Staff writer suffers setback in weight loss competition that began in early October.

This week was a setback for me.

This week was a setback for me. Well since last issue I lost a couple more pounds. Overall I have lost 21 pounds. So you're probably thinking, "What is the setback?"
Well, one word...HALLOWEEN.    

You may ask what does Halloween have to do with me, and my progress? Well, it has a lot to do with it. I ate a lot of candy, not only that, but I went out to eat a lot.  Also, Halloween was on a Wednesday which interfered with my Boot Camp, so Gilroy Health and Fitness cancelled Boot Camp that day. Still, Gilroy's #1 Loser Competition continues on.   

We have been exercising more and more harder each session.  We do  a variety of exercises. The last Boot Camp that we had, we used jump ropes.  I was about ready to die, and so was everybody else by the time that we were done. Also, in our training sessions, exercise has been tough.  We do some squats, weights, and walking lunges.   

But the worst of all is when we have to lay on our backs, keep our legs straight in the air, and hold a big exercise ball in our hands, and we have to bring our bodies up to our legs so the ball touches our legs in the air. It really hurts your abdominals.    

My aunt went with me to the last Boot Camp, and she is one of the most fit people I know. She runs three to four miles a day and sometimes even hits the gym after that. Even she said that Boot Camp was hard.   

As far as food goes, all the contestants have different diets. For instance the guys have a higher calorie diet than the girls. All the girls stick to 1,200 calories a day. In the beginning of the contest we followed a strict diet. Since we got the Body Bugg, we have more freedom. We can go to Apex.com and make a meal plan that the computer will add up for you how many calories you would be consuming.   

So, for instance right now I am able to eat Campbell's chicken noodle soup, and SpaghttiO's, and still stay on my diet. Other than gaining weight with Halloween, I had the most wonderful two weeks in my life. I pierced my upper ear, I won "Fall Out Boy" tickets, and I went to Sacramento to see my cousins.    

And to top it all off the two pounds I gained, I lost in two days. I plan to lose a lot more than that. And by the way, I was the biggest loser last week I won a prize of $25 for Safeway to buy my groceries. The competition will end the Wednesday before Christmas and hopefully I will be able to overcome the temptations of holiday dinners and parties.

All in all everything worked out great. I plan to get back on my strict diet, and do the best I can. I am up and running again. As the contest draws to the end, all participants competitive side is starting to show through. I am determined to win!