10 years ago I tipped the scales at 330 lbs.  That is not as bad as it sounds, considering that I am a tall guy (6'3").  But I really was in pretty sorry shape.  I was depressed and had back pain every day of my life.  I decided I needed to do something about it though, and started working out and eating better.  I lost the first 40 or so pounds relatively easily, but then I hit a plateau that I could not get past. 

Then a buddy of mine challenged me to climb Guadalupe Peak in West Texas with him.  It is an 8.5 mile round trip with 3,000 feet of elevation gain.  That is basically three Empire State Buildings high.  It was murder, but I got to the top.  The sense of elation and accomplishment was incredibly empowering. That trip to the summit of Guadalupe Peak changed my life. 

Thereafter, losing weight and getting fit was not about dropping pounds just to look and feel better.  Weight loss and fitness were what enabled me to do big things that I wanted to do.  In the three years that followed that trip to the summit of Guadalupe Peak I lost another 60+ pounds and in August of 2011 I summited Mount Rainier near Seattle. The sense of accomplishment was enormous. 

After Rainier, I kept hiking and climbing.  Last year I trekked to Everest Base Camp in Nepal and was supposed to climb a mountain (not Everest) called Island Peak, but I wasn't strong enough and failed.  I had trained for a year for that trip, and spent gobs of money.  I came home feeling crushed. In my depression I ate like a pig and drank like a fish, and before I knew it I had packed on 30 pounds. I turned a corner last fall though, and started becoming more diligent about my workouts, but the weight did not want to come off. The primary culprit was because I just was not eating right.  (Happy ****ing Holidays!) 

I now have plans for a trip to Ecuador to hike and climb in the Andes next January.  I MUST lose this extra weight and get myself back into shape.  Eating and drinking habits have long been a challenge for me.  I am really hoping that DietBet may just be the ticket to get me back to where I need to be. I am optimistic. 

As a person who has lost 100+ pounds in the past, I encourage you to set a goal - something audacious! I am not talking about "losing the weight" as your goal.  I am talking about a physical challenge of some sort. Make it something that, in order to accomplish it, the weight loss and fitness gain will just be an enabling part of the process - not just an end in itself.  

Ideas:

Climb a mountain, run a 5k (or a marathon!), take a backpacking trip ... Does anyone else have any ideas?