I've just finished my second round of Diet Bet, and I have met my goal again! This is the first time in my life I have been this successful at weight loss, and I am utterly perturbed at how this is even possible!
I can't figure out why I am suddenly so motivated. It's not the money, really, though that's an up-side. It's not like you end up winning THAT much here anyway...I think it's the fact that I have a graph of my weight staring me in the face, and there is a community of people here who are able to see me, judge my progess, and help me along the road. I feel as though I have to succed, just so others can look at my graph and my profile, and believe and hope that they too can succeed.
I think this little community makes me stay honest on my diet. I don't keep secrets from you. I don't hide my weight or my weigh-in photos, because part of me wants you to judge me, to keep me accountable for how hard I'm working at this. That graph shows no secrets! How interesting that it's only some internet people I don't know in person who are keeping me on track with my diet!
I think it's a wonderful thing that we share our weight and our progress, because then we stop feeling so bad about ourselves, and realize we are all in this together. I know I love the feeling when I see someone who weighs the same amount as me. There is a sense of competition, but also of empathy and a desire to encourage. And victory tastes much sweeter here with you all than it does when its just me standing, looking down at the scale all alone...there is someone to share this experience with who actually understands what it means to lose 15 pounds. There is value to this challenge.