Last night, I posted a new goal I have set for myself on my facebook status:

"Mike lost 70 lbs. last year, thinking of gaining 10-15 of it back this year. In muscle!"

Much to my surprise, there was an overwhelming response asking me "how did you do it?", and "what's the secret?". I tried simply responding on facebook, but ran into an apparent limitation on the number of characters that can be posted in a "wall" comment. I guess that makes it good fodder for a blog!

Step 1: Join the weight watchers program.

Either a) go to meetings or b) do it online. If you choose the online method, you need a partner to do it with you. This way you have someone else to be accountable to, other than yourself.

Step 2: Exercise when you can.

You do not have to immediately hit the gym and spend an hour doing cardio or lifting weights. You can simply take a 30 minute leisurely walk on your lunch break. Take your ipod, or your cell phone and the time flies by.

Before you know it, you may find yourself jogging, or as I did, roller blading. Do this 2-3 times a week.

Step 3: Eat on a smaller plate.

When Sherri and I started this, I was to the point where I would fill up a regular sized plate with food and go back multiple times. Each time filling up the plate!

We switched to eating off of salad/sandwich plates. The trick to this is waiting 10 minutes before getting another helping. This will allow your food to settle and let your stomach actually "trigger" your brain that your food requirements have been met, or not.

Step 4: Eat 4-5 times a day.

You'd be surprised, but this is actually very true. It keeps your metabolism up and running throughout the day and can help you burn a lot of the fat you put in, rather than storing it.

When I started, I would eat the following meals:

• 7AM - Bowl of Cereal, or "packet" of oatmeal with raisins sprinkled in.
• 11AM - Two lean cuisine, Smart Ones or Healthy Choice meals. 5-6 Weight Watchers points a piece. Remember, I am guy, and was pretty big. Women probably only want 1 of these meals.
• 1PM - A small snack, such as: an apple, a Healthy Choice Fudge bar (1 pt.), a pickle, etc...
• 6PM - Grilled chicken, fish, etc... Eat lots of vegetables as they're "free" in weight watchers world. I can share quite a bit of our recipes that we made much more healthy as well, if there's a demand for it. Just let me know and I can start posting them on this blog.

  Don't be afraid to experiment with recipes. We found that we could cut the (Weight Watchers) point totals in half for a serving of lasagna by simply using wheat noodles and replacing half of the italian sausage the recipe called for with chopped yellow squash!

• 8PM - Another small snack: Piece of fruit, another Fudge Bar (warning: those can get addictive and expensive!).
  Hint: Don't go to bed for 2 full hours after eating. Otherwise your body will think you in "hibernation" mode and start storing the fat it's processing.

Final tip regarding eating: Drink lots of water, it fills you up faster than anything! If you want a soda, go diet. Just remember, because it's diet does not mean you can drink a 6 pack of them a day. 1-2 a day is a good number. (Unsweetened) iced tea is also a good filler!

Finally, for those of you women thinking to yourself: "But, Mike, you're a guy and your metabolism works differently!", you're wrong. Actually, you are right! I AM a guy and my metabolism DOES work differently. But, you can still lose weight just as easily as I did.

My wife Sherri started at the exact same time I did. Followed the same routine and lost a total of 40 lbs. in the same time frame I did. We are both proof, that you don't have to starve OR kill yourself with exercise to get healthy again!

That's how I did it! Just be patient, and be accountable!

Let me know if you want me to start posting some of our recipes, and I'll be happy to have more fodder for this cannon!