First Steps and Thin Aspirations

            I am fat. For two years I was in denial, and then for a third I ignored it, as if it would go away. For the last year, the fourth, it has slowly ground me down into a depression. I’m not morbidly obese – except according to my Wii Fit – and I don’t have any issues getting up in the morning or breathing or anything that serious, but every now and then I’ll find I can’t move the way I wanted to because my gut gets in the way, or I have to move the car because I’ve parked too close to another without realizing I wouldn’t be able to get out. Frustrating, depressing and basically undesirable.

            Until I was twenty-one I was in pretty good condition – almost a black belt and working out three or four times a week. Then I had a year abroad in America, I did less walking to places, I ate less healthily and generally got a bit lazy. Then I got a lot lazy when I came back home, and never really kicked the habit.

            So today this changes. I am embarking upon a campaign to get back in shape. I have in the past promised myself this but let myself down and, quite frankly, failed. Why is this time different? Well, I have a plan:

            Monday-Friday is going to be an intense change of lifestyle. Gym every night, walking everywhere as much as possible and those all important dietary changes – fizzy drinks? No. Snacks? No. Dessert? Right out. Any form of batter is also being removed from the list of acceptable foods – and that’s going to be something I miss. Chips and fries are going to be avoided whenever possible as enemies of health, and fast food or takeout is strictly limited to special occasions.

            Weekends are going to be slightly more lax so that I can enjoy myself a bit and not go completely cold turkey. However, I’m maintaining the ban on batter and the avoidance of chips and fries as this is a good way to for me to cut calorie intake. I’ll avoid snacks and fizzy drinks away from meals/nights out and stick to beer, cider or shots where possible to avoid mixers.

            Motivation is the difficult part, really. Making plans and even doing them is a very minimal effort compared with keeping focus on doing so and not getting distracted or procrastinating. And that is I am starting this blog; a once a week record of my progress. Hopefully it will keep me focused and I can kick bad habits while picking up good ones. And maybe learn to enjoy salads.