Barriers

Wow- another week down- here we are- pushing toward that 8 week mark!  This past Saturday, I had another great weigh in! 3.2 lbs down for the week- that brings me to 350.8lbs.  Wow since April- I've lost 50 lbs! Holy Moly!  Praise God for this!  I feel good- well kinda- today I feel sore :(
I was at the gym this morning- trying to start my week off good and bust out my cardio challenge early.  I was on the StairMaster for less than a minute and suddenly- SNAP! CRASH! OW!  The pin that keeps the driving chain attached to the step on the StairMaster just broke off- it was completely rusted out.  I landed on my right foot- HARD, and it really hurt me- scraped my calf pretty good on the other leg too.  I had to take the elevator down.  My ankle was really sore and started to spasm a little.
I knew right away-  This is an attack!  They are going to fix the StairMaster but it'll be a few days they said.  I need prayer, people.  I need to heal, and I need to get back in the gym and put up a good number this week- No faulty equipment will stop this progress.  Satan will do whatever he can to derail us from a Christ-led course.  I will not stop.  I want to push it extra hard this week- But I don't want to hurt myself and be unable to workout at all!

Barriers, we put them up sometimes- mentally, sometimes- physically we push so hard that it actually builds up a road block to stop us dead in our tracks.  I need to remember- Limits, Discernment and most of all common sense.  I know when it's time to take it easy. 

The road to freedom moves on, with a limp- for now.

T minus...2 weeks

I can see the end of 8 weeks coming- it's all gone by so fast- but I know that the 8 week mark will be a checkpoint- NOT the finish line.  I've got a long way to go still. But on the good stuff!  I weighed in this week and I'm down another 3.6 lbs!  354 lbs even.  I am 3lbs. away from the 50lbs. lost mark!  I will get it this week! I can't wait to see that number each week going down down down.  For my 10 year High School Reunion (in about 3 years)....boy- these people won't even recognize me!  When I look at myself in the mirror- I wonder...will I recognize me when it's all done?  I've never seen myself as anything but Fat- so this could be (will most likely be) pretty shocking. 


God- I give up this week to you- give me the strength to work hard; for me to work harder; to work my hardest and give it all. Amen.


-Luke

Pushing 50

Hello Baseball fans and welcome to....oh wait- wrong blog :) jk. 
I am writing with excitement with joy and with thankfulness, because we have a God that loves us- hears our requests- and delivers!  I weighed in on Saturday- I was expecting a few pounds lost- like 3 tops.  I step on- close my eyes and Matt B. says "Get off the scale- now get back up there" oh boy...I was so afraid in that moment- did I gain?!?! Whats the deal.  This time I kept my eyes open and looked down...357.6 lbs.  That's....carry the one....8.2 lbs lost? WHAT! 8.2 lbs! I was filled with excitement- amazement and surprise all at once.  "That is outstanding!" said Matt B.  (when he says that- I feel like the best kid in class) 

I get measured- and there's more good news! I've lost 6 inches off my handle measurement AND my chest! 
Since the awakening (April 1st), I have lost 44 lbs!  By the end of the program...who knows....I am continually blown away by the awesome transformation that God has put upon me. 

This week, I can't slow down- Gotta keep pushing HARD!  50 lbs. down is right around the corner and I am hot on it's heals!

-Luke

Week 4 Weigh In- War on Weight

Saturday morning, I woke up early and weighed myself- looking for another few pounds down- but what I saw made me catch my breath.  WHAT! 370.6 lbs. The scale says I've gained 3 pounds!  WHAT?! WHAT?!?! WHAAT!?!?!?!?  I slumped down off the scale, defeated.  Feeling worthless- for all the work I'd put in, I somehow failed.  This was very suspicious though...I refused to believe it, so with the scale in hand- I went to Matt B.'s house.  I got measured first- bicep was good, chest was good, and handle measurement was a small milestone- I lost an inch :)  I was excited, then nervous...because the scale was next!  I climbed up on the Truth Teller, and closed my eyes-365lbs! I felt lighter than air (kinda) and told Matt B. what I'd found on the scale at home. So we set them side by side and my home scale was exactly 5 lbs heavier on the measurement.  I was worried for nothing. 
We did our strength test- I added 20 lbs to my bench press- making it 10 reps at 110lbs.  My arm was still sore from golfing on Thursday, so my curl number was a little short, but my biggest improvement was the dreaded PLANK.  I previously did 1 min. 10 seconds.  This time as the time was being counted, I reached a minute-ten and felt strong still.  I made it to 1 minute 52 seconds!  YAY for strength- and praise God for giving it to me.  My new cardio goal this week is to go 2.25 miles on the track or treadmill.  Oh Boy!  It's gonna be a week of testing.  Each week is a battle in this lifetime war. 

Hoo Ra!
-Luke

Week 3 Weigh-In, Full Steam AHEAD!

A couple days ago was my 3rd weigh in on T8WC.  I was so nervous to touch the scale, after having a small loss last time, I closed my eyes... 367.6 it said.  What! I did it! I killed it. That was a 5.1 lb loss for the week.  I am super pumped.  I also knew that I had a challenge to face- going 2 miles without stopping! This was a 2 week challenge- since we didn't weigh in together, we were going to make a challenge to push ourselves and Matt B. doubled up on my challenge from the previous week.  This morning I went to the gym and after a week of trying to do 2 miles and failing- today, I did it.  I was going on such a good pace, I looked at the total distance and I'd done 2.18 miles straight! I felt an enormous sense of accomplishment and pride- I know that God was carrying me through- giving me strength to press forward.  Matt B. replied to my compliance email (which we do daily), he said only 4 words when I'd mentioned trying to do the 2 miles and getting 1.84 miles on my best attempt- he said "mash down the accelerator" and I took those words to heart. Putting my foot to the floor and giving every ounce I had. 
Thanks for the encouragement Matt B. - O' Captain, my Captain.

Monday: start of a new week.  I feel pumped about the progress that I WILL make this week, I'm gonna go for now.  Thanks to anyone that reads this and sends a little prayer my way.

-Luke