Seventy Left

Once, almost four years ago, I happened across a full page ad for the Atkins Nutritional Approach. A large, modified food pyramid stood out from the page, which sat on my coffee table for at least a week before I paid it attention. When I did, there was absolutely no hint that it was going to change the way I thought about everything. On that morning, I weighed 455 pounds.

Just over one thousand four hundred days later, I now weigh 255. I’ve weighed 250 in the past year, and 280, and 260, and many other numbers in that range. My weight, although still somewhat of a fixation, has stopped driving me to the commitment I once had, and my weight loss, although large, has become a seesaw held in perpetual equilibrium: never obese, never skinny. It’s time that cycle ended, and this site will be the motivation and journal of my last big push, the last 70.

This diet is going to be different from all my rest; this time there is going to be a cold, hard reward at the finish line. I’ve started a paypal account for this site, and I won’t touch a cent of it until my scale reads 185 for two weeks straight. Scout’s honor. I sent the first $5; if no one else gives, my reward is still waiting. In the meantime, as you, whoever you may be, watch me post losses, stories, recipes and anecdotes, if you feel you have gained something from my site, or you feel you want to up the ante for my success, you can add to my fund.

Until then, just remember: thin tastes better than food.