It was another phenomenal morning at the gym. I increased the amount of weight I'm lifting to commemorate what has come to be called "Ten to the Max Tuesdays". Yeah, dorky to the max, I know. Hey, what else can you do to add a little somethin'-somethin' to what is little more than repetitious motion? Just keeping it fresh.

#35 - Make It Fun

Losing weight hasn't been all drudgery and deprivation, nor does it have to be. It's kind of cool to see how many ways you can cut calories. There is a whole world of variety out there and I recommend looking beyond the local supermarket.

#36 - Variety Is The Spice of Life

Food comes in all shapes, colors, sizes, and textures. Check out some of the ethnic markets. There are some great ones in my area to have really opened my eyes to what kinds of things are edible.

#37 - Create a Menu and Stick With It

I know I'm about to (have already) spout off about variety- and it is a great thing. The thing is, it may not be the best way to go about losing weight (at least initially). Once I got it through my thick skull that food is merely fuel for my body, all the other nuances (texture, fragrance, and presentation) to a back seat. Eating the same thing every day was probably the most effective method of limiting consumption. Dull as the day is long, but effective.

Here's another thing I've learned along the way:

#38 - People Want You To Succeed

I cannot begin to describe the boost I get from the reaction I get to every aspect of this journey. People have been nothing short of encouraging throughout the entire process- people who read this blog, family, friends, people I don't even know- all want me to win at this game of losing. Sure, there are some self-centric malcontents who make it a point to tell me that weight loss is only temporary and that I'm still overweight (thanks, jerks!), but you know what? It's all good because I'm on the same side as those who want me to succeed, and there are more of us than them. And for anyone else is who trying to better themselves, I'm on your side too.

Food is meant to be fuel- pure and simple. The thing is, who wants to eat "fuel"? I mean, it's all about flavor, sweet, savory flavor, and aroma. Oh, sweet, fragrant aroma, and texture. Crunchy, chewy- it's all good. Oh, and presentation- you got to have your food feng shui'd. A colorful arrangement of meats, sweets and grease piled just-so on the paper lined tray at the local Burger King. Oh yeah! Just smell the conspicuous consumption!

So hey, I haven't darkened the drive-thru of the BK in quite a while. What was once a morning ritual has been replaced with gym time and my next tip:

#39 - Post Workout Smoothies

Within an hour of my morning workout at the gym, I layer frozen berries, protein powder, ground flax, banana, apple, yogurt, peanut butter, and/or various other ingredients in the mixing cup of my well-used Magic Bullet and blend up a <300 Calorie batch of liquid fuel.

Good stuff and a key component in this weight loss journey.

That's right, I didn't drink enough water but I downed Diet Coke like I was some sort of dehydrated, "live-on-the-Coke-side-of-life"-phyllic camel on a refreshment bender. So, here is:

#40 - Drink A Lot (of water)

Drinking water helped me in so many ways. It curbed my appetite when I drank it before and with meals, prevented post-workout headaches, and made my feet smell better. Well, maybe not that last one but I think you can find numerous health-related sources (including your doctor) that will tell you how important it is to stay hydrated.

I still have a Diet Coke from time to time (product placement nod-and-a-wink-with-thumb-up for sponsorship possibilities), just not in massive quantities. Moderation, as always, is the key.

I'm riding the curse of the extra brownie(s) this morning. No wonder the scale mocks me. An extra brownie or two makes me very mockable. Nyah, nyah! Brownies can really wreck a diet. Here's the thing, though--

#41 - Don't Diet

"Diets" are typically thought of as SHORT TERM EVENTS. Unless your life is a short term event, you're going to get fat again once you stop dieting. For me, it's been better to focus on adapting a healthier eating pattern that I can sustain for the long run- that is, the rest of my life. And guess what? I can have a brownie if I want. I can have anything I want as long as I maintain an overall pattern of moderation and sustained exercise.

