***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)*** OT
 

***Firstly, let me say that this is very off-topic and has no poker content. If a mod feels the need to do something about this thread, please PM me before moving thread.***

I am posting this here because this is where I have the most friends and I believe that I've earned a little leeway.



Ok...here's the thing.

I'm fat. I'm 6'3" and weigh 310 lbs as of yesterday. I have always been overweight. As far as I can remember, I have had the same body type. When I played football in HS, I was probably 275 or so. I have hovered between 290-310 since then (I'm 26).

I have always kept fairly active in terms of sports, but haven't ever really committed to a workout and eating plan that would enable me to lose weight. My ideal weight for my body structure would be in the 215-230 range. Obviously, that's a ways off.

The thing that scares me the most is my family history. My father died when he was 46. His dad died when he was 54. My mother's dad died when he was 57. My uncle is in his 40's and has already survived one heart attack. They all died from heart disease.


The reason for this challenge is that I have two equally strong personality traits:

I am super-lazy and I am super-competitive.

So, I have come up with the following solution:

I want to ultimately get to my goal of losing ~90 lbs over the next 12-18 months. I want to do it naturally (no surgury) and I want it to be heart healthy (no Atkins).

I am going to try and break it up into manageable pieces.

The first step is where you guys come in.

I am going to try to lose 50 lbs by the start of the 2006 WSOP Main Event. Assuming the ME starts in Mid-July, that's around 5.5 lbs a month.

In order to keep my motivation strong, for every pound shy of my 50 lb goal, I will pay $1 to the first 50 people who reply to this thread.

No catch, you lose nothing if (when) I make my goal. You don't owe me $10 if I lose 60lb. You will be taking my word for how much weight I have lost by the WSOP.

Example #1:
I weigh 275 on the day in question. I would be 15 lb short of my goal. I would pay each respondant $15 for a total of $750.

Example #2:
I weigh 253 on Day 1 of the ME. I owe you dick.

Example #3:
I weight the same. $50 SnG's on me.


Stipulations:

-I won't pay extra money if I happen to gain weight. The max I will pay out is $2500. (50 x $50)


-The offer will be voided / modified at my discression should I suffer an injury during the next 8 months.

-Should I owe you money, I will only pay one of two ways: PokerStars Transfer (possibly in W$, my choice) or in cash at the WSOP.

-Offering to treat me at the RIO Buffet the day before the ME is discouraged.


Assuming there is some interest, I will post periodic updates to let you know what cup size I'm down to.


Thanks in advance, and good luck me.

-Andrew Soss

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Sounds good. I'm the exact opposite (5'6 and 140)
Good luck.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Good Luck Soss, I hope you don't owe me any money.
-Mike

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Good luck to you, hopefully you won't owe me any money.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

I won't take your money, but all the best. GL mate. I should do one of these threads to quit smoking. Bad habit.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Admirable goal- good luck.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

You will succeed if you decide to.

Regards,
Darcy

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

good luck. maybe ill go to the gym sometime... prolly not im lazy.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

don't hurt yourself man. It is unhealthy to be losing that much weight so quickly. About a pound a week is all the body can healthfully lose. Your body NEEDS to get energy and nutrition from food. True, you can burn up your bodies stores, but you need nutrients that only come from food. A pound is equal to 3500 calories. That's a deficit of 500 calories a day to healthyfully lose 1# a week. A normal diet is about 2K cal. Someone your size does actually NEED more cal than that, so you're probably up around 2600. With excercise you can increase your expenditures to around 3300 and eat the same amount (or cut back a little if you're eating junkfood.) Esp. when losing weight and NOT eating loads of food, you need to make sure you are getting the nutrients you need, so eat good stuff. Be safe. Good luck. and remember that excersise is the most important part of the equation.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Good luck. Hook the laptop up near a treadmill and walk while you play!

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Good luck! I dropped 30 pounds this summer (200 to 170), and I know you'll be capable of this!

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Good luck man. That's an admirable goal.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

good luck

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Hey yo, good luck with the incentive program. i'm 6 3 ish and 250 myself, so i'm no lightweight.
Mike

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

I wish you the best of luck. I don't want your money.

