Whooshes & Whooshes

Thank you Angie for recording this on your DVR and sharing it with us. This could truly be an addition to the Why I Love Utah series! Probably the best Utah news story ever!

It's Time...

Time for change. I’m not talking Obama-size change. More like Stumpe-size change. Personal change. Easier said than done, I realize, but this is a first step in achieving my goals. So here it is, let me lay it on you: By the end of 2009 I will weigh 170 pounds or less.

By publicizing my intentions here I hope to create a little added accountability and a system for reporting. Feel free to hassle me if I seem to be slacking in my attempts to get healthy. In order to gain perspective and keep me motivated I have outlined three basic sections that I believe will help me succeed:

How I gained all the weight:

• I was eating out way too much
• I gave in to my soda/caffeine addiction
• I was lazy (thanks to television and video games)
• I did not go to bed early enough and did not get enough sleep
• I gave in to depressive thoughts and behavior
• My eating habits have been inconsistent and unhealthy
  

How I will reach my goal:

• I will begin eating healthy
• I will make health shakes
• I will eat a good breakfast
• I will make lunches rather than eating out all the time
• I will include fruits and vegetables in my diet
• I will eat 4-6 meals/snacks a day
• I will avoid eating late at night (especially bad foods)
  

• I will keep myself hydrated
• I will begin the day with no less than 8 oz of water (kick-starts my metabolism)
• I will replace soda with water throughout the day
• I will drink 0.5 gallons (64 oz.) to 1 gallon of water a day
  

• I will exercise regularly
• I will workout at the gym at least 4 times a week first thing in the morning
• I will take other opportunities to participate in recreational activitiesWhen I have nothing else to do and find myself sitting in front of the TV I will find some other physical activity even if it means going to the gym twice that day
• I will combine cardio exercises and weight lifting (cardio will most often involve intervals)

• I will go to bed early and I will rise early
• I will keep a positive mental attitude
  

Reasons why I want to do this

• I want to be more competitive in the sports I participate in
• I want to be generally more confident
• I want to avoid injury preemptively
• I want to be more physically attractive
• I don’t want to be embarrassed when I take off my shirt (and I really like to be shirtless)
• I don’t want to be embarrassed when I’m at the pool, waterpark, lake, etc (kind of goes back to the whole shirtless thing)
• I want to have enough strength and endurance for everyday activities and more
  

I know some of these things sound pretty general but losing weight does not have to be complicated. It is my belief that four simple things (simple in theory but not in action) can lead to weight loss: Healthy eating, exercise, self-discipline, and a positive mental attitude.

Here’s the lowdown: I weigh in, on average, at 200 lbs. I will have to lose 30 lbs by the end of the year. That’s roughly 4.5 lbs a month. Not too bad, right. Really, I would like to be at 165 but shooting for 170 felt realistic but significant. I can then go from there. Six months from now I should be skinnier, healthier, and happier!