How I Lost 16.5 Pounds

On the morning of February 7, 2010 I awoke and weighed myself on the bathroom scale - as I do every morning - and was horrified by the readout: I was a 196.5 pound gelatinous blob of wriggling pudgy-fudge. Needless to say, I was repulsed. And let me tell you, to be disgusted by one's own self is not a very pleasant feeling.

A few hours later, I was lined up for a race in Central Park when I ran into an old buddy of mine, who as part of his greeting, patted my tummy and said, "What's this?"

I was mortified and embarrassed, and as I dragged my spare tire through the first mile I decided then and there to get a hold of this before I spiral out of control and end up leaden enough to qualify for the WBO heavyweight division.

On the morning of October 20, 2010 I awoke and weighed myself on the bathroom scale and tipped it at 180, reaching my goal weight, four pounds less then wedding weight, and the lowest of my adult life.

I did it by following a six-step program:

1) I undertook various six-week fitness challenges. First I undertook a program to be able to muster 100 consecutive pushups (http://hundredpushups.com/) and aced it. Then I tried a program to crank out 20 straight pullups (http://twentypullups.com/) and crushed it. Currently I'm partaking in a program that should allow me to conquer 200 straight situps (http://www.twohundredsitups.com/). All this meant I'd be sweating at least three times a week, burning massive amounts of calories.

2) My family has pizza about 100 times a year(!). Pizza is typically 300 calories per slice. I used to eat two slices, plus all the leftover crust from my family. I realized that in reality, I was eating three total slices! So I chopped out a slice and it's more than enough to satisfy me. Doing the math, that's 30,000 annual calories I haven't consumed!!!

3) I've stopped stuffing my face to my heart's content after a run and after hockey. This is major. I used to jam grub down me gulliver, thinking I could afford to because I'd sweated so hard and I deserved it. Not so fast. I began calculating how many calories my activities burned and consumed way, way less than that amount. Instant results.

4) I get home daily about 1-1.5 hours before my wife. I used to snack in the interim so that they could tide me over until she makes her yummy dinners. No more. Now I play with the kids, put them to sleep solo most of the time and eat hardily once my wife is home. Those snacks were useless calories.

5) Are you like me? Do you panic when you're offered birthday cake and think to yourself, "Ohmigosh, I have to have this! I mean, when's my next chance? But the flower-shaped icing has 437 synthetic ingredients! But it looks so good! I need to have it!" No more. Especially when my kids get invited to birthdays all the time, and birthday cake is in ample supply. I can have it when I want it, but I don't. I ask for one bite from my kids' offerings and it's enough to satisfy me.

6) Because of my weight loss, I've been able to put in longer and more vigorous runs, which is an excellent calorie-burning loop. I've trained more miles this year than ever before. I've broken various PRs. I'm getting fast and faster and my workouts have become more intense, and I am no longer a gelatinous blob of wriggling pudgy-fudge. Nay, I might currently be in the best shape of my life.