My Weight Loss Journey - The Beginning

 Well, here we go.  Over the years, I have gained a lot of weight.  Having two small children running around keeps one pretty busy, and being involved in their lives and that of my wife has meant not having a lot of time for physical fitness.  Not to mention having a long drive to work, which lends itself to eating on the go.  I've often wanted to lose weight, but just never could seem to gain momentum with doing so.

Recently, I felt led to join a fitness center located 1/2 mile from my home.  It is a center with 24-hour access, so that fits my schedule very well.  The day I joined, I learned they were beginning a 6-week weight loss contest the following week.  Being competitive by nature, I figured that it would be a good move to get involved, so I did.  I have 3 other teammates (none of whom I have met).  After 6 weeks, the total % of team weight lost will determine the winning team. 

A trainer is also working with me.  I'll not use his name at this point (mainly to protect the innocent in case this whole project fails miserably).  He put together a nice program for me that includes cardio 5 days per week, with longer periods 2 days per week.  The other 3 days, the cardio will be combined with weight training.

They also have a new device they are marketing called the "Exerspy".  It works in conjunction with a website called dotFit.  The Exerspy is a monitor worn on an armband, basically around the clock (except in the shower), that monitors the number of calories burned, hours of sleep, quality of sleep, and number of steps taken per day.  It can be linked to the website to upload the information.  The website contains a nutrition tab, at which you input your calories consumed for the day.  The site will tell you how many calories you have taken in vs. how many you have burned, so you have a daily snapshot of where you are in relation to your goal.  The site also has built-in accountability, as the trainer can see it too.

It was suggested that I begin journaling or blogging about my journey through weight loss.  The idea, I think, is that by writing it down, it will likely cement my commitment to completing this trek.  And I'm all for that. 

So, while this may not be as entertaining as some would like, I have decided to chronicle my weight loss journey.  Who knows?  At the end of it, I may have quite a good story.  For my health, I certainly hope so!