#42 - Create Habits

Good ones this time. It takes about three weeks for me to start doing things habitually- it's just making it through that initial three weeks- especially when it is something that requires real effort. Once my subconscious was wired toward the new habit, watch out, it was hard not to do it. This really helped when it came to going to the gym on nasty days, avoiding sweets, and eating certain vegetables.

Down another pound this morning which is awesome because I had a couple of brownies tonight- Doh! Do as I say, not as I do. Here's a three-fer:

#43 - Cut Intake By 1/3

Really, you'll survive. I was surprised by what I discovered doing tip #45. Even a guy my size really didn't need to carbo-load the way I was and discovered that just by cutting the overall quantity of stuff I was eating by 1/3 I was starting to feel a little less bloated all the time.

#44 - Avoid The White Stuff

Ah, the miracle of processed foods. They make our cakes fluffier, our breads whiter, and our asses wider. I stick with whole grains now and have really come to like breads made from sprouted grains (no flour). Good stuff. Still though, moderation is the key (even for the good stuff).

#45 - Keep Track, It's A Shocker

I really didn't think I was eating all that much. I mean, I would skip meals from time to time, even eat about half of what I normally would at the buffet but what a shock after I spent a week keeping track of my daily food on www.fitday.com! It was a realization I sorely needed and by tracking my food intake I'm better able to make sure I'm getting the right kinds of food.

I discovered that by doing little things like what I describe here, I've able to develop some beneficial habits while applying the brakes to some others. Will they work for you? Another thing I learned is that each person is different and everyone has to do their own thing- it isn't an overnight process and results take time.

Getting fat didn't happen all at once. Little by little I added an ounce here and there until I had achieved a level of girth than can most politely be described as "robust" -- and then I just kept going. Eating excess calories and moving very little really paid off in the conditioning department. I had conditioned myself, over time, into a world-class rolly-polly snacking machine. I had become awesome- in the same way you'd describe the Grand Canyon or Goodyear blimp; awesome in terms dimension.

Enough about me and my grand accomplishments, let's talk about me. More importantly, let's talk about another one of my weight loss tips.

#46 - Move

When you get to the point when it hurts you joints to carry all your weight it's a sure sign that you need to move a little more. Burn calories- I mean, that's what moving your body does. So move.

I began paying attention to ways and reasons for moving that I had previously overlooked; taking the stairs rather than the escalator of the elevator, parking farther away from the door at the market- walking to the market, and doing so many other things that limited my time in a seated position.

The more I moved the better I felt. I walked more and more until I could run a little. I ran more until I could run the entire distance to the gym. I ran up and down the bleachers at the local high school. Movement became a catalyst for losing weight. The more I moved, the more by body became conditioned to the load I was putting on it. I believe I got stronger and lighter simultaneously.

My tip: move at every opportunity- far and often.

I had a modest workout this morning but I could have skipped it altogether. People say I'm very organized; each thing in it's place, life lived according to a schedule and so on. It's mostly true. I love being organized and most of my life runs according to a pre-planned schedule. It works for me, most of the time.

Once in a great while my schedule goes a little whack. That was the case this morning and I found myself running late. I am never late. I'm either exactly on time (the time I've planned) or I reschedule for a later date. Period. I do that with most everything. Hello, anxiety!

I was right at that point this morning at which I would have to forego my trip to the gym simply because I wouldn't be able to make it back in time to conform with the rest of my schedule- there just wasn't time to run there, do a decent workout, and run back. Long story made just a tad short, I rode my bike to the gym rather than ran, got my workout done and made it back in plenty of time. The train is on the track and blissfully chugging along on schedule.

OK. So here's another tip:

#47 - Own It (aka Take Responsibility)

People tell me all kinds of reasons for why they're overweight and can't do anything about it- like it's completely out of their control. It's never their fault, diets are a scam, and the Trans-Fat Cartels are in league with the Tri-Lateral Fast Food Conglomerate Conspiracy to enslave us all by super-sizing our Happy Meals. Hell, most don't even realize how overweight they are and continue to self-delude by labeling themselves "big-boned" or "fluffy".

