Off on a new adventure with Squidoo

Today I created my first lens (web page) on Squidoo (http://www.squidoo.com/) Squidoo is an awesome site that let's us create our own web pages. I have already discovered that the magic of Squidoo is how quickly the serendipity of exploration kicks in. Another words, there are thousands of pages on hundreds of topics just waiting to be explored. It's very easy to get lost surfing.

The link to my lens is http://www.squidoo.com/coachtom. Take a look and give me some feedback. There is a comment section at the bottom of the page.

As you can see from the lens, I'm building my Take Shape for Life coaching practice. This week I joined the Sandy (Oregon) Area Chamber of Commerce and worked a booth at their annual Golf Tournament at the Resort at the Mountain (http://www.theresort.com/) That was Wednesday when it rained all day.

The weight? It's still coming off. I have now lost 65 pounds since May 9th. I cannot remember being this skinny. I feel great and people tell me I look great too.

Summer of loss

Like many people I have experienced weight gain over time. Yes, I was once skinny. I can barely remember it, but I do have the pictures to remind me.

Since 2000 I have been writing a goal “to reach my ideal weight in a healthy way by December 31, 2000. Then every January 1st I would change the year.

This year started the same way, with me weighing a record high of 267. That’s a hundred pounds heavier than I was in the above picture.
I spent time upgrading my goals, knowing that there would be no change. I would plan to lose a pound a week and in the first 18 weeks I had managed to lose 7 pounds.

All during this time I had been watching Melissa at the weekly Sandy Chamber of Commerce meetings. She was promoting a weight management program. Then another friend announced he had gone from a size 44 to a size 36 pants in a very short period. That got my attention.

About the same time an associate at work left me a note on my computer that included a drawing of me that was very unflattering. I also hated to see myself in mirrors. The drawing was right; I was fat, obese according to the Body Mass Index.

A phone call to Melissa started me on a new adventure. On May 9th I started using the program. On Sunday, August 10th, 14 weeks later I had lost 60 pounds, two thirds of the way to my ideal body weight of 170.

The real challenge is still ahead of me. 85% of people who diet will end up regaining their weight. Eating right and exercising are not temporary conditions to be dumped when I reach my ideal body weight. They are lifestyle choices, and ones to be made for a lifetime.
Stay turned for further updates.