In case you were wondering what the tire is...

Hi Dan. Not a bad strategy, first put on 20 pounds, and then lose the ten you really want to shed.

I hate going to the gym, so my main source of exercise comes from walking to work. I've been doing it for several months now (with days off for snow, heavy rain and mornings when I have meetings that are too far to walk to), and I love it!

Don't let the weather or lack of light stop you, or you risk getting fat and depressed!
I started running a few years ago because it is something I can do outside, year round, regardless of the weather or amount of light. I gets me out into the woods (trail running is the best) and breathing fresh air. The reality of our climate means that we have rain a lot of the year. And as long as we practice Daylight Savings Time we have to deal with really early evenings. That doesn't mean we should just shut down. I run at night with a headlamp (and a friend) in the endowment lands and it is wonderful. I especially love it when I get soaked and cold because there is nothing lovelier than going home to a hot shower and fuzzy pj's to settle in for a winter's evening. (knowing I can eat those nachos if I want, because I just earned it!)

I also do a cleanse twice a year. It helps me to reset my habits to a healthier place. Spending 12 days really focusing on everything that you eat goes a long way to bringing some consciousness to our eating habits. I am always amazed at how prevalent sugar is in many foods. It is a difficult 12 days, but I always feel so clean and healthy when I am through. And it is not a surprise to shed a few pounds, too.

This site is called "Change Everything"; maybe one of the things we can change is the negative connotations people like Kate have with the word "fat." I am fat, but I'm hardly depressed! I'm considerably less fat than I used to be, but still fat. I'm also very fit - I work out regularly (lots of cardio and weight training), walk lots of places. I eat sensibly and well - the only "junk" food you'll find in my stash is a bag of Jolly Ranchers (my one weakness!) I don't smoke, don't drink, and can easily pass up a plate of nachos. But even though I do all of this, I'm still a larger than average person. And I'm happy with that.

Dan, I commend you on making a change to your life. I found that the thing that helped me most was to make my goals SMART - that means Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Tangible. You're part of the way there - you specifically said you wanted to lose 10 pounds by March. Now the rest of the challenge is to come up with the strategies you'll employ to help you meet those goals, but again, those strategies need to adhere to those SMART guidelines as well. Start small - tell yourself that you'll walk (or run) for 30 minutes three days a week. Once you've kept that promise to yourself, do an evaluation: is your goal working for you, or are you ready to take on another challenge? If you're ready, feel free to adjust your goal accordingly. If moving to a higher level is more than you can take at that time, that's okay - just keep on doing what you're doing.

Best of luck to you!

Let me clarify: I am not making any connotations: I am making a statement: If it is putting your health at risk, then I think that being fat is bad and I stand by that 100%. 

Dan, as someone who is always trying to lose those 'last ten pounds' I hear you loud and clear!  Admittedly, the week before Christmas is not the best time to set a weight loss goal, but it is a good time to start thinking about how you are going to manage your food intake and activity level over the holiday season. 

For me it's not about denying myself my mother's Christmas baking or the shot of rum in my eggnog, it's about being conscious of 'how much'.  A taste is perfectly fine, and probably will not add too many pounds to the waistline.  But a full meal of shortbread, truffles and five eggnogs may not be the best choice. 

And it's about balance.  Instead of spending that quality time with family lounging in front of the fire, maybe throw in a walk through Stanley park to see the Christmas lights.

But come January, if you're looking for a buddy to share that plate of nachos with while we formulate strategies and tactics to accomplish your goal - I'm your gal!

I just googled "how to burn off a plate of nachos" and I found you. I just ate a massive amount of nachos for lunch and felt incredibly guilty afterwards...but you are right it's difficult to stay trim or get trim in the winter months.

I just took up dancing lessons and it's a fun and easy way to burn some calories. I go every Monday night for an hour to this group dance class (none of us are very good so it's not intimidating). After four classes I've lost about 8 lbs, without having changed anything else in my life...no working out, no change in diet, just the dancing once a week. I highly recommend it!