This photo is what it took to once again make me get serious about losing weight :

I do not want to look like that on the bike. Period. I know I should care about getting skinny because it will make me healthier, or it will make me faster, but really, its vanity. Well, vanity, and getting faster anyway.

Regardless, it’s time to get serious about weight loss.

Here’s the goal: weigh 180 pounds by October 1^st.

Here’s the three point plan to reach that goal:

• Up the exercise.

Currently, I am trying to get back on track with my marathon running program after getting a bit off balance with the triathlon. I’ll keep to my running schedule through October for the marathon, but I hope to fit in a fair amount of cycling as well and swim at least once a week. I don’t plan to do another tri this year, but I would like to stay fit in all three sports, and the extra exercise (without the extra punishment of adding more run miles) will have me burning more calories and hopefully losing more weight.

• Seriously watch what I eat.

I am not the world’s worst eater, but I sure have room for improvement. I don’t eat fast food, but I do eat too much and too late in the day (especially the dreaded ten p.m. dinner). I also don’t always make the best food choices, often going with the sandwich instead of the salad.

Here’s the commitment I am making today: Six days a week, I’ll make the best food choice available. I will stick as much as possible to fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and a reasonable amount of carbs. I’ll control my proportions and stop eating before I am full. I will eat a number of small meals during the day as opposed to three large meals, and I won’t eat dinner after nine o’clock at night (let’s be reasonable, this is New York…)

• Drink less of everything but water.

Look, let’s face it, I am not going to lose weight having a beer or two most nights. That’s going to have to come to an end. I’m not giving up alcohol, but giving away those empty calories is just plan stupid. Its time to cut way back.

This is a lesser point, but I drink way too much fruit juice as well. You know how many calories are in a glass of orange juice? Too fucking many.

I am toying with the idea of posting regular photos and weight updates on here. I wonder if that would up the three people a day quotient this site currently gets, or drag it down even further….