Losing weight and making money

What do losing weight and managing money have to do with each other?

1. Well, for starters, unless you're a freegan or a self-sustaining farmer, you're paying for your food.
   

   We recently (March) noticed that we were spending about $500 per month on food. For a family of 4 in a reasonably priced part of the country, this is way more than what is needed.

2. Both require making and sticking with plans
   

   I have been aware of my increasing weight for several years. Between 2003 and 2008 my pants size increased from a 34 to a 36, and even that was starting to be a bit snug.
   

   Over Christmas holiday (2007) I stepped onto a scale and realized that I was up to 240 pounds. I committed to eat more healthily for the upcoming year, and the first several months of this year that was as firm as my commitment got. I ate less, and ate smaller portions but it wasn't until I also created a spreadsheet to track my progress that I was able to actually control myself and start losing significant weight.

3. Both are exercises in self discipline
   

   People, or at least me, are lazy. On our own, we will take the path of least resistance for most things. Controlling appetites is difficult weather you're trying to reign in a budget or a waist.

So now I'm down to 215 lbs from 240, and I am on track to reach my goal of 200 well before new years. I think these last 15 pounds are going to be harder than the first 25 though. I'm going to need to find some sort of regular exercise regimen to follow to burn off the fat.

For what it's worth, my weight loss plan thus far was mainly dietary. I now rarely snack late at night (when I'm programming), I try to drink more water, eat less meat and fatty stuff. I did play racquetball occasionally last semester, but 25 pounds worth of it.

Weight loss isn't fun. I hate passing up delicious food in order to become more healthy, but that's the way it is. I am already enjoying more mobility, more endurance and more fulfilling play time with the kids.