The thing is, and I'm talking about myself here, I'm fat. My bones may be big but that is only to compensate for the load I've pack on my frame. I decided to take responsibility; to OWN my condition. What I see in the mirror and the numbers that whiz by on the scale are the direct result of my actions and inactions. I own my condition- I alone am responsible for for what I am. I alone am responsible for bettering myself. Blaming someone else, or leaving my repair up to someone else is failure.

So, the tip here is to get excited- get determined. Know that what ever happens is ENTIRELY up to me and I'm going to kick ass to get the results I want--- every way, every day.

From here on to the end, the remaining tips involve taking action after decision. They are the things I've been DOING over the past several months that have made a huge difference in my weight. These things worked for me both separately and in concert to drop the pounds and feel better than I have in a long time. Will they work for you? I don't know. It's been working for me but I'm no expert, nor do I claim that anything I've been doing will provide any results for you at all- good or bad. Or, hey, how about a little disclaimer right now:

All contents of this blog and/or anything said, written, copied and pasted, linked-to, mumbled incoherently, or otherwise expressed or imagined by the author, publisher or any of his family, friends, acquaintances both real and imagined may be a load of crap. While Steve represents that the information contained herein is valid as it pertains to his personal experience, he also maintains that it is his own experience and that he in no way recommends any of the suggestions be used in any way by anyone else. Should anyone do anything Steve imparts or implies they do it at their own risk and peril. Nothing contained herein is represented to cure/prevent disease or prolong life and may in fact result in the opposite effect. You and only you are the captain of your ship and the wind in your sails. Void where prohibited. Mileage may vary.

My own experience in losing weight may not be like anyone else's, or it could like everyone else's, I dunno. But I do know that what I'm rambling on about has indeed worked for me. I have the greatest respect for anyone who is working on improving themselves. You rock and success will be yours.

Here's another tip I used when starting out:

#48 - Find A Hero

I'm not talking about Superman or Mr. Potatohead. Find someone who has lost weight and successfully kept it off, then find out what they did/are doing to make it happening. If they're on some plan or joined some cult, find out all you can about it and start thinking about how you can adopt the good things (things your doctor would approve of) for yourself. I not saying that you should join their program- just research it- thoroughly. There's a lot of good stuff out there (bad stuff too) and some of it can be useful in formulating a plan that will work for you and that can more easily be incorporated into your life.

Once you've done a good job figuring out what your hero(s) have been doing that works, you can put together a plan that both you and your doctor can feel good about.

Now what?

Yesterday I laid out the first and most important step I took to get moving along the path to losing a respectable amount of weight. I'll tell you right now that while I had decided on that very first day that I was going to lose weight, I've had to decide each and every day (at every single opportunity to slide back into old habits) since. But even though the act of deciding has been a repetitious exercise over the last 331 days, it is still the most important first step I had to take.

I could short-list the entire weight loss process into a three-step loop:

1. Decide
2. Take immediate positive action
3. Repeat

I mean, it really is that simple (not easy, simple) but since I've committed myself to revealing 50 tips over the next 50 or so days, I'm compelled to define #2 into several tips and methods that ensure the inevitability of success. So after that mouthful, here is my #49 tip:

#49 - Talk To Your Doctor

This is very important for so many reasons. First, your doctor can lay out a ton of reasons (all based on real medical experience) as to why you should lose weight. He/she can also help you make intelligent decisions as to how to go about it. They've seen what works, what doesn't, what's created health problems, foods to avoid based on your personal medical history, and more. If he/she doesn't, get another doctor.

Doctor: "Steve, you're fat and you need to lose some weight."
Steve: "Really? I'd like to get a second opinion."
Doctor: "OK. You're ugly too."
Steve: "Thanks, I'll get right on that."

