The back story

So what prompted this latest attempt at weight loss? It actually started about two months before I really began in earnest, when I TiVo'ed NBC's rebroadcast of the 2006 Ironman World Championship from Hawaii. (Incidentally, Hawaii in high definition is breathtaking.) As I was watching it, it rekindled an old desire I had to do a triathlon someday. I watched it three or four times before going on vacation, and it motivated me more and more each time.

Now, of course, being around 300 lbs. and completely out of shape like I was is not really conducive to running a triathlon, even the shorter sprint variety. So, I slowly started to get myself in shape. And I do mean slowly, at least at first. So slowly, in fact, that I once again found myself at a complete stop shortly after coming back from vacation.

But I watched that recording again and again, and something must have finally snapped, because I started a new routine at the beginning of October and haven't stopped yet. I started out doing laps around my block, which I measured out to be almost exactly a mile. I walked it at first, then started to run for short bursts. When it was too dark to do that, I ran/walked on the treadmill in my building. I did two laps of the block in the rain one day, which is completely unheard of for me.

It got better. I started doing the Couch-to-5K program on Cool Running. I improved my eating habits, to the point where it's now second nature for me to have breakfast at home and take my lunch to work, instead of buying both meals in the cafeteria. I got a 6-month membership at the local municipal fitness complex, giving me somewhere to run on a decent treadmill and ride on a decent stationary bike in the winter. I'm planning on signing up for spinning classes, and on getting myself in the pool. I'm even to the point where I'm considering signing up to run the 5K on marathon weekend here in Ottawa next May.

The results so far have been tremendous. I'm currently down 11.8 pounds in 20 days, and I'm excited for more. My current goal is to get under 250 by February 1. We're going on a cruise to the Southern Caribbean, and I want to be able to sign up for some of the excursions that require you to be under 250 to participate. Long-term, though, the goal is still to get under 200, and I really think I'm going to make it this time.