here for 8 ways to stay healthy.