Two weeks ago my weight topped out at 197 pounds. Right then I knew it was time for some changes. I’d hit 195 before, but for some reason the 7 on the end affected me a lot more. It’s only 3 pounds away from 200, which I never hope to hit, even in my later years. I sure as hell didn’t want to hit 200 at 26!

I bought a Pro-Form Elliptical 130 XP last week as a first step. A great feature of the machine is it can be hooked up to a computer and linked up to an account on ifit.com. Right now I’m testing out the trial membership which allowed me to enter some information and I was given a workout program. With the elliptical connected to my computer the resistance is controlled by an audio cable and I get workout routines that are built to my fitness level. I’ve only used it twice so far, but I really like it.

I’ve also tried out some yoga and pilates routines that I downloaded found on the Internet. For those that don’t know, both are workouts that focus a lot on breathing. From my limited knowledge, yoga focuses more on holding a stretching motion, while pilates incorporates more movement into the stretching. Both are very relaxing and can be done anywhere.

Everyone knows excercise by itself won’t do everything, so I’m also attempting to eat a little healthier. My goal is to get down to 180 pounds where I should be. I figure I should be able to do this by the end of March at the latest. I also want to feel better about the state of my body and gain more energy.

Wish me luck!