This is basically going to be my blog of sorts to help me keep track of the changes I make to my lifestyle and how they affect me.  I have a general plan together on how I will accomplish what I want, but any advice and or tips will be appreciated.
8/24/08
22yr old
6'3"
2xl shirts
44x34pants
scale with a 300lb limit feels taken advantage of if I get on it( Ill get an exact measurement this week)
Drink at least a 12pack of soda a day
smoke 1.5packs a day
drinks more than I want to think about
no stamina to speak of
diet includes whatever is easy and quick(fast food 12 or more times a week minimum)


Goals:
36" waist
Large shirt size
230-240Lbs
1 or less average sodas a day(lots more water)
Quit smoking
Drink a little less(I like my beer)
Be able to go out and run for a mile
Eat healthier

Immediate action
The first thing on my list is the smoking.  I started vacation today so I have a week without the stresses of work to give me a little boost start on that.  I also am going to cut back on my soda intake this week also.  Once I have a solid handle on the smoking I will move on to the diet issues and deal with those, about 3 weeks from now.  By New Years I plan to be on a healthy diet and working out regularly(Hopefully sooner)  With the drinking until I can tip the scales at less than 300 I wont take another drink.  After that I think that every 15lbs I lose will earn me a Designated driver for the weekend.


Ill try to update this thread every day to two.  The place I could use some advice is the diet aspect of it.  A couple of years ago I did atkins for a while and averaged 5-7 lbs a week weight loss.  The problem is that I dont see that as a sustainable diet program for myself.  I want to work myself into a diet that will allow me to lose weight and when I get to my goals just make small changes and stay with what I have been doing from then on.  
Most of my fam/friends that have dieted have gotten where they wanted to get and then went right back to the same habits afterwards and gained it all back.  

I'm 52 and you've only got me beat by about 15 pounds. Except for the smoking (I don't) and excessive drinking (a bottle of scotch a month, plus maybe 3 beers) and the sodas.... this could be me.

Drink at least a 12pack of soda a day

You are SERIOUSLY setting yourself up for stroke if these are Coke/Pepsi type drinks! Too damned much sodium; too much caffeine; and if they are diet sodas, phenalymine (spelling?) is a killer too. And you are also DEHYDRATING your system, which can only add to your problems. Switch to fruit drinks, even if they have added sugar.

smoke 1.5packs a day

What can I say? I watched my mother die from lung cancer. Her last day was agony for her. Have you ever been sucker punched in the solar plexus? Remember that first, gasping, moaning-with-pain breath you took? THAT was how EVERY breath was for her! That is what you have in store for you, pal.

drinks more than I want to think about

Start thinking about it*. Alcohol is an insidious poison.

no stamina to speak of

EVERYthing above is killing you! And you grumble about your stamina? Lemme tell you something: When you work out, you build up CO2, right? Carbon dioxide. What's in soda? CARBON DIOXIDE! So when you start to work out, you already have a carbon dioxide surplus to work off.

diet includes whatever is easy and quick(fast food 12 or more times a week minimum)

Fast food... what can I say? It brings me up to the * I put above: Your finances probably suck, too. Why? Impulse buying, that's why! Zero tolerance for waiting; you must have it all, RIGHT NOW.

The reason I'm raking you over the coals right now is that I just recently saw a lot of this in my own life, and have decided to do something about it. Congratulations on YOUR decision to do so! Stick with it...
...or you'll end up like me, 27 years from now. I now have sore joints, arthritis in my hips and hands, and exercising is a royal pain... MUCH worse than you have to deal with.

Running has been very successful for a lot of people trying to quit smoking.  When you get that urge get out the door!  Pick up a copy of John "The Penguin" Binghams' book : The Courage To Start.  

Well, 2 days have gone by and I havent had a smoke in that time, I have been chewing a lot of gum, but it isnt too bad.  My back is giving me some trouble from work Sat. night so I havent been very active these last couple days though.  My focus at the moment though is to quit smoking and work up to the weight loss and getting into shape down the road a few weeks.

Quoted: This is basically going to be my blog of sorts to help me keep track of the changes I make to my lifestyle and how they affect me.  I have a general plan together on how I will accomplish what I want, but any advice and or tips will be appreciated. 8/24/08 22yr old 6'3" 2xl shirts 44x34pants scale with a 300lb limit feels taken advantage of if I get on it( Ill get an exact measurement this week) Drink at least a 12pack of soda a day smoke 1.5packs a day drinks more than I want to think about no stamina to speak of diet includes whatever is easy and quick(fast food 12 or more times a week minimum) Goals: 36" waist Large shirt size 230-240Lbs 1 or less average sodas a day(lots more water) Quit smoking Drink a little less(I like my beer) Be able to go out and run for a mile Eat healthier Immediate action The first thing on my list is the smoking.  I started vacation today so I have a week without the stresses of work to give me a little boost start on that.  I also am going to cut back on my soda intake this week also.  Once I have a solid handle on the smoking I will move on to the diet issues and deal with those, about 3 weeks from now.  By New Years I plan to be on a healthy diet and working out regularly(Hopefully sooner)  With the drinking until I can tip the scales at less than 300 I wont take another drink.  After that I think that every 15lbs I lose will earn me a Designated driver for the weekend. Ill try to update this thread every day to two.  The place I could use some advice is the diet aspect of it.  A couple of years ago I did atkins for a while and averaged 5-7 lbs a week weight loss.  The problem is that I dont see that as a sustainable diet program for myself.  I want to work myself into a diet that will allow me to lose weight and when I get to my goals just make small changes and stay with what I have been doing from then on.   Most of my fam/friends that have dieted have gotten where they wanted to get and then went right back to the same habits afterwards and gained it all back.

