Fitness goals are a strange beast. The things I really want – feeling better, having more energy, looking awesome in that dress – are inherently squishy. It is hard to feel like I’ve “made it.” When do I feel better enough?

So, those of us seeking fitness improvement often turn to numbers. For some, certain numbers are critical, such as cholesterol count and blood sugar levels. But most of us focus on one number in particular: weight.

I own a scale, but rarely use it. Sometimes this is out of fear of what it will tell me, but most of the time it is simply because I tell myself that the number doesn’t matter. I want those less tangible things, and deciding to lose ten pounds or reach x weight seems misguided, arbitrary and potentially frustration inducing.

I’ve decided to do it anyway.

The gym I’ve recently been going to just started a six week weight loss challenge. Given all the thought I’ve been putting into my health and fitness lately, this challenge intrigued me. I took a few days to think about it, and decided it was worth a go for several reasons:

  • Math. I like the fact that progress against a number value goal is easy to assess. I am also acutely aware that this inequality is accurate:

my weight now > my weight last year > my weight the year before

  • My competitive streak. The gym actually set this up as a competition between sister gyms. The fact that others in my gym are depending on me to do my best is a great incentive. There are also individual prizes. I like prizes.
  • Chance to assess what I really value. I’m starting off with a fairly restricted, low carb and no alcohol diet for the first couple of weeks. I’m actually looking at this as an opportunity to see what I really miss. That will help me define what is worth indulging in as the weeks and months go on.
  • I have a buddy. Kellen the Inspiring is doing this with me. She’s encouraged me to join her for regular hip-hop dance classes (which I’m loving, by the way), made me a more regular attendee of Orangetheory, and is someone I can openly chat with about fitness goals. She also shares my love of wine and cheese and other tasty things. She will be great support.

On that last point, the more buddies, the better. If you want to join along for some or all of this adventure (there are 5 ½ weeks left!), please do. I’ll be trying out a few new strategies each week, and I’ll share those here. If you want to commit to some or all of those changes for a week or two, excellent! And if you have any strategies that you think I should try, share them in the comments.

This week, I’m doing this:

  • Five days of exercise. This will be pretty ongoing. The gym requires three of their workouts per week to be part of the challenge. Then I add the hip-hop class and one TBD physical activity this coming Sunday. Let me know if you have suggestions or want a workout buddy.
  • Low carb diet. I know that when I watch my carbs, I feel better and I see results. Taking those off the table keeps that one slice of bread from becoming the whole basket. So, two weeks of keeping the carb count low is how I’m going to start. I will eat fruit here and there, so I modify it to be realistic for me.
  • Write down everything I eat and drink. Being aware of what I’m eating is powerful, and having to write things down makes me think about whether I really want to eat something. I use the South Beach Diet app to track what I eat. It helps track carbs and other guidelines, which the app sets to help people reach a personal weight goal. It is free, but there are lots of other apps out there, such as My Fitness Pal, that do something similar.

Again, I’d love to hear helpful tips. I’m willing to try them and share my results. Or if you want a buddy to start your own plan, I’m happy to oblige. I’m always up for some mutual encouragement. And sometimes, just telling someone that you will do something is motivation enough – hence this blog post.

Wishing you all (and me) slightly looser jeans next week!