I was at the end of my rope. I had a sore back, my eyes were burning, and I felt bad about myself. I had spent one more day unemployed, slouching on the couch and eating junk food. It wasn't really the economics of my predicament that made me feel despair. I did have a little money saved up, and would probably be OK for another six months if I had to be. It was my weight. I felt fat. I was a tub of lard, and I knew it. I needed to figure out a way to lose weight fast.