Weight-Loss Essay Contest For Fat Loss

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theleip

theleip

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I am holding an essay contest with all kinds of prizes!

Why an essay, because sometimes things don't change until you say it out loud or write it down for the world to see. Because fat loss is just as much emotion as it is science. Really give taking part in this thought, you have nothing to lose, and maybe you might realize some important things about yourself and I hope to realize even more about myself.

Between March 27th and April 10th send in to me your essay. What should the essay include?

* -Current stats-age/height/weight/
* -Goal stats you wish to achieve
* -Your story, what led you to this point, how your life took the course it is on. What you have tried for fat loss, what has worked for you, what hasn’t. The emotional roadblocks that you battle with. Basically your life story and how it involves your health, your fitness, your fat loss.
* -Why you would want a trainer and what you think they could do for you.

Why is that last part so important?
Because here is what the winners get.

On April 11th I will decide on the winners. There is going to be the 1st place grand prize winner and then 2nd and 3rd place.



That’s it!
Some hints for being chosen as the winner.

* -Really go there, don’t be afraid to dig down deep. Change takes change, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. This information is private and will never be shared unless YOU want it to be.
* -Everything and the kitchen sink-The more you give me, the better I understand your dreams and the better I can help make them come true.
* -Ask others to help you-If you are stuck and don’t know where to start, have your family or loved ones come together on you with it. Sometimes those around you can see more than you think about your frustrations and hardships.

I am very excited about this and can’t wait to hear your stories and be apart of help for that change. Remember it takes nothing to enter except to open up a bit, so don’t count yourself out, don’t think that your story isn’t good enough. I am not choosing based on the most weight needing to be lost or the worst pain. I am choosing based on those who really want that change, those that really desire to start a new place in their life. It could be 5 lbs or 200lbs, I don’t care, just prove it to me, show me your desire and allow me to reward it!

Please send all essay or inquires to info@avidityfitness.net
OR
POST THEM IN THIS THREAD so that others here can be inspired by your story! Either way get it out there!
 
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Wow.... Whata cool thing to do.

I gotta say Leigh, thats a pretty damn cool thing to do. I may just have to write an essay for you myself, though I am not interested in the prizes. Not that they don't have value, but I know there are people out there who could benefit from them even moreso than myself. I am already half way to my goal and I have boundless confidence and energy to make it the rest of the way. Now if you did decide my essay had merit I would be thrilled to receive any prize. As a motivational tool though this is a fantastic idea. I am sure many people out there would love to have a place to "let it all hang out" as it were. Good on ya man, my opinion of you just keeps getting better.

I honestly thought recently of holding a little motivational contest myself. I don't have much to offer in the way of prizes, other than I was going to write and dedicate a new song for my website for the winner. Could be a love song for their spouse, a song about their journey or a song about their dog, wouldnt matter. I just felt I wanted to give something back to the group. It is amazing how much I feel I have grown here in such a short time and if I could do some silly little thing to give even a tiny bit more motivation to someone, I would be happy to do so. I will certainly give it some thought....

But once again let me say how cool I think this whole essay contest of yours is. I think it is a great idea, getting people to write their inner most feelings down. Only by confronting and truly seeing our inner demons can we hope to defeat them. Good luck with the contest, I hope you receive a ton of essays.

sirant
 
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Thanks a lot Sirant, that is exactly what this is all about...inspiration.

Inspiration to myself and to others. I do hope that you enter, I would love to hear more about your story.

I think your idea is wonderful, I have looked at your site and it is great. I know trainers always looking to add various music to dvd's and audio releases, if you provide that kind of original work you should send me some info so I can send along your info if it ever comes out.

Someway shape or form we can can all make our part in someones dream. At least the is the goal we should strive for. :D
 
rather than having the entries submitted to you privately -I'd love to be able to read them -- whether it's the person postning them themselves or anonymously thru you - but for most of us - it's been a long strange trip to get to where we've been and to where we're going... and this may purely be my ego speaking for the obese among us - the journey is a lot different than those losing those last 10 vanity pounds - both important but really different mindsets...

anyhow -I'd love to read the submissions
 
maleficent said:
and this may purely be my ego speaking for the obese among us - the journey is a lot different than those losing those last 10 vanity pounds - both important but really different mindsets...
Click to expand...

I don't think this is your ego speaking...

There is a huge difference in mindset between someone who only has 10-30 pounds to lose and someone who looks down the barrel of 100+ pounds.