-D.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Thats pretty cool.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Best of luck Soss! Keep it slow and steady and you'll have a decent chance at making it. Please keep us updated if you don't mind. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

I hope I don't collect.

By the way, Atkins is too extreme, but low-carb is the right way to go. Just eat meat and lots of high-fiber vegetables. No grain, no starches. Ever.

Good luck, bro.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Although saying I wouldn't take your money would be polite, showing my hand may make you fold before the river.

So count me in and be prepared to ship it.

I'm currently on South Beach and find it manageable. It's like a heart healthy Atkins with a focus on lean meats and high fiber carbs. Let me know if you need some links.

Best of luck, Steve

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Awesome goal. Good luck.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Good luck Sossman, you can do it!

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

[ QUOTE ]
I won't take your money, but all the best. GL mate. I should do one of these threads to quit smoking. Bad habit.

[/ QUOTE ]

FWIW, if you don't want the money, then you won't count as one of the Fifty...I need it to hurt if I stay the same, so I need 50 people who will give me sh!t if I slack.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

I can't turn down +EV, 0 risk.

GL man. I'm glad you've set reasonable goals and aren't going to do Atkins.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

I'm in. Good luck to you.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Good luck! Wish I had the money to promise something like this, god knows I could need it!

- Sqwrlking

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

[ QUOTE ]
don't hurt yourself man. It is unhealthy to be losing that much weight so quickly. About a pound a week is all the body can healthfully lose. Your body NEEDS to get energy and nutrition from food. True, you can burn up your bodies stores, but you need nutrients that only come from food. A pound is equal to 3500 calories. That's a deficit of 500 calories a day to healthyfully lose 1# a week. A normal diet is about 2K cal. Someone your size does actually NEED more cal than that, so you're probably up around 2600. With excercise you can increase your expenditures to around 3300 and eat the same amount (or cut back a little if you're eating junkfood.) Esp. when losing weight and NOT eating loads of food, you need to make sure you are getting the nutrients you need, so eat good stuff. Be safe. Good luck. and remember that excersise is the most important part of the equation.

[/ QUOTE ]

thanks for the concern. Losing 5lb a month for someone my size is plenty healthy. 5lb a month for someone your size would be unhealthy. It's not really linear.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Good luck, you're going to be resistance training right?

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

i think it's an excellent goal, and i hope none of us see a dime. good luck to you.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

I want you to win!

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Good luck and like many others have said hope I never see a cent.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

gl dude, but SHIP IT [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Good luck to you. I was wondering how a post had so many responses in a matter of minutes!!!!

And as a mod my only request would be to put NC or something in the thread subject.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Good luck. Two years ago, I was 230 lbs, and I'm 6'4. I went to the pool and swam 20-30 laps of breaststroke 3 times a week for a year. I'm now 170 lbs. I recommend swimming to anyone looking to lose weight. The other key was completely cutting soda out of my diet.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Posting to reserve space for future Red Cross donation I hopefully won't be making [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

If you are really serious about this and want some help with your eating and exercise plan id be glad to help, pm me. I did something very similiar to this a few years ago..

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

This is SossMan, I have hacked DE's account because he wants in on this cabbage.

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

gl dude

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

free money and a good cause, i'm in

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

Best of luck.


I took up running and got my arse in shape a few years ago.
I have slipped a bit since then, but I'm still thinner, healthier, happier and look better in white t-shirts.

It's very hard to stay in shape and play poker online all day.

You seem determined, I'm confident I have no money coming my way! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: ***The Official SossMan Challenge Thread (Free $$ inside)***
 

GL man, you'll feel much better about yourself and life in general. I recommend meeting with a nutritionist and personal trainer to set up a regiment. There's a lot of info on the internet, but its really not the same. I'm a senior in college now and since I started school I've cut my bodyfat in half, doubled my max bench, and I've never been happier or had a more positive outlook on life. Not to mention that my family also has a history of expensive/dangerous surgeries and heart troubles. Just start off slow and don't get discouraged, because there will be a point when you plateua, and just need to push yourself harder.