Monday, it occurred to me. Why not “Assault” every round number that’s left?

That is exactly what I am going to do. Now, my focus is on 260 rather than 240. And I want to take 260 by storm, breezing through this portion of the Fortress, and bum rushing the last third of this journey with momentum, tunnel vision and maybe a little bit of venom.

It’s safe to say that, by design, this is the most important goal in my life right now. I look at myself naked every day, and I still see a bulging gut and fistfuls of fat. I look in the mirror and still see a double chin. I know these things won’t go away simply through weight loss, but they can be minimized, and then dealt with entirely.

The Assault on 260 has begun. Monday, I ate only 1,250 calories (though I had originally planned for more), and went to the gym after taking it easy for the last five days.

My gym routine shifted to another level on Monday. I began lifting in addition to 30 minutes on the elliptical machine. For now, my lifting routine is fairly simple (chest, back, biceps, triceps, shoulders), but I will work in some abs as I go along, and possibly some more advanced lifts. I am using low weights and doing three sets of 20, a routine taught to me by an old friend, Bryan Shepherd, who is a baseball coach and trainer at the esteemed Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colo. Shep worked with me a little bit for the 100 Days blog, and I heeded his advice with noticeable results.

It seems like a natural time to start lifting weights. I’ve always known that this has to be about reshaping my body as much as it is about reducing it.

Here I am, beginning the new leg of this hike. From here on out, you won’t have to read about 100 pounds or 270. You’ll only read about the future and how I plan to make it count.