Getting back in shape

WARNING! This is the first of what is likely to be several posts about me trying to get into better shape. I’m mostly writing these posts as a way to try and hold myself accountable. If I put this stuff out there, I’m more likely to stick with it. I’ll try to avoid making them too boring for you guys. And I would appreciate a bit of help and input 🙂

I don’t do New Year’s Resolutions. They just don’t work! I mean, the intent behind them is good. You want to make a change in your life. The new year is symbolic of the new you (queue image of the old guy with a long beard standing next to a baby).

Oh yeah…I can add these now, huh?

See, the problem is that making a big change in your life sounds great in principle, but they’re very difficult to stick to. Old habits die hard and all that. So I’ve stopped trying to make big, sweeping changes, opting instead for attempting smaller changes. Now, I won’t lie to you.  I’m bad at even making small changes in my life. Especially if those changes entail giving up (or even cutting down on) my favorite foods, reducing my gaming time to work out, or having to get up any earlier in the morning. Combine this with 4 years at a desk job, and I’ve put on a few pounds. How many, exactly? Let’s just say at 6’3″, I’ve traveled north of the 3lbs per inch mark. I’ve decided it’s time to work that number south.

I’m going to guess that many of you have shuffled off at this point. Another post from some random person on the internet that wants to lose weight. But if you’ve stuck around this far, we’re getting down to the meat and potatoes (see, this is why I’m having trouble losing weight, even my expressions are food related!). I need your help to keep me accountable to some of the changes I’m trying to make! “What do I need to do to help you out?” you may be asking yourself. Well….not a lot, actually. Here’s what I’m thinking.

I have what are the beginnings of a plan:

1. Go to the gym! I’m doing OK on this one so far. Since New Years, I’ve averaged a little more than once a week, only missing weeks for illness. My activity of choice has been swimming. It’s a fantastic workout, something I find much more interesting than a treadmill, and it’s very easy for me to measure my progress. First week I swam I struggled hitting 500 yards in my 30 minutes. Yesterday I hit 1500 yards in 30 minutes! Still a long way to go, but progress is encouraging. (Nothing for you to do here, other than read about my occasional experience.)
2. Drink less. I used to have a beer most nights after work, a glass of wine once or twice a week with dinner, then cocktails/wine when I’m out with my wife for dinner. Add in occasional nights where you’re at a bar with friends, and it adds up pretty quickly. Now 99% of the time I was drinking responsibly, but it’s just a lot of extra empty calories that are working against me. For the last couple of months I’ve been trying to only drink on 2 occasions: out to dinner, or out with friends. I’ve mostly kept to it, and I think it’s helping, at least a little. (Nothing much to do here either! Maybe give me crap if I try to order “just one more” when we’re out together. See, isn’t this easy!)
3. Bring my own lunch to work. This one I’m absolutely terrible at. For a brief few weeks last year I’d try making myself something on Sunday that would last me at work through the week. I got so bored of what I was making that the whole thing fell apart. What I really need are good ideas, easy recipes, and something to keep me interested in the face of the delicious food trucks that constantly show up outside our office. (This one I could use immediate help with!)

So there’s my plan. Work out, drink less, eat better at work. Pretty straight forward, and none of these changes are too big. I’m already doing 2 of them pretty well! With some help from you guys, maybe number 3 won’t be so bad either! So what do you have for me? What are your favorite things to take with you for lunch? How do you do your lunch planning? How do you stop yourself going to get fried chicken from the food truck every Wednesday? No…really…how do you do that?