I stop smoking 2 years ago (2 packs a day). I stop drinking 7 mouths ago (3 six packs of Heineken every weekend and one with my lunch and dinner). Smoking and beer is a habit not a addiction that is what I noticed. Dieting is not easy and once you lose weight you have to stick to your diet or you will gain the weight you lost. Stay away from fast foods. I'm from P.R and the food here is delicious and it is not the best if you are dieting. I stick to frequent small portions of food 4 to 5 a day and I do not eat after 6:00pm. If I get hungry after 6:00pm I'll eat a yogurt or apple sauce and  I will drink a glass of water. I use to weight 230lbs at 5'11"  and my sort buddies told me I needed to lose weight or I was out of the team. Now I my weight is 202lbs and fit. I wish you the best.

Good luck with your program, and hang in there!  It's good that you want to make changes and try to be healthier, you already know that.  Seems like you have a lot of unhealthy habits, and you've already stopped smoking and gone two days.  I would say, concentrate on that now...any one thing, dieting, quitting smoking, and quitting drinking is hard enough on its own.  Trying to do it all at once may be too overwhelming (and I've done them all at one point or another).  I quit smoking four years ago and baby carrots were my best friend, along with diet soda and sugarless gum.  Once you feel you have a handle on the quitting smoking, then you should concentrate on your diet.  Everyone is different but for me dieting was actually harder than quitting smoking...I was crankier and meaner and for longer when I started dieting than I was when I stopped smoking.  YMMV.  Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.  This will help you through ALL of them, and water is best, of course.  Juice and sports drinks are still loaded with sugar and therefore, calories.  Yeah, I get sick of water in no time, so I use Crystal Lite to change it up, and there are some diet sodas that don't taste like ass.  Oh yeah, and some of the flavors of Crystal Lite actually make decent mixers with a shot of liquor.

And we're all only human and prone to slip up, cheat or otherwise have a weak moment.  None of us has earned the right to be called perfect.  If you do, and you probably will, don't beat yourself up about it or throw in the towel.  Tomorrow is always another day.  I don't advocate a "cheat" when it comes to quitting drinking and smoking but when you're dieting a little cheat here and there may actually help you...stay sane or on track the rest of the time.  

Just to add a little clarity, I only drink diet sodas.  For as long as I can remember that is what I drank as a kid so that is what I drink now.  If I drink a regular soda it makes me feel sick due to the amount of sugar in it.  Oh and almost another 2 days have gone by without a smoke so I am still with it right now.  I need some more gum though, the 4 flavors I have been chewing are all getting dull tasting to me.

ive been wanting  to lose about 50lbs to get down to 180-185lbs. i quit drinking sodas completely back in feb and lost 20lbs the 1st week just from not having all the sugar intake. i have only been drinking water, tea or sugar free juice. i try to watch what i eat but its hard. i do cheat from time to time. but im still down around 210lbs. good luck to you

Quoted: ive been wanting  to lose about 50lbs to get down to 180-185lbs. i quit drinking sodas completely back in feb and lost 20lbs the 1st week just from not having all the sugar intake. i have only been drinking water, tea or sugar free juice. i try to watch what i eat but its hard. i do cheat from time to time. but im still down around 210lbs. good luck to you

Yes it is hard as hell. Damn you Wendy's.

Quoted: Quoted: ive been wanting  to lose about 50lbs to get down to 180-185lbs. i quit drinking sodas completely back in feb and lost 20lbs the 1st week just from not having all the sugar intake. i have only been drinking water, tea or sugar free juice. i try to watch what i eat but its hard. i do cheat from time to time. but im still down around 210lbs. good luck to you Yes it is hard as hell. Damn you Wendy's.

That Bitch and The King wreak havoc on my diet

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: ive been wanting  to lose about 50lbs to get down to 180-185lbs. i quit drinking sodas completely back in feb and lost 20lbs the 1st week just from not having all the sugar intake. i have only been drinking water, tea or sugar free juice. i try to watch what i eat but its hard. i do cheat from time to time. but im still down around 210lbs. good luck to you Yes it is hard as hell. Damn you Wendy's. That Bitch and The King wreak havoc on my diet

ditto...

but the little side salads at wendy's are tasty.. and they aren't too big.. :/

Quoted: i quit drinking sodas completely back in feb and lost 20lbs the 1st week just from not having all the sugar intake.

typo?

Word of advice on the smoking. Set your goals for a daily goal or even better an hourly goal. Try not smoking all the cigarette just half or less. Then pat your self on the back. You have just reduced the amount you normally smoke. Do this with a conscious thought. Set your goal for the amount of the cigarette you smoke. Then go for the length of time between smokes. Be careful not to smoke more cigarettes when you do smoke. The key to making this method work is DO NOT BEAT YOURSELF UP, when you do smoke. If you have reduced your intake in the past hour you have been successful. Time and mindset. Involve yourself as a third party. Notice your effort to reduce your intake and tell yourself," good damn job."  
 Drink too many beers and smoke a pack in six hours, No big deal. The past week you redused the amount you smoked with a consicous effort. Make that same effort the next day, Forget about the night before because your are working on the habit you have. Soon your body will respond along with your mind and the craving will be reduced. Cold turkey is not for everyone.

Well its been going pretty good, I have smoke a couple of times since last week, but overall I am doing very well with my efforts.  I dont have a day off till next Friday and I plan to go get some healthier food and start on my diet.

Quoted: Well its been going pretty good, I have smoke a couple of times since last week, but overall I am doing very well with my efforts.  I dont have a day off till next Friday and I plan to go get some healthier food and start on my diet.

Good job!