Dear Fatso

Thanks to all those who have e-mailed diet/exercise advice. I appreciate it. I haven't consulted a nutritionist or dietician (or whatever they're called). I'm just going with the "eating less" diet (and no sweets). And working out every day. I've postponed the nicotine patch until Monday, just because.

Virginia Postrel, whose excellent site you should bookmark if you haven't already, has taken an interest in my progress and reports today that I have gained six pounds. This is incorrect. When I began this drill, my weight on our bathroom scale was 229 pounds. My weight on the gym scale was 233 pounds. I threw out 229 pounds as my benchmark weight and reset it at 233 pounds, after I was informed that the gym scale was (alas) accurate. Since then, I've gained three pounds which I expect will be gone by Monday.

The workouts are great. 30 minutes on the elliptical, 20 minutes on the tread or the bike and then weight-lifting for 15 minutes, followed by stretching and adios. The I-Pod makes it move along nicely. I've started at the "2" level of exertion and will stay there for two weeks. Then up to "3." Then up to "4." Etcetera.

I'm using the blog to discipline myself. No matter what happens, I have to post my weight every day until April 10th. Needless to say, my "friends" are using this to set up over-under betting pools. One of them was kind enough to inform me that the over-under on my weight for February 1, 2003 was 236 pounds. Another emailed to say that he was betting heavily that I would be 240 pounds by April 1st. Another emailed with the salutation: "Dear Fatso."

I wish them all luck with a capital "F."