Here we go – this is the first of my weekly posts dealing with our weight loss challenge. As most of you know, I lost 50 lbs and have maintained my current weight for over a year. Now I’m convicted by the Lord to lose another 20 pounds. Sunday I challenged others in the congregation to lose weight and take this journey with me in 2015 and several of you accepted the challenge. So each Wednesday I’m going to provide an update on how I’m doing and provide something to encourage, challenge, help or celebrate “us” on this journey.

Since this is the first entry, I thought I would share with you how I lost the 50 pounds to get to where I am today. As I mentioned Sunday God used an embarrassing photograph and a heart cath to get my attention and motivate me to take action. Since I had lost weight and kept off a few years in the early nineties following a particular plan of eating, I knew I needed a plan I could live with the rest of my life. The problem, for me at least, with a fad diet or just eating very specific foods is that it gets boring after a while. To this day I only occasionally eat popcorn because I ate so much of it when I lost weight before.

So after some reading, prayer, and thinking I decided I was not going to follow any plan that said only eat this and never eat that. I wanted a way to occasionally enjoy something “bad” and to break the monotony of only eating “these” foods. So I decided to focus on calories. After determining the number of calories I could eat in a day to lose weight at the rate I wanted, I did the following:

• I began using the “My Fitness Pal” app on my iPhone. I still use it. Each time I eat, I enter either the food or calories in the app and it keeps track of what I’ve eaten and how many calories throughout the day. The app has a search feature that is a big help. In time it builds a data base of foods you eat for quick entry. In time you also begin to learn how many calories are in something you eat.
• I will have to use this app or something similar for the rest of my life. Why? Because it makes me conscious of my decisions when I’m deciding what to eat. The simple act of recording every meal is essential for me to remain disciplined and stay on track. It is amazing how much we eat when we don’t track it.
• I searched the web sites of all the chain restaurants to identify how many calories are in their menu items. I then built a data base of foods I enjoy and can eat to stay within my calorie goal for each restaurant and keep a copy in my car. Whenever I eat out, I know the specific menu items I will choose from at that restaurant before I ever go inside. More restaurants now have a good selection of lower calorie items on their menu than in the past.
• I started watching cooking shows and buying cook books. I like to cook, so this was actually fun for me. I’ve learned how to prepare some dishes I really enjoy that are not as heavy in calories. Over the next few months I’ll share some of those recipes.

I have to be honest and tell you that eating healthy is more expensive and often takes more planning. What is quick is often loaded with calories. So planning meal we’re going to cook at home in a week is helpful. When Monieca and I plan, we do better than when we don’t plan. It’s that simple and that important.

My plan may not be what works best for you. That’s OK. Do what works for you, but have a plan. Without one, your odds of success are greatly diminished.

Also remember to pray. Instead of making New Year’s resolutions, we’re identifying those things God wants to do in our lives or accomplish through us in 2015 and praying every day about each issue until God answers our prayers.

I’ve recorded my weight as of Sunday and today. Next Wednesday I’ll update you how do between now and then. Feel free to leave any comments below and share with the rest of us updates on your progress. If you need prayer, all you have to do is ask and many of us will be praying for you.

Thanks for taking this journey with me. Doing so will provide me with both encouragement and accountability. I look forward what God is going to do in our lives to not only physically but also spiritually.

Pastor Steve Hogg

PS Just in case you need some encouragement,take another look at the photograph below.