Last Updated on October 31, 2024 by Michael Brockbank
Yep, it’s that time of year. We wanted to end the year on a high note, so we decided to lose 20 pounds by Christmas. This is a 7-week weight loss challenge similar to all the others but the goal is maximum effort.
Essentially, I wanted to get back to under 220 pounds as a Christmas present to myself. Everyone seemed to like the idea, so we ran with it. There are a few things I am working on this time around that go beyond just losing weight, though.
Why a Christmas 20?
Based on my past progress, I know that I can lose more than three pounds per week if I actually put in the effort. As we were deciding what to do to wrap up the year, I was aiming to lose 21 pounds by Christmas Eve starting on November 5th. Everyone on the channel thought it was a good idea and wanted to join in on wrapping up the year on a positive note.
The reason why we’re starting on November 5th is because I didn’t want to worry about trying to be active during Extra Life, the first weekend in November when we play games 12 hours per day on Saturday and Sunday. Not to mention having some Halloween goodies.
Between November 5th and December 23rd is seven weeks. So, we’ll weigh ourselves on the morning of December 24th to reveal our successes.
A Present to Myself
This is more of a present to myself than anything. I want to prove to myself that I am capable of giving a shit and can accomplish at least one of my health and fitness goals for 2024. I’ve been stressed a bit more this year than normal, and want to give myself something no one else can give.
Pride and confidence.
It’s not a bad thing to be proud of yourself. It becomes a sin when that pride becomes overbearing and causes you to be a dick. That’s not the case in this situation. There are a lot of mental cogs turning in this challenge, and I want to improve and grease them up to start the new year.
What I’m Working On This Challenge
A health and fitness challenge doesn’t merely have to center around losing weight or getting fit. Your mental fitness is just as vital as your physical prowess. In fact, I’d argue that your mental state is far more important than how much weight you can lift or what the scale says.
So, a lot of what I’m doing for myself this Christmas is from a mental standpoint. Don’t get me wrong, I plan on breaking a few personal records. However, a lot of what I’m doing is focused on getting my head in the right space before ending the year.
Relaxing More and De-stressing
The stress this year has been constantly dialed to 11, burying the needle in some cases. I need to find a way to deflate a bit more and keep myself centered. While a few things are outside of my control, I can still work on a few things myself.
For one thing, I’m going to start using the Tai Chi module on Your Shape: Fitness Evolved on the Xbox. The basement living room is just about cleaned up and I should be able to get back into a routine in front of the Kinect.
Something else that helps me unwind is going to the gym. I always mentally feel better after a good 55-minute workout. And now I know that I haven’t been eating enough protein, I should be able to go without burning myself out so badly throughout the day as I made alterations to my intake.
Ending Procrastination
I am terrible at procrastination. I’m constantly moving things around and putting things off until I am unable to do them. This mindset has held me back a lot, and not just from losing weight.
I would be far more successful as an author, blogger, and YouTuber if I stuck to my schedule and did what needed to be done. Sometimes, though, I push things back in lieu of something else and wind up getting less done throughout the day.
It’s not just my workday that I postpone. I do it a lot around the house, such as not taking the trash out when it’s virtually overflowing or wiping up a mess on the stove as I’m cooking. What happens is that I wind up forgetting about doing those things soon after.
Not Letting Others or Myself Sidetrack Efforts
One of my biggest issues throughout the year during the other challenges was the fact that I was easily sidetracked. Someone brings up Taco Bell and I’m on board, regardless of what I’ve eaten already.
It’s not just others who derailed much of my efforts this year. I also have a habit of getting in my own way. All too often, I get in this mindset of “why bother” and eat something I shouldn’t have or not workout when I have time available.
In other words, I need to find my give-a-shit switch.
Getting Excited to Accomplish Something
I’m going to see if I can spend some of this challenge getting myself excited to be 20 pounds lighter. Sure, I have all of these fun things to use as motivators, such as blog posts and calling Will Smith out for not losing 20 pounds in 20 weeks. But they don’t often keep me in the game every day.
