the 1st months weigh in results!!!

397.2 lbs!!! Jan. 2008 my starting weight was 450.5 lbs so that means my total loss for the year so far is 53.3 lbs! My total loss for the 1st month campaign for "the belt is looser" is 12.2 lbs! I wanted to hit 15 but 12.2 is not shabby at all! It was a tough month, but God helped me! He gets all of the Glory and Honor! I wanted to take a picture of the scale because for 1...I had a hard time believing I weighed 397.2, but also I wanted to share that moment with you. I probably have not been under 400 lbs for 5 years or so! My 1st big goal was 399 and God helped me to even pass that! Praise be to the one that gives me the strength and hope! So...be encouraged! Also...I wanted to give people an idea of what 53.3 lbs looked like to show how much I lost (idea came from Frank Timothy), so I asked Anna to come up! She weighs 49 lbs, but you get the point...God helped me to lose a whole Anna and then some!!! Pretty incredible! Thank you for your encouraging words and prayer. For those that are sponsoring me per pound you take 12.2 and multiply it by whatever you pledged. You just put that amount in a tithe envelope with your name, the amount and in the blank space write "belt" so we can keep track of the funds that are raised! God is so good! I am off to go pick up some junk and haul it...so thanks again for taking the time to read! And guess what...the stinkin' belt is getting a little bit looser! -jimmy akers

what does a good work out look like? and some more junk!

I say a lot that I had a good work out, but a lot of people have asked what that means? I log what I eat most of the time and I always log when I excercize and I wanted to give you a glimpse into my idea of a REAL good work out! Here is what I did yesterday and today (in this order)! Thursday 9/25/08 weight & cardio day Elliptical Machine - 10 minutes - 148 calories Weight Machines 3 sets 10 reps of each (vert. press 55lbs, tri-pull 40lbs, curls 45lbs) Elliptical Machine - 11 minutes - 160 calories Weight Machines 3 sets 10 reps of each (rear delt. 37.5, pect. fly 67.5) Elliptical Machine - 12 minutes - 177 calories Weight Machines 3 sets 10 reps of each (weight row 85lbs, lat. pull 65lbs) Elliptical Machine - 13 minutes - 190 calories Tredmill Machine - 14 minutes - 128 calories Friday 9/26/08 cardio kick tail day! Elliptical Machine - 70 minutes - 1,025 calories Tredmill Machine - 20 minutes - 158 calories So these are 2 different examples of what I consider (for me) to be a good stinkin' work out! If I could work these in everyday along with eating well I would be a lot further along, but it is 1 step at a time! It is not anywhere near what the biggest loser does with 6 hours a day, but God is helping me to see results...and it is working! We will get there! Keep me and Amber both in your prayers as we strive to stay in pursuit of God, strive to keep losing weight (making the belt a little looser!) and as we walk by faith...for HIS glory! Be encouraged! -jimmy akers PS. To answer a few more questions that I have been asked... Father Tom Sanders is the one that 1st suggested the concept to me of losing weight in front of the whole church to help raise funds for youth group and for accountability for me to lose weight in april! Friar Brad Dembo is the one that helped me with the Logo...all in all...I am stoked to see what God is going to do! Goal poundage to try to lose for "the belt is looser" campaign = 60 lbs Which would put me at a total of 100 lbs lost for the year...heck yeah! How do we make our donation?...come this sunday for the 1st official weigh in and you will get that info! If you can't attend our church...email me and I will fill you in! pastorjimmyakers@gmail.com

We are back...and so is THE BIGGEST LOSER!

that is right folks...the 1st show of the newest season started last night (Tuesday) at 8pm. WOW! I have been waiting for this season it seems like forever...and it is here! What a 1st show...I could barely sit still! I can not wait to watch every week...next week I will be leading worship with my band and preaching at a revival service in Baltimore on Tuesday so I gotta figure out a way to record the show...but I am so stoked. Monday I went to the Arena Club and got a quick 30 minutes in on the ol' elliptical! I have lost a few pounds since my weigh in a few weeks ago but I am not satisfied. Trying to retrain my big undisciplined tale is tough...but I know GOD is gonna help me. I have a week and a half until my first weigh in, in front of the church. I am nervous and excited! I have not really got to where I feel I need to be for the 1st month of "the belt is looser", but this is a process! I am really thankful I still lost a little while I was on vacation. It took 25 years to become this bountiful/husky/beautiful man that I am (so kidding), but it is gonna take time to turn it around! I have lost over 40 lbs so far...there is a whole lot more to come off! So...tonight is youth group...I am excited to sing, I am excited to preach, I am excited to hang with our teens and youth leaders...and I can feel God preparing my heart for all he has! Whatever that means...I don't really understand...but I am stoked! Thank you for your prayers and support...watch the show...be encouraged! -jimmy akers PS.

Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

vacation...

So...vacation was amazing! It never seems long enough for some reason, but God really blessed us! Not only did he totally provide for us to be able to go away but he blessed us while we were away. He brought clarity to a lot of prayers and he really ministered to us in ways that words on this blog really can not explain well enough! Now the real deal...we did turbo jam (aerobic junk) 1 day, we walked a whole bunch, and we rented bikes 2 days and rode a heck of a lot of miles! I ate good some days, some days I dropped the ball, but none the less I tried! This pic is of me with the stallion that was my 2 wheel calorie burning machine! Keep checking in...more updates are on the way!

The Belt is Looser!

So...the journey begins. I shared the campaign info with the church Sunday morning! Got a good response...it was great to see all of the folks that will support me in this thing! The Belt is Looser is my attempts to raise money for our youth group while I embark on my weight loss journey. So far I have 9 people that are going to sponsor my weight loss. January 2008 I was 450.5 lbs...yesterday when I went to the gym I weighed 409.2 lbs. I did not have a lot of time but I got 45 minutes in on the elliptical machine. Felt pretty good...trying to get in the mode of counting calories...I was under 1400 cal. for breakfast and lunch. I felt pretty good but I wanted to share a win with you. Last night while enjoying friends and food I somehow managed to eat a little more than I should of. I am not talking about just what I ate...but I ate to much. I really felt kind of weighed down and a little sick. So there was a new show premier on TV that I have been wanting to see...so I asked everyone if they would mind if I slipped down stairs to watch the show...everyone was cool with it, so I did. As I walked down...I noticed a treadmill folded up. So I had a choice...what should I do??? just lounge and watch the show...or do something that I should do??? here is the win...I pulled out the treadmill and got my walk on. I walked 45 minutes while watching the show. I felt so much better....even this morning, even though I was tired I felt good because I made a great choice yesterday! So yesterday I got a good 1 hour & 30 minutes of cardio in...heck yeah! So that is where I am..I am stoked for vacation ( we leave friday)...I am stoked to get to the gym today...and I am ready to watch God do what he does! So...you...thank you...be encouraged...know that he is mindful of you...thanks for reading...keep me in prayer...and thank you to all that have or are going to sponsor me on "the belt is Looser" campaign...and thank you all for supporting me in prayer! Be blessed...take care! -pjimmy akers PS...keep checking back for more updates!