Why I Gave Up Alcohol and Tim Tams for the Winter Warrior Challenge:
So, I don’t often talk about this kind of stuff, but I thought it could be helpful for some of you, especially those looking to stay consistent with your fitness goals at BOX, our boutique gym.
Recently, I decided to give up alcohol and Tim Tams as part of our Winter Warrior Challenge at BOX. People often laugh at the Tim Tam part because they think it’s a joke, but no word of a lie—I’ve been eating a whole packet of double choc Tim Tams every night for most of this year.
I'm not exaggerating.
I can only just get away with this slightly because of how much I move for my job and in general. But even then, I know it’s slowly catching up with me, and I’ve gained some weight.
Now, I’m not someone who cares too much about the number on the scale. I prefer to gauge how I feel, how I perform during our workouts at BOX, and my overall sense of well-being. But in saying that, knowing your weight can help set a protein intake target, and it’s important not to put extra stress on our bodies or feel sluggish. You know when you’re not at your best, and we’re all about feeling our best at BOX.
I knew I was a bit heavier than I like to be. I could tell because I was struggling to do as many pull-ups as I usually can (which isn’t many to begin with, but there was a noticeable difference). I also noticed that I wasn’t moving as well as I’d like — less speed, heavier landings on box jumps, etc. These are the things we notice at BOX because we focus on performance, not just aesthetics.
So, I weighed myself. I was heavier than I like, but I didn’t dwell on it. I knew that cutting out alcohol and Tim Tams would put me in a slight calorie deficit, leading to some weight loss — not heaps, but a couple of kgs.
I’ve been consistent this August, even starting a week early because I was ready for a change. I've been busy, but I stayed on track with my nutrition — not perfect, but good enough. My training and movement at BOX stayed relatively the same.
It wasn’t until last week, 4 weeks into the challenge, that I weighed myself again.
No change.
Not even 100 grams down.
I was a bit taken aback, a bit annoyed. I’d been really disciplined, and the needle didn’t move at all.
I needed to take a step back and remind myself of what I would say to a client at BOX: If you stop now, you won’t make progress. It might just be that I hadn’t given it enough time. Weight loss is trial and error and not always linear. I could have weighed less yesterday, for instance, because I trained that day, and muscles tend to hold onto more water the day after training.
So, what’s the best course of action? Just keep going and trust the process. Because if I give up and go back to what I was doing before, I’ll get nowhere. Plus, I’m feeling good, moving better, and have more energy right now — so why give that up?
As of writing this post, I weighed myself again this morning, one week later, and guess what? I’m down 1.5 kg today. You might not think that’s much in 5 weeks, but I’m super happy with it.
It’s important to note that the 1.5 kg wasn’t the result of just the last week, but the whole last 5 weeks of consistent effort.
If I keep going, I might take off a bit more in another few months and improve my performance — maybe even get a few more pull-ups in. Who knows?
So, if you’re part of our community at BOX or thinking of joining a boutique gym, remember this: Life is not about how much you weigh. No one is friends with you because of your weight, and it’s the least interesting thing about you.
But if you are looking to lose a bit of weight — which is totally your prerogative — remember that it takes time if done properly, and progress isn’t linear.
See you at BOX!
Lawrence x
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