We have 12 pledges in the books. Only 88 pledges to go before Jan. 1! Help me hit my goal by clicking here and making a pledge.

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With a little more than 11 months to go until the final weigh in, the (slow) weight loss grind has begun.

So why has it been slow? On purpose, actually.

I’ve done one hundred different things to try to lose weight. I’ve cut out beer for two-plus months and worked out twice a day (that works). I’ve done intermittent fasting and only consumed chicken and vegetable stir fry (that works). I’ve done a high protein diet and logged calories extensively (that works). I’ve also drank nothing but beer for 40-plus days. Yes, you read that right. And, yes, that also worked.

But the hardest thing about any sort weight loss is sustainability. Can I lose weight over the course of two months or three months following a strict diet and exercise regimen? Absolutely. But what happens after that?

That’s where I get in trouble.

So I want to approach it differently for my year-long challenge. I want to achieve balance. I know what I need to do that will work for not only this year (more on that next time) but for the next many, many years. It’s about sticking with it and doing it for a lifetime.

Can I lose weight quickly? Typically, yes. But I’ve learned that the faster you lose it, the faster it finds you again. Fast has never been my friend. (It certainly feels friendly in the short term, but it inevitably changes with a bit of time.)

This time, the goal is to change all that. And I have 11 months to prove it.