I have recently begun trying to lose weight. I'm a food addict, and after watching my father succumb to obesity-related complications I've made it my goal to avoid a similar fate, as was his dying wish.
Since I've found that simply wanting to do something doesn't seem to keep me motivated, I've decided to up the ante by tracking my progress here, where (in theory) I'll be forced to keep working lest I face the shame of failing before an audience. We'll see how it works. I'll use this as a progress journal and diary, of sorts, detailing what I'm going through and how I'm doing to both document this for my own sake, and perhaps give others who are in the same situation or merely curious a glimpse into what its like.
STARTING INFORMATIONAs of my writing this, I'm an American (a fat American? Impossible!), male, age 27, and I'm currently 6'1" (185 cm) and I weigh 285 pounds (129 kg). I'll post face-free pictures of myself soon to permit a before/after comparison, along with some body measurements. My body fat percentage is estimated at 27%. A dire picture indeed; I'm fortunate in that I have not yet developed diabetes (here's hoping I manage to dodge that bullet with this regimen) or high blood pressure. My cholesterol is just over the line of high; not dangerously so, but definitely a cause for alarm at my age. Complicating matters is that I work as a chef at a high end country club; the ever-present sweets and fatty foods that I'm allowed to snack on FOR FREE make changing my lifestyle akin to an alcoholic sobering up while working as a bartender. Difficult doesn't begin to describe it.
THE GOALTo become a sexy, sexy man-person that will make the ladies (and certain men) swoon, and the men (and certain ladies) envious of my chiseled, handsome being.
More specifically, I want to get to a 14-15% body fat percentage, keep my blood pressure healthy, lower my cholesterol, and become more muscular and toned.
THE PLANI'm going with a simple plan to try and fix this. The basics of my plan:
- An extreme reduction in caloric intake each day
- An extreme reduction in fat and sugar consumption
- Changing my diet to be more healthy, with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and low amounts of complex carbs
- Taking a daily multivitamin and fiber supplements to help reverse my current poor nutrition
- Daily aerobic exercise, starting with running and swimming and adding others as I see fit and build my endurance
- Weight training three times per week, on a rotating schedule to allow muscles maximum recovery time for ideal improvement
Thankfully I already drink lots of fresh, clean water every day, so keeping that up will be easy (I know some people who find cutting back on sugary sodas an almost unbearable change, and I'm glad not to have to fight that vice on top of my many others).
So, here it goes.
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Topic: My attempt to lose weight (Read 2139 times)