My Weight Loss Journey

For years I have struggled with my weight. I have an "apple" body which means I collect most of my weight in the stomach area. For a number of years I have felt increasingly self-conscious of my weight for several reasons: 1. My wife is a personal trainer and has managed to stay fit and trim for a number of years; 2. As a communicator of the Gospel, I have felt embarrassed at my increasing size; and 3. I felt that I should look trim since I was in the martial arts yet I was not.

I tried a few diets like Atkins and South Beach. I had moderate success on both. I liked South Beach the best and lost about 10lbs on it, but I went back to my old habits when the Holidays (Thanksgiving) hit.

Admittedly, I am at the beginning of my journey, but a couple of months ago I attended a class taught by a friend on weight loss. (Click HERE for the link to the material and HERE for the Facebook page.) For years my weight stayed around 188lbs but now I was topping the scales at 190- 193lbs! The old 188lbs was looking good! When he began his class, I was ready to make a change and the class seemed to be the perfect opportunity.

The class was on Thursday, Feb. 10. I weighed in at home at 190lbs with a 41.5" waist, 42.5"hips and 22.5" thighs. I am 5'10" high and medium build. After attending the first session, I decided I was going to give the plan a try. The next day February 11, my sister's birthday, I began my weight loss journey.

Now, two-and-a-half months later, I have lost 24 lbs! My current measurements are: 37.5" waist, 39.0" hips, and 19.25" thighs! My cloths are all too big!

I will write about my journey in future blogs; however, the purpose of this blog is to share with people what I eat. I have had people to say that the diet (I don't like that word, this is a lifestyle change!) is too complicated or too restrictive, but it is not! Since I love to be creative, I am constantly looking for new ways to cook food and new dishes. Please note, I am not a chef! However, hopefully this blog will help others discover that this lifestyle change is VERY doable, sustainable and enjoyable.