So I am sitting here, wearing a ripping shirt. I didn't realize how tight my shirt was till I got to work. The bottom button is ripping... I have set a goal to lose 20 pounds. Sure 80 pounds is more like it, but I have got to start small and light with increasing intensity. I did 25 minutes last night while watching Lost. I am on episode 14 of Season 1. It is an interesting show. Right now the bald guy is staring at the hatch talking about how it took 4 months for Michaelangelo to start on David. In reflection it has taken me a while to get the complete vision of RideSearch 3.0. Since I have it now all I have to do is build it, my masterpiece. Anyways, I need to start increasing my intensity - slowly though. No running 5 miles in a day or anything. There is a reason why all of the people on the Biggest Cryer all gain it back. They don't accept what they are doing as a lifestyle, more of as taking medicine and they quit taking it when they get home.

I tried to get motivated the other day and watched a guy on youtube talk about what motivates people. He said if I was told I could go to Hawaii tomorrow if I ran 5 miles today I would do it. If there was something I really wanted and the only way to get it was to exercise then that would be motivation. The kicker is, it has got to be something I really really want. I need a carrot on stick - sans the carrot and stick - to motivate me. So the first motivating factor is what is happening right now. My shirt is ripping at the button. I am glad I am in a cube. But nevertheless there is a whole warddrobe that is becoming useless and that sucks, so I got some motivation. But I am stubborn and do enjoy an easy lifestyle. So it is not enough.

But what do I really really want that would sufficiently motivate me? To be debt free? That would do it, but there is no genie promising that. See, that is why the Biggest Loser works so well, because as adults money is definitely a motivating factor. What if all my friends took a large collection and I would get it if I lost 80 pounds? That may do it. The rewards of being skinny should be enough, but those rewards are not that definite. I may still have high blood pressure and sleep apnea if I lose 80 pounds and then I would have done it for nothing. The future is always uncertain so dreams of being alive at 90 in good health don't seem definite to me. I may die tomorrow so all of these "do it for someone else" factors don't wash logically.

So the question is: what life changing things have happened, why, and how can I duplicate them to lose weight. The biggest life changing event I think of was when I accepted Jesus into my life. Everything became different, even physically. I noticed sin in my life and tried to correct it. I started going to church and met many friends and started ministering to others. I was definitely a changed man. Scripturally the Holy Spirit has to lead you to Him. You cannot just decide. There has to be a spiritual moment when you are led to the door and all you have to do is open it. Everyone has moments in their life when they are led to the door. It is at that point where you open it to a new life or walk away.

So where is the door to weight loss? Is this button ripping my shirt leading me to the door? Who is on the other side? Is it a new me? Changes founded in emotion always fail. Changes founded spiritually are life long. Changes founded in circumstances beyond your control can last a long time by can eventually be removed. What is the spiritual aspect to losing weight?

Well, we come to Jesus because we admit we fall short and can't get to heaven any other way. The act of being saved is letting Him take control of our lives. So that's it. That's the spiritual aspect to losing weight. I admit I do fall short of dieting and exercising. I need to let other people take control of my physical well being. I need to give them the power to guide my diet and exercise. To hold me accountable for my actions. This blog is part of it, but the people I see day to day like my wife and friends need to hold me accountable even though I won't like it. I need to give it all up and do as I am told. It is not that I am blaming others for my weight I am giving them the go ahead to help me control it. And that, my friends, should lead to life long weight loss. Although I wonder what is going to be harder - giving up control, or actually doing the work... We shall see.

I got all of that from losing my button. Have a good weekend everyone. I am off on Monday!

Exercise: 25 Minutes