This is my most important Resolution for 2010.  If I fail at all other 2010 Resolutions, I must not fail at this one! 

Here are the Reasons why:

• My weight is a health risk.  While I’m not huge, my weight has raised my blood pressure, and needs to be lowered.  High blood pressure puts too much strain on the heart. 
• My kids need me.  Being out of shape makes it hard for me to keep up with my kids.  I want to able to play soccer, basketball, and just plain old play outside with them. 
• It’s expensive, both in the short and long terms.  By short term, I mean that I don’t need to spend money on extra food when I’m so heavy already.  By long term, I mean if I don’t get into shape, I’m in danger of having a heart attack, diabetes, or other weight related diseases.  Neither is necessary, and need to be fixed now! 
• I want to enjoy life more fully.  Let’s be honest, when you are in shape, you can do much more than if you aren’t (and often times, it’s cheaper to boot).  I need my health to do fun activities like skiing, tennis, golf, basketball, wave running, boating, hiking, jogging, biking, etc… the list just goes on and on… 
• Increased energy level.  When I was in shape, I had a lot more energy than I currently do.  This is life energy!  Use it or lose it as they say… 
• Being thinner (unless to a fault), make you more attractive.  It’s that first impression thing…  If you’re more attractive, people will like you more just by default.  Being healthy puts you in that group.  In fact, I’m often amazed at how a heavier girl can sometimes lose weight and be a total knockout!  I feel bad for young girls (and boys) that are really physically beautiful, but never fully realize it because of the diet that their family practices.
• Life Insurance is cheaper if you are in shape.  If you are in shape and don’t smoke, you can get life insurance at a very cheap rate (barring any other serious problems…)
• Reducing the change of back problems.  Yes, I have back problems and my extra weight isn’t helping matters.  While being think won’t prevent you from having back problems.  Being heavier definitely will add stress to your back, thus increasing the likelihood that you will have problems.
• Weight loss can lessen asthma symptoms and make healthier lungs.  This one I heard from a friend.  I have allergies, so hopefully this will help me too.

 How I’m going to save money:

• I’m still doing my Lunch Experiment, so I’m not going to spend money for a special diet program.  It would be easier that way, but I want to keep doing my experiment.
• This year I’m not going to join a gym (besides I have free weights in the basement just laying there waiting for me).  I going to workout 3 days per week (Monday, Wednesday & Friday), for less that 30 minutes per day.
• Since I’m dieting, I’ll eat less food, that should help me keep costs down.
• Ideally, I’ll get sick less often, which means less doctor visits.

Now that I’ve mentioned the reasons why, below are my personal details and the spreadsheet that I’m going to use to track my weight loss:

 Personal Details:  I’m 5′ 10″ and I weight 235 (I’m not a round 235 though since I use to lift weights), by normal standards I’m considered obese.  So my goal for the year is to loss at least 40 lbs. (any more than that would be icing on the cake!) 😉

Click here to enlarge this Obesity Chart

This is the amount of weight (in lbs.) that I want to loose in each of the months below:

Here is my Weight-Loss spreadsheet to track my progress:   The weekly table below is the one I’m going to use record my progress every Saturday, with my results posted on the following Sunday mornings.

Now that I have the tools and monthly target goals in place, I’m ready to roll with this Resolution! 🙂

-D