I’ve been tracking my food for the past week and it’s been eye opening but also… well kind of intimidating. With every “bad” food choice, my weekly allowance grew negative faster and faster to the point where this afternoon when I sat in front of my computer at work, logging in my breakfast and lunch, –51 weekly allowance points stared back at me (yes, that’s negative 51!!). I calculated that I could run a half marathon today and it would still not cover the damage I’ve done over the past week. And I wanted to give up. And maybe cry.

When I get into my head like that, it’s really hard to get out. I play the victim game. Why can’t I just have a normal relationship with food? I’ve done it before (actually more than once… hmm) and it wasn’t this hard. Whyyyyyyyyy? Today my amazing husband came up with a game plan for me. Literally. We decided to make weight loss into a game. I’m super excited!!

Motivation

We’re going to Vegas in May 2011 and I told Adam that while he’s gambling with his buddies, I want to lounge by the pool while looking HOT.

This picture is from last time we were in Vegas (October 2006). We were both at our heaviest here (during the time we’ve been together). So the goal is to not look like this. I hate this picture.

This is Adam and I on our honeymoon at our lowest weight. Also our happiest!

[From our hike in Cinque Terre]

This is Adam in Vegas in 2004. He looks so young but also kind of jacked. No? I like it

This is moi in Venice. I still have this dress and there is no way in hell I’d fit into it. I’ve got 20lbs on that girl.

The Game Rules

So here is how we’re going to make it work. The game rules have 3 parts: accountability, penalties and rewards. I’m a numbers person so it’s no wonder I got this down to an equation.

1. The goal is to stay within my weekly Weight Watchers Points Plus. Every time I want something that I know would break the (points) bank, I have to tell Adam about it BEFORE I eat it. I promise I will not lie to him (or omit certain things). He will keep me accountable and remind me why this is important to me. Oh, and I get 1 free pass for dinner out with him. We have to have a little fun without calorie/points counting.

2. For every week I go over my weekly points allowance, I will pay $20 into a special account. This comes out of my personal shopping money and it’s actually a really hard amount to swallow… especially if I do it more than once a month (we’re really trying to save so I don’t get a lot of “play money”). When I get to my goal weight (set at 140lbs for the purpose of this game), we can take all the penalty money and treat ourselves to something fun. Hopefully that envelope is empty but if not, at least we’ll turn something negative into something positive… but only if I reach my goal!!

3. For every 5lbs I lose, I get $100!!!! This will go towards the Vegas shopping fund. [This would be SWEET.] Adam will also get $100 for every 5lbs he loses. This will go towards his Vegas gambling money.

We will buy a giant calendar this weekend that will hang in our bedroom closet where we’ll track all the points, weight, “prize money.” Honestly the most important part of this is Adam keeping me accountable. I promised him I will not cheat. This is really key. The money part just makes this into a fun game. Hopefully I’ll be a little richer come May

What do you think of this plan? Do you sometimes have to play games with yourself?