298 & Counting
Can you imagine weighing 298lbs. and being happy about it? I doubt it, unless you are me. Let me explain.
I've been large/fat/chunky/slovenly/huge/etc. all my life, well almost all. When I was eight years old I started to swell like I just got stung by a bee. We lived in England and I buried Cadbury's and Walker's crisp as if rigormortis was setting it. I didn't learn "Husky" wasn't a brand until I was 18 years old. During High School I was fat, but not like abnormally fat, a "Hey he drinks a lot of beer and has late night snacks too often" fat. So college rolled around and I got up to 245. I couldn't believe it. I was finally being pushed out of the 3x clothing line that some normal stores carried and being forced to shop only at "Casual Male Big and Tall." My Junior year I met my wife and wanted to impress her so I dropped down to about 227. The smallest I had been my whole life. I stayed there that summer but my last semester of college I replaced late studying with late nigtht Taco Bell and Dunkin Donuts. I ate that almost every night as a "snack." 3 Tacos, a 7 layer burrito, nachos (the middle priced one, not supreme not with just cheese) beans and rice and 3 apple fritters with milk stolen from Bartlett Petersons, yes I wrote 3. By the end of my first year of marriage I was up to 305. I thought this rapid weight gain has got to stop and developed a 8000 - 9000 calories a day diet to maintain this weight and in the past 9 years (ten years total) have only gained 45 pounds bringing the grand total to 350 pounds. Wow, what a pig, a fat one at that.
I even managed to ruin my pancreas over the course of this run becoming diabetic, lucky me, boy have I been responsible with this body God has given me. At least I am not like all those sinners who smoke. (Insert sarcastic tone here)
So last summer I took a shot at changing my life and it lasted a couple weeks, but I got down to 331, of course I got back up to 348 by the time Bec was 8 months pregnant.
When I gave my life to Christ, it wasn't until about 6 or 7 years after that I realized that this was a spiritual issue and have wrestled with it ever since. I have always felt guilty about what I have done to my body and have never made excuses, only jokes.
So it wasn't until I heard the words, "You know the BOP has physical requirements." When I heard that it registered in my soul, my btain, and my life that this weight thing is a sin. I was sitting in an interview with 10 chaplains in Springfield, Missouri and noticed I was the only Fatty McButterpants in the room, to quote my hero Doug Heffernan. That was May 17, and it registered in my brain that this weight could make my wife a widow, make my children fatherless, and stop my goals DEAD in their tracks. I got scared, real scared, and am still.
I was so scared that on May 21, the day after graduation I started walking and eating 1300 calories a day. I'm not hungry until late at noght and am doing something else to solve that problem. I feel good, I am proud of myself, and am happy that I am finally taking control of this life. Even though I just said that usiong first person pronouns I am fully aware it should be in 3rd because Jesus is sustaining me, I have yeilded another area of my life to the master and he is in control of it, I have no doubts about who is strengthening me to do this.
I am obsessed with it. I watch everything I eat and feel guilty if I miss one day of exercising because there is no way in hello I am going to let me beat me. How can I lose this race to me? I know it's only been about a month and a half but I am doing well. I am walking 40 minutes, lifting weights, doing squats, climbing 81 stairs, and doing pushups daily. My arms are solidifying. Next week I will go to 50 minutes and 108 stairs. I am actually running a large portion of that 40 minutes.
Many friends and family members will probably say that it's a passing phase and he'll back at Krispy Kreme before the "Hot & Now" light goes off but I say I am not looking back. I am pressing on and even as I'm typing this I am in a shirt that is 8 years old and brand new because only certain 5x's fit so I closeted it. It's a little loose now.
I wrote this to ask my friends and family to pray for me. I feel good physically and am on my way to being what I have always wanted to be physically and I need help. Pray that this journey to health will never end. And in case you're wondering how I'm doing, 298 and counting!!!
