Mark...My...Words

Last November I embarked on a challenge with a few other men in my church to see who could be the first to lose 20 pounds. All four of us had weight loss goals and all strived (strove?) to slim down and improve our health. As I sit here and write you in the first week of May, I'm still at the weight I was when we started this challenge.

Now it's a little bit of a consolation knowing that the other three men made about as much progress (or less) than I did, but it still makes me think. Makes me think about where I could have been TODAY had I stuck with things since November. But I try not to think about that for too long since it just gets me all bummed out and angry at myself and my lack of self-motivation.

And then there was that time (yesterday) where I went shopping for clothing and had to buy BIGGER sizes that didn't hug my gut like some of my current clothes do. When it gets to a point where you need to buy larger sizes to make you look smaller (interesting logic, eh?), you know that some drastic changes need to be made.

So as the title of this post reads, mark my words. I do not want to be putting on my tuxedo on September 2nd for my wedding and regret that I continued to waste the previous four months drinking gallons of Mountain Dew and ingesting pounds of fast food and Doritos. It's time to stop saying "if I had only..." and start saying "I'm thankful I finally...."

A big problem for me has been saying yes to urges for fast food and computer time rather than healthy meals and visiting Cardinal Fitness. Time for that all to change - for good. Time to start looking more like the magazine cover that Karin made for me and less like...well, like I do now! Time to institute some self-control and discipline and do away with self-loathing and internal disappointment.

This goal reminds me of a verse that was shared with me by my worship pastor, Mark:
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age." - Titus 2:11-12 (NIV)

Time to implement this endeavor once and for all. I've nicknamed this plan "Project Shock Factor" in hopes of surprising people with my changes who I haven't seen in a while. I'll do my best to keep you all updated. Thanks in advance for your support!