The Night Before I Begin

8/5/07

Hi guys! My name is Mark and I weigh 271 lbs. Thats right, 271 lbs! I’m 18 years old and tomorrow I will begin my biggest journey. My journey to weight loss, my journey to health, my journey to a longer life. My plan is to use this blog as a place where I can write my thoughts and record my progress.

My weight has always been an issue for me. I grew up being a depressed little brat who took out his anger by eating. In junior high I dredded the day we had to run the timed mile, I can’t even explain the anxiety. I had an awesome P.E. teacher who worked with me and helped me improve my overall health, the problem was that I didn’t have her the following year and fell back to eating.

Freshman year in high school I started going to weightwatchers with my mom who was also trying to lose weight. Weightwatchers taught me a lot about eating healthy and how to eat to lose weight. I lost around 10 lbs, then I had the flu, lost another 10 lbs and gained it all back 4 weeks later. I quit the program the following week, should have stuck with it.

Freshman and sophmore year in highschool I really tried to focus on excerising in PE. I was able to run a mile without stopping and played all sorts of sports with hardly any trouble. Even though I weighed 275 lbs. My weight training class was awesome and I really enjoyed having a teacher who loved to help his students with their health. I made a lot of improvements in that class. My first day I maxed my bench at 115 lbs. The last day of school I was at 195 lbs. First mile run was almost 15 min., everyone was waiting for me, how embarrissing. Last day my time was 12 min. My good friend Joey ran the mile with the first half of the class and then ran it again with me in the second group. I owe a lot to Joey for my success, he was a great motivator. I still weighed 275 lbs. I’m totally over being fat!

It’s only been recent that I’ve been having anxiety about being able to sit comfortably in the theatre, in a plane, and in my car. In a week I’m going to Hawaii and I’m nervous about the plane ride. Hey, I’m a big guy okay! My friend signed me up for ziplining and the weight limit is 280 lbs. Thats almost what I weigh now! I’m so nervous that I won’t fit in the harness, and they’ll send us home. Screw it though, I’m going to try, I hate being afraid. I haven’t swam in a pool for a year because I feel bad about my body. I live 6 miles from the beach and I haven’t been in the ocean for years. What have I become? I get nervous when my friends ask me to play bball after school, I can barely keep up with the other kids. That’s over, I’m done being affraid, I want to live my life! Stop telling me what I can’t do!

Tomorrow I am going to start the biggest, longest, and hardest journey in my life. I am going to lose weight! By exercising, and eating right I plan on losing weight, and gaining back my life. The following are the measurements of my body.

8/5/2007 – The Night Before I Begin My Journey

Body Measurements

Left

Ankle – 10.5″
Calf – 20″
Thigh – 33″
Wrist – 7.5″
Forearm – 12.5″
Bicep – 16.5″

Right

Ankle – 11″
Calf – 20″
Thigh – 33″
Wrist – 7.5″
Forearm – 12.5″
Bicep – 16.75″

Waist – 48.5″
Tummy/Gut – 52.5″
Chest – 48″
Neck – 16″

Beginning Weight: 271 lbs.
First Goal: 260 lbs.
Final goal: 180 lbs.

I plan on analyzing what I am eating and beginning a self-made diet program. Weightwatchers will be a big influence! I plan on getting off my ass and start getting active. Sometime soon I’m going to go pick up my weight bench from my friends house and get it set up downstairs in the garage. I’m going to buy DDR and dance like a crazy obese guy trying to lose weight! I’m going to start a running program that my older brother is going to give me. He’s a crazy skinny dude who participates marathons and triathalons, he’s going to be a big suporter. That reminds me, I’m the only one in my family who is overweight. I’ll buy a scale and keep it in the bathroom. I’ll weigh myself every week, every Monday morning between 6:00 and 8:00. I’ll blog every Monday, and Friday, keeping everyone updated.

Please wish me the best of luck!