The $500 challenge

You've probably guessed that I'm having trouble with losing weight, I haven't updated the graph at the top of the blog in 5 months, I'm not losing weight any more, and I'm breaking my rules about when I can see a film, buy coffee or go swimming.

That's not good.

I know that when it comes to motivation for weight loss, it can come and go. Wait a while, and it's bound to come back. So what can be done about it in the meantime? I know that money can be a huge motivator, so that's what I'm going to use. I'll fine myself $5 each day for the next 50 days when:

I am not lighter than what I was 3 days ago
I don't go for a run

So that's it, I need to run every day and lose weight at least once every 3 days. In order to see how I go without sugar, I'll add some incentive: whatever I owe in fines can be reduced by the number of days in a row without sugar at the start of the challenge, and similarly for the end of the challenge. In other words, at the end of the challenge I owe $85 in fines. However, I had sugar 3 times in the period, first 10 days into the challenge, second 15 days, and third 22 days. That means that I get to pay 85 - 10 - 28 = $47. What do I do with the money? I give it away. Leaving it places for random people to pick up seems the easiest idea.

There is an exception to this however: if something unexpected and bad happens, I'm allowed to stop. It's unlikely, but I don't want to have to deal with something bad and have to give away hundreds of dollars.

I'll post again in a few days to say how it's going.