I've been large/fat/chunky/slovenly/huge/etc. all my life, well almost all. When I was eight years old I started to swell like I just got stung by a bee. We lived in England and I buried Cadbury's and Walker's crisp as if rigormortis was setting it. I didn't learn "Husky" wasn't a brand until I was 18 years old. During High School I was fat, but not like abnormally fat, a "Hey he drinks a lot of beer and has late night snacks too often" fat. So college rolled around and I got up to 245. I couldn't believe it. I was finally being pushed out of the 3x clothing line that some normal stores carried and being forced to shop only at "Casual Male Big and Tall." My Junior year I met my wife and wanted to impress her so I dropped down to about 227. The smallest I had been my whole life. I stayed there that summer but my last semester of college I replaced late studying with late nigtht Taco Bell and Dunkin Donuts. I ate that almost every night as a "snack." 3 Tacos, a 7 layer burrito, nachos (the middle priced one, not supreme not with just cheese) beans and rice and 3 apple fritters with milk stolen from Bartlett Petersons, yes I wrote 3. By the end of my first year of marriage I was up to 305. I thought this rapid weight gain has got to stop and developed a 8000 - 9000 calories a day diet to maintain this weight and in the past 9 years (ten years total) have only gained 45 pounds bringing the grand total to 350 pounds. Wow, what a pig, a fat one at that.
I even managed to ruin my pancreas over the course of this run becoming diabetic, lucky me, boy have I been responsible with this body God has given me. At least I am not like all those sinners who smoke. (Insert sarcastic tone here)
So last summer I took a shot at changing my life and it lasted a couple weeks, but I got down to 331, of course I got back up to 348 by the time Bec was 8 months pregnant.
When I gave my life to Christ, it wasn't until about 6 or 7 years after that I realized that this was a spiritual issue and have wrestled with it ever since. I have always felt guilty about what I have done to my body and have never made excuses, only jokes.
So it wasn't until I heard the words, "You know the BOP has physical requirements." When I heard that it registered in my soul, my btain, and my life that this weight thing is a sin. I was sitting in an interview with 10 chaplains in Springfield, Missouri and noticed I was the only Fatty McButterpants in the room, to quote my hero Doug Heffernan. That was May 17, and it registered in my brain that this weight could make my wife a widow, make my children fatherless, and stop my goals DEAD in their tracks. I got scared, real scared, and am still.
I was so scared that on May 21, the day after graduation I started walking and eating 1300 calories a day. I'm not hungry until late at noght and am doing something else to solve that problem. I feel good, I am proud of myself, and am happy that I am finally taking control of this life. Even though I just said that usiong first person pronouns I am fully aware it should be in 3rd because Jesus is sustaining me, I have yeilded another area of my life to the master and he is in control of it, I have no doubts about who is strengthening me to do this.
I am obsessed with it. I watch everything I eat and feel guilty if I miss one day of exercising because there is no way in hello I am going to let me beat me. How can I lose this race to me? I know it's only been about a month and a half but I am doing well. I am walking 40 minutes, lifting weights, doing squats, climbing 81 stairs, and doing pushups daily. My arms are solidifying. Next week I will go to 50 minutes and 108 stairs. I am actually running a large portion of that 40 minutes.
Many friends and family members will probably say that it's a passing phase and he'll back at Krispy Kreme before the "Hot & Now" light goes off but I say I am not looking back. I am pressing on and even as I'm typing this I am in a shirt that is 8 years old and brand new because only certain 5x's fit so I closeted it. It's a little loose now.
I wrote this to ask my friends and family to pray for me. I feel good physically and am on my way to being what I have always wanted to be physically and I need help. Pray that this journey to health will never end. And in case you're wondering how I'm doing, 298 and counting!!!
posted by big african at 7:27 PM
5 Comments:
Even at 348 you were the sexiest man I've ever laid eyes on. At 298 I had butterflies in my stomach watching you dance in the driver's seat on the way to church yesterday. The transformation in your body is thrilling to watch, but not nearly as much as the transformation in your character. I am SO proud of you. Keep running, Hero, I'm right behind you!
I believe! I believe!
It's Karla with a K.
I was trying to be sarcastic...guess i'm no good at it! Topher said your the king of sarcasim...guess you couldn't see the smerk across the web.
Oh,I can be serious about birth, babies, and raising them...it's my world.
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ccostner4/
This is my blog...the other is for my ebook.
you are doing great...I'm happy for you and for your family.
Good job!
Post a Comment
<< Home