I'm tired of sucking in my gut...

Today's the day I took my photos of me. I've confirmed what I have known all along. There is quite a bit of fat around my equator. Below are the pics that I took that were required of me.




Now, I know I ain't the biggest or the fattest, however, you have to understand this: I spent most of junior high and all of high school and well into the 21st century weighing in at around 130lbs. For me to weigh in now at close to 175lbs., is a bit depressing. So, that's why I am taking a stab at Kari's little competition. I'd like to be able to win some money, but overall, I'd much rather lose the weight. The money is there to entice me. To give me motivation, that much I know.

So, I guess it's time for me to be motivated now, isn't it?

I already got a piece of equipment that I am hoping to use during the duration of this competition. I got me a bicycle. Now, they say that when you learn how to ride a bike, you never forget. I got to put that adage to the test as I tried riding it around my block the other day. Other than a wobbly start, I didn't do too bad (considering I haven't ridden a bike since 1996).

The really stressful part about all the weight gain, was the fact that I didn't gain the weight until I stopped working in a factory. During that time in the factory, I was well toned, and well within my weight range. That was 4 years ago. Now, I work in IT and I already know that my job is not exactly conducive to a healthy lifestyle. First, I sit a lot without much of an opportunity to move. Then, there are the irregular eating habits. Some days I'll eat properly, while on others, I'll be happy if I just eat a candy bar or two. On top of that, with my current job, I travel a lot now, and that means eating out at restaurants more often now. But, I think Diane and I have actually hit on an impromptu idea for me eating out. Since I don't have a permanent office space yet for me, Diane has given me a $60 allowance every two weeks that I can use for eating out. Once it's gone, it's gone. So, that means I have to be mindful about where I eat, and how much I eat. Two of the big things that have helped me pack on the pounds.

I'm not too concerned about needing to change my eating habits too much. I'm right close to where I need to be for guys my age and height. According to some fuzzy math that I've done, my stats are as follows:

1. 44lbs. of my weight is pure fat, that makes it around 25.3% of my body weight. For guys my age, that number should be between 13% and 23%.
   
2. My body water percentage is at 54.5% and for guys my age, that should be between 50-65%. I'm right on target for that one.
3. My bone mass percentage is at 8%, which is again on target for guys my age (7.4-8.2%).
4. Now, my body mass index (BMI) is at 27.3, which is higher than it needs to be. Anything over 25 is high, so that is where I am going to be focusing on.

Alright, I've spewed enough babble for the day. I need to get a bit of cleaning going on today. I've heard before in the past that home cooked foods are healthier than restaurant or store bought food. So, next week, I'm going to be posting a recipe from my collection on here. I do a lot of cooking when I'm at home, and I think that will probably explain why I'm not as big as I could be. So, for all those who are in need of some recipe ideas, keep your eyes peeled for recipes from me.

Ciao-ders!