Here's an example of what can be done. But at what price...

Pam Brown has been an inspiration to many people who've been trying to lose weight. She really had the stuff to get it done. Went on to win bodybuilding contests. But her post-script to all this is a window into what I struggle with. After winning a state title or two, she put some weight and decided to do something about it...

"I was cutting the carbs out of meals 3 – 6, I was strictly “on plan” and not losing the bodyfat as needed. So I did something drastic. I went 10 weeks on nothing but fish and green veggies for every meal. Yes, that means breakfast too! This method actually worked very well at getting me “contest ready” (although I never did reach the leanness that I desired) but boy did it do a number on my metabolism! After that contest I resumed eating a typical ...menu plan with a portion of lean protein and a portion of unprocessed carbohydrate at each meal with a couple of servings of veggies at each meal. To my surprise after just 2 weeks I had gained 20 pounds! And the pounds kept piling on. I went to the doctor to find out that I had thrown my thyroid into hypothyroidism. No WONDER it was getting so difficult to keep the weight off! Then my stupidity overcame any rational thought… the weight piled on even more… my physique has turned from the best in the state to a soft pile of mush."

Sad story? Not really. She can get treatment. At least she knows why she put on weight.

It also happened to me eight years ago when I ran the NYC Marathon. I was in the process of blowing out my thyroid. I never experienced a runners high, nor did I lose weight during the process. I started training at about 245lbs and four months later after doing my 20 mile final training run weighed in a 250lbs. My estimated time was 5 hours for the marathon, based on the training runs. I finished in 7:45. Later at the doctors office, I was told I had run the marathon with an inactive thyroid, that I had repolarized my heart, and that I had plantar facitis. Nobody worked harder than I. And I suffered for it.

The point? I have a respect for the fact that the best intensions cannot overcome serious metabolism issues. If your glands are not secreting, you are not going to have normal weight loss whatever plan you use. I've been on synthroid for years now, and I have slowly gained weight.

The plan now is to focus on what I can control. My fork. I have no expectations about how long this will take or how to fight plateus or where my ideal weight will be. I just know I've got to take it one day at a time and watch every bite.

We'll see.

What does it all mean

The name of the blog, blackbelt34 is significant for the following reasons:

black = in the black, as in "no debt".

So this is where it will be logged. My money blueprint has changed radically. I want to document the journey out of being broke to being affluent.

belt34 is the measurement of my belt size when I am at my normal weight. This is the story of getting back to 34. After years of struggling with weight gain I've finally reversed the trend. I'm heading the right direction. A size 34 waist is where I spent most of my twenties. I know it is the right size for my build.

I am 45. I have no savings and am 45,000 in debt. My waist is 47 inches.

I want to be well into the black, and have a 34 inch waist by years end.

How to get there?

Awareness is the first step, I believe. So here's a blog to help me keep aware.

Averages? 45/12 = 3.8k per month to pay off.

13 inches = 1.1 inches per month.

The coaches I'm using:

Dave Ramsey's radio mp3's on my iPod.

The physicsdiet.com spreadsheet tracking tool.

The southbeach diet materials.

More on all this in the days to come.

Here we go.