2nd January - 18st 6lbs

So here I am again. The start of another year, the start of another new year diet. And this is why

My traditional 2nd January weigh-in proved to me what I already knew; I let things slip big time in 2012. Corrective action needs to be taken and so like many other people up and down the country, I have gone on a diet. I won't be following any fancy magazine plan. I won't be removing carbs from my diet. I won't be consuming 'diet' meals such as those that horrible shakes that are supposed to replace lunch. No, I am doing this the good old fashioned way. Eat less and where appropriate exercise more. Groundbreaking it is not, but mighty effective.

I've been here before. There was a time not so long ago that I was severely obese. When I began my first ever diet the scales tipped 24st on 2 January 2007. Here is a photo taken some 6 months before that. Not exactly a pretty sight!

By the end of 2007, I had shed 6 stones and was starting to look a little better

And by August 2008 I was down to a positively skinny 15st 7lb! Here I am on my wedding (with the best man, not my lovely other half before you ask!)

So I think I can say with confidence that I know a thing or two about dieting. Therefore I am confident that I can lose the weight again. This blog will detail my journey from where I am today to where I want to be. My first target is to get down to my wedding day weight. That is 41lbs to shift. When (you'll note when not if) that target is reached, I'll assess the situation and see if I want to go further. I briefly got down below 14st 5lb, the point where my BMI apparently stops being overweight, but that damn near killed me and I'm not sure it will be worth the extra work just to appease a silly little chart. Then again I don't want to have to be starting a diet again in January 2014 and the history of my belly tells me that anything but actively watching my weight will cause me to go revert to bad habits.

I have two motivations to lose weight this year. First and foremost, I'm close to outgrowing the largest clothes in my wardrobe. The really big stuff was packed off to a charity shop last year when I wasn't quite so worried about my expanding waistline. So out of sheer necessity I want to stop the rot to avoid the shame of having to buy new bigger clothes. My second reason is less about vanity and more about practicality. There is a new addition due in the household in February, and he along with his brother will require a daddy who is a little more mobile with a little more stamina. Exciting times ahead!

So this then is the start of what I hope will be a successful diet. The first day is nearly out and I've kept to my three meals without deviation, despite plenty of chocolate temptation in the house left over from Christmas. I've eaten a big bowl of branflakes for breakfast, ham and pickle sandwich for lunch, and thai green chicken curry for my dinner. I put my son's leftovers in the dustbin, passed on the crusty bread option to go with my curry and yes I feel a little hungry now as a result. But I'll get used to that.

Exercise was very basic today. A stroll into town and back in my lunch break. I'd have liked to have built up a sweat in a short gym session, but the lingering bug I've had since Boxing Day put paid to that idea. I'm hoping to get onto the crosstrainer at some point in the next few days if the lungs will allow.

I'll be blogging my progress throughout the coming months. Feel free to leave comments along the way.