This is where the fun really begins......

Today I stepped on the scale.....185 lbs.  Back in 2001, when I was doing the Body for Life program, I was able to get down to this weight, which was the lightest I had been since high school (I started at 246 in February 2000, so it was a nice accomplishment).  I was working out like crazy....spending at least 45 minutes on the treadmill 3 times a week, swimming and weight training on the other days.  I also felt hungry....all of the time.  I would gorge on the weekends, starve on weekdays.    I was able to sustain this for a few more weeks, then, the weight started to come back on.  By summer of 2005, I was back in the 238 lb range and hovered around that number for years, losing some, and gaining it back.

Fast forward to this morning, I feel like a completely different person, and much more in control of my fitness goals.  What's different?  I started fasting, which has been a tremendous help.  I'm able to stick to around 1800-1900 calories a day, and bump the number up to 2100 on the weekends.  If you take those calories and break them down into one or two meals, you can eat big and still feel like you are not depriving yourself.  I am not going to go into detail again on why I am convinced fasting does some really good things for your body, but, it is a great way to control calories.  In fact, on days where I am only eating one meal (which is 2 times a week on my non-gym days), the most calories I have been able to consume have not exceeded 1,400 calories, 400-500 calories below my target caloric range to be at a deficit!  The fasting takes some time to get used to, especially if you were like me and thought you had to eat 5-6 meals a day to burn fat.

My workouts are also an absolute pleasure. 30 - 45 minutes in the gym, max.  No cardio, 3 different exercises, then I'm out.  I love it (minus the loud grunting bro who seems to be on the same lifting schedule as me).

Bottom line, I stopped sweating the small stuff.  I have enjoyed brownies, cake, ice cream...you name it.  Oh yeah, check out my sandwich from last Saturday night.....

 
This is the Pig's Delight Sandwich served at this awesome joint called Hoggs-N-Chicks.  Fried pork loin, shaved ham, fried egg, bacon, hatch chili sauce and chipotle mayo.  I would have felt guilty about eating something like this.....not anymore.  I just don't eat them every night.  The fasting and flexible meal plan are going to be the key for my long term success.  I can't wait to to take this on this remaining body fat...I'm getting close...not quite there yet.  I mix in weight training to build muscle.  I am getting stronger by the week.  I have found this awesome recovery drink post workout....it's called coffee.  Updated pics will be coming in about three weeks.