The Plan

I used this blog two years ago under similar circumstances to publicly shame myself into getting into shape.  I intend to do the same thing. Detailed below is the plan I have used with success in the past.

Mardi Gras
Last time around I began with a binge. A couple of days where I could bid a fond farewell to the deep fried, cheese and carb laden things that make my world go round.  Hot wings, breakfast burritos, big greasy burgers.  The next 36 hours are going to be delightful. But then it's down to business.  As cliche as it sounds to start Monday, I'm starting Monday.
Average Joes
Recently renewed membership at the city rec center that is a few blocks from my house.  It is not fancy.  And it smells, and there are no attractive people that work out there.  Perfect. They have early morning spin classes and a weight room.  Both were used with success last time. And on those rare occasions that I choose to run, they have a terrible, depressing, gray, indoor track.  With average temps in the teens and chewable air, I'm going to have to do a lot of work indoors. Cycling is possible in the winter but is much more complicated.
Brown Baggin' It
Lunch on the run is my biggest downfall.  I do service work and drive around in a van all day.  There is no microwave or break room fridge.  I eat fast food five days out of five during the week.  More often than not I also eat fast food for breakfast.  It is not unusual for me to eat >1500 calories for breakfast and then again at lunch. (Not to brag or anything).
Add It Up
The surest way to know if I'm eating too much is to log every single thing I eat.  I use the Lose It! app. It is very simple and also lets you log exercise.  It gives you a budget for the day based on your goals.  Exercise also figures into the budget.  I don't get really hung up on the budget but at least it gives me a baseline.  When I am really hitting it hard I often have a net calorie deficit for a day.  First go around I didn't have a smart phone so I was doing it on my ipod.  With the smart phone it's much simpler.  Search function makes finding foods easier when you aren't at home and you can scan barcodes on products.
A side benefit is that it helps you get in the habit of making wise food choices.  Even after I stopped tracking calories last time, I had a firmer idea of the "food as fuel" concept.
Two A Days
There are 24 usable hours in every day.  For the most part, I can go to the gym and still be to work by 8. When daylight and temperatures are more reasonable it's even easier because I am able to get in an hour ride without having to go the gym. It just means I have to get back in the habit of waking up at 5.  Since I am old, I usually wake up at six anyway.  Only now I just walk out to the couch and watch the news until the rest of the family wakes up.
The most success I had was when I did something in the evening as well.  I alternate weights and cardio. Whatever I do in the morning, I do the other in the evening. With the weights I'm not trying to get yoked, just work hard.
Evenings are harder, working late, kids, a long Netflix queue.  You know how it is. But if I consistently make mornings happen the evenings are less critical.
Goals
I ride bikes and as such have several events a year that you really can't do off the couch.  Last year I did them off the couch.  It was hard.  This will be the third year I have done the Crusher In The Tushar. A 70 mile race on mostly dirt roads with 10k feet of climbing.  The first year was the last time I "trained". Even though I fell apart in the month leading up to the race, I managed to carry a little fitness into the race and had a reasonable result. At that point it was the hardest thing I had ever done. That year still is.  I heard it said recently that cycling is where people train 20 hours a week to be mediocre.  I strive for mediocrity and usually fall short.
My "goal" as far as weight goes is 165 pounds.  I haven't been 165 pounds since the Clinton administration.  But I got within 10 pounds last time.  I believe it is attainable.  If I get there I will be freaking sexy.  At 175 I was actually starting to see abs at the top of my gut.  Another ten pounds and I'm sure I would have had actual abs.
Reality
I can't dedicate my life to fitness and don't want to.  This is not a sustainable lifestyle for me.  But I do tend to hang on to fitness for quite a while after one of these hard charges.  To preserve sanity I will take weekends off as far as the diet goes and Sunday belongs to Jesus as far as working out is concerned.  Not that I will go crazy but I won't begrudge myself a slice of pizza with the kids or similar.  When I get into the groove. Weekends don't have a big impact because after eating clean all week, junk food makes me sick.  Much easier to stop at just one when I know it is going to make sick for the next 12 hours.

And so it begins.  Right now, I am getting up off the couch and going to ride the Frozen Hog course.  It will be snowy and cold.