So it Begins

Hello Readers,

I am a 37 year old male.  I have struggled with weight management all of my life and all that comes with it.  I decided to start a blog hoping to keep myself accountable.  In the mean time, if I can entertain and more importantly educate, all the better.

I have been what I would consider not fat, twice in my life.  The first time was from birth until age 7 1/2.  The summer after my first grade year, I swelled up like I was allergic to something.  If so, it was probably sweating.  Being sedentary was a common theme during my early life.  Not terribly athletic, I was content not to participate in those endeavors.  The second time that I was not fat was in college.  My roommates and I decided all to lose weight.  We bet twenty dollars on who could lose the most weight in 5 weeks.  It was based on our total weight, so the highest percentage lose would determine the winner (the original biggest loser happened in College Station in 1995).  I lost 53 pounds and got down to 175 and stayed in the 180s for 2 years. 

It was once I started dating the young lady who would soon be my ex wife.  I totally changed my habits, eating out, not exercising, eating late, overeating, etc.  After divorcing, my weight rose even more.  The highest my weight ever got was 268.4.  Nearly 100 more than where I was in college.  That is ridiculous.  I was to blame; I was in control.  Only that was the problem, the one person who was in control, felt as if he had none.

The antithesis of being a fat ass happened on December 14th of 2008.  I was driving home from work to be by myself at my apartment.  I decided that it was a good night for a pizza.  However, I was ready to eat right then.  I did not have the patience to wait for my pizza.  I needed an emotional boost right then.  Luckily, there was a CVS right next door.  So I went in and purchased an ice cream cone.  Isn't that the normal appetizer for a pizza?  I took my cone outside and began to eat it.  I purposely placed myself between the two buildings so that employees from either could not see me and judge my choice.  I was still near enough to the frontage street to be seen by cars.  I know this because one car drove by and someone inside leaned out and yelled "Ya, that's right! Eat that ICE CREAM you FAT ASS!".  I'll never forget.  Why would they say that?  Why would it matter to them?  I knew that I was trying to hide my behavior, but someone who had no idea that I was waiting for a pizza called me out as if I was hurting them.  It was really funny.  At the same time, my actions were really sad.

I had changed before, why not again.  So I began to create a plan for the new year.  My resolutions were to lose 50 pounds, see my kids more often and read the Bible more.  I did lose 50 pounds in 2009; I had my kids for 4 straight weeks in the summer; and I did read more of the Bible, but not nearly frequent enough.  For 2010, I resolved to get to 180 (that would be 35 pounds).  Unfortunately, I have not had the same success.  I actually gained some of my lost weight back (from 216 to 233).  I currently am back down to near 220, but really struggling. 

I want to share my struggles and hopefully discuss the appropriate methods of how to work through those weight management issues and ultimately reach my goals.  The number of my weight is not as important and regaining control and creating good overall healthy habits.  I hope this helps you as well.