My Goals for "The Transformer"

When I got married almost 9 years ago I weighed 175 lbs.  I weigh 196 right now.  I don't feel like I have gone completely over the edge, but I have consistently put on weight.  I have signed up for the Transformer challenge to reverse that trend.  I like this challenge because it requires six months of consistency.  I will need to loose almost 1 pound each week.  When the challenge is over I will be at 177, just over my weight when I got married.  

There are a few things that have contributed to my weight gain, but I believe the main reason to be my sedentary lifestyle. At work I can sit all day long. I need a few things that will ensure that I move around a little.  I also want to eat better. I am going to set a few goals for myself that will help me stay on course for the Transformer challenge. They aren't big things, but if I can make them habbits, I will be in better health.

1) I will stop eating food that is loaded with sugar.  This includes things like candy from the candy dish, doughnuts, or soft drinks.  This is really a no brainer. These foods offer nothing more than a sweet taste and have no business being eaten.

2) I will do "warm-up" exercises every day.  "Warm-up" exercises are excersises completed each day shortly after waking up.  They can take anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes and include things like push-ups, squats, sit-ups, etc.  This is a small thing, but it is a habit I need to begin again.

3) I will do a more formal exercise at least 2 times a week.  This will be something that gets me outside and takes at least 30 minutes.  Again, not a big deal, but not something that I am doing currently.  

4) I will focus on drinking more water.  Specifically, I will drink 16 ounces of water every morning before going to work.  

5) And finally, I will give up fast food.  The food my wife makes at home is fantastic.  She works very hard to cook with natural ingredients and always ensures that we have plenty of fruits and vegetables. However, when I am out of the home I end up eating fast food because it is easier.  This will be the hardest of all the goals, but I am commited to it. 

These are not huge changes to my lifestyle, but that is intentional. I need something that is sustainable.  

In this blog, I will give a weekly update on all five of the goals listed above.  Let' get started!