Questions and Answers

It has been a good week, lots of bike and eating the correct food! I will tell you that I am looking forward to ending the first 30 days of my eating plan. I cut out all grains for the first 30 days to help my body get in the mode of burning fat for energy. It also was a very restricted carb time - only certain fruits and veggies. Now I will start to reintroduce these back into my diet - in the right amounts!!

I have been receiving a ton of emails and comments asking questions about "My Plan." So, I will take a few moments and try to answer them. But first, let me make it very clear that I am not an expert in weight loss or nutrition. "My Plan" is just that - "My Plan!" If you are interested in getting started, you need to develop "Your Plan." Talk to your doctor and then with a trainer and/or nutritionist to determine what will work best for your body.

OK, disclaimer out of the way....lets move on.....

Question: What diet are you doing?
Answer: Short answer - South Beach. Longer answer - I'm not just dieting, this is a "lifestyle change." I'm not thinking about what happens when I get back to eating normal....this IS normal eating. What I was doing before was not normal. In my body, carbs turn into instant sugar and then (if not used for energy) fat. So, for me, I need to eat carbs that take the body longer to digest - high fiber, multi-grain breads and foods that provide carbs and protein together like nuts (mmmmm...cashews).

A quick note: Take a few days and learn how food works in your body. Don't just start eating some plan someone puts in front of you but find out WHY this plan should work. When the low-carb craze began a few years back, I took some time to find out how foods are processed by these amazing God-created machines. It really helped me understand WHY I should (or shouldn't) eat some foods.

Q: What exercises are you doing?
A: Right now, I am just doing the bike for 15 minutes per day. I will be starting some mild strength training in the next couple of week (or as soon as I sit down to watch the DVD that shows me how to work the big, rubber bands I will be using). Jimmy Page ("Fitness Guru") says that you just need to get moving, especially if you are like me and lead a fairly sedentary life.

Q: Does your wife get up with you?
A: ......(sorry, can't catch my breath from laughing so hard!)....No. Seriously, Stacey has had to deal with her husband getting up in the middle of the night for almost 20 years. She has learned to sleep through it all and unless she wanted to get up, I would never ask her. She has a full day in front of her (homeschooling, work, etc.), so she needs her rest!

Q: Have you had to give up anything to start this plan?
A: I guess it depends on how you look at it. I have had to make sure I am in bed earlier to be able to get up an hour earlier to workout. That has meant that some TV shows have cut out (not a big loss) but also some time to be with Stacey. On the other hand, my energy level has increased which means when we are together - I am there - not in a carb-fueled coma.

Q: How can I find out more about getting healthy and/or contact Jimmy Page?
A: Check the side on the blog and you will see the "Places to Visit" section. Click on the link to Jimmy's FCA website and you can subscribe to their FREE Online Wellness Magazine, Weekly Exercise Program, and Weekly Fit Tips! You can also, email Jimmy at jpage@fca.org.

As always, thanks so much for your encouragement! I feel your prayers when I don't want to pedal one more turn. Weigh-in tomorrow!

Talk to you then,

Mike

Friday Weigh-In 1/25/08

Not a big week...but they can't all be!

BTW, I got up and hit the bike this morning! (See Yesterday's Post) Back on the horse.

Current Weight: 361
Last Week's Weight: 362
Loss for the Week: 1

Starting Weight: 383 Total Loss: 22

“Run in such a way to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training…Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I discipline my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. I Cor. 9:24-27

Have a wonderful weekend! Talk to you soon,

Mike

Lying To Myself

OK - Confession time!

I have been lying to myself. I didn't mean to. It was said with the best intentions but we know where good intentions will lead....

For the last two days I have not been on the bike.

There, I said it. I woke up and was feeling totally beat. But that's ok, I said, because I will just hit the bike when I come home. Then there was the extra meeting, the late lunch and the emails that just "had" to be answered. By the time I hit the front door, I was even more tired and just blew off the bike. Telling myself it was just one day - I went on and was feeling fine...until yesterday morning.

Again, stayed up too late and felt terrible when the clock went off...replayed the same argument in my head and rolled over. Guess what happened?? Same thing, different day.

