Weight Washing
My handsome hubby and I are working together on reaching our optimal body weight and body fat over a 10 week period. We are already 2 weeks into the game and enjoying the endeavor...more or less. We only have about five pounds each to drop to reach our goal, so to motivate ourselves, and liven it up, we created a little incentive scheme. Our hard worked dishwasher broke recently and, while we've been researching a replacement, we've been alternating washing the dishes. James really dislikes dishwashing. I don't mind taking turns and have lately found that it is a lot more enjoyable to wash dishes if I listen to a book on my iPod. We have agreed that if one of us misses our weight target for the week then that person will have to wash dishes for the week. As James dislikes dishes intensely that will be incentive enough for him. I, on the other hand, in order to feel the incentive equal to his, had agreed to wash dishes for the week without my iPod...yikes!
Our first weigh in saw James' weight remain stable, while I had lost 1 1/2 pounds. James had the honor of spending that first week on dish duty. I have to say that for me it was divine. Our weigh in on week 2 resulted in a 3 pound loss for James (I imagine a combination of dishes and his participation in RAMROD helped). He made up for the previous week, reached this week's target and had a pound to spare! I, however, missed my target by half a pound. So this week I'm the one on dish duty 
. James was very gracious after his own week of dishes and suggested that I just use my iPod. He reckoned a week of being the solitary dish diva was probably going to be incentive enough. I decided to accept the return of my iPod and honestly assess at the end of the week if it still felt like a hardship. I have to admit though, I am enjoying listening to Joseph Campbell's 'The Power of Myth'. Our weekly weigh-in takes place on Tuesday morning, which means that I still have a few days of dishes ahead of me. I'll stick with the iPod for now but I might have to concede to its removal should I miss my target again during the next 8 weeks...
When are you getting a new mechanical dishwasher???
As long as I keep making my weigh-in and Susan doesn't we seem to be doing
fine without one ....
As soon as we return from Paris, and complete our 10 week program, we will
replace our mechanical god of dish care. Thankfully, my days as dish diva
are numbered. (And, my handsome hubby, your hands are not safe from the
sink yet either. 8 weeks left to go!!!)
Go for it Susan! What happens during the 2 weeks away? Programme
suspended?
With only five pounds total to lose each, we have worked it out that our
weight need only remain stable while we're in Paris. I imagine that will be
easy for James and, given that he will be cycling 1200km in the space of 90
hours, he's likely to come how weighing less. I will have to pay attention
to the bread, cheese, red wine and ice-cream, not to mention hot chocolate
and pastries in the Parisien cafes. My one saving grace is that I will have
a sit-and-stand stroller for the girls so that we can see Paris on foot.
Self-regulation with the snacks and plenty of walking will hopefully keep
my weight stable. That's the plan! Wish me luck :)