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Well, this week saw a gain in inches.  After a month, I'm no better than when I started, although my weight no longer seems to fluctuate as much as it used to, so that's probably a positive thing.  I must confess, my cardio-based workouts haven't been frequent or of long duration.

On that note, this week's focus:  Cardio every day, even if I have to give up weight-lifting (the more fun side of working out for me), and portion control for eating.  One serving, each meal, three meals a day, no more.  Even if I'm hungry.  I believe my body 'feels' hungry even when it doesn't need anything, because I've always been a big eater.  That was fine when I was 16 and had a metabolism like a hummingbird, but adult bodies don't burn through it so well.

Weight:    258.2 lbs (117.37 kg, or 18.44 stone)
Neck:        16 ½ inches (42 cm)
Chest:       48 ½ inches (123 cm)
Waist:       48 ½ inches (123 cm)
Hips:        48 ½ inches (123 cm)
Biceps:      17 inches (43 ¼ cm)

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So, aside from my weight obsession, what's my life holding?  Well, I'm working a job through a temp agency and just got a raise for it this week.  Working a job that's officially "temp" means things are rather flexible.  I can take time off with very little notice, which makes working around the wife's school schedule much easier.  I will eventually have to settle into working on a career, but I think that'll be for after she graduates.  Personally, I'm not a fan of working as a temp.  I'd much rather have better pay, benefits of some kind, and an opportunity for advancement, but this is enough for now.

The weight loss is actually connected to that.  Overall life improvement is where I'm aiming.  Better health, better job, better home, better everything.  Being thin, pretty, and sexy ... that's just better.  I'll settle for being sexy.

Checkpoint #3.

Weight:    258.2 lbs (117.37 kg, or 18.44 stone)
Neck:        16 ¼ inches (41 ¼ cm)
Chest:       48 ½ inches (123 cm)
Waist:       48 inches (122 cm)
Hips:         48 ½ inches (123 cm)
Biceps:     17 inches (43 ¼ cm)

Overall impression:  Very slight improvements, probably not meaningful.  I'm keeping a positive mood about it, though, since this was only the second week of working out, and I'm still working my way up to a full workout every day.  This week's addition:  DDR.  Dance Dance Revolution is a game that's essentially a one- or two-person stepaerobics program.  Except it's actually a lot of fun.  And better music than you typically find at your local gym's stepaerobics class.

So, what does my current workout consist of?

Bench-press, free-weight curl, free-weight vertical press, various crunches, and walking/running the dog.  DDR makes another cardio thing to keep my body focused on moving faster and longer, and burning weight away.

Checkpoint #2.  This week, I was mostly good.  I worked out five out of seven days.  Next week, I'm aiming for 100% compliance.

Weight:    258.4 lbs (117.45 kg, or 18.45 stone)
Neck:        16 ½ inches (42 cm)
Chest:       48 ½ inches (123 cm)
Waist:       48 ½ inches (123 cm)
Hips:         48 ½ inches (123 cm)
Biceps:     16 ¾ inches (42 ½ cm)

Overall impression:  No change on chest, waist or hips.  Biceps are bigger, neck is smaller.  I suppose that means I'm at least moving in the right direction.  My weight, though lower, is an insignificant change.  I need to step up the cardio, I think.  Wish me luck.

It's time for my starting point in my "new leaf" weight-loss plan.  I decided that I should definitely put up the measurement, but I'll spare your eyes the horror of me half-naked.  Those will be on-display in my office/gym (the room holds my computer and my weight bench), where they can privately remind me that I have something I need to work on.  I'll promise half-naked photos for when they're actually somewhat fun to take, display, and look at.

Weight:    259.8 lbs (118 kg, or 18.5 stone)
Neck:        17 inches (43 cm)
Chest:       48 ½ inches (123 cm)
Waist:       48 ½ inches (123 cm)
Hips:         48 ½ inches (123 cm)
Biceps:     15 ¼ inches (38 ¾ cm)

I've neglected to post here for a while (over a year).  It seems I've neglected a few things for a while.  Today, I'd like to change that.  So I've returned here as a way to set goals, track my progress, and provide some self-support.  Today, I'll discuss "my body".  Yes, we're going to talk about health.  If I'm to be honest with myself, I've gotten fat.  And I hate it.  Not to be one of those ever-self-loathing types, but it's the honest truth, and I won't say it any more than that.  I've always had a big appetite, but my lack of physical activity over the last year or two has really contributed to the weight gain.

So, what do I plan to do about it?  Exercise and portion control.  The trouble comes when searching for motivation.  Without something to motivate me, I'll just slack off and "forget" and never get back on track.  So, I'll be keeping a photo-journal.  Within it, I will first place three photographs:  (1)  my father today.  I look enough like him that friends from his youth recognize me as him thirty years later.  He's also very overweight and suffers multiple health troubles, most made worse by his weight; (2) myself, five years ago, when I was a nude model for artists at a local university, a look to which I'd like to return; and (3) myself today, honestly and without posing or dressing to "slim down".  Every week, I will weigh myself and take a fresh photograph to place next to the previous one.  Beside each photo, I'll record my weight and some measurements:  the circumferences of my hips, waist, chest, neck, and biceps.

What workout regimen will I use, though?  The same one that I used in high-school, plus walking the dog, which translates to a combination of curls, bench presses, and crunches.  Walking/Running the dog is cardio.

I'm still debating two things:  whether to ask my wife to help with the photos and measurements, and whether to post them here.  I think every Saturday at noon should be a good time to remember to keep available.