Breakthrough!

Here's a picture of me today after my 52km bike ride. I averaged 26.5km per hour, putting the whole ride at just under 2 hours!



Today I weighed less than any time I can remember since 1980. I weighed in at 243.5 lbs! The 245 mark has been a psychological barrier for me and I'm thrilled to be through it! Here's the background...

In 1980, in my freshman year of college, I remember stepping on a scale and seeing 212 lbs. I remember being proud of how I was filling out, and my shoulders were broadening, and I was feeling good about myself. I was 18 years old and after years of being a skinny, geeky kid, I was starting to look more substantial.

Over the coming years, weight added on my frame without a lot of thought. I wasn't worried about it, I just became known as a "big guy". I grew quite emotionally attached to being that "big guy" and loved the "Big Daddy" t-shirts that my wife got me for my birthday. It just became part of my identity.

In 1999, I worked with a personal trainer for for 8 months and got down to a low weight of 245. I remember that number on the scale, but I also remember not feeling like it was ever enough. I'd see myself in the mirror and still see a fat guy. We moved away from the town where I'd been training and the weight started piling back on. Part of it was a business failure, the stock market drop, and other factors. I just ate my way through it all.

I started a crazy lifestyle of living in SC but working in Chicago. I'd fly out on Monday mornings and fly home on Friday afternoons. My weeks were filled with travel and meals at every restaurant known to man. There were lots of client lunches and dinners with the boss. I made attempts at going to the gym but no real progress toward fitness.

In 2004, we came on the mission field to Northern Thailand. During the first couple of years, work was great and I had a great time. I began cycling a bit. During the third year, things at work began to unravel and I found myself eating to comfort myself. My weight was spiraling out of control. During 2006-2007, I moved from a weight of 330 or so to a high of 359 lbs.

Last September 1st, I was disgusted with being fat. I started to diet and hated it. I lost 9 lbs that first month, bringing me to 350 lbs, but did not enjoy the process at all. I was in anguish. I didn't want to be this big fat guy forever but the pain it would take to get the fat off seemed more than I could bear. I prayed to God for help and he just seemed to whisper, "Focus on your health. Quit worrying about the weight."

What a shift for me! From that point at the first of October to now, I've lost 115.5 lbs by being focused on making healthy choices. This weekend, I will run a sprint triathlon (750m swim, 20km bike, and 5km run) with a group of friends. I just returned from a 52km bike ride this morning and the other day I noticed my abdominal muscles (abs) for the first time.

God is so good and gracious. He loves redeeming His creation and that includes physically. I am so blessed that He cares about me and has helped me redeem my health after letting it get so damaged. I am truly blessed to be in this place and feeling strong.

I want to share this gift with others. I want to encourage others to gain health and focus on what is good. I want to make a difference to those who aren't sure if they can do it.

May God bless and guide you on your path.