Hi. I'm Nate, and I have a problem.

As it stands, I'm 5'10" and 192 pounds. My kitchen, bedroom... In fact, my whole house is a mess. Most days, I only brush my teeth in the morning. I never put my clothes away right after cleaning them, I don't do the dishes near frequently enough, and I have a terrible habit of being late.

Under a month ago, I was sitting on the cusp of 200 pounds - a line I don't have any good excuse to cross. A radical change in diet and adding more exercise has me losing weight and building muscle and endurance at a rate I'm not going to scoff at. Everyone knows how to get in better shape - less bad food, more fresh fruits and veggies, more exercise... It's simple math. We also know plenty of other aspects of our lives that need work.

And so we reach the founding premise for this journal - the idea that I know many things I need to do to improve my life, but I leave it for later in the name of being comfortable now. Each week, I plan to post my weight, a picture of myself, and notes on things I've done to improve my life, both now and in the future.

And because these efforts are publicized, if I start slacking, I guess the egg is going to find my face.