A Pirate Looks (down) 40

As I blogged on Feb 24, I promised myself that I would write an entry that was in reference to the Jimmy Buffett album when I got to a total of 40 lbs of weight lost in this journey.  Since I do not have an accurate starting point from before January, I'm using what I have as reference.  That is to say, I started at approximately 255 lbs when I started in January, and I was chosen to be a part of the Rob's Big Losers.  It is now April, and I am weighing in around 215 lbs, which marks a whopping 40 lbs that I lost during the 12-week journey!  It was not "easy", and honestly I would be disappointed if it had been.  The hard work that I put into just fuels me to keep going further, to enjoy the new lifestyle, and to want to give back to others to help inspire them to do more.

My Before and After photos from the Rob's Big Loser journey!

When I look at photos like this, I cannot believe that I am this different person now.  I don't see myself in the mirror and say "wow, I've changed a lot", but if the camera adds 10 lbs, it adds it equally.  I don't see the 5 INCHES I have removed from my waistline, but I have the measurements to know it's gone.  I have now completed my first 5k, I have my first Metric Century (100km) ride scheduled for Saturday, and another 5k planned for next week.  These are things that the old me would have found awesome, but would have been physically impossible for me.  Now I know that "all things are possible through Christ who gives me strength".

I look at my current body makeup and I realize just how far of a journey I had from the start, and the limits that I was putting on myself.  I mean, I've lost 40 pounds off of my frame.  In January I hoped to get down into the 220's for the first time in about 20 years, and I had the artificial barrier of having "plateaus" and I didn't fully understand my goal weight at all.  For years I've believed that I couldn't get down under 200 pounds, as the one time I was close it was because I was sick.  Now that I'm at 215, I realize that the end result on the scale isn't really the imporant thing, but that I can trim a LOT more off of my frame than I realized.  I love that my body is responding to the challenges that I put it up to, and that both mentally and physically God has gifted me with the ability to create new challenges for myself.  What I realize is that I am a continual work in progress, and while I still struggle with artificial barriers to what I can accomplish I don't need to let them limit me.  I may not be able to run a marathon today,  but I can set goals to do it, and work towards my goals.

I cannot wait to blog about completing my first 100km ride on Saturday.  It should be a fantastic trip!