Every year. Every. Damn. Year.

“I’m not going to let myself go after Iceman this year. I’m going to eat well – holidays be damned!”

Of the innumerable lies we tell ourselves over the course of our trips around the sun, the lie mentioned above is probably not the most egregious. But it’s easily the most predictable. As the days get shorter, the temps drop, and the family brings three different kinds of cheesy-potatoes to Thanksgiving and a fourth version to Christmas, our spandex begins to strain due to our additional girth.

A few years back, Tim Bottrell and I formed a group to help us battle back to our racing weight. We called it, simply, Chubby Buddies. It provides the support, accountability, and community necessary to help us lose the weight we put on over the initial post-race season indulgences. If you’d like to join us, here are the necessary points of interest.

• Don’t want your weight in the public domain? No worries. Aliases are fine. Just make them creative.

• Weigh-ins are on Tuesdays. Every Tuesday. Through April.

• Bookmark the weigh-in page. Set reminders in your phone. You’ll get out of this exactly what you put into it.

• Aside from a few more glances at you at the beach this summer, there are no awards. A healthier, more shapely you is likely sufficient as a reward for your efforts.

SIGN UP HERE, FRIEND

Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook for Chubby Buddy reminders and prompts. Let’s do this. Let’s get rid of those excessive chins – together.