05/21/17
Day 68 Extreme Accountability Challenge
Starting weight 304 pounds
Destination weight 175 pounds
Total weight loss to date 50.8 pounds
78.2 pounds to go

This morning I crossed the 50 pounds of weight loss mark. That’s a milestone for me, I don’t bring it up to boast or to break out in a happy dance, patting myself on the back. I am thankful for the weight loss and happy but I bring it up because it is an excellent time to remember how I got here and why I am doing this.

1- This is a road that could have been avoided. I knew better while gaining the 129 pounds of excess weight. I allowed the momentary pleasure of “one more bite” to rule me, instead of the importance of taking care of this one body that God gave me.

2- This is a long road, I am focused on the prize, the 175 pounds man that lives in this body not where I have been. No looking over my shoulder, just focused on sticking to the plan to get this weight off as quickly and healthy as humanly possible.

3- Why am I doing it. My wife Angie and my family deserve better, they deserved the husband, father, son, and brother that I really am. Not some broken down version. I am blessed to have incredibly good health at 55 years old and it has been given to me as a gift that I get to steward for a season. I believe that my season has been extended, despite my former lack of self control regarding food. I take it for granted no more.

4- At 55, many men are winding down, thinking of retirement, looking forward to days fishing, golfing, and waiting on their end. I am not winding down, I promise that I am winding up. My days ahead are going to be filled with adventures and accomplishments. In so many ways the weight loss is like the fog lifting.

Wind up, you may still have a 90 miles per hour fast ball in your wheelhouse.

Is it your weight or something else holding you back.

Press forward.

175 pounds here I come!!!

05/20/17
Day 67 Extreme Accountability Challenge
Starting weight 304 pounds
Destination weight 175 pounds
Total weight loss to date 49.4 pounds
79.6 pounds to go

“To thine own self be true,” says Polonius in Hamlet.

I can still hear my Dad saying those words. Dad passed away a little over 6 years ago. There are so many things that make me think about what he told me over the years. The thousands of questions that I asked him. My father was not an educated man in the modern sense, just high school, when he went there were only 11 years not 12 like today. His education was much more practical, working in sales for over 4 decades before retiring, Dad knew people. He had such a keen understanding and wisdom regarding dealing with every kind of personality. As an adult, I always sought my Dad’s advice and counsel before making most big decisions.

So many times he repeated those words. “To thine own self be true”
Dad realized that at the end of our life, our regrets will not be centered around things, but rather, did we spend our lives pretending, playing a part, or were we ourselves?

What in the heck does this have to do with weight? For some very little, for most of us on this weight loss journey either publicly or privately, everything.
The overweight person that I became was not me, it never will be me, and I suspect whether you are 25 or 125 pounds overweight it’s not you either.
At 55 years old, it’s time to stop hiding behind all of this fat. I am and I always will be 175 pound man. I forgot that, I forgot a lot of things, I still have over 70 pounds to lose but it’s just a matter of months and I will be there. 175 pounds, that’s me.

When this public weight loss journey on Facebook began, I didn’t know where it was heading. I just knew that I was willing to do whatever it took to get back to 175 pounds. One thing that I can say for sure is that you are getting me, the real me every day. From the scales to what I write. I pray that it will encourage you “To thine own self be true”

Press forward.

175 pounds here I come!!!

05/19/17
Day 65 Extreme Accountability Challenge
Starting weight 304 pounds
Destination weight 175 pounds
Total weight loss to date 48.6 pounds
80.4 pounds to go

Having 129 pounds to lose gives me a lot of time to reflect on how I got to that point and how I can stay the course, get the weight off, and then keep it off forever.
I’ve tried so many times in the past to lose weight only to get 5, 10, 20, or even 40 pounds off then to accept that as “good enough” and go back to my old ways.
To quote Master Yoda of Star Wars fame, ” There is no try or not try, only do or not do”
That pretty much sums it up. I have to do it. What’s it?

1- Have an eating game plan that I can stick to. No winging it. I needed a plan, I wanted success, assured if I did my part and stuck to the plan.

2- Find an exercise that I enjoy. Exercise is important for my health but personally I know that eating is the key, get that under control and the exercise is a bonus for healthy living. I love riding my bicycle at the beach, so really it’s a healthy reward not something that I dread. Angie loves walking on the beach, getting sun, finding shells and sharks teeth along the way.

3- Accountability is the magic potion for me, the more that I know are watching the easier it is to stay the course. Extreme Accountability Challenge, is awesome and making a huge difference.

4- BE PATIENT! We all want the weight off yesterday about 1pm. But it took decades to gain. Some days are up, some down a little, but the trend weekly needs to be downward, if not go back to step one and access.

5- Press repeat every day and….
Press forward.

175 pounds here I come!!!

05/18/17
Day 65 Extreme Accountability Challenge
Starting weight 304 pounds
Destination weight 175 pounds
Total weight loss to date 48.2 pounds
80.8 pounds to go

Busy morning so I’m letting you guys have a break from my lengthy posts. Thanks for holding me accountable.
Don’t worry I’ll have a lot to say tomorrow.

Press forward.

175 pounds here I come!!!