Some who have known me for years as the fat preacher I have been for most of those years are becoming concerned in recent months that something must be wrong with my health because of what they describe as my "gaunt" appearance.  I understand- when you've been looking at 250 pounds most of these years, 165 pounds appears "sick".  But, let me put your minds at ease.  To my knowledge, I am in as good of health as I've been in during my adult life.  Let me tell you the back story:
In February, 2011, I weighed in for my annual physical at 258 pounds.  My A1c (a measurement for diabetics, which should remain under 7.0) was 9.3.  My cholseterol was high and my tryglicerides were near 600.  Joan and I decided we had to do something to turn this around.  But we had lost/gained SO many times throughout the years (Those who have known me know the truth of that) that we needed to decide up front what could possibly make this time different.  We pledged to each other that we would engage in weekly accountability EVERY week for the remainder of our lives.  For us, that's all that could possibly work.  SO, we signed up (yet again!) for Weight Watchers- the program that we had come to believe is the most balanced approach to healthy weight loss.  We chose the meeting where our long-time friend, Linda Steele was the lead facilitator- she is wonderful!  I weighed in on April 1, 2011, at 236.4 pounds.

As I began to lose, the health benefits began to emerge.  Quickly both my A1c and my triglycerides and cholesterol began showing improvement.  I reached my goal weight on September 1, 2011, and have successfully maintained (for the first time in my adult life) the weight loss since- almost 17 months.  I now weigh 165 pounds, give or take a pound or two.  My A1c has been 5.4 each of my last three six months physicals.  My blood pressure and cholesterol are so dramatically improved that my meds have been drastically lowered.  My triglycerides are now 60 rather than 600.  Joan and I walk a minimum of 4 miles per day (we've logged over 100 miles so far this calendar year) and are both feeling better than we have in a LONG time.
SO, AS FAR AS I KNOW, I AM NOT SICK!  Quite to the contrary, my health appears to be excellent at the moment.  Thank you all for your concern and for loving us enough to be concerned.  I'm publishing this because I feel that if you love us enough to be that concerned, you deserve to know the story.  Praise God with is- He IS good!  By the way, we have not missed even one week of weighing in at WW since we started and our pledge to each other is that such will remain true the rest of our lives.  Thanks for your friendship!!