What an eventful week

I’m a few days late for my weekly weigh-in update. Life got busy on Friday and over the weekend. I got to meet up with two of my best friends from high school and took my four young kids camping without my wife, who was working. What an adventure.

As I was driving my kids (and two pugs!) back from the campout with our church congregation, I shared something with my stinky and dirty crew in the minivan.

“Know what’s cool?” I said. “If I hadn’t lost weight, I probably wouldn’t have gone on this camping trip.”

Seriously, guys. This is living!

I would’ve missed out on a blast, including canoeing on a small lake in the scenic mountains east of Heber City, Utah. (For the record, I stayed on my program, although I did have more ketchup than I should’ve on my protein-style burger and I ate a couple of pieces of bacon with my special healthy pancake. Don’t tattle on me!)

A couple of other cool things happened last week.

I was at a gas station when I looked down and saw my untied shoelaces. Six months ago, tying my shoes was a heartbeat-raising, sweat-producing, heavy-breathing adventure.

This time?

I simply bent over while standing up and tied my shoes.

That might not seem like a lot to most people, but I’ve struggled tying my shoes like a normal person for a few years because I’d gained so much weight.

It’s hard to bend over when you have a big belly blocking your way.

Honestly, that moment was almost as significant to me as not needing the More of Me to Love Belt on the airplane last month.

I was also honored to be the feature of a sports column in the Orlando Sentinel by Brian Schmitz. Check it out here (CLICK ME HERE!) to read it.

Another awesome thing happened as I shared in this Facebook post:

Five months ago, I went to the doctor’s office for a checkup. My weight and habits were out of control, and I feared that I’d gotten Type 2 diabetes.

This appointment came shortly after I stepped on my bathroom scale and learned that I weighed 373.7 pounds.

My doctor was concerned.

He prescribed me to high blood pressure medicine and put me on water pills to help the massive swelling in my legs. He also wanted me to take meds to help my anxiety and depression.

I returned for a follow-up today. The tone was completely different.

The edema has subsided thanks to my weight loss (90.6 pounds). My blood pressure is at a normal level, prompting my doctor to smile and tell me, “That is awesome!”

He cracked another grin as he adjusted my file on his computer. I no longer need to take pills for edema or high blood pressure.

“I love deleting medicine off of people’s files,” he said.

I’m still not completely pill free. Though I feel pretty good for the most part mentally — and am trying to cope with challenges in healthy ways — he is putting me back on depression meds as I continue to deal with some difficult personal issues.

He agreed with my assessment that I should start exercising regularly and that I should continue strengthening my spirituality.

We both chuckled as I reminded him that he’d suggested I seriously consider undergoing weight-loss surgery at that March appointment.

I told him I’ve averaged 3.75 pounds of fat loss a week since then and was very happy I gave it a try with my awesome optimal health program.

“This,” he added, “is a much better option.”

Not a bad way to start the week!

This week’s weigh-in:

• Starting weight (March 6): 373.7 pounds
• Last week’s weight (Aug. 19): 283.1
• This week’s weight (Aug. 26): 280.3
• This week’s loss: 2.8 pounds
• Total loss: 93.4 pounds