Starting off....

Ok.  Here we go.  Today, I took my Fat pictures.  These are the pictures that will show me at my HIGHEST weight.  My intention is to have them taken again every 25 pounds as I continue through my weight loss.  This journey will be taken without the help of surgery, drugs, or anything artificial.  I am simply going to begin eating right and exercising.  So...Tomorrow, I will begin the diet portion of the rest of my life.  Tonight, we are going out to eat at Shaw's Catfish restaurant to have a "one last meal." before we start.  I don't know if Brandy really is ready to start with me, but I have to begin.  In just a few minutes I will get the weeks menu together....then after we go to Shaw's the plan is to go grocery shopping so we have food for the week.  Yay! 

Ok...now that the super embarassing pictures are out there...Here is the motivation to keep me going.  My rewards system.  Every 25 pounds of loss, I reach a new mini goal.  Each mini goal reached, the reward carries a slightly higher monetary value. 
So....I am starting off at 382.5 pounds according to the scale this morning. 

Which means, at 25 pounds of loss I will weigh 357.5, My reward for reaching 25 pounds is going to be some cologne from the Body Shop.

At 50 pounds I get a 30 minute massage at the WoodHouse Day Spa in Slidell.  I can't wait for this one!  I have wanted a massage for a long time now....I hope it as wonderful as I think it will be.

Will save the rest of my goals to post until I get closer to my weight...Wish me luck!

Goal #1

Ok...getting started soon!  I also realized what my first mini-goal is going to be and what my reward for achieving that goal will be.  My first goal is 30 pounds down.  That will put me at 350 lbs...when I get to 350, I will reward myself with a cologne that I have loved for years, it was discontinued, and now is back.  I get a bottle of Activist from The Body Shop.  I discovered this cologne when a friend of my sister's and her cousin came to visit for Mardi Gras one year.  The cousin was from London and this was a cologne he wore.  I had some when Brandy and I started dating 10 years ago, and she loved it...and then I couldn't find it when I ran out!  Was on their store's website recently and saw that they once again had that scent....I can't wait to get to 350!

In the Beginning...

This is my first blog post, but not my first attempt at my Journey.  My Blog is entitled My Journey to... because I feel that life is a journey...not a destination.  We all know what the destination is the end, and I am not yet ready for my life to be over!  My Journey that I begin today is a journey to a healthier life.  I am going to be starting to eat healthier, exercise more regular, and take care of my body the way that God intends.  None of us are perfect, and I won't portend to be perfect.  This blog will be a story starting today of my life, with some reflections on the past to help me (and you) learn from the past.  Often times, I think that the reason we continue to destroy ourselves isn't because we purposefully want to, it is because we forget where we have been and loose sight of where we want to go.  I know that I want to be healthier than I am at this very moment.  Currently, I am weighing in at 384.5 pounds and have a back ache that I have had now for three days....from moving a few boxes (not very heavy at all) and mowing my lawn (on a riding mower).  Pretty sad physical shape! 

I have been flowing a fellow on Sparkpeople (www.sparkpeople.com) who has now lost over 225 pounds for some time.  In fact when I started following him, he weighed what I weighed and I was going to keep up with him because he had already lost over 150 pounds!  Well...he now weighs 75 pounds less than I do...I didn't do so well on keeping up with him.  So, he can serve as inspiration that this can be done, but ultimately, I have to do it for myself. 

My wife and I have discovered that obesity is an excellent form of birth control over the past 7 years of our marriage.  For the first 3 years we were married, we tried to get pregnant unsuccessfully and were about to decide that we were not going to be able to conceive.  After an embarrassing trip to California where we had to ask for seat belt extensions on every plane, and crush the poor skinny person who was unfortunate enough to be seated on our row for the plane flights (we didn't subject just one person...there were three grand total)...we decided to really hit it and loose weight!  Well, after each of us lost 50 pounds in a three month span, we found out we were pregnant with our first child.  Diet stopped...pregnancy eating started (yes, I had pregnancy cravings too!)...and we proceeded to gain the 50 pounds lost back plus 20+ each.   When our son was 18 months old, we decided he was self sufficient enough we could start our diet again and we did...both lost 40 pounds and low and behold...pregnant.  Child number two nine months later.  So, to end this cycle, I am going to see an Urologist this week to have this problem taken care of!  There will not be any more diet children conceived if I can help it!  Two beautiful red headed children are enough for me and my wife...

So with that in mind, I am starting today.  Going to try and live life to the fullest.  I am not going to be successful every day...that is just part of life.  None of us know what is going to be thrown our way.  I just have to be strong enough to come out on the other side still trying and I will succeed.