Competition!

In this race we're running, this race to be healthy and free from addiction to food, there are multiple components. While I still struggle with my internal dialogue and decisions I make about what and when to eat, I am generally experiencing tremendous freedom in this area. The area I am struggling the most with right now is exercise. And I know I am not alone.

I was talking to one of my girlfriends yesterday morning on Facebook, Terri, like we do nearly every morning. She too struggles with her weight and her desire to be fit and healthy. We were discussing how exercise seems to be the missing element in our success, and how we wish we could help each other exercise, despite the distance. And then, God gave me an idea.

We are excited to share it with you, and we want to invite each of you to join us.
We are going to have a contest. Unlike other weight-related contests, this one will not encourage any type of weighing or measuring. All you have to do is keep a simple exercise journal, and pay $10 to enter the contest. From February 7 to March 7, you will simply write down every time you exercise (down to the minute). At the end, whoever has logged the most minutes, wins the POT (if 10 people participate, the POT is $100).

Let's deal with some key points:

First, what qualifies as exercise? Pretty much anything. If it takes you 3 minutes to take the stairs at work, then log 3 minutes. If you take a 55 minute class at the gym, then log 55 minutes. If you walk for 30 minutes...you get the idea. If you cleaned your house in a more strenuous fashion than usual and broke a sweat...you decide. Exercise is usually considered to be activity that raises your heart beat and makes you sweat.

Secondly, honesty amongst ourselves will be key. I have to trust you, and you have to trust me. I will require that anyone participating send/give me their $10 contribution to the "pot" at the start of the contest. I will hold the money until the end of the contest period when it will be awarded.

Next, I will provide each of you with a log to keep a record of your exercise times. This will be required in order to be considered for the prize at the end of the contest, so DON'T LOSE YOUR FORM! When you pay in your $10, I will give you the form (probably through email). The form is due by March 8, the day after the last day of the contest.

So, finally, we have a contest that does not pit my metabolism against yours and we have no incentive to starve ourselves. Even my skinny friends can participate!! We are strictly competing to fit the most exercise into our lives, and we're giving God the freedom to reward us with the physical results. And to top it all off, there's a little moolah involved as a bonus.


Some of you may not be interested in the financial "wager," and we understand that. We don't want that to deter you from competing with the rest of us, though. If anyone wants to participate without the $10 entry fee, that is perfectly fine. If someone who does not submit the $10 donation to the "pot" happens to win, then the financial reward will go to the next runner up who did contribute to the pot. The glorious title of WINNER, however, goes only to the person who submits the most exercise minutes (regardless of financial contribution made).


If you're interested, respond to this blog post in a comment, for everyone to see, and commit to join the friendly competition. Also, if you have any questions, let's post them here for everyone to see. You may not be the only one with that particular question.

Are you ready? I know I am.