Onward....toward a new beginning!!!!

It's October 5 and I am one of the most happiest (Ms. Santleben would just hit me!) men in the world. I have a wonderful wife, 8 wonderful children (I'll let you figure that one out), 3.5 cute grandchildren, and a comfortable home. I am retired (thanks to my wonderfully tolerant wife) and am living my dream of pursuing photography and beekeeping. God has trully blessed me in a multitude of ways.

So why do I need a new beginning?

Because I want to CONTINUE living this good life.

The problem is that I weigh too much.

Oh, I've been this way for most of my life. And I have coped by being active and wearing BIG MAN clothes.

I have also had a "very tiny" heart attack and had two sets of stints put in my heart. I have high blood pressure. I have diabetes. I have high cholesterol. And I just plain feel uncomfortable!!!

If I could lose 50 pounds, almost all of my health problems would go away!!!

I can't say that I have "tried them all" when it comes to diets. If I had, I would be 150 years old since there are so many out there.

I can't say that I have tried real hard. I have tried, but who is to say what "real hard" is to the average person?

I can't say that I haven't lost weight. I have lost up to 25 pounds before. Guess what! It found it's way home again!

I can say that I have spent plenty of money on diets and gyms. (Gee, I wish I had all of that back now!)

I can say that I have quit lots of diets and gyms.

I can say that I have a pretty good amount of will power......for about a month. Then it just goes away.

I can say that I have heard that you won't lose weight until YOU are ready to lose weight.

Soooo.......

I'm ready!!!

I am hereby calling upon anyone who reads and follows this blog to be my personal assistant and trainer. My coach and cheerleader. My friend and mentor. My angel (or devil) on my shoulder that whispers in my ear when things get tough and I am tempted. My "big brother" that watches every step....er.....elbow bend on it's way to my mouth.

HELP!!!

And if you will commit to help me, I will committ to post here daily (or as close to daily as possible) with my progress. (Gee, this is getting hard!)

I will list my weight each morning.

I will list what I ate that day. (Ouch!)

I will list what extra exercise I did that day. (Oh....that one hurt!)

And I will list what my feelings are about life and how this effort is progressing.

I ask YOU to keep me and my efforts in your prayers.

I ask you to hold me accountable. If I don't post, ask me why! If you see something that I am doing wrong, TELL ME! If you have suggestions, MAKE THEM!!!

I also invite any of you that feel the same way that I do to join me. The more the merrier. Let's do this together.

If you have done this and succeeded, you know how hard this is. Let US know how you avoided the evil calories.

And if you are naturally thin and have never had a weight problem.......GO AWAY! I (we) probably don't want to hear about it!!!!!! (Just kidding. But please don't rub it in!!!)

I don't plan on being at 150 pounds by Christmas. And you won't see me in a bikini next summer! (No...I'm not a pervert. I'm just letting you know what I WON'T do!) And even if I DO get down to....oh, say,....150.....you STILL won't get to see me in a Speedo!

My initial goal is a 50 pound loss. I want to average 5 pounds per month. While that makes this a ten-month goal, I won't care if it is sooner or later. I just want to see progress.

OK....enough of the FUN STUFF. It's time to start. I didn't realize how hard it would be to bare my soul this way. However, it's easier (and healthier) to bare my soul this way than to bare my belly in public!

Thanks for supporting me. I look forward to the LIGHT hearted times we will share.

Michael