[d.chee]

Hi.

My name's Daniel and I weigh 198 lbs. I'm 5 foot 9, am 19 years old, and will be attending college this fall. A few months ago, I decided to lose the extra weight and so went on a very bad 'diet' if you could call it that. I weighed around 235 lbs back then, and through starving myself and pretty much living off coffee, I managed to reduce the weight to 200 or so.

Then I thought that I should pursue a more safer way to lose weight, so I signed up at the local YMCA and registered here. This site seems like a really supportive place for obese people; I hope to make the best of it.

I currently exercise five times a week at the Y, nothing hard though. I'll get on the elliptical machine (treadmills hurt my knees) and burn around 600 calories per hour. I've yet to touch weights because a) I don't know how to use them effectively b) Frankly, I am terrified of the well built people toning their muscles and c) nothing for c.

We're in the midst of remodeling the kitchen, so my diet isn't that great. Mostly we eat out, but avoid fast food resturants and I avoid eating fried stuff. I drink plenty of water I think, two liters or more sometimes.

Last week I was 200, after a week's progress, am 198.