I really looked like a busFitness Pros Are Human TooFor the first time in 26 years of exercising I had finally been broken. I HATED working out. I mean I DREADED it. Couldn’t stand it. It was like Jack Nicholson said, “I’d rather stick needles in my eyes.” Ok, he was talking to Shirley MacLaine’s character in “Terms of Endearment” when she invited him in to her house. But it’s all the same. I’d rather get hit by a bus.I was getting hit with one injury after another and I started to hate working out. So I stopped. And I did not miss it at all. Nor did I feel guilty. After taking a 6 month hiatus from working out and a 12 month binge on cake and ice cream, I found myself overweight and over “the hate.”It could have been worse. If I hadn’t packed on 100 lbs of muscle over the last 26 years it sure would have been worse. That helped keep my metabolism higher than the average Joe (sorry Joe). Note to you cardio junkies: resistance training = lean muscle = higher resting metabolism = less body fat. Now that I’ve said that I’m ready for the hate-mail! More about how resistance training can help you can be found in another post, “The Weight-ing Game.”The Art of LosingSo I began to eat the correct amount of calories, add resistance training and cardio. I lost one pound in one week. One pound. I told that to a friend of mine last night and she promptly laughed in my face. Just burst out laughing. For about three seconds. Then her eyes opened up big and she said “Oh,” as her face dropped to serious. She quickly apologized and composed herself when she realized that I wasn’t joking. I told her it was my plan to lose one pound per week. No more, no less. One pound. That was the goal.Losing one pound of body fat per week means it will take around six months to reach my goal. I’m ok with that. By time July 4th rolls around my wife won’t have to roll me around. It just sucks when I crave my favorite foods and I abstain for a loooong (almost) two weeks – and I don’t feel any different. Well, I’m a bit less bloated because I’m carrying less “stuff” in my intestines, but other than that, no difference. But, when I weigh myself on Monday i should have another pound lost because I’m sticking to my plan! That’s the key. Most people start off on a plan but they just don’t stick with it long enough to realize the compound effect of what they are doing. (Great book by the way: “The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy).Me on the sideThe journey of a thousand miles (or 20-30 lbs of body fat) starts with the first step. Yeah, the rolls on my side still feel the same when I lean over though. Been almost two weeks since I decided to lose the extra fat I put on. For a guy that’s been athletic his whole life it’s a big change. I get out of breath going up the stairs too quickly. I feel my blood pressure rise as I feel my heart beat a bit in my ears. My pants (the pair that used to require a belt notched up to the 4th tightest notch) can barely button up as my belly pours over the top. Wait, what? I even have to pull the waistline down so it supports my hanging gut! I’m so ashamed. Ok, not really. But I do have to get to work.So, I’ve got 20-30 lbs of fat to lose. My goal is to retain muscle and get back in shape. I’ll share my journey with all of you as a side note to your regularly scheduled programming. Here’s a little known trick to “chewing” your way to burning calories and now to set your weight loss goals for yourself.[polldaddy poll=8573406]