Didn't mean to lie, I just didn't make it a priority. It must be! If not, then what happens when I slip up on the eating plan? or, when I'm doing more than just the bike? The worst part is I'm only hurting myself.

All that said, I'm feeling good! One of the reasons for doing this blog is to put it all out on the table. In future posts I will talk more about what I'm doing on a daily basis about eating and what my next steps are.

Thanks for your continued support and prayers! Weigh-in tomorrow! Woo-Hoo!

Talk to you soon,

Mike

Friday Weigh-in 1/18/08

Another morning facing the scale. I am only weighing myself once a week. I will not be tied to what I am doing each day....it is about the long haul.

That said.....

Current Weight: 362
Last week's Weight: 367
Loss for the week: 5

Starting Weight: 383 Total Loss: 21

woo-hoo!
Talk to you soon,

mike

Getting Started

I have been receiving a ton of emails! Prayer support, well wishes, advice on exercise and a few questions.

Janet wrote and asked "...Question, what did you do to prepare? Buy exercise equipment? Clean out your fridge? I want this to be a life style change, but somehow can't imagine myself making time for exercise. That's what keeps me at my current weight. "

As I wrote back, it seemed that this would make a perfect next posting for you.

Janet,

My wife and I had purchased a recumbent bike about two years ago so, it is finally getting used. You don’t have to buy anything – you just have to get moving! For me, the bike works because to do my workout and I needed a non-impact exercise (too many years of extra weight have taken their toll on my knees!). you can run, treadmill, bike, do the mall walk…just get moving!

I did not clean out the ‘fridge because my family still needs to eat! HA! However, it is imperative that you stock up on the foods you need. If it is not in your house, you have a greater chance of grabbing whatever is available.

Time….always the biggest barrier (in the past) to my weight loss and overall health! I get up at 4:00am to get ready for our morning show. I have tried to work out in the mid-day, the afternoon and the evening. Didn’t work! Too many things distracted me or got in the way or made me too tired! So….I now get up at 3:10am!! UGH! But I can do my workout, jump in the shower and start the day. Is it tough? Yep! I can’t tell you how many arguments I have had in my head while sitting in the dark on the edge of my bed.

“…you could sleep another hour….nope! got to go do it!....oh, come on it just one day off, it won’t matter…..well, maybe……”

And then I get up and go down to the bike! I will say that I have had to make sure that I hit the sack earlier to make this work. Don’t fool yourself - There has to be sacrifice somewhere.

If you want it, you can get it! But it won't come to you!

Blessings on your journey,

Mike

Podcast Links

Hey!

Here are the links to the first two segments we did on the show talking about my goal. This is a part of the program every Friday morning at 7:30, if you would like to hear it live sometime.

Jimmy Page Podcast 1/4/08
Jimmy Page Podcast 1/11/08

BTW, there are bunch of other cool interviews and podcasts by clicking here!

Talk to you soon!

Mike

Friday Weigh-in 1/11/08

Ok - I will start out by saying that I think exercise has made me stupid!

I have lost the ability to do basic math problems. Case in point: I told you that I have lost 16 pounds. The only problem with that is that somehow I added 9 pounds and 6 pounds and came up with 16! D'oh! So, then I went back and looked at my notes and not only is my math wrong - I put down the wrong numbers when I was doing the post. Now I can't do math and I can't remember!

So for the sake of clarity (and my sanity) I will be setting up my Friday Weigh-in posts in the following manner:

Current Weight: 367
Last week's Weight: 369
Loss for the week: 2

Starting Weight: 383 Total Loss: 16

Now that is cleared up! I have to tell you that I am a bit bummed about only dropping a couple of pounds this week. I was hoping for five or more. In the past I have dropped a lot of weight quickly. I was sick a few days this week so I don't know if that has affected it or not. I will say that it made me want to go down and get on the bike and do my workout!!

Gotta go be on the radio!

Talk to you soon,

Mike

The Video Proof

I mentioned the videos that made me stop in my tracks....well, here they are:

Mike's Nicaragua Video 1

Mike's Nicaragua Video 2

There is not any more uncomfortable looking thing than a soaking-wet, fat guy! HA!

