New Year's Weight Loss Challenge: Episode One, Making an Example of Myself

Local Editor: Stephen Schmidt
Weight: 182 pounds.
Goal: 25 Pounds lost by...eventually.

The weight loss journal journey begins... tune back every Friday for more.

I've always been one of those annoying people who rebels just for the point of rebelling. You know, like Hipsters, except there's no subset of the population that finds me cool.

Everyone starts swearing in high school? Hah, I shall utter nary a curse.

Everyone starts drinking in college? It's teetotalling time for me.

What camera brand should I use? Canon? Nikon? Nah, gotta go with Pentax.

Everyone in the area votes for local NFL teams? Eat it, I'll vote for the Cleveland Browns. Wait, I've made a terrible mistake!

So why would a contrarian like me start a weightloss journal after New Year's Eve?

Well, for one, I have made a resolution to be more masochistic this year, and I think publically talking about my weight loss efforts in addition to exercising more and changing my diet would be a good way to start.

Also, the other night I was sitting in a chair next to a glass door and I happened to look at my reflection, and perhaps it was just my usually terrible posture, but my beginner's gut appeared to take on the aspect of Droopy the cartoon dog's sagging jowels; then somewhere far in the distance, I heard this tone; finally, I saw the eternal Footman size me up for a girdle and snicker-- and in short, I was afraid.

I sighed and muttered to myself: "I finally need to do something about this."

Now, sorry ladies (I mean, you're welcome), I promise there will be no shirtless before and after shots, in fact if I have my way there will be no photos of me at all, as I don't think my scrawny pale carcass looked good even when I was "in shape."

(No single women in the area will be reading this journal, right? Great...)

No this weekly journal every Friday will primarily concern me learning how to improve my health while avoiding the dreaded 200 pound weight limit, which I'll talk about next time -- foreshadowing. And may include discussion including but not limited to: general health, diet, exercise, Blue Zones, and pop culture references.

So join me again next week, and add your tips or hopes or goals or insults to the comments. As I hope this ongoing journal will spur a discussion that will help all of us on our 2013 weight loss goals.