A long overdue accountability update

If you are very observant and a frequent follower here you know that I have been on a lifestyle/diet challenge since about August 17th.  I came very clean with my total addiction to food/compulsive eating and the devastating side effects that left me battling high blood pressure, heart issues and diabetes.  You may have noticed that it has been over 2 weeks since I gave an accountability update.  Here is the reasons why:  I began focusing too much on the scale, I started to struggle with the big picture, and I had a cheat day or two.  I don't know why but twice in the last 17 days I allowed doubt to creep in and one day I pulled into Cane's for some chicken and fries and one day I even allowed myself to eat a hot dog at Sonic.  Both days were later filled with regret and an upset stomach. 

The scale issue was forcing me to miss the big picture so I struggled with the totality of my challenge.  Having once weighed as much as 338 pounds before my hernia surgery last year, the "diet" began at 318.5.  The last two times I weighed in, a week at a time, produced a 1.7 and .5 weight loss.  I felt like maybe this is the best I could do.  I decided to avoid the scale and maybe wait 2 weeks.  I also decided to re-double my efforts, to stay vigilant and add some more movement to my day.  Plans to walk daily were derailed by my arthritis flare-ups so again, a little defeat crept in.  Then those two cheat episodes happened and I realized, you are not cured of your addiction.  Hey dumb a**, I said to myself, either get real or quit wasting time.

A couple of unexpected meetings with two folks who haven't seen me in some time produced some positive comments, you know like, hey, have you lost some weight?  I thought, why are you going to waste this opportunity to get healthy?  And so I persevere.

Today was day 17 since the last time I hit the scale.  Today, prayers were answered.  My weight this morning was 277.9, an almost 10 pound loss from last weigh in and bringing total weight lost to 40.9.  I am in the 270's for like the first time in almost forever!

The journey continues, the struggle is real and the struggle is worth struggling with.

Not to us Lord, no, not to us; but to your name be all the glory!