Every morning, I’m going to do a mantra to psyche myself up to tackle my goals. Perhaps I should subscribe and watch one of V Shred’s videos every morning. It’s probably not healthy to be driven by hate, but it can be a powerful motivator.
All fun aside, I need to work on getting myself excited and positive about where I want to be in seven weeks.
Primary Steps to Lose the Christmas 20
This challenge is going to be similar to the ones I’ve done in the past. The biggest difference is that I’m also working on mental health quite a bit more. I’m not depressed or anything like that. I’m just under a lot of stress to get a few things situated here in the very near future.
But if I can keep everything on track, a lot should change over the next few months for the better.
Net 600 Calorie Diet
My Net 600 Calorie Diet works by coaxing me to burn twice as much as I eat throughout the day. It all comes down to physical activity and healthier choices during meals and snacks. However, it’s not a restrictive diet plan. I can eat whatever I want; I just need to eat far less of it.
This time around, though, I am planning my meals a week in advance. Or, at least making sure I have foods that I enjoy to dissuade me from falling victim to the occasional Taco Bell run. The only way I can have Taco Bell, Culver’s, or any of my other weaknesses is if I actually have the calories to afford it before we eat it.
That means dialing up the workouts if I want high-calorie junk throughout the day.
Getting Back to the Gym
It’s been a while since I stepped into the gym. Mostly because I haven’t been sleeping well, and the last thing I want to do is break myself lifting weights by not being totally focused.
Another reason I need to start going to the gym regularly again is to manage stress. As I said earlier, I am usually in a better headspace after a solid workout. Of course, the positive mental aspects of exercising are well documented. I just need to do them.
This isn’t to mention that I am starting to lose some of the muscle mass I built during the summer. And my back has been giving me a few slight problems as of late. The lower back extension machine is exceptionally helpful with my occasional pain issues.
Getting More Sleep
I have no doubt that if I got more sleep, a lot of my mental issues would clear up. Not to mention waking up on time, refreshed, and motivated to take on the day. As long as I drink my tea and am in bed by 9:30 pm Sunday through Thursday, I’ll increase my sleep time by at least an hour and a half.
Since I started testosterone therapy, I find that my Sleepy Time Tea puts me out much quicker. I know that sleep patterns are affected by testosterone levels, so maybe the tea just gives me that extra push at the moment. Keep in mind I’ve only been doing the hormone therapy for a month, now.
When that alarm goes off at 8:45 pm, it’s time to whip up a cup of tea.
Increased Physical Activity
The primary objective during this challenge is to keep my calorie intake green for the day. This means being more active so I can “afford” to eat meals and snacks. This also means getting away from my computer more often so I can get into that activity.
This has been another issue as of late. When my exercise alarms go off, I swipe my phone and keep working. Plus, my day is a bit north of screwed up as I have to drive my daughter to and from school for half of the week. And those times coincide with when I have time to exercise.
Instead, I’ll have to adapt and change when I can burn some calories throughout the day. Since I am usually quite busy, I have very narrow windows of when I can get up and move around. Perhaps I can add something to my lunch break or right after I’m done working for the day at 5:30 pm.
Regardless, I need to get more activity in if I want to eat dinner.
Doing Something For Myself
As I said, this challenge is mostly about giving myself a Christmas present. I would love to get up in the morning, look at the mirror, and see myself 20 pounds lighter.
It’s possible, as long as I can keep my head on straight this time around.
That’s perhaps the most crucial element of this challenge. I need to get myself back into a good headspace. Not just because I want to lose weight for Christmas, but because I don’t want to be stressed out all the time.
Putting in maximum effort this time and reducing my stress levels would go a long way to helping me with all other aspects of my life. So, it’s more than just a weight loss journey this time. It’s a trial at getting back into a good frame of mind before the next year begins.
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