And so it begins...

I hit the gym this morning for the first time in so long that they had actually completely re-designed it since my last visit! A few things hadn't changed since my last visit - the gym is still populated by the same types of people:

1 - the guys who just plain and simple spend WAY too much time there

2 - the girls who are DYING for you to look at them

3 - those people who just want to get in a good work out, don't want to be noticed or talked to.

4 - the older folks - some of whom are CRAZY in shape

5 - the big guys...like me. Sweating just from the walk into the building. Most of us don't last that long, which is why there is never a shortage of this genre! However, I will break free! Within a matter of months I will proudly be a number 3!

I'm excited to get to that place where I don't HATE working out...typically takes me about 2-3 weeks to get there.

So, it's Monday, and I've set Monday aside as weigh-in day. I was not surprised to see that I'm about as heavy as I've ever been currently. My weight today is 281.5 pounds. MAN! I just can't believe how FAST it happens. It wasn't more than a couple of months ago that I was closer to 240. Oh well....have to start somewhere. The good news is, I can easily accomplish my goal of 100 pounds lost over the next year and still have a few to go. It would be harder to drop 100 lbs if I was starting at 140! :-) I'll post a picture tonight. I KNOW you can hardly wait!

Day one in T minus 6 hours!!

Well...here goes! I'm taking my fight public. Bright and early tomorrow morning I'll be trudging out to the gym to begin this journey of massive weight loss for, what WILL become, the LAST time! Knowing me it will come as no surprise that I've struggled with weight my whole life. The simple fact is, I'm so used to being "the big guy" that I don't realize HOW BIG I really am!

It's a bit humiliating, but I settled on this plan by watching a smaltsy, whispy chick flick called 'Julie and Julia'...I actually really enjoyed it! The premise was that a 29 year old girl needed something fulfilling, a calling if you will, to fill her life and make her feel accomplished before her 30th birthday. So, with a little help from her husband, she takes on the task of cooking and blogging her way through Julia Child's entire cookbook in one year. It's difficult, and trying...but in the end it completely transforms her life.

The similarities are quite stark. I find myself a 29 year old who is rapidly approaching the big 3-oh! I've got a beautiful, supportive wife who is in amazing shape and is so willing to help me in every way to achieve this goal. I've also got an amazing, intelligent, hilarious 3 year old daughter (and a 9 week old SOMETHING on the way!!!) who is getting smart enough to realize certain things. Such as, that her daddy is the tubby daddy in the neighborhood. There is nothing I want less than to disappoint her in any way. I want to be the cool daddy!

So, with that in mind, I take it upon myself to change - and, rest assured, I WILL CHANGE! This blog will be the distinguishing factor! I will be 100%, brutally honest! You will know everything! This will, no doubt, not be for the weak of heart. Just think of it as a year long version of 'The Biggest Loser' with subtitles!

I'll be weighing in and posting a current picture once a week throughout. It is my hope that I can inspire lasting change in myself, and, perhaps a few others along the way!

Buckle up - it's going to be a great ride! :-)