I have found myself on many occasions this week reaching for something telling myself that it isn’t allowed anymore. The body knows how to kick and scream for it, sort as in food withdrawal! However, it is comforting to know that I didn’t die yesterday. My body still survived on it’s roughly 1650 calories and all was well. Knowing this is roughly 1/2 of what I was used too in a given day, this is a tremendous accomplishment.

I slacked yesterday on my water intake and the timing of my food intake. I also only had 3 meals yesterday not including the shake so I could have used one or two other snacks during the day. So the metabolism wasn’t burning continually.

With all that in mind, I still weighed in at 291.8 this morning. So, 4 tenths of a pound from yesterday I will take.. And be happy!

This weekend will be a very interesting challenge. Tomorrow night my wife and I will be going out on a date to a local restaurant. It will NOT be Golden Corral thank goodness (even though I absolutely LOVE the place and even now want to go immediately), but nonetheless it will be interesting to see if I can make wise choices in some ways “blind” and on the cuff. If I can maintain at least a positive direction this weekend, we have to declare at least a small step of victory.. If I can get over the big hump, the blessing is just on the other side!! A thinner, healthier, and happier ME..

Michael

Today’s weigh-in was 292.4, up a little over a 1/2 pound from yesterday. Since I added a protein shake everyday that has consistently put me 200 calories ahead per day since. The dramatic tumble in pounds came when I was eating consistently 1800-1900 calories a day. Yesterday was 2104. So, I guess I found roughly where I need to be to either lose a few pounds in a couple weeks to where I will loose up to 5 lbs a week.

They are offering at our fitness club something called FIT CAMP. Its a 2,3, or 5 day a week class with the trainer, much like a Biggest Loser thing. The major difference is that it is NOT The Biggest Loser, and it doesn’t last as long. For 8 weeks hard core it’s over $200, so not as economical for some of us as for others. However, this next week they are offering it as a trial (since it’s just starting in this new format) for FREE!!! Well, time to sign up in a hurry! This will give me the opportunity to fine tune what I am doing and make sure I am on the right track to success this year.

More tomorrow..

Michael

Why do I submit on my blog these progress reports? Honestly, it’s to keep myself accountable with myself and with all those who will read. I am 33 years old right now, and I have lived most of it overweight. I have always been the “gomer pile” if you will, bringing up the rear when it comes to health and fitness. At this point it’s not just a matter of feeling better anymore. If I want to live beyond 50 years old with any kind of quality life; not going to doctors every week and be hooked up to whatever kind of machine or injecting myself, I will get off my duff now and “pay it forward”. All of us have to pay a price in one way or another. In all parts of life, a price is required. To have the anointing placed on your life and walk in it, a price is required. To be healthy and the right weight, and not a tugboat, a price is required, especially in this society of overindulgence and obesity.

Today’s weigh in was 291.8 — with a goal of 285 by the end of the month. I started at 300 on Christmas day, so I think one could say that’s tremendous progress. I know the plateau is coming, that point in time when my body says, “now wait a minute, we shouldn’t be loosing this much this quick, so I am going to hold on to all I can”. The first to go is water weight, which could go even better with me if I was to drink my water daily as I am supposed too. If anyone has any ideas what to put in water that doesn’t provide any calories to make it taste better let me know.

Until tomorrow, keeping the eyes on the prize,

Michael

Then there was the motivating weigh in this morning. How bout this for day 4 of this adventure, 293lbs!!! This is the lowest I have been since July 2010. The next milestone regarding weight is what I weighed when I returned from Kenya in 2009. That was 284lbs. This is one lb shy of my January goal. Lets go, lets go!!

I know that it isn’t as easy as this sounds. Believe me, if people could do this as easy as just go to a gym 30 minutes every 3 days and eat just a little bit less EVERYONE would be doing it. I know this road will be long, and at times I will want to quit. But I can’t quit. Just as I pushed through and achieved an Associates Degree even after “college” in my early 30′s, I will push through this until I achieve the goal. Not only of weight, but of lifestyle change to maintain and BUILD my body into a healthy vessel of the Holy Spirit (I Cor 6:19-20).

Michael

Man did this morning feel great! I forgot how good it felt to actually be up and going in the morning. Spent 50 minutes this morning in the gym, which is going to be a norm, but at least it’s 5 days a week. Unfortunately due to my work schedule I can’t add more time in, and the fitness club opens at 5am. If it was 24 hours, I would be there even earlier. If I had unlimited hours in my life, I would just spend a couple hours a day. But who has that luxury?

Weighed in at 294.8 which is lower than I have weighed in since somewhere around July 2010. This month’s goal is 285. Sounds obtainable right?

Michael

Experts say it takes 21 days to form a habit. Well, here goes. EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING, until the end of the month I must train myself to wake up at 4:45am, drive to Indiana Fitness Club, and do 45 minutes straight workout, come home and drink a WHEY shake, take a shower and be at the desk ready to go. A new routine is always a challenge, but this one will quite literally have some shedding of sweat and tears.

The main goal this year I have (other than to get closer to God, win souls, the usual) is one for ME. I have long neglected me, specifically my body. Well, no longer. If I plan to be here longer than 40 years to take care of my family, I must do something about it. It’s time to MAKE A CHANGE!

So, I am counting on God of course, my family, and all of you, my good friends… I commit to post here weekly my weigh in’s, what I didn’t do right, and what is working right. By the end of 2011, I am going to be 100 lbs thinner. This is not such a lofty goal. The experts can back this up, and so can I. Whatever it takes, I will make my goal. For January, my goal is to get to 285.

As of TODAY, JANUARY 2nd:

Weight – 294.8 (loss of about 4 lbs since Thursday last week!!!!)
Exercise – NONE YET! (but that will be changing immediately)
Calorie Target: Around 2200 (however I have averaged about 2000 so far since Thursday)

More later!!
Michael

Then He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

I had never looked at this passage of scripture this way before. We always focus on the part that indicates that Jesus breathed on them, and they received the Holy Spirit indwelling (infilling would come later at Pentecost in Acts 2), but what struck me is the part about forgiveness. If I forgive my brother/sister, then they are forgiven in heaven. But what power our words and will have in heaven if we say that we don’t forgive our brother and they are not forgiven in heaven??!! Jesus makes it very clear that not only are we supposed to forgive our brother, but we are to do it 70×7 = 490 times!! I would say that is even a low number, the obvious point is that we are to forgive our brother/sister without conditions.

Lord help me forgive all those who have done wrong against me and my family! You know what I need Jesus!!!

Michael

Congratulations Hannah!! Mom and Dad love you and are PROUD!!!!

Michael

All I can say to end this night is watch this video.. Elvis, you couldn’t have said it any better…

Michael

What can make me whole again???
NOTHING but the blood of Jesus…

OH precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow!!

NO other fount’ I know.. NOTHING but the Blood of Jesus!!!!

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Rest in the presence of the Lord DAD (Charles Rousey Sr. 1939-2009).. You left this world in 2009, but you haven’t left my heart. I know you always loved the blood of Jesus, and preached it without compromise in your lifetime, especially on His resurrection day!!!! I will see you soon…

Michael