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Posted on Jun 24th 2010 2:00PM by Martha EdwardsFiled Under: Diet & Weight Loss, Motivation
Jack Before
Name: Jack Sh*t
Age: 47
Start Weight: 291 pounds
Current Weight: 205 pounds
Goal Weight: 199 pounds
My weight loss approach: Right from the start, I knew that I needed to come up with a lifestyle I could live with and, well, start living with it. Eating less, eating more healthy (with an emphasis on cutting out processed junk) and exercising more have all been part of my ongoing plan.
I don't count calories. I don't religiously track my food intake. I try to take a sensible approach to my diet while making certain that I get a good amount of exercise at least six days a week.
Early in my weight loss journey, I put a lot of don'ts on myself: Don't eat after dinner. Don't eat anything purchased from a vending machine. Don't eat in the car. Eventually, I was able to transition to more thoughtful and flexible concepts. "Slow down with your eating," "Eat smaller amounts more often," and "It isn't mandatory to scrape your plate clean," for example.
What I've found is that you can't make a half-hearted swipe at this and expect to be successful. You really need to throw yourself into what you're doing, commit to making big changes and do everything in your power to stick with them.
My motto is, "You don't have to do this forever...just for the rest of your life."
Jack Now
Why I wanted to blog about it: As I was gearing myself up to attack my own obesity, I stumbled across a weight loss blog written by a guy who was roughly my age and roughly my size. His site was a day-by-day, blow-by-blow account of his struggles and setbacks, his troubles and triumphs.
Here was an honest-to-God blueprint of just how to do exactly what I was trying to do. And he was succeeding!
Plus, I saw from his space (and the others I discovered), that blogging could be an invaluable weapon in holding a person accountable as well as providing access to a world of encouragement and support.
The best part of blogging is: The best part of blogging used to be that it was a crutch that helped me stagger along the path I'd set for myself. Now, blogging acts as the wings that lift me high above those difficult days and helps carry me into a brave new frontier.
Best comment I've received: I get a real kick out of entertaining folks on my space, but the real thrill is when you hear that you've really helped someone through a rough patch or provided some meaningful inspiration that is helping someone on their journey. For me, it doesn't get much better than that.
What's next for my blog: I'm thinking a real-time scale-cam, RSS Feed that actually feeds you tiny Bit O' Honeys, an online tool that creates healthy meal plans, then "accidentally" deletes them or maybe a "Best of Jack Sh*t, Gettin' Fit" feature (still waiting for a post that qualifies).
Will Jack lose the few extra pounds it takes to get him to his goal weight? Find out by following his blog.
Jack's not the only one getting fit -- find out how Monica trading beer for a healthier habit and lost 40 pounds.
