It's Working!

Ok, pinch me! The diet (ahem...new lifestyle) ACTUALLY SEEMS TO BE WORKING! It's weigh-in day today, and I was rewarded with another BIG DROP on the scale. Today's weight was 311.4, a total of 3.8 pounds lost since last week. WOW!

In related news, I grabbed a pair of Dockers from my closet this morning - a pair I haven't worn in probably 2 months - and lo and behold, THEY'RE TOO BIG! Major milestone achieved: I now have exactly 1 item to forever banish in the FAT CLOTHES pile. Better yet, I was able to fit into a nice pair of slacks I haven't worn in probably a year. Progress! Major progress!

I am celebrating by packing two of my wife's delicious Toll House cookies, just baked last night, in my lunch today. I know, I know - don't celebrate with food. Bla bla bla. Whoever made up that rule can bite me! I'm gettin skinnier by the minute here! WOO HOOO!

On A Roll...

Well, it's official - I'm on a roll!

Today marks week 3, and this morning's weigh-in did not disappoint. I'm down to 315.2, for a grand total loss of 14.8 pounds in 3 weeks. Boo-yah!

All is happy here in fatland. Once again I realize that this pace is not likely to continue much longer, so I will GLOAT NOW WHILE I CAN!

I think the key for me here is to feel good about the success, but not rest on my laurels. I must continue to be diligent to the point of anal retentive, for now at least, about what enters my piehole. Anyone can be successful for 3 weeks. I need to take the long term view, so I can be successful for the rest of my life. I need all the momentum I can get right now. I need to bank all that mental feel-good mojo and build up a reservoir that I can draw on when things get tough, which - without a doubt - they will!

So for now, yippee-ki-yay and all that. I rock. I am a rock. I will soon be built like a rock. Rock on!

Yeah baby yeah!

Break out the champagne! (Actually, I don't drink, so break out the chocolate milk) Wooooo hoooooo! Oh yeah, oh yeah!

So, my weigh in went pretty well this morning. I'm down to 319.5, a massive one week drop of 10.5 pounds! Hah!

Ok, ok, I know it won't last. But I get to enjoy this moment. It's the exact mental nourishment I need right now to prepare me for the impending death march which I will surely tire of in short order! So, I will savor this fleeting moment while it lasts!

Rationally, I know that most likely, much of this is the oft-discussed "water weight" that is shed at the start of a diet. The geniuses at GlaxoSmithKline need to figure out how to apply the "water weight" loss mechanism to fat, so that instead of your body releasing water, it releases fat. Wouldn't that be swell if we could just void away all the excess fat instead of having to metabolize it all? Metabolism is waaaay too slow!

We Have Liftoff

Well here I am, it's launch day. Day 1. The Big Drop officially begins today.

Above is the obligatory "before" picture. This shot was taken 2 weeks ago whilst I was on vacation with the fam in upstate New York. Fortunately it's not a full body shot, so it shouldn't crash your browser. One can clearly see the massive second chin and missing neck, indisputable evidence of my fatness. At some point I will take the embarrassing and hideous full body bathing suit before shot, to be promptly encrypted with a secret password nobody will ever know until I am wicked buff and can reminisce about my "old" self. Conveniently our camera is busted at the moment (there is a God) so that photo will not be weighing down my hard disk anytime soon.

I'm feeling good. I've got my food plan totally set - menu done, shopping done, everything locked and loaded. This is key for me. From past experience I know, the NANOSECOND I open the fridge or the pantry not PRECISELY sure what I'm looking for, I'm TOAST. I know myself. Browsing leads to tasting leads to grazing leads to a major problem. With a plan (i.e. a menu), I'm safe. If it ain't on the plan, I ain't eatin it. Hungry? No problem, I know when and what my next meal is. I'm good.

Exercise plan is still not totally baked. The crabby manager at my old club wanted to charge me a $199 "joining fee" to resume my membership, which - by the way - I had only cancelled THREE MONTH AGO. I asked her if they could waive the fee - she said they'd reduce it to $99 bucks. Sorry, not doing it, on principle. Health clubs perplex me. Here I am ready to pay them $75 bucks a month and having been a member in good standing (really good from their perspective: I paid my dues and never went!!!) and they want to rip me off. Forget that, I'll go to Gold's for $44 a month and no joining fee. Gold's isn't as cushy but who needs cushy, I'm there to sweat, right? Anyway I'll get this on track later this week. Friday. I'll do it Friday.

By the way, I did my first official weigh-in this morning. Dumb stupid scale registered 330 pounds. Remember all that stuff I said a couple days ago about scales? Forget that, this frickin scale is evil. Anyway whatever I'm not going to get hung up on it. 330 it is. Get ready to rumble...