[CJFusco]

Actually, up here in the Northeast, most twentysomethings (my age) seem to be in pretty good shape... I know many more thin girls my age than fat ones. But, then again, we grew up in the early 1990s........

It's the younger generation, and the 30-40 year olds that seem to be genuinely fat up here in New England. At least, that's my observation.

"I loss like 45# on an Atkins diet...."

I also lost a bit of weight over the last couple years or so... more like 25 pounds, though. I was always pretty active up until I went to college... then all of a sudden i found myself 1) in the city, and away from bike paths, baseball diamonds, golf courses, tennis courts, etc, 2) in a position to choose my own eating habits, 3) in a lifestyle where the beer flowed, well, like wine.

The result was that I stayed indoors when I would have been out playing golf or mountain biking the year before. I was eating pizza at 2 AM instead of a real meal at 6. I was drinking 4 nights a week. I jumped from 150 lbs to 180 in the first two years. I am only 5'8". I was about 185 at my "peak".

My senior year, I decided it was time for a lifestyle change. I still drank, and, of course, had my moments of weakness when it came to 2AM pizza - but I was eating better and going for bike rides along the Charles river nearly every day. This alone got me back down to 170ish lbs.

Then, after I moved back to Bristol, I decided that I really wanted to be in shape. I decided to limit my drinking, to really watch what I ate, and to exercise with a plan. I now run/jog/walk 5 miles 4 days a week (AND I have a job where i'm on my feet and running around for 4 hours at a time), I lift weights 3 times a week, do crunches/situps every morning, and really pay attention to what i'm putting into my body. For example, if I get hungry late at night, I grab an orange or some strawberries instead of potato chips. I still allow myself a burger or pizza, because chances are I will be running 5 miles later that day anyhow, but the truth is I haven't eaten Burger King, McDonalds, or the like in about 8 years.

This morning I weighed in at 155 lbs, and that's with the added muscle mass from lifting weights.