SUCCESS!!!

Longtime readers may remember that on October 30, 2006, I started going to the gym with Derek at 5:30 am. At the time, my weight had reached a peak of about 330 and I set an initial goal of getting below 300. I lifted and treadmilled, squatted and elipticaled, and made it to 315. That's when plateau set in. No matter what I did, my weight fluctuated between 310 and 315 for about 18 months.

Then Derek had a baby. Well, actually, his wife had a baby. Derek just helped. But the result was that Derek could no longer hit the gym at 5:30 am. I became worried. Now that my partner was gone, would I have the determination to keep going?

The first change I made was a new workout time. 3:30 pm is a much more civilized time. I also changed my workout. I found a few 8-week programs online and got to work. The weight started coming off. Over the 1st 8 weeks, 10 pounds. Over the 2nd 8 weeks, another 10.

Two weeks before Thanksgiving, the scale tipped below 300 for the first time in my memory. But the stretch from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day is tough. I knew there was a good chance of putting on some pounds during the holidays.

I was careful...not good, just careful. I kept going to the gym, even on vacation. And yesterday, when I stepped on the scale, I was very pleased. 296.5! After a month of eating more than I should of things that I really shouldn't, I'm still below 300. So, I'm calling that success. It took 3 years and 2 months, but I have met my initial goal.

And I'm not going back. My next goal is 275, and I'd like to be there by the end of 2010.