Waisting My Life Away

It all started with an innocent Facebook post. Well, actually, let me back it up. It all started with a cheeseburger or 10 about a year ago.

I had just lost 30 pounds and I was approaching my 25th birthday and my life was on track. I weighed 165 pounds, was in (decent) shape and worked out (somewhat) regularly. You know, livin’ the dream.

Then this happened:

So there came a point in the last year when I looked at myself in the mirror and thought that I was a tad overweight. I got Wii Fit, stepped on the scale and my assumptions were correct: I had gained about 15 pounds in six months.

“Damn,” I thought. “Well, I guess I’ll watch what I eat.”

Then this happened:

So there came another point — just last week, actually — where I stepped on my brand new digital scale to find that, gasp, I had gained another 11 pounds. If you’re playing at home, that’s 26 pounds in one year.

It was time to start dieting. It was time to set a goal. It was time to get my life in order before it spiraled out of control.

I wasn’t quite ready to jump on the whole diet train although it was rapidly approaching the station. Instead, I wanted to ease into the process. Maybe go for a run. Perhaps I’d just start eating better without exercising.

I decided to take a jaunt through a park. Made it a half mile. Felt kind of good about myself. Even bragged on Facebook.

It was the response from my friends that really told me where I stood.

Clearly I had established a precedent that I need to break. It’s time to punch my ticket on the diet train before the gut drops any farther.

I will update my progress every Friday for you, and take a new picture. I’ll tell you about my eating habits that week, where I succeeded, where I failed, and you can follow along as I try to curb the forming habitual action that would otherwise lead to an early demise.

Here’s where I start:

Name: Dan Cassavaugh

Height: 6-feet, 0 inches

Weight: 196 pounds

BMI: 25.9

Waist: 39.5 inches

Gut: 42.5 inches

Exercise Habits: What’s that mean?

Disposition: Meh