The 50/50 Challenge

Over the last couple of weeks I have been researching life insurance policies. I would like to increase my life insurance from what I have today in order to ensure my family is well taken care of in the event of an early departure. I've learned that the cost of the premium is directly related to the health of the insured at the time the policy is written. Weight, age, cholesterol level, and blood pressure all factor into the premium. Three of the four I can actively do something about improving. The fourth, age, I can't do much about. Therefore, I am setting the following goal for myself.

I will lose 50 lbs. over the next 50 weeks. 

I am currently 200 lbs. Looking at charts, with my medium build I should be 145 to 155. So setting a goal to lose 50 in 50 will get me to the proper weight target. I also expect that my cholesterol level and blood pressure will both improve (although they aren't in bad shape now as it is).

How am I going to do it? Losing weight is a pretty simple process. You must burn more calories than you consume. That's it. So I am going to watch my eating and stay away from the "bad" stuff and will eat more healthy. In addition I will exercise at least 4 times per week. Between eating right and exercise, I should be able to take off the desired weight and improve my cholesterol and blood pressure in the process.

I am not going to get obsessed over losing exactly one pound per week. I know that some weeks I will lose more than one and others I might gain some. But the trend should point to 50 in 50. I've set a reminder for myself to post an update each Sunday morning, starting with January 10th as my first Sunday (since that will be the end of the first full week in 2010).

Cheer me on!