My Get In Shape By Birthday Plan

Anthony and I have a custom - it's a year old, so it's a newfound custom. Every year a few months before our birthdays, which are the same year(Year of the Ox), but 3 months apart, if we've gained a few extra pounds over the cold months, we try to lose the amount of weight that is the same as the second number in our age. For instance, if we were, say, 23 years old, we'd have to lose "4 by 24" and so on. OK, we are not 23, but I don't want to out us on such a publicly read blog (read by just a few, but still..). 

Last year, before my birthday, which is in April, if I was about to indulge in one too many bonbons or slices of pizza, Anthony would say "5 by 35 mate"(just picked a number out of the air. Not necessarily our real age), which could have been annoying after a while if he didn't have such an awesome Aussie accent. It worked! Down would go the donut, the last bite of fois grois(although I shed a tear about that) and in the end, a pound or two were lost. 

This year, the custom just got more exciting. We decided to step it up with prizes. If one of us loses the few pounds, the other takes him/her for a nice dinner, and vice versa. If either or neither of us loses, he/she/we must donate $100 to a charity(is there a charity for spreading the joy of running?). 

Luckily, running is the best way to take it off (see the above link). Slow long runs burn the fat, faster runs burn more calories. Healthy diet of less fat and sugar, more grains and veggies. 

I have exactly 5 weeks. 

Game on Anthony.