The Facebook Weight Loss Challenge

January. The month for starting a weight loss program.

February. The month for forgetting about the weight loss program you started.

Why is it that losing weight is so hard? As I look at my "This is My Life" goals, I know that I need to start taking better care of my body...and this includes getting back to my goal weight. Reflecting back to past weight loss programs I've been on, I thought about what it was that I did in the past that had the best results. What was it that helped me to lose 40 pounds?

Accountability.

Hands down, accountability was the thing that produced results in my life. Accountability to the people around me....AND accountability to God.

Being accountable to those around me means that I have someone to answer to. Someone will be checking up on me. I must do well so that I don't have to report bad results...or failed attempts.

Being accountable to God means that I don't just try this on my own. Instead, I surround everything I do with prayer. I bathe my whole day in prayer. When I am in a moment of weakness and really would like to devour the Oreo cookies in front of me, I turn to prayer instead. "God please help me to take care of my body...please help me to resist this temptation."

So before I even begin a weight loss challenge for this year, I know I needed a way to be accountable. I already have been taking this need to God in prayer. But I need the help of all of you. I need those around me to help hold me accountable. And how can you do this? Well, God gave me an idea....

(drumroll please...)

The Facebook Weight Loss Challenge!

I encourage everyone out there to participate in this if you are wanting to lose a few pounds. Years past when I have done "The Biggest Loser" with our church, it SOOOO helped me to stay accountable. I knew that people would ask me how much weight I lost during the week. I wanted to do a good job. I wanted to accomplish my goal.

Yes, this is kinda like Biggest Loser where we will weigh in once a week. But the difference here is no one will know your weight. That is something you will keep private.

Sooooo....if you wish to participate, here are the directions.

1) First, go weigh yourself now. Don't wait until tomorrow. Don't wait until next week. Why wait? There's no better time to start that in this very moment!!!!! Record your weight somewhere private.

2) Then begin to work on getting a healthier body. That will probably consist of eating better, exercising, etc. I find it very effective to count calories and never go over my max for the day. You can find many weight loss calculators online that will tell you how many calories a day to consume to reach your goal weight in a certain amount of weeks/months.

3) Every Sunday morning, weigh in. Then look at your previous weigh in numbers to determine the amount of weight lost/gained.

4) Post your results on Facebook. Don't put your actual weight...just put the amount lost or gained.

Now, let me answer 2 questions I know you are asking yourself.

First off, why Sunday? Why weigh in on Sundays???? Well, I look at it as what better day to check on our progress than on God's day? It is a good reminder to me that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) I need to honor God with my body. I need to take care of His temple.

Secondly, why post the results on Facebook???? The answer to that is ACCOUNTABILITY. Look at how many friends you have on Facebook. Each one of them will know your results. That should be motivation to do your best!!!! Who wants to report a weight gain? This should keep you on track to try your very hardest!!!

So who is with me???? Anyone out there brave enough to do the Facebook Weight Loss Challenge with me??????????