For those of us who have been obesely overweight, it's more then just working out for 3 months and saying "Oh wow...do I look good." It's about working for over a year and thinking, "Oh wow...do I still have more work ahead of me."

That brings the subject to a whole new level - where inspiration isn't a passing need - it's damn well imperative.

HUGE difference in my book.

anyhow -I'd love to read the submissions
Click to expand...

I would too - the inspirational stories I've read here is what keeps me going - helps me know that there's no room for giving up.

Leigh, this is a FANTASTIC idea - I don't know if I'll have anything to submit, I'm not a writer but I would so love to be able to read the essays!
 
Thank you guys for the responses. They of course be posted here! Even in this thread. I will edit the main post to include that as an option. It will just be the choice of people:)
 
Any format you want, it can just be an email with attached pictures, it can be in word.doc. I realize that people in general are not that computer or software savy, so any means of how you want to send it in is fine by me.
 
Ok being the attention whore that I am -I'll be brave and post my entry - for someone who harbors a secret desire of being a writer some day - when I take away the funny and get real - my writing skills really suck... ah well - here's my story...

Goal
My real goal is overall fitness - I have a weight in mind but as I get closer to it –that might change so I’m not stuck on it…

The Story of Maleficent…

Being ready to do something is when you've had enough - and you're ready to do it for you... and only you - not because someone else wants you to do it - even though you know it's the right thing to do - you have to do it purely for yourself:

There’s a back story on what I had to get back into my head in order to get myself doing what I needed to do…for me... on a certain readiness for the long journey that lied and continues to lie ahead… Are you really ready to do this? No one can tell a person when they are ready – it’s a certain point that they reach in their life where they say enough… I’ve had more than one of those moments in my life –and this is the story… I’ve never told this story before. My story telling skills aren’t the best – my other stories tend to improve with age –this one – is still a virgin. The only reason why I don’t tell it much is that it surprises anyone who knows me for more than 5 minutes –because I am such a no bull shit person – but – everyone has a past – and people aren’t always what they seem.


When I was in my late 20s I was engaged to what everyone thought was a great guy... smart, funny, charming, good looking - some, I'm sure, even wondered what he was doing with me - as I was never really considered pretty - I had a great personality but wasn't pretty - but he seemed to like me... At some point we moved in together... and things were going well... then a series of events of the course of an evening happened and the man I was going to marry wasn't the man I knew - I didn't recognize the temper the rage, the anger – directed at me... I know I can be annoying but not that annoying... the next morning - it was like i dreamed it - we didn't speak of the night before - it was like it never happened... and we went on about our lives...

In real life, I'm not a confrontational type person, but I was even less so in my 20s. A few weeks later it happened again - and I wondered if it really was something I did that caused it... my fiancé, Bruce, was heading out of town that night and I was meeting my best friend, Tom, for a drink - Bruce didn't like my relationship with tom and that's sort of what provoked the incident... When I met Tom later that night, I had taken off my jacket and tom spotted a rather large bruise I had - and asked about it (my clumsiness was legendary) I made up some story about how I got it and Tom didn't say a word.

A few weeks later, I had a new bruise to explain... and again weeks later... Tom had asked me if there was anything I wanted to talk about - Nope - (never was the talking type -I think if the internet existed back then, I might have spilled my guts - but talking has always been a serious challenge for me - writing is easy) As we were leaving he bar - he grabbed my hand and said to me - I can't do it for you, you have to do it for yourself and I'll be here when you're ready (in addition to being a great friend he was also a really smart guy too – there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t miss him.)

The final straw - I had gotten back into the apartment later than expected because of something at work. Bruce asked if I had been to the dry cleaner to pick up his clothes... I hadn't because I worked late. The sky basically fell - He screamed and yelled and called me all sorts of names which I still occasionally hear in my head - I stood there, with my keys in my hand my coat still on. He looked at me and yelled - are you listening to me you stupid bitch? I blinked a few times, and I got it, finally, and said -nope, not anymore and I took my ring off, left it on the table in the hallway and walked out of the apartment for the last time. I left because I had enough, because I was ready... because I could finally do it for me...

Fast forward to last March – when I was just getting over a broken heart from a guy who I had a really nice friendship with – and professed his undying love for me – based on my personality – I was awesome I was wonderful I was the best thing that ever happened to him – a 5 month relationship had me dipping my feet back in the pool of love - something I had avoided for years – was way too much hassle… Well Mr. Wonderful and I decided to meet up – this was a relationship that developed over a cyber argument and nursing him thru a failed marriage… I thought we had a strong bond. Mr. wonderful – after spending a few days with me –decided I wasn’t attractive enough for him and while I had a great personality – he wanted more… and I think the thing that hurt the most and what I missed the most was the friendship – love affairs come and go – friendship is better and I wasn’t even worthy of his friendship – well after a month or two of wallowing in the depths of despair –I kicked myself in the ass and said enough – and started my lifestyle change and slowly, very methodically - I did change my life… by changing my habits… Why? Because I was finally ready to do it for me – because I had enough of the person I was… and was ready to become the new me.

