Congrats on your weight loss and new direction as well.
I was roughly around 215 lbs about a year ago (fluctuated between 205 and even as high as 220 for a few years). I got laid off for a few months at that time, so money was tight for awhile. I was also stressed out immensely due to being unemployed and some other personal issues. In short, my metabolism went through the roof and I wasn't eating much either, so in roughly six months I lost 30 lbs and was down to 175 lbs.
That was an odd change for me, I hadn't been that weight since college; right before I graduated is when I gained a lot of weight. (I'm 30 now.) I had friends who hadn't seen me in awhile come visit and they were shocked. One even said, "Wow, you don't have man tits anymore." I had no idea anyone had viewed me that way.
I hadn't lost the weight in the most healthy of ways (I'm positive I lost a lot of muscle mass and not just fat), yet I vowed to keep it off; I'd actually been reading Men's Health back when I was losing all the weight and occasionally trying to exercise, although since my diet then wasn't very good, I didn't want to push my body too hard since I couldn't feed it right. After I got employed again, I slowly gained back about 10 lbs due to eating real food again, but I've stayed at around 185 lbs (fluctuate by a lb or two occasionally) for over 6 months now.
I bought some free weights a few months ago and have been slowly trying to get back into using them (hadn't done so seriously since high school when I played sports). I've had a subscription to Men's Health for awhile now as well. I agree with Dewey's assessment, they usually provide well-researched material which is presented in a no bullshit fashion (some of their articles are just laugh out loud funny, their writers have a great sense of humor). Aside from workout tips, they also cover things like clothing styles (I'm a total fashion idiot, heh) and sexual health, although no articles on Penis Enlargement as of yet, heh.
Men's Health also puts out some fairly good books. I own their "Testosterone Advantage Plan" (aka TAP) which includes a good, detailed workout schedule (starts out for beginners to get your body prepared for the heavy lifting) and it includes a great diet plan. I have their "Home Workout Bible" as well since I workout at home with my free weights (was cheaper to buy all that equipment than it was just for the "down payment" on a gym, that doesn't include then paying monthly fees, finding the extra time to drive to-and-from the gym, fight for equipment, etc). The HWB includes something like 400+ exercise demonstrations and workout recommendations, very good book.
Men's Health also has some good forums if you're interested. Their main web page is at
www.menshealth.com and a link to the forums is off there (I haven't been there in a few weeks, so I forget the full address).
Anywho, I still have some fat around my gut, that's what I want to lose. I don't care if I have chiseled abs or not, although it would be nice; however, I just don't want that bit of pasty, flabby mass there either. I just have to get off my ass and stick to a workout routine and continue to change my lifestyle (I don't like calling it a "diet" as this isn't about some crash course in losing weight, you really have to change your whole eating habits to keep the weight off and simply be healthier; I'm also a smoker, ugh).
