And it begins ... again.

I attended my first Biggest Loser Weight Loss Challenge meeting last night. The set-up is the same as the TV show (or I assume it to be, as I've never watched it).

The challenge is 12 weeks, and there is a monetary prize for the three people losing the largest percentage of their weight. That doesn't interest me much, although there are 40 people in my group and first place would be better than $400 -- a trip to Great Wolf Lodge for my family.

This is another attempt for me in trying to trim down and shape up. As you can see from the posts below, there have been several recent tries -- all of which ended in a Chinese buffet somewhere, buried under mounds of General Tso's Chicken or Torpedo Shrimp.

Why will this one be different? I can't say with any certainty it will. Having to weigh in every week in a room full of people provides some external pressure, but I could always quit. There was a $29 fee which is non-refundable, but that's barely a good sushi dinner.

I am glad to have a personal coach who seems to be very interested in my progress -- or at least in trying to get me to buy the Herbalife products which are tied to the program. That was not disclosed until I went to my health assessment, which didn't please me, but I've been given plenty of alternatives to dropping some serious coin on goofy little drinks and bars.

Today started with a protein shake (not bad -- tasted like a malted) and some soy milk. I've had soy nuts as a snack, a glass of V8 and part of a huge salad I bought from the grocery store. I'm full, and that's a blessing.

I suppose you want to know the gory details. They are pretty much the same as they were in an earlier post:

Weight: 373.6 pounds
Height: 6 feet
Waist: 50"
Age: 38
Sex: Male

What are my goals? First off, I just want to stick with the damned program for the full three months. Hopefully making these dietary changes and holding to them for some time will give me a better chance of making them permanent.

I hope to lose 30 pounds during the 12 weeks. That's a pretty modest goal, I think, and it stretches into the longer-term goal of getting down to 250. I think that will take at least a year.

I'd like to be able to wear nice clothes and buy a belt from the normal rack, not the one with two belts that look big enough to tie down the Goodyear Blimp.

I'd like to have enough energy to pick up my kids without huffing and puffing.

I'd like to have a woman turn back and look at me as we pass on the street. My wife loves me, but she'd like me thinner, too.

I'd like to see my dick again in the shower.

So, we're off again, and I'll try to write at least a little something every day. That will help keep me involved and active and thinking about the program.

If you have tips, recipes or stories to share, feel free. Comments are open and welcome.

Now, for a big glass of V8 ...