The Biggest Loser Revelation

Can you believe that, in exactly one week, we will be celebrating Christmas Day?!

Yeah, me neither.

Thanksgiving needs to come a little sooner next time, this losing-a-week-of-preparing business just isn't cutting it.

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Last night, Chris and I watched The Biggest Loser while waiting for The Voice Finale to come on. I used to be an avid Biggest Loser fan and watched them a little religiously, but over the years, I kind of just stopped following it. It became too much of a game and not about the contestants losing weight, and I didn't particularly like that.

I haven't really watched this season, either, but usually nothing else is on during the 8:00pm hour on Tuesday nights. And since The Voice comes on the same channel, and we do watch it religiously (yay Tessanne!), we normally decide to watch The Biggest Loser as well.

I'm going to chase a small rabbit real quick, but I promise I'll tie it back to The Biggest Loser. Just bear with me for a moment.

24 years ago, I was super chunky.

And I mean super chunky.

I was a chunky baby!

There are plenty of pictures in my parents' house to back me up on that, too.

Unfortunately.

Once I became a toddler, I started thinning out. By the time I was in Pre-K, I was small. When 1st grade rolled around, I was a twig.

It's a little ridiculous how small I was.

I remember having to wear 'slims' in the little girls' department because the 'regulars' fell off of my waist.

Then puberty hit.

I got the thick thighs, big arms, and the struggle with weight.

I didn't get the acne, though, which was nice. But I didn't get boobs either. Not sure if I got the great end of that deal or not... 
I also lost my ability to do a toe-touch.

Now, I am not saying I became overweight! But being right around the 100 lb. mark, then, all of a sudden, being around the 125-130 lb. mark was a little bit of a shock and an adjustment for me. I wasn't used to having all of this extra 'stuff' to carry around and to get up in the air when I was dancing.

Because I danced 3-4 days a week, I was in pretty good shape. Even after womanhood showed up with its lovely gifts, I was able to manage it and stay decently fit. I wasn't really toned, but I definitely burned off just about everything I ate. That meant that I could eat pretty much whatever I wanted and I didn't have to worry about it.

Until I graduated high school and stopped dancing competitively.

From the time I graduated until now, my weight has been a thorn in my side. It feels like it only takes one or two Thirst Busters from Circle K for me to gain 5 lbs. One day, my jeans are loose. The next day, they are tight. No washing in between!

This is not including my monthly visit of Aunt Flow, either! Throw that into the mix, and I never knew what was going to fit in my closet from one day to the next.

It sucks being a woman sometimes.

The smallest I have been since I turned 18 was for the wedding and honeymoon. I wasn't tiny, but I didn't have to suck my gut in, which was a huge accomplishment I hadn't reached before. From the time we became engaged to the moment we left our wedding in the getaway vehicle, I was very conscious of what I was eating and drinking, and what I was doing to get into my dress without breaking the zipper. There were definitely times I ate things I shouldn't have and laid on a couch instead of lifting weights, but I usually felt guilty of it and made up for it somehow.

I'm married now. No more wedding dress. No more honeymoon. The ring is on my finger, it's too cold for a bikini, and I need to catch up on all of the amazing-ness I didn't enjoy while getting ready to walk down the isle.

No lie, I have gained at least 10 lbs. in 4 months. AT LEAST! My jeans are starting to not fit, I have bigger dimples in my thighs than the ones on Mario Lopez's face, I can't even suck my gut in without still having a gut!

Not to mention that I am back to my old pale self, which I have not seen in over 4 years.

The princess I looked like on my wedding day has now turned into a blob.

A pale blob.

A pale blob with dimple-covered thighs.

Not attractive.

Okay. Small rabbit has been chased, now back to the original topic.

The Biggest Loser season for this year is about second chances. From what I can gather, many of these used to be athletes. At least one was an Olympian and one was a competitive swimmer. All are battling obesity.

Something dawned on me while watching it last night: at the rate I'm going, I could end up on this show, too.

Hear me out before you start calling/texting/Facebooking/commenting on here.

Because I was so worried about being thin for the wedding, I have enjoyed being free of that stress a little too much.

I also haven't been cooking the healthiest meals in the world. Chris and I both love casseroles that have ground beef, pasta, and cheese in them. Not always the best combination when you want to get back in shape.

Trying to adjust to being a wife, a nanny, and a dance teacher has not left much time to hit the gym, and when I do have time, I just don't have the energy.

Or Chris doesn't have the energy.

Or we would just rather eat.

Either way, we don't get the exercise we need.

I thought if I wore gym clothes today, that I would actually work out while the baby slept.

I have eaten a bowl of oatmeal, two Little Debbie Santa brownies, a Snickers ice cream bar, and a Zaxby's Big Zak Snak.

Have I worked out? Nope. Not at all.

I've just been super comfy while I stuffed my face.

I am definitely not saying that I am obese. I joke around with Chris all of the time about how 'fat' I am, and part of me thinks that's true, but my common sense knows that there's a difference between being out of shape and being obese.

But if I don't change my habits, I'm well on my way to being more than just out of shape.

So, after Christmas, there's going to be a little bit of a life change in the Johns household. We're not going paleo or all-organic, but we will be making some alterations in our diet and exercise routines.

For instance, no longer will we make plans to go to the gym and then back out because we're tired. We are going! I'm not going to continue on de-grading myself because I don't look like I did 4 months ago, and not do anything about it.

I'm also going to start cooking more dinners that do not include so much processed food. It's amazing how many extra calories and other not-so-good-for-you stuff is tucked away in the shortcut-way of cooking!

But after Christmas, though. That would be cruel to start a diet when there's Christmas cookies calling my name.

I can definitely begin by not eating so much junk food in one day. That stuff makes me feel gross, anyways.

I am also going to start using the tanning bed again. Yes, I know it's not good for me and my skin. Yes, I know it's okay to be pale.

Being tan makes me feel pretty, so tan I will be!

All in all, I'm gaining weight and becoming lazy, so I'm going to change. I'm understanding that I don't have an excuse to be the shape I want to be in, and my body may not be able to be in the shape I would like for it to be in after we have kids. I have no excuse to skip the gym and grab a candy bar instead.

So, starting January 1st, this little Johns family will be headed to the gym and eating healthier. Whether Chris is ready for it, or not :)

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I FINALLY have Chris's presents wrapped! Good thing, since he will be opening them in exactly a week.

I still can't believe December 25th is in 7 days...