About

I'm no stranger to dieting.  I'm also no stranger to failure.  My dieting routine typically gets started with an epic war between my better judgement telling me that I'm too fat and the overwhelming logistics of just getting started.  I mean, who starts a diet on a Tuesday?  And that cruise we have planned 7 months from now is going to ruin everything, so it's better to start right after that.  Of course, I'm pretty certain that Argentina has some sort of national holiday soon after our cruise, and I wouldn't want to offend them by not hosting a BBQ.  But after that... and so on and so forth.

I have, however, found success here and there.  I am a 300 lb. guy and I had a goal to get under 200 lbs.  A few years back I actually lost close to 90 lbs. and weighed in at 225 at my lowest.  I am since back to 300 lbs.

I've cut carbs.  I've eaten only vegetables.  I've exercised.  I've employed willpower and said no to sugars and sodas.  I've counted calories.  I've set goals.  I've met goals.  But the present reality is that I'm starting this blog still at 300 lbs. feeling like someone on the outside looking in.  I look at healthy people who are able to eat whatever they want and not gain weight and wonder what their secret is. I've asked.  The typical answer is something like "Good genes".  While I applaud the carefully thought-out breeding of their ancestors, I refuse to believe that genetics is the pass/fail grade to being healthy.  Let me translate what I believe their real answer is:  "I have no idea.  I don't think about it."

So while healthy people are eating whatever they want and not giving it a second thought, I'm obsessing over how many calories the hot sauce is that I'm dipping my celery in and somehow gaining weight.  And that, I believe, is the point.  I've made goals.  Healthy people don't have goals.  My end goal is either met or failed.  Healthy people don't have goals.  When my goal isn't reached, I get upset and fall back into old habits.  Healthy people don't have goals.  When my end goal is reached, I celebrate and then slowly fall back into old habits.  Healthy people don't have goals.

So what do healthy people have?  Habits.

As of this moment, I am throwing in the towel with my goals.  No more.  I've been down that road before.  I want to be healthy.  And I want to continue being healthy forever.  Setting a goal establishes an end point, which is exactly the opposite of what I want.  So what will I set?  Habits.  Will it work for weight loss?  We'll see.  And that's what I intend to detail in this blog.  I will set 5 habits for myself and follow them for 365 days.  That's my pledge.  If those habits are pointing me in the direction of being healthy, then guess what?  I've already established that habit, and I can continue.

Here are my initial 5 habits that I pledge to keep for 365 days.  I'll start with eating/exercising habits and as I hope to make these part of my daily routine without a second thought, I will add more:

Habit #1.  No eating after 7:00 p.m.
Habit #2:  Eat one fruit or vegetable for each meal
Habit #3:  Each meal must fit on a small plate with at least 1/3 of the plate showing between the food
Habit #4:  Exercise 30 minutes every day
Habit #5:  Drink 8-10 cups of water every day

The good news about habits is that it's not pass/fail.  It needs to just become part of my day.  We'll see how it goes, but I'm committed to the work.