Here we go...

Hi. My name is Michael, for anybody who stumbles upon this by accident. How are you? Good to hear. And the young'uns? Awesome. Anyway, I'm starting this blog to keep a daily record of my weight loss and fitness.

As of "press time" I weigh 207 lbs and my body fat percentage is about 22. This means I am carrying roughly 45 pounds of fat my body, a number I hope to cut in half over the coming months. My goal is to reach 185 lbs and 11% body fat by the time my son turns one in June. I have to lose less than two pounds per week to do it. Sounds easy, right? Well, maybe not so much. I am 6'2", and have weighed roughly the same for the last 12 or 13 years, give or take. I have tried and failed to lose weight multiple times, but inevitably fail due to my own lack of motivation.

So how is this time any different? Well, I'm changing my diet, for one. I always had the misconception that I could eat whatever I wanted to, as long as I exercised hard enough to burn it off. This is patently untrue, especially since I never got around to burning it off in the first place. I'm not making any radical changes, just eating healthier in general, more vegetables and cutting out any processed foods, especially stuff with any trans fats or processed sugars. I am also more committed to exercising, even though it's the middle of winter in Chicago and opportunities for exercise are limited.

I will also be working out with weights, boosting my muscle mass and theoretical burning fat, killing two birds with one stone. I don't expect or want to bulk up, but I do need to seriously tone some areas. (Do guys tone?)

So every single day until June 11th, barring unforeseen lack of Internet access, I will update this with my current weight and description of the day's physical activity. Also possible witticisms and anecdotes, if I feel like it.

Weight: 207
BFP: 22%
Physical Activity: Walking approx. 1 mile. Ball workout tonight.