These first two steps are the foundation of sound and lasting weight loss. A person could, after 1-Deciding and 2-Talking to their Doctor, take the results of those two activities and launch themselves down the path towards a lighter and healthier life without any further input from yours truly, rock-on, go forth and prosper, but there are so many other things that can help tackle the trials along the way- and may even speed up the process.

More on that next time.

As for what I've been up to; I've been working my plan- hitting the gym and eating the way I should. I'm confident I'll hit my goal by the time the candles are lit on my cake.

I'm counting down the steps I've taken to lose weight and am reapplying them throughout the remainder of my 46th year. My purpose is to internalize and solidify my commitment to health for the remainder of my life.

Weight loss for me has been a fairly simple process. It hasn't been what I would call easy but it has been simple. Between now and my birthday I'll share the steps that I've learned along the way that have been the most beneficial in taking off the weight.

Starting off the countdown is probably one of the most important things that I had to do:

#50 - Decide

Sounds pretty simple, huh? It is! But when I say "decide" I mean a flat-out do-or-die commitment to change. I'm losing weight because I DECIDED to lose weight and I am standing by that decision no matter what. The truly awesome thing is, is that single decision makes a lot of other decisions very easy. For example, do I have a second or third slice of pizza? Do I take the escalator or the stairs? Any choice conflicting with that first decision is obviously the wrong one.

That first global decision, when done with real commitment, determines future success and lays the foundation for all the steps to follow.

My goal date is growing ever nearer and I'm getting a little antsy. Once the days-left hit double digits the old urgency gene kicks in. I've been at this goal a while and I've experienced a moderate amount of success- so I think it's time to really apply what I've learned along the way and kick things up a notch or so.

So for the last fifty or so days I'm going to apply fifty or things each and every day to ensure that my goal of losing 150 pounds before my birthday becomes reality. I even had what I thought was a clever name for it. Alas, my nose is again rubbed in the steaming pile of fact that I haven't an original thought in my head. It seems that at least some variation of "50 Ways I'm Losing My Blubber" has been done a bazillion times. So, no names just fifty or so little things that have made a big difference in shrinking my body and improving my health posted right here between no and my birthday- a very short 53 days from today.

Subscribe if you like- I'd hate for you to miss a single one.

OK, so that's not exactly true at all. Colds suck. Any appetite-suppression bonus is countered with a one-two punch of congestion and snot down the back of your throat. Sniff, sniff, gak, gak.

I'm feeling much better this evening- thanks in no small part to rest and plenty of fluids. My nose is a little raw, and for that I have to thank Brawny Paper Towels (my preferred target for blowing my nose- they're ultra-absorbent). And no, Brawny didn't pay me to write that but if they'd like to send me a few replacement rolls, I'll take them. Thank you very much.

My last weigh-in was on Monday (4/7) and I was down a pound from the previous weigh-in. I'm curious to find out what tomorrow will bring considering my sniffles and absence from the gym.

As the time winds down I can't help but reflect a little on what I've learned over the past ten-plus months. I think that the most important thing that has kept me plodding along this path of personal shrinkage is the desire to become less than I was- physically. That may be an over simplification for what truly motivates me but put yourself in my shoes for an instant. I was two weeks from my 46th birthday and all the middle-agged crud that goes along with it. I was in the process of becoming fat, balding, and ugly and doing so in blissful ignorance. It's an odd thing when you wake up to these kind of things- that you've let yourself go but when you do wake up to it- oh man, a kind of panic sets in and you really start examining right where you're at-- and more importantly, what you're going to do about it.

I'm blissfully aware now and while I can't do much about balding and I realize that there isn't a diet in the world for ugly, I am doing something about the fat part. The next few days will mark my level of success. So I'll tip my smoothie to the future me and to all who are on similar quests.

Today's smoothie had a touch of pizzazz:

1/2 Banana
1/2C Mixed Frozen Berries
1S Ground Flax
1S EAS Premium Protein (Chocolate)
1/2 Pkg Crystal Lite To-Go "Immunity"