Time to lose weight!

[alliancesjr]

This week, I begin Operation: Hip To Be Square! In my late-teens and very-early-twenties, I averaged about 180 lbs. It was mostly muscle, too; years of heavy lifting and long-distance bike riding kept me roughly in shape, even if it wasn't an athletic ideal. I wasn't chiseled by a long shot, but I was healthy.

Over the past year, I've been keeping stable around 235 lbs. Not healthy by far. Years of sitting at a desk job and overeating have gotten me, for lack of a better term, "squishy". The final straw was my stand-up video; the angle makes me look a lot heavier than I am, but it still makes me wince watching it.

My diet hasn't changed in the past eight years, but my activity and my metabolism have. I get a lot of walking done at work now, and a decent amount of heavy lifting, but my weight hasn't changed.

Now is not the time for drastic measures; far from it. I want to keep eating what I like to eat, but I've noticed a few key things:

• I overeat. A lot, actually. I eat until I'm full, which is way too much. Trekkiegirl recommends eating until I'm satisfied, and then once my stomach settles I'll feel fuller. It makes a lot of sense; if you wait until you're thirsty to drink water, you're dehydrated already.
• I drink waaaaaay too much soda. If I cut that out completely, I'll be well on my way.

These two things will make a huge difference in and of themselves. Simply reducing my portions and knocking out soda should get the ball rolling.

Trekkiegirl, although wanting me to stay a "snuggly bear", is very supportive and has practice setting up nutritional plans. She's going to go over my average weekly diet and suggest some replacements, keeping in mind what I like to eat and how finicky my palate is.

Stay tuned for updates.