Talk to you soon,

Mike

In The Begininng....

Ok, I'm going to try to make sure this as short as possible. This won't be my entire history just a quick overview of how I got started on this journey.

I have always been heavy. Not big, giant heavy. Pleasingly plump. Jolly. Husky. And then I graduated High School and over the last 22 years the pounds have slowly made their way to my middle. And at least a few pounds decided that the area under chin and jaw line would be a great place to live. For many of these years I was able to maintain a set weight for years but then I would gain and hold at the new, higher weight for a few years and so on, and so on.

In March 2007, the ministry that owns WRBS started a "Heath & Wellness" program and was blessed to have Jimmy Page, Executive Director of Health & Fitness for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, as the person who put our program together. He also offered his services as a personal fitness coach. My on-air partner, Tracey Tiernan, took advantage of Jimmy's services and I'm happy to say that she has lost over 30 pounds and is feeling better than she has in years. Me? I thought about it but kept putting it off. Don't we all?

In September 2007, I was invited on a trip to Nicaragua with the amazing ministry of Compassion International. As I walked through the poor neighborhoods of Managua, a videographer from CI shot footage that we put on our website to help raise sponsors for these needy kids.

Let me stop here to say that I have a pretty good self-image. My weight was not tied up in my view of myself....or so I thought. Then I saw those videos. "Who is that guy?" "I look like big, round ball on legs!" "That is the guy I promised myself I would never be."

I know that my outside is not who I am. God has placed in me infinite worth though the saving faith of Jesus. I know that -- but I also know this is not how God wants me to look...walking around these kids who don't have enough eat looking like this. It is no wonder many of the kids would come up and touch me on the belly. They have never seen anyone this size because nobody has that much to eat.

I am the heaviest I have ever been - 383 pounds!

After watching the videos time and again, I knew what I had to do. Jimmy Page and I sat down in early December and talked about what I needed to do. Get Moving and Eat the right foods. For me, the right foods means: Less Carbs and leaner, lower fat meats and dairy and veggies. Moving means: 10mins on the bike at my target heart rate.

Because we started this just before Christmas, we discussed that I would not be strict on the food until after Christmas dinner. Remember, food is not the enemy! God made food for us to enjoy. We must understand how it effects our bodies and eat accordingly.

Before Christmas (just by eating better) I dropped 9 pounds! and I felt soooooo much better: more energy, better sleeping, etc. I held that loss through the holiday and started on the bike on January 2 and as of Friday, Jan 4, 2008 I lost another 6 pounds for a total of 14 pounds! PTL!

Now, let's make sure we are on the same page. What works for me may not work for you. Guys loose weight faster at first then ladies. If you are deciding to start a weigh loss program, please see your doctor first. Then try to find someone who can help you discover what is the best eating and exercise plan for you. A great place to start is Jimmy Page's website at FCA: www.fcahealthandfitness.org

I will also be posting links to our interview segments with Jimmy that appear on the WRBS podcast page at www.WRBS.com

14 down, 66 to go!

Talk to you soon,

Mike

I Can't Believe I'm Doing This!

Well, here we are. Just you and me....and all these extra pounds. Over the course of the year I am going to lose 80 pounds. I won't be done but it is a good start. In the next few posts, I will tell you a bit about me, how I got here and why I finally decided to do all of this.

Before we head off together, I should clue you in to a few things:

1. I'm a Christian. It is the most important thing in my life and my views are filtered through that perspective.
2. I'm not perfect - in fact, far from it! I know there will be failings and stumbles. I will write something that you might not like or take issue with. Please try to remember that I am writing about my feelings & thoughts. They are not always politically correct.
3. I have a bit of a twisted sense of humor! **You Have Been Warned!**

If you can deal with those things then I think we are going to be ok.

Well, that is it for now. I'll post my weigh-in stats each week starting with my next post and will jot down the rest from time to time. Please feel free to send me a comment or email but understand that it may take me some time to get back to you.

Thanks for checking in! Can't wait to talk to you again.

Mike