Can An Old Dog Learn New Tricks? Where NCN Gets Real

I had a pretty good day today.  I started off strong – but I’m up late and I really want to have a snack.  As most long-time readers will note, I always spend much more time writing about personal finance – and I usually post here for a while and then slack off.  Why?  Because managing money is easy!  Losing weight is hard!  I hate the fact that I can “do everything right” and the scale doe——-

Still here?  Good.  You see the junk that you just read?  That was NCN from, say, the past 10 years.  I’ve complained about my weight – and then I’ve talked about how I “do everything right” – and then I whine about not losing weight.  No more!  Instead of putting a pretty face on an ugly pig (so to speak), I’m going to be brutally honest.  Losing weight takes time, dedication, and hard work – and I have done a very poor job of managing my time, I have failed to be dedicated, and I have slacked off on the hard work.  So, instead of griping and complaining, I am actually going to listen to my own advice and DO something.

Today, I did a great job of managing my hunger.  I ate when I was hungry and I made good choices.  I did some work around the house that needed to be done and I managed to get in a little exercise.  I’ll weigh in in the morning to get a good “starting weight” – and then I’ll know where I need to go from there.  I plan to hit the gym and get my fat rear moving.

For those of you who are tired of seeing me start over – imagine how I feel!  Will this time be different?  I sure hope so.

As added motivation, in the next year, I am going to run in a race – I’ll decide what kind and how long later – but I’m going to get up off of my fatness and do something.  Seriously.  No, I mean it.  No, really…

Here’s a list of races to be held in Georgia.

No. Calories Needed 3.0 – Introducing The 33 By 33 Project

I have changed the design of No. Calories Needed.  I wanted a site that would better match the look-and-feel of my other sites.  I have also decided to ditch the whole “I’m not on a diet – I just want to feel better” thing.  The truth is, I need to lose weight.  I am 5’8 tall and I weigh 242 pounds.  While I like the idea of focusing on the “whole person” – I’m more of a goal-driven type of dude.  I need a specific, achievable goal.  So, I am going to go old school and create a chart and track my progress.

Introducing The 33 By 33 Project

The Goal:  I want to lose 33 pounds before my 33rd birthday, January 13, 2008.

The Diet:  I will eat healthy proteins, complex carbohydrates, fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Exercise:   I will push myself – I am going to try to go to the gym (at least) five days per week.  I will alternate strength training and elliptical work.

Ten pounds per month sounds reasonable.  Any adult should be able to push himself for three months.  In the past, I’ve set goals based on tables and charts – this time, I simply want to get below 210 and go from there.

If you have advice or feedback, I’d love to hear from you.  When I started my debt reduction blog, I found that I was motivated by readers and their comments.  Also, if you would like to follow my progress, please subscribe to No. Calories Needed via RSS or via Email.

Site Design – Upgrade In Progress

If you are a regular reader, you’ll notice that I am making some changes to the look and feel of No. Calories Needed. After giving myself a stern lecture, I’ve decided to give this weight loss thing – and this weight loss blogging – a real shot. So, check back over the course of the next few days and see how things are going. I’ll relaunch No. Calories Needed – Version 3.0 – by Sunday.