I’m a pretty tolerable guy and usually content to “let things be”. But sooner or later that nagging voice tells you that you can’t let it go any longer and a change needs to happen. Ooops, hold on, my phone is ringing, “Hello?” “This is that little voice, just calling to tell you that you got fat. Hope all else is well, talk to you soon.” So, with that, the voice has spoken and changes need to be made.
My Belly, A Short History
For anyone that has known me more than 20 years, you know that I did not own a belly until sophomore year in college. When I graduated high school, I weighed in at a slim 143 pounds. At 5’11”, I was skinny by anyones measure. Ate what I wanted and didn’t gain a pound. Then came college.
I was first introduced to my belly at SIU. During college, we became pretty close and I managed to find 50 more pounds during my 3-year stint in Carbondale. I graduated weighing 193 pounds.
The summer after graduation, I decided that I had let my self go and that voice made itself be known. Here was my diet plan:
1. Drink a gallon of water a day.
2. Work out about 3 times a week (if you get around to it.)
3. Continue to eat whatever I want.
How did that plan work out? Well, I lost 25 pounds that summer. This weight-loss thing is a snap.
Fast forward to my 30th birthday. My belly and I had rekindled our friendship and shared chicken wings, burgers, fries, large cokes, and packages of cookie dough. We got pretty close, my belly and I. On my 30th birthday, I weighed about 220 pounds.
It’s September 1st, my belly and I have become one. I officially weigh 255.6 pounds. They say that if you don’t eat right and work out, that you will add an additional 5 pounds a year. The math goes like this 255 – 168 (summer of 1992) = 87. 87/16 (years) = 5.44 pounds per year. Hey, there might just be something to this whole science thing!!
I have decided to sever my friendship with Mr. Belly. You need to know when a relationship has gone south and it’s time to say goodbye. I have come to face that reality. So, goodbye belly, we had a good run.
September 2, 2008 – A New Beginning
So, 9/2/08 is my go date. I don’t plan to make this too complicated. I’m going to drink my gallon of water everyday, eat 5 small & healthy meals, and start a walking/running program. The ultimate goal is to lose enough weight that I feel comfortable. I know that every year I wait to do this, it’s going to get harder and harder to do. I want to wake up on my 39th birthday (next July) and be at my goal weight.
Why blog about this? Well, I have run into several friends over the summer that have made the same comments about their weight. I am throwing this out there and see if anyone else wants to come along the weight-loss ride with me. If you are as tired of your weight as I am, get a plan and start it this week.
In the past, I always just started a diet and never told anyone. Since that hasn’t worked out too well, I thought that by going public would give a little more accountability to this plan. I will be posting updates here and on my Facebook page. So, goodbye fast-food, pop and sleeping in, hello to walking, water and chicken breast. Good luck to anyone else starting on their plan.
I read a feature article on Manny Ramirez a couple of weeks ago and one quote caught me that gave me a hugh batch of respect for Mr. Manny-being-Manny. “My biggest dream is not to hit 500 home runs or 600, or 700, my dream is for God to give me enough health to watch my kids grow up, have a beer with them, watch them graduate. That’s my Hall of Fame.”
