Dan Druff's attempt to get down to 200 pounds by WSOP 2013
This will be my first realistic attempt at a diet in my life. There have been times when I have expressed an intention to lose weight, but never followed through. I am going to follow through this time -- or at least give it a real effort.
I am doing this entirely for health reasons -- mainly because I am 38 1/2 years older than Benjamin (and likely 42 or more years older than my next child), and don't want him to lose his father very early in life. Men start getting abrupt (and sometimes fatal) heart attacks in their 40s. This is some of the reason for the difference in life expectancy between men and women.
Right now I weigh 230 pounds. I weighed 200 during the 2008 WSOP. I gained 10 pounds for the next 3 years, being 230 by the 2011 WSOP. For the past 1 1/2 years, my weight has been the same, but I really want to drop those 30 pounds and return to 200. Ideally, I would like to be 185, but I'm not sure that is realistic, so I am shooting for 200.
Here are the factors that have made me gain weight:
- Lots of high calorie drinks. This is probably the biggest enemy of mine. I have always been "thirstier" than the average person, even as a kid. Unfortunately, the only drinks I enjoy are all of the high-calorie variety -- typically 150 to 200 calories per 12 ounces.
- High fat diet. Most of the foods I like are fatty and high in calories.
- Lack of exercise.
- Age. I am almost 41. I once had a metabolism so high that I actually had to try not to LOSE weight. While my metabolism isn't bad for my age, it's not anywhere near what it once was.
Challenges to change the above:
- I hate diet drinks. In addition, I hate all other low-calorie drinks such as flavored water.
- I won't feel satisfied eating low-calorie meals. I can pledge that I will stick to "diet" foods, but that will probably last 2 weeks before I give up on it.
- I have chronic tension headaches, especially in the summer and winter. This has plagued me since my mid-late 20s, and unfortunately exercise brings them on (among other factors).
- My body will attempt to resist the weight loss. Your body tries to maintain the same weight. This is one reason why it's easy to lose temporary or "water" weight, but difficult to lose real, permanent weight.
So here is my plan:
- Severely cut down on the high-calorie drinks. I am used to drinking a Pepsi upon waking up and a glass of orange juice before going to bed. I will still do this, as these would be very hard habits to break. However, I will start drinking cold water during the rest of the day, as much as possible.
- Bring down the size of the meals I eat. I've been in the habit of eating as much as I can until I'm totally full. I don't really have to do that. I can order less and still feel satisfied, especially if I get used to it.
- Start and maintain a moderate exercise program.
While WSOP dates have not been announced yet (which is ridiculous), I know it will begin sometime in late May or early June.
So basically I'm looking to drop 30 real pounds in 4 1/2 months, which is reasonable.
This is not going to be pleasant, but I feel that I have to do this if I want to have a chance to be alive to see Benjamin when he's 40. While it's possible I could be fat and get longevity rungood like Tommy Lasorda (who is obese and 85), the greater chance would be an abrupt heart attack within the next 25 years (possibly much sooner), with my final thoughts being how stupid I was not to have done anything to prevent it.
I will post my results in this thread, whether I succeed or fail.
I am creating this thread so there will be some additional motivation not to fail.
