We've moved!

During the contest, I have to post to my official Genghis Grill blog, and receive all feedback and thumbs-up votes there. So, please go to http://healthkwest.guestengine.com/peterhesse and click all the green thumbs-up icons you can! You'll be automatically redirected there in 10 seconds. Thanks for your support!

It all begins tomorrow!

For those who haven't heard yet, I've been selected as a finalist in the Genghis Grill HealthKwest challenge. I'm one of 90 people across the country who are representing our particular franchises in a weight-loss competition. The competition begins tomorrow. This is for real money - $10,000.00 - and I will need your support to win it. A few notes from my initial post about the contest: 

• If I win, I'll be donating the $10,000.00 prize to charity. I don't deserve money for getting off my fat, lazy rear to lose weight.
• In order to win, 50% of my chance is based on my weight loss, 25% is based on my blog posts, and 25% is based on your votes and participation. So I need your help in order to win!
• I will need to eat at Genghis Grill in Chantilly every day for the next two months. So, I will welcome anyone who would like to eat with me! Most days I'll be there for lunch. If you're interested in meeting me, let me know!

I did my initial weigh-in this afternoon at my doctor's office: 199.5 lbs. I think the scale actually complained when I stood on it. 

My official Genghis Grill blog is located here: http://healthkwest.guestengine.com/peterhesse/ . I'll try and figure out some way to link these together, but if I can't, that's where you should check for updates. Votes and reshares are very much appreciated. Note: Votes won't count until tomorrow, February 1st - so save them up! I won't be able to win this without your support. Thanks!

No thanks...

So according to the contest rules, I have to do three weigh-ins which are observed by a third party. Since the contest starts tomorrow, my initial weigh-in will be today. GG has a partner that they work with to do these weigh-ins, but their nearest location is over 90 minutes away... so they told me I could use any local gym to do the weigh-in.

I'm not a member of any gym (if I were, do you think I'd be entering a weight-loss contest?!) and so I just decided I'd go by the one closest to my office - Gold's Gym of Chantilly.

After speaking with the front desk staff and the manager, I was told that they could only sign off on my weigh-in if I was a member. They wouldn't be willing to do it unless I'd sign up as a member on the spot - and they offered to cut me a great deal! Urg. It would have taken someone 30 seconds to observe a weight, my driver's license, and sign their name. They decided this could not be done without signing up to pay $69/mo.

So, thanks for nothing, Gold's Gym of Chantilly. What would have been free positive endorsement is now ringing criticism. I'd rather go pay a $20 copay at the doctor's office than set foot in your establishment again.

I'm a finalist!

I just got the call... Genghis Grill has selected me as one of the 90 finalists in the HealthKwest competition! I'm looking forward to being a big loser!! :)

Taking the plunge

Today I'm submitting my application to participate in the 2nd annual Genghis Grill Health Kwest contest. From their site:

It is a 2 month contest where selected khantestants will eat Genghis Grill once a day, adopt a healthy diet and exercise plan and share their journey online where the public will vote for their favorite.The winner will receive $10,000 and most importantly: a healthier lifestyle! 

So yes, today I'm submitting a (shirtless!) picture of myself, a bunch of online contact details, and submitting myself to going on one of the most interesting diets in history. Going out to one of my favorite eateries, for free, every day for two months? I'm in!

Of course, one of the reasons Genghis Grill is a favorite of mine is you can choose from a number of options, and have just about any amount of food you want. To be successful I will have to make good food choices, and Genghis Grill makes that pretty easy. I'm determined to finally hit my goal weight, and I know it's going to take a lot of work to get there. This contest will be a fantastic motivator for me to make it happen.

Here are my commitments if I am selected as a finalist:

1. This blog will be updated with at least five posts per week, and at least one picture and one weigh-in per week. 
2. Every visit I make to Genghis Grill will be documented in some way through pictures and/or posts. I'll try and identify the types and amounts of foods I consume while there.
3. I will exercise for at least 45 minutes, at least 5 days a week. I expect my workouts will be a blend of walking, swimming, and strength training.

Oh, and there's one more thing: If I win, I will be donating the $10,000 prize to charity! Let's face it, a $10,000 prize would be awesome. As the contest site says, though, the healthier lifestyle (and the free meals!) are really what I'm in it for. I've been thinking about this a lot, and I think it would be especially fitting if I won $10,000 by losing weight, and then turn around and donate that money to help people who don't have enough to eat. So that's exactly what I will do. 

So, please keep tabs on this blog, and support me on my weight loss efforts. Come eat with me and/or exercise with me. And help me win this contest so I can not only become healthier myself, but help others too!