Challenge: Carry the weight you've lost for an hour.

MDF247
MDF247 Posts: 64 Member
I have a 27 lb dumbbell that I use for workouts. I realized yesterday that I have lost exactly that much since I started dropping pounds. For that, I say, HOORAH!

So, I let everyone in the family lift it and feel for themselves how much it really is. Surprising really, how much extra we carry around and become accustomed to.

I'd like to challenge you, if it's possible for you to do without injury, to carry around the amount of weight you've lost for an hour, in whatever form is convenient... a barbell, a bag of flour, a box of books, whatever. For me, it's a HUGE motivation to not want to carry that around on me EVER again.

If nothing else, sit down with the weight on your lap... it'll make an impression!

P.S. I started my ticker after I had already lost a bit of weight. I still have a ways to go.
«1

Replies

  • edstreiff
    edstreiff Posts: 24 Member
    I have lost 50lbs+ at this point and yesterday as I was at the hardware store I looked at a 50lbs bag of rock salt. Curious I picked it up and was blown away by heavy it was.

    Hard to believe that 6 months ago a bag as heavy as that was on my body 24/7

    Keep up the good work
  • Changeisachoice
    Changeisachoice Posts: 63 Member
    I change out the water cooler jug at my office and am amazed that I have lost almost twice the amount that the jug weighs. Hard to belive that i carried that much extra weight around all these years!
  • mochapygmy
    mochapygmy Posts: 2,123 Member
    Great idea OP!
  • MDF247
    MDF247 Posts: 64 Member
    I have lost 50lbs+ at this point and yesterday as I was at the hardware store I looked at a 50lbs bag of rock salt. Curious I picked it up and was blown away by heavy it was.

    Hard to believe that 6 months ago a bag as heavy as that was on my body 24/7

    Keep up the good work

    I went on a hike in the fall and was really struggling to get up and down the hills. I told my friend I was with it was because I was wearing a 50 lb pack. He looked at me odd since it wasn't "visible". :)
  • lavaughan69
    lavaughan69 Posts: 459 Member
    Well as I struggled to curl a 25lbs weight on the weekend I'm pretty sure there is no way I'll be able to lug around 46lbs for an hour! It would be a great challenge though!
  • dschassie
    dschassie Posts: 192 Member
    I picked up a 100 pound barbell at the gym and tried lifting it...and to think that extra weight used to be on me from fingertips to toes! How did I walk and not waddle back then?
  • MDF247
    MDF247 Posts: 64 Member
    I picked up a 100 pound barbell at the gym and tried lifting it...and to think that extra weight used to be on me from fingertips to toes! How did I walk and not waddle back then?

    It's amazing, isn't it? For all the grief overweight people get, you have to be pretty crazy strong to tote around all that extra.
  • accokeekjudi
    accokeekjudi Posts: 32 Member
    A fabulous reminder indeed . . . thanks for the suggestion . . . I am going to do that with every pound I loose.
  • lizzardsm
    lizzardsm Posts: 271 Member
    Brilliant! Great job on your losses sofar! :)
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    in total, I've lost 113 lb. I can't lift 113 lb.
  • mamagirl49
    mamagirl49 Posts: 97 Member
    I went to the grocery store and had my son snap a photo of me with two ten pound bags of potatoes to celebrate the 20 # mark. I'm gonna need another bag of taters here very soon!
  • BarbellBlondieRuns
    BarbellBlondieRuns Posts: 511 Member
    Not happening!!! I'm strong but not THAT strong.
  • captmiddy
    captmiddy Posts: 147 Member
    Picking up a weight really wouldn't be proper as your weight on your body is distributed, also for people like me who have dropped 100lbs a good portion of that was lean body mass as well which means I am no where near as strong as I once was. But I have thought about it and how I could put a body pack on that would distribute the weight a little on my upper body and allow me to tote around 100lbs to remind me NEVER to go back.
  • Cathalain
    Cathalain Posts: 424 Member
    Yikes. Carrying around 111 pounds for an hour? I'd be lucky to carry that for five minutes!

    Your point is well taken, though. It's amazing that I was able to function on a daily basis with all of that extra weight. Crazy.
  • meganjcallaghan
    meganjcallaghan Posts: 949 Member
    I don't need the chiropractic bill
  • linluvsbirda1
    linluvsbirda1 Posts: 20 Member
    Well congrats to you all for your success!
  • GracieGag
    GracieGag Posts: 24 Member
    I love your idea!
  • deaddawn
    deaddawn Posts: 42 Member
    Although I'm quite overweight, I'm pretty strong. I recently carried my 65 lb sleeping child two short blocks and into a parking garage while holding the other's hand. Whenever I pick up either of my children and carry them upstairs or into the house while they are asleep, I'm reminded that if I lost the weight I would not be carrying an invisible child around everywhere I go.

    I think I get the best "feel" for it when I put them on my shoulders so they can see something over a crowd. The weight is over my feet that way.

    So far I've lost a milk jug. Whenever I unload the groceries I remember.
  • MDF247
    MDF247 Posts: 64 Member
    I love it! Losing milk jugs, sacks of taters, and invisible children!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I do this a couple of times per week. I have 40 lbs worth of bricks that I carry around in my ruck on my hour long lunch walks. It's heavy.
  • sophayz
    sophayz Posts: 592 Member
    that would be hard! carrying around 85 + lbs i don't know how i managed to do such a thing
  • RawCarrots
    RawCarrots Posts: 204 Member
    My goal when I started on MFP was to lose the amount of weight my toddler weighs. I've done it, and a bit more, and every time I lift him up now is a reminder of how far I've come. I will struggle carrying him around for an hour though:wink:
  • Great post! I haven't lost much yet (compared to what I have to go) but yesterday as I carried in a 15 pound bag of dogfood, it hit me that just recently, I had been lugging that same amount of extra "me" around before starting to care more about my health. Makes me focus on the good job done so far and not only on what I have to go.

    THANK YOU for the great reminder!
  • thesupremeforce
    thesupremeforce Posts: 1,206 Member
    Hmmm... What do I have around the house that might work for this?
  • MDF247
    MDF247 Posts: 64 Member
    Hmmm... What do I have around the house that might work for this?

    Do you have a 6th grade child handy?
  • tm82001
    tm82001 Posts: 133 Member
    I have lost 35 pounds (I lost two before staring mfp). I was carrying a 40 pound bag of cat litter into the house yesterday and was shocked how heavy it was. Wow...how was I lugging an extra 35 pounds around for so long?
  • ylmitch
    ylmitch Posts: 2 Member
    That's awesome words of encouragement and a great challenge.
  • tapirfrog
    tapirfrog Posts: 616 Member
    That's a sack of dog food. I ... I seriously don't think I could pick one up right now without hurting myself, considering all the other injuries I'm recovering from.

    No wonder I hurt all the time when I had that weight on me. Now maybe I can start recovering from the other injuries!
  • MDF247
    MDF247 Posts: 64 Member
    Let me reiterate, PLEASE no one hurt themselves! I was just making a point. :)
  • claudineer
    claudineer Posts: 144 Member
    Great idea. Will try. Than you.
Do you Love MyFitnessPal? Have you crushed a goal or improved your life through better nutrition using MyFitnessPal?
Share your success and inspire others. Leave us a review on Apple Or Google Play stores!