Back To Square One

About 16 months ago I decided that I needed to get into shape. I wasn't too far gone but I was heavier than I should have been (around 175 lbs.).

So I signed up for the free 12 week weight loss program that I found at about.com. It was a great tool and I attribute all of my success to the help I got from that program. It gave me lots of information about how to adjust my diet and how to set up a workout routine.

The first step was to pay attention to my diet. For years I had never eaten breakfast and it turned out that that was bad, so I made sure to start eating breakfast every day. I also started to monitor what I ate by keeping an food journal and I got rid of the junk food in my diet. I was a pop and chips addict.

For my exercise program I was alternating between a night of cardio (usually circuit training) and a night of strength training using dumbbells. These workouts didn't take too long, only 30-45 minutes. I did my workouts on nights when Jules was working so I could do it without any spectators. I hate having someone around when I'm doing my cardio routine! I'd rather huff and puff and grunt and groan in privacy. This is why I'll never join a gym. This gave me a good window from 9:00 to 11:30 to exercise in peace. Plenty of time!

After about a year I had lost most of my gut and I'd reached a healthy weight of 150 lbs. I actually has some muscle tone! I felt great and I was really happy with myself. I couldn't believe that I had stuck with the program for over a year.

Then Jules switched jobs. This was the beginning of the end for my fitness regimen.

Her new job ended at 9:30 and she was working fewer week nights. This meant I would have very little private time for jumping around the house like a lunatic.

First my cardio workouts suffered. I would only have 1 or 2 nights where Jules was working and most times she would be home before I even got started. For a while I would still manage to get in 1 workout a week, most weeks, but eventually I stopped doing my cardio workouts entirely.

My strength training lasted a little bit longer. Since I could do that workout in my bedroom I was able to have privacy whenever I wanted it. But once my whole routine got messed up, these workouts stopped as well.

It's been a few months now and I am back back where I started at 175lbs and very disappointed in myself.

I have to get back on that horse!

I'd really like to get an exercise bike. It's something I could do while watching TV and I wouldn't feel like a spaz doing it with someone else in the room. Until then I really need to get myself going. I need something that will burn a ton of calories in a small amount of time. I'll have to work out something. Anything!

I'm hoping that if I put my plight on to this blog that I will have someone to answer to if I don't stick with it. After all I wouldn't want to disappoint all of my imaginary readers.