Welcome

Welcome!  My name is Michael Accardi.  I want to thank you for joining me on what is, for me at least, a life altering project.  The Drive to 195 or Getting My Life Back Project.  You are an integral part to the success of my recapturing my life.  You see, I am a food addict.  I have known this for some time now but recently  I have decided that I need to take action.  I will be posting daily what my day was like, what I ate, and what demons I might be struggling with at any given time. How hard it was to go food shopping or have lunch with a client or just not give into a barrage of temptations in the obstacle course that is my life.  Understand that food is like no other addiction.  YOU HAVE TO EAT.  I'm not diminishing the demons that alcoholics or drug addicts face.  But shit, I have to no choice but to shovel some coal in the furnace regularly.  Cold turkey would make me, well...one very cold turkey.  Where do you come in?  Kinda simple actually.  You are my accountability.  You are my support system.  You are my community.

I know you or a loved one deal with this daily. It's an epidemic, but more on the minefield of food in America another day.  People just like me have tried so hard to get their lives on track with food and have failed.  I am betting on the fact that there are thousands of people out there that can relate to my story, gather strength from my progress as well as offer encouragement for our cause.  You can be a passive observer or feel free to participate.  I plan on being myself through this process.  I am honest, funny, and smart (or so I have been told).  You will hopefully get a taste of these virtues should you decide to take this journey with me.  I will do my best to make my voyage as entertaining and informative as possible.  I want you to come back.  I NEED you to come back, time and again.  Let's face it, I can't do that by boring the shit out of you.  And because I know that the world is watching, I will make it.  I owe it to the people that will follow this feed.  If nothing else, I am loyal to those that are loyal to me.  Above all, I owe it to myself

I could literally go on for hours about the hundreds of thoughts I have on food, but I will curb my verbose nature in an effort to give you bite sized morsels (pun intended) about what it means to be Mike Accardi.  For now the facts.  I am 48 years old as of January 2012. I am married with no kids (ok Tab, our dogs are our kids) and I am an account manager in the field of electronic component sales.   I am an entertainer on the weekends and have a singing act with my lovely wife, Tabitha.  I am one helluva cook.  Cooking and music are my means of creative expression.  I love poker.  I am an Oenophile.  That's a highfalutin way of saying I am a wine snob.  I love to drink it, collect it, talk about it.  As of today I weigh 363.4 lbs. I have been as high as 485 lbs in my life. More about much all of these fun things another day.  Small bites, right?

Today, February 6, 2012 I start to recapture my self-esteem.  I am stripping myself bare for the world to see (Figuratively of course. Sorry for the mental picture.)   I am prepared to share my deepest thoughts on food, being a fat man in a world built for people half my size, and how I need to really love myself more so I can accept love from others.  By doing this, and hearing from others via comments, we can help each other conquer this addiction. 

Each day this is what you can expect to find.  A couple of paragraphs from me that are stream of consciousness about what's on my mind with relation to the project.  I won't be following any book, program, or website.  I have gleaned enough about eating healthfully over the years that I know what's good and what's not.  I suspect you do to.  We just have chosen not to.  I will tell you what I am eating and how I am feeling both physically and mentally.  This first post is a bit dry and fact based.  I assure you it will get MUCH lighter and informative.  Know that I am not a health professional, just a regular guy with my own opinions and experiences.  Hopefully you join me for the drive.  Ultimate goal...195.

Cya tomorrow,
M