My confidence or rather lack of confidence in my personal life is my biggest obstacle in my success in anything – theoretically I know I’m smart and can do whatever I put my mind to - I also know I’m a relatively good person with a good heart and can be a very good friend – but there are the voices in my head that say otherwise - those voices that have judged me over the years:
  • My mothers voice that I'll never be pretty -I'll never be as good as my sister (the married one with the children) or smart like my brother.
  • Bruce’s voice in heated moments telling me I wasn't good enough or smart enough that I was lucky he wanted me
  • The blind dates and other dates I've had over the years who while not greek gods themselves felt I didn't measure up purely because of what I looked like
  • Too many people in my life who didn’t think I measured up to their expectations.
Those inner voices are still quite loud - telling me I'm ugly, I'm unattractive, and it doesn't matter what I weigh, I'll always be unattractive and never good enough – but I’m working on quieting them – some days it’s a lot harder than others – there is a sensible voice that says - you can do this you will reach your goal- you are doing this for you... And there’s also that inner bitch who says damn right you can do this if only to prove all the doubters who said you couldn't wrong)

The voice in my head I’ve been hearing all along but gets louder if I listen – is the what if’s – what if everything I’ve blamed my weight on over the past 20 years or so – is still there when I am satisfied with my body – then what? Can I start to blame my hair? I’ve tried that – and didn’t get far… And will it become a lot harder when or if people reject me because of me and not just because I’m fat… I suppose it’s a bridge I’ll cross when I come to it… if I come to it… It’s one more voice that needs to shut up.

In the past 11 months, 60 + inches, and 140lbs I know I've come a long way - and I know i have a long way to go - I was never a sit on the couch and eat McDonalds and watch tv for hours kind of person, I got fat by not paying attention to what I was eating -I've become very aware of everything I eat. I've always been a walker - even at 383lbs walking didn't scare me - I might not have gone as fast, and I might have needed breathing breaks, but walking didn’t scare me... Stairs intimidated me - now in my apartment, I head for the stairs instead of the elevator for the 2 flights, even after walking 4.5 miles home from work - I'm challenging myself to do a 3 day 60 mile walk in a few months - which I know I will succeed...

My entire life I was always trying to lose weight for someone else - my mother, to be as thin as the girls in the dorm, to get guys to find me attractive - for every reason but the only important one... It's because I want to do it for me - like my friend Tom told me – one of the few people in my life who loved me for the person I was and saw me for the person I am - I can’t do it for you – you have to do it for you – took me a lot of years to get that… and I am doing it.. for me… The victories I have had make me feel good and it’s something that I can almost be proud of… almost –I’m not quite there yet... Because I want to it is what keeps me on my path – not because I need to – or because I should or because someone else wants me to or thinks I should – this is a pure want – I want a better body, I want to be healthier, I want to feel better about me – for not other reason than it’s what I deserve and I’ve doing and will continue to do the work it takes to get me there....
 
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Part II I'm incredibly long winded

Change isn’t an easy thing for a person to do… Anyone who tells you otherwise hasn’t really changed anything. If it were way, everyone would be doing it. When I left Bruce, I had one of those ‘what the fuck are you going to do?’ moments. In my head, I knew it wasn’t a healthy relationship and I had to leave, but there were good times and the known is sometimes better than the unknown… But change had to happen… and it did.

When I changed my lifestyle choices - I had a very similar ‘what the fuck am I going to do now’ moments again. I knew my relationship with food wasn’t healthy but it was a comfort and my weight wasn’t so much a comfort but it was a safety buffer. Change had to happen… and it is… slowly…

When I was traveling so much, as much as 100, 000 miles a year, upgrades to First Class were common for me, and a blessing, but it was always embarrassing asking the flight attendant for that extender so I could buckle the seat belt around me… Or if the prayers to the gods of upgrades didn’t come thru, that moment of panic when I realize I might have to have someone sitting next to me or worse, be the person in the middle seat – I was always embarrassed by my size but the looks I’d get from others like I had leprosy or something if god forbid they’d have to share space with me for 2 hours was awful…Thankfully those days are now behind me but I won’t ever forget them…

My reasons might be vanity related - but the main reason is because it's for me...and I absolutely CAN do this and I’m never going back to where I was.


