[yeahihateworking]

You've received some good advice. On the diet side of things, you should and can cut out all refined sugars. When you want to sweeten something, use splenda, equal, or small amounts of honey. Store-bought/vending machine junk foods are usually loaded with refined sugar, unhealthy fats, refined starches or a combination of all three. Cut them out cold turkey. Diet sodas will work well as a replacement for your normal pop. I have yet to see any that contained a significant amount of sodium. Some good replacements for your normal junk food snacks are various types of vegetables such as baby carrots, celery, broccoli, or cauliflower dipped in light salad dressing. Celery dipped in NATURAL peanut butter is also good. Fruits are also a good junk food snack replacement, and they should be eaten with the skin when at all practical (bananas would be an exception, for example) to ensure you're getting the fiber for satiety and slowed gastric emptying purposes. When I'm going to be at the poker room for hours, I take some of this stuff in an igloo container and leave it in my car. When I'm hungry, I'm not at the mercy of the ridiculously overpriced/unhealthy garbage they sell at the casino, and just make a quick trip out to my car.

For your main meals, you want to make sure you're getting plenty of quality protein as well as plenty of fiber. Protein spares muscle tissue from being used for energy as well as having the most significant thermic effect (increased metabolic efficiency) of any of the macronutrients. The fiber helps you to feel fuller on less food and for longer while helping to stabilize energy levels following your meals. Lean meats, lean seafood and lean dairy products should be your mainstays along with sides of vegetables and fruits. You should strive to get at least two good servings of lean dairy products a day due to the calcium. Something in dairy products promotes the body's absorption/utilization of calcium, and a number of recent studies have shown dietary calcium to accelerate fat loss. Good choices in dairy products would include skim milk, lowfat cheeses, and lowfat plain yogurt with your choice of fruit mixed in.

On the workout side of things, resistance training along with a healthy level of protein intake is what will allow you to lose fat without an almost equal level of muscle loss (very common). Misguided attempts by certain authorities have led to the emphasis being on losing weight rather than losing FAT. Unless you want the Subway Jared look, you need to be at least as serious about the weights at the gym or your home as you are about your choice of cardiovascular exercise. As far as cardio goes, try a lot of different exercises. You will be more likely to find something you enjoy and hence, more likely to stick with it long-term.

One more thing that will help is to have one meal a week where you get to treat yourself to whatever entree, side and drink you've been craving all week. That's the time for the porterhouse, baked potato slothered with butter and sour cream, and the full-flavored stout beer. Just don't overdo things. As long as you avoid totally pigging out by keeping your portions during this meal within reason, it will actually be beneficial to you both from a psychological and metabolic standpoint. Good luck.