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