What you have tried for fat loss, what has worked for you, what hasn’t.
Let's see -- when in high school, my mother decided I was fat ( I really wasn't I just wasn't 5'2 and 110 lbs like my sister - I wasn;t cute and petite - I was very athletic and solidly built) and took me to a weight loss doctor who put me on a Scarsdale style diet high protein, low carb, very low calorie -which led to sneaking food and my eating habits became horrible - (Yah I can make excuses for anything) - I was a closet binger - but I also played a lot of sports so my weight stayed pretty constant... College was more about binging with beer and then starving every other time.

After college and entering the workforce, my time for athletics was non-existent and my eating habits were still horrible – I deluded myself into thinking I never ate anything fried or fast food, so I wasn’t doing anything bad – pizza was good for me – had all the five basic food groups. So from my mid 20s on I started gaining weight - and started to feel unattractive, which is possibly a reason why I stayed in the relationship with Bruce as long as I did. My 30s my job had me traveling constantly -like 45 weeks of the year - where my meals would be 3 Starbuck’s skim milk lattes and a low fat muffin before lunch, some sort of sandwich for lunch (I never ate fast food unless it was waiting out a flight delay in an airport) and dinner would be late at night, served via room service while working in the hotel - I thought I ate healthy - i was totally wrong – again I deluded myself into thinking - I’m not eating fast food –I am eating healthy –calories I never considered .

Some diets I tried - the Susan Powter stop the insanity infomercial diet -which was low protein, high carb, no fat... my hair fell out in clumps and I looked a lot older than I was - but I lost a bunch of weight, til I came down with pnemonia (not for the diet but who knows) and I gained it all back and then some. I think I tried the mayo clinic grapefruit diet for a few days – restriction doesn’t work for me… as well as the cabbage soup diet and ridiculously low calorie diets. Atkins I didn't last more than 4 days on - no point to butter if you can't have it on a potato. Weight watcher’s was too restrictive I was always hungry and the portion sizes were too small plus I hated the meetings I lost 15lbs and gave up... I realize now, um teen years later, that it wasn't so much the plans that failed for me - but that I failed the plans because I wasn't in the right mindset to actually lose weight... those words - I can't do it for you - you have to it for yourself will always stay with me -- I expected a plan to do the work for me - and not realized that I had to make the plan for for me.

What did finally work for me – paying attention to what I ate and eating a reasonable amount of calories, which some might say are low but it worked for me and I’ll change it if I need to - -at 300 + I was probably at 2500 calories a day, now I’m somewhere around 1700 – 2000 calories.

* -Why you would want a trainer and what you think they could do for you.
I had a trainer for a few sessions a few months ago when I first joined a gym and she had all sorts of fancy certifications…. it didn't work for me - I’m not sure if it was a personality fit (I’m a little bossy) or she just wasn’t listening to me – or more importantly I wasn’t being clear in my needs - I really don't need encouragement, i don't need prodding, I don’t need a cheerleader. I need more tools to educate myself... and the ability to make my own decisions. There are some things I’ve got trouble with and maybe it’s a mental thing or maybe its just me –but even back when I was Susie athlete – I couldn’t do a crunch or a pushup – it’s frustrating to have someone tell you that you should be able to do them when you’re still 80lbs overweight and no where near the shape I was in in high school… Education (including book reccomandations and alternatives are what I need… I’ll get to where I need eventually - I just might take an alternate route J

Thanks for listening.. erm reading..

(and I think I kept the smartassery to a minimum – I’m trying to get taken seriously :D
 
I hope you do as well.

I have gotten some really amazing essays so far, keep them coming! Only 9 days left till winner is announced!
 
hey mal! that was a fantastic read! I wish i had met people like you in the "stupid Phase" of my life. saying that reading ur essay was inspirational or motivational just isn't enough! i don't know how to pen it down but u touched me. i've read countless stories of fat girls triumphing, overcoming their shortcomings and getting the guy or job of their dreams. But i could never relate to it as i related to yours. Thankyou. Thankyou for edging me along my path a few more steps.
 
I simply have to say that the essay from Maleficient was beyond beautiful and touching.

THANK YOU for sharing that Mal!!!
 
Leigh P. said:
That is what these essays are about, I hope you think of submitting one yourself
Rashmi:)
Click to expand...

i will Leigh. i'm halfway through it!:)
 
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