30. It's a magic number....

Why is 30 a magic number? Well, Snarklings, I'll tell you. That's just how many pounds I've lost in the past 4 months. Yep, 30 lbs. gone!  And while I still have many more to go to reach my goal, I want to stop and celebrate this accomplishment. Every little bit helps in the struggle to lose weight, and being just a little older with a metabolism that's comparable to a snail wading through a sea of molasses mixed with peanut butter and a side serving of wet cement, 30 lbs to me is worth celebrating.

In 2010, I was at my lightest weight since, like, ever, and I was fit enough to run the Marine Corps Marathon. I had lost over 60 lbs before I ran that race and I felt great. And then, I put it all back on. The struggle is real, you guys, and it totally sucks balls. But it's my struggle and I'm taking the responsibility, because no one forced me to stop going to the gym, and no one force fed me Boston Creme donuts and Five Guys burgers. That was all me.

So it's back on the roller coaster I go, as I try to gain control once again of my eating and exercise habits. I've used several tools that have been extremely helpful. One has been the MyFitnessPal website, and another has been the DietBet site. I'm not getting paid by either of these folks but I'm just telling you that they have been integral in my success this time around. I have found that logging every single thing that I put in my mouth truly helps me keep control of my eating. And it's free, and if it's free, it's for me. The DietBet thing has been pretty useful because I've actually MADE money over the past 4 months. And I like money. Matter of fact, I've got another DietBet starting up this coming weekend. If you're interested in joining my game, it's a $25 buy in and your goal is to lose 4% of your starting weight in 4 weeks. Check out my game by clicking here and join if you'd like.

Have YOU lost weight? What helped? What worked and what didn't? Tell me your story.