Whoa! A men's group? Awesome! If you want the long intro, check out my post in the main forum... I don't know how to make a link, but this is the URL http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/865702-new-to-mfp-kevin

Here's the "in a nutsack" version. I recently turned the big 5-0 and when I started my diet on Jan 7th, I weighed 247 lbs. My goal right now is to get to 200 or less by July. It's not like I'm trying to get find a Sylvester Stallone body under this fat, but I don't need to look like I have a beach ball hiding under my shirt either. I don't need some smarta$$ coming up and asking me, "How far along are you?"

When I retired from the Navy Reserve in May 2011, I weighed about 205. I had to drop 10 lbs in that last month just to fit in the unform decent. But now that I'm retired from the military, I lost a HUGE motivating factor. I took some "time off" and less than 2 years later.... Well, you know, Beer, BBQs, parties, football games, beer nachos, pizza, beer... I think you get the picture.

It didn't just sneak up on me, but it got to the point this fall/winter that I just had to do something about it. I had bought a new Harley and my wife took a picture of me when I got home. I didn't look like the easier rider. At ~245 lbs, I looked like a slob.

I was able to do this before. At Christmas 2009, I was up to 250, and I had had enough. By October of the following year, I was 197. My so-called, "plateau" was the 200 lb mark. I guess what I'm saying is, I've done this before and I have the determination to do it again. I'm a bit bullheaded, so if I say I',m going to do it, I'm all in. Watch me. It WILL happen.

But I'm smarter now than I was in 2010. For starters, I'm using the MFP app on my iPhone and it's working good. I was on a low calorie diet back then, but I didn't count or keep track. I just ate better and smaller portions and weighed myself daily. Another thing I'm doing different now is I'm trying to behave on the weekends. In my 2010 diet, I'd take weekends off. This time, I'm using my MFP app daily, and if I drink a beer, it goes in my diary. BTW Bud Light is 110 calories and I will save a few calories on Tuesday so I can have a few at my bowling league. I also know that the less I weigh, the less calories I can take in, if I want to maitain or continue to lose. I'll cross that bridge later though.

I hope that kind of paints a picture of me. (BTW, how does one post a picture in here?) I'm glad I found this group and hope it has a little daily activity in it. One of the things I learned when I was losing weight 3 years ago, is that it's different between men and women. To women, it seems (and probably it is), easier for us men. So, I've been careful to their feelings when talking about my progress. So, finding an all men's group is awesome.

-Kevin