It's a day late, but I finally have a chance to write about my brand new start! My weight has fluctuated over the past few years. Though I've never been obese, on more than one occasion, I've grown out of my clothes and felt uncomfortable in my own skin. Last year, I worked for a landscaping company for about 9 months and that job whipped me into shape. I had big shoulders, muscular back, nice arms and legs. It felt good and I loved the manual labor. Unfortunately, the pay was low and it didn't have any medical benefits, so I decided it was time to venture back into the 9-5 work force. I swear to God, I was sitting at my first desk not 20 minutes when I automatically gained 20 pounds. It honestly seemed like it happened that quickly. I've never been good with diets or workout programs, so I felt like I was doomed. All I could think of was the night this asshole in a bar said to me, "Damn Wil, you used to be hot before you got fat." Man did that get my goat, but I was so shocked that he actually said it to me that I was at a loss for one of my famous comebacks. I was so blown away by the comment, that I didn't even notice that he had about 40 pounds more fat hanging over his belt than I did. Regardless, comments like that send us whirling right back to childhood. I felt like I was 8 years old. At that moment, I automatically assumed that everyone in the bar was looking at me and I became so self-conscious that I went home.
Here we are a good deal of time later and I still haven't lost the weight. But now, I'm realizing that at 2 months shy of my 38th birthday, it's time to just do it. Today August 1st, I'm on the second day of my Nutri-System diet. I ordered the food and bought the grocery store additions. Yesterday, I woke up and went for a power walk with my dog and this morning I did 15 minutes on the mini trampoline. Strangely enough, some of the food is actually good, the rest goes from tolerable to just bad. Luckily the tolerable and bad are the snacks and desserts, which I'm not a fan of anyway. I'd much rather eat veggies instead of their very bitter chocolate cake. Instead of setting long term goals with this plan, I've decided to take it one week at a time. It feels much better to say, "2 days down, 5 to go." And next Monday, I'll start back at one. Soon enough I'll be used to the food and the excercise will become routine and I'll be on my way to living a much healthier life, which in turn will bring me happiness and success in all other areas of my life.
I've never been much into sweets, so I was amazed yesterday at how much I was craving Oreos--which I truly think are disgusting. I didn't give into temptation though. My roommate is not on the same diet and I can't expect him to change his ways just because of me, especially since he's in amazing shape and goes to the gym 5 times a week. I did eye the KFC in the refridgerator though and his Geary's Summer Ale beer sure looked good, but my "Wil" power kicked in (I know, obvious pun) and I refrained from cheating. He was nice enough to buy coffee ice cream--which I hate-- so I wouldn't be tempted, as I might be by chocolate ice cream.
My biggest problem up til now has been not so much what I eat, but the fact that I was only eating one or two times a day. Combine that with a lack of excercise and you have a metabolism that barely exists. It's a wonder I could even get out of bed each morning. Breakfast has never been my favorite meal of the day, as my stomach doesn't enjoy me eating right after I wake up. Much to my surprise I found out that, yes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but you have 3 hours from the time you wake up to eat and still reap the benefits. This morning, I had to eat Nurti-System eggs, which were surprisingly good, some ham, a piece of whole grain bread and some grapes. That's a lot of food for a guy who never ate breakfast before.
My starting weight is 215 lbs and I'd like to get below 200 and eventually back down to 175lbs which is the ideal weight for my height and age. I'm excited to do this and amazed at how inexpensive the diet is compared to what I used to spend on junkfood. I know, I know, one day at a time. I'm pressing on and the reason I think I'll succeed this time is that I'm doing it for me. Not for the asshole in the bar who called me fat, not for any of the peeps up at the bar or so that people think I'm hot. I'm doing it so I feel good about myself, comfortable in my own skin and to take better care of myself. Fitting into my old clothes will be nice again.
Wish me luck.
Might as well end with yet another obvious pun, "Where there's Wil, there's a way."
We'll see about that.
As always, thanks to everyone who reads my blog.
