Introduction

We were supposed to wait until January 1, 2008 to launch this blog, but I’ve decided that I can’t wait. My resolution at the beginning of this year was to weigh less at the end of it than at the beginning. I’m back up to where I started after losing 12 pounds earlier, so it’s time to do this now!

Who am I? I’m fat guy #2. I’m 33, 5’10″ and weigh 221 pounds. According to this, I am obese; It’s a depressing fact. But still, I don’t look at myself in the mirror and say the word. I realize that I’m fat, and have been for much of my life–but I have a hard time attributing the word “obese” to myself. Maybe I’m still in denial.

I’ve been a yo-yo dieter for as long as I can remember. My first diet was my senior year in high school. I lost 30 pounds by starving myself and working out with the baseball team. In college, I put on a lot of weight, but I was still very active. I worked out, played IM sports and pick up basketball. But, thanks to beer, the taco truck and my fraternity brothers, my intake definitely exceeded my output. By the time I graduated I weighed 228 lbs. I dieted again, this time with medical and pharmacological help. I saw a doctor who prescribed the now banned “miracle” drugs, fen-phen. I am using the term “miracle” because for me they did work miracles. These drugs working together helped me drop 50 pounds during the summer of 1996 without any of the very negative side effects. I was thin again, and in shape, and loving life. From 1996 to 1999, I managed to stay relatively thin. I worked out, and often rode my bike to work. We moved to Portland in 1999–I still worked out, but not as much. I was learning a new career and putting in long hours on top of the 60 minutes in the car each day. I started gaining weight as soon as I moved to the Pacific Northwest. I’ve dieted several times since I’ve been here. I weighed 190 pounds when we moved here and now…well you know how much I weigh now.

I’ll be the first to admit, I’m a quick fix kind of guy. If fen-phen were still legal, I’d be downing those puppies in a heart beat. They worked wonders for me. They suppressed my appetite, and pepped me up. I hardly slept at all that summer, but I dropped 50 pounds in 10 weeks. It was amazing to see how fast the weight could come off. In fact, I wanted to drop more; It was addicting. Obviously, quick fixes don’t work long term for me. I need some lifestyle changes. Instead of losing weight fast and gaining it back over the subsequent years. I’m going to concentrate on a slow and steady approach to GETTING FIT SLOWLY. I’m going to change my life. My immediate goals are to drop 1-2 pounds a week while increasing muscle tone and cardiovascular shape. I’m no exercise guru, I don’t have any experience with personal training or the exercise industry. I’m going to be totally winging it with one thing in mind. I want to achieve a daily calorie deficit by controlling what I eat and exercising as often as possible. Come with me as I embark on this journey of personal improvement. If you have the same quest as me, I hope that I’ll be able to give you all encouraging words and find some useful tidbits to help you.

This isn’t just about sticking to a new year’s resolution. I have two kids and a wife–they love me and want me to be around for a while. I love them and want to be around for a while. I want to help my kids make good lifestyle choices. I want to set good examples for them. I’m afraid that at my current rate of weight gain that I won’t be able to be active with them in the near future–this cannot happen. I want my wife to want me. I want to walk down the street with my shoulders back, unafraid that my manboobs stick out too far. I want to fit into my 34 (or even 32) inch inseam pants. I want to be confident about my physical appearance. I want to be healthier. These are my reasons for get fit slowly. What are yours?