30 in 15

Word of the day: di-et (verb)  To select or limit the food one eats to improve one's physical condition or to lose weight.

A few weeks ago, during my annual physical, I was weighed.  It was not a pleasant experience.  While I try to eat well and exercise regularly, lately I just haven't been doing anything that is conducive to getting and remaining in shape.  So it is time to really truly do something.

The other thing that has been weighing (ha!) on my mind is my impending 30th birthday (boo!).  I feel like I need to reach 30 having really accomplished something or earned something or done something really cool.  So I give to you the challenge I have set before myself: I am going to lose 30 pounds by my 30th birthday.

Gulp.

Healthy weight loss is 1-2 lb per week, so if I can hit the 2 lb/week mark, that means in 15 weeks I will have achieved my goal.  I'm going to start on Sunday November 1; 15 weeks from that date brings me to Saturday Feburary 13, which is a full week before my birthday.  I think I can do this.  Well, I know I can do this but whether or not I do do this remains to be seen.  By writing about it here, suddenly other people know and I might actually have to be accountable for my actions.  I'm not a big fan of that which is why writing about this is all the more important.

I'll likely write about it more but this isn't about to become a weight loss blog or anything...at least I don't think it will.  I'm trying to go about this with as few rigid rules as possible and mainly stick to overall lifestyle changes that I can maintain.  And I will likely make things up as I go, depending on what works and doesn't work for me.  Oh, and there will be no diet plan, no personal trainer, no nutrionist, just me.  I know what I need to do, it's just a matter of doing it. 

Right now, I have three main guidelines:

1. Get to the gym at least three times a week, but four times would be better.  And while there, learn to love (or at least tolerate) cardio.
2. Be more aware of portion sizes, especially what a portion size actually is.  Simple yet difficult, all at once.
3. Cut down on the pizza.  This will be a challenge, no question.  Right now I'm considering a No Pizza November, but that might just be wishful thinking on my part.
   

So this is what I'm going to try.  I'm trying not to think about winter coming up and how I'll want to cuddle up in front of a movie with some chocolate covered almonds and not move for a weekend.  I'm also trying not to think of the 10 birthdays, plus Christmas and New Year's, that will occur between Nov 1 and Feb 20. 

The most important thing I'm going to do, though, is not beat myself up or be too hard on myself if I slip up or if I don't end up reaching my goal.  I want to lose 30 lb, but maybe my body doesn't want me to.  Maybe I need to be a certain weight or size or whatever to be at my prime operating capacity.  Who knows?  When this is all over, I guess I will.