1. Answer these questions before starting your diary.

-- How much weight do you want to lose? 40lbs

-- What is the timeframe for reaching your target weight? 9 Months

-- How do you want to accomplish your goal (what methods do you want to use)? 1500-1800 calories/day; exercise daily

-- Who or what can support you in reaching your goal? Wife, co-workers, friends, this site

-- How realistic is your goal? Given my past, I think it is a pretty difficult task to accomplish, so I HAVE to stay focused

-- When will you start? Right now

Other questions you might want to consider answering in your diary, to get you started, and avoid that white page writer's block are: (stolen shameless from Geam's diary)
What is your current height and weight? 5'10" - 293.3lbs
If you were at an ideal weight now, what would that weight be? 250lbs
At what weight would you like to be at four months from now? 275lbs
Why do you want to lose weight? To be around as long as I can for my wife, my family, and my friends
Do you want to lose weight for a specific life event such as wedding or reunion? If so, when is that event? none
What obstacles could get between you and your weight loss goals? My eating habits
Why do you think that you now have a weight problem? I've always thought it, but now I am finally doing something about it
What lifestyle changes do you think would help you lose weight? I need to dissociate happiness with food. And just get more active in life.
Have you lost weight in the past? If so, what has worked in the past to help you lose weight? DISCIPLINE
Why do you believe that you did not lose weight or you gained the weight back? Lost focus and got lazy
What, if anything, has not worked for you in the past in helping you to lose weight? Why do you think it did not work? Exercise with no diet changes
Would you try writing down all food and drink consumed for a given period of time? Yes...I will do that now
Do you cook at home often? If so, what do you cook? Occasionally...I just whip up whatever is around: spaghetti, hamburger patties, fish, etc
How often do you go out to eat? Where do you go? TOO OFTEN, maybe 3-4 times a week. We go to various restaurants like Chinese food or greek food or american food. You name it we go there
What are your three favorite foods? Steak, pizza, and sandwiches
What are your three favorite restaurants? Dengeos, Panera, Pita Inn
What are three things you can do differently when it comes to food? Eat smaller portions and more often. Eat BETTER foods.
If you woke up tomorrow and your body was exactly the way you want it, what would be different? My stomach would be flat, I would only have ONE chin, my waist size would be 36 inches
Do you eat when you are not hungry? I've gotten better about it, so not as often
Do you binge eat (large amounts at a time)? Sadly, yes
Do you hide your food or eat in secret? No
Do you eat when you are sad, nervous, or depressed? No
Do you eat as a reward? No
Do you eat while watching TV or using the computer? No
What do you normally eat for a meal? Breakfast - Cereal; Lunch - Sandwich; Dinner - full meal with sides
What type of snacks do you eat? I try not to snack, but lately it has been yogurt and/or fruit
In terms of exercise, what, if anything, are you currently doing? walking, jogging, jump rope, weight training
Where do you go for exercise? A local public gym? School/work gym? Home? Gym at work
What, if anything, are your three favorite types of exercise? Basketball, elliptical, and recently jump rope
What is your daily/weekly/monthly/yearly motivation to move towards your goals? Setting goals for each of those frequencies and acheiving them
Do you have rewards for certain goals? Maybe buy myself a nice basketball card [my other vice]


WOW....that was a lot of questions.

Today for exercise I warmed up by jumping rope for about 10 minutes and then I walked/jogged a mile on the treadmill and then back to the jump rope for another 5 minutes. I took a nice little walk around the building with some co-workers so my total step count for the day was over 10,000 [my weekly goal per day].

I had a slim fast for breakfast, a chicken ranch wrap for lunch, an orange for a snack, and then a hamburger patty, mashed potatoes and soup for dinner. I also had a massive amount of water today, at least 10 glasses.

My dinner was kind of big, I probably didn't really need to eat as much for dinner, but I was starving. I think I need one more snack like of yogurt or something between lunch and dinner.

Sorry to bore you...I'll be more entertaining next time

way to go. love the list even if it is a tad long lol. Good luck with your journey anyway.

Liz

ps. had to remove the link from your sig, sorry violates forum rules

My weight loss aim is very similar to yours! And 13 pounds into it (so 1 third of the way gone) it has been great, a way of discovering new bits of me that I didn't know!
So keep going! Also adding a small snack before dinner really works for me. If I eat an apple before dinner for example, then I will only eat 1 serving of food instead of 2! So I definitely recommend it (and in calories it is much better to eat 80 cals of apple before dinner than 250 cals of extra serving during!).
Good luck! Camy

Thanks for the comments! I copied the list from one of the stickies in this forum

Today has been pretty good, I'll update later tonight.