My elementary school teacher’s voice droned on and on as she called out the name and size of each boy’s costume for the annual Christmas play. Suddenly, she paused. I’ve often wondered if she realized, too late, the impact her next words would have and hesitated to say them. But, after a moment, she continued. (The pause somehow made her announcement even more dramatic.)
“Eric Thomsen...18 husky.”
The response was instantaneous: giggles, laughter, and gasps. One boy, a good friend, reached across the aisle, poked me in the belly, and said good-naturedly, “Eric’s a biggin!” Everyone laughed at his joke except me.
The teacher immediately snapped, “That’s enough!” The class quieted down, and the day settled into routine. But the damage had been done. For the next four decades, those simple words dominated my life: 18 husky.
By junior high school, I had already settled into a pattern that would become all-too-familiar: embrace the latest fad diet for months, lose enough weight for people to notice, snap a few pictures to mark my accomplishment, and then gain all the weight back in a few short weeks when my self-control snapped.
Food became my enemy, but it also became my guilty pleasure, my reward, my comfort. Though high school sports helped for a time, I quickly returned to the pattern as an adult. In my early forties, after three months of the latest crash diet, a friend asked how much weight I had lost. I quipped, “About 1,200 pounds, but it always comes back.”
It was true. The struggle with weight had become an endless roller coaster of ups and downs. I was ready to get off the ride. An Achilles tendon injury in 2008 only exacerbated the problem when my physical activity was limited for months. As I watched the scale numbers climb and climb, I simply gave up and accepted life as “a biggin.” Graduate school, late night homework (and accompanying snacks) piled on more pounds. As the years passed, I ballooned far past 18 husky.
Then, one morning in early 2016 at age 46, a simple phrase from my daily Bible reading hit me like a ton of bricks: “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us...” (Hebrews 12:1). Ouch! Though I had read that familiar passage hundreds of times — even preached from it — the words suddenly took on new significance. I realized my weight problem was more than a physical problem. It was a spiritual problem. Even more, I was setting a bad example for my family and those to whom I ministered.
As the months continued, the conviction grew intense, and in August 2016, I confessed to my wife I needed to make a change — a lifetime change. Not a fad diet. Not another theme-park ride. No target weight to haunt my every waking hour. Instead, I wanted to develop good, healthy habits that would follow me the rest of my life. If I developed these habits, whether I lost weight or not, I could once again live with a clear conscience. I gave myself four years to make this gradual transition and set a goal to be healthy by my 50th birthday.
All glory to God, it happened!
By age 50, I had lost 85 pounds, far beyond any diet goal I would have set for myself. These days, I exercise regularly, enjoy an active lifestyle, and am grateful for good health. My doctor says “my numbers” look 25 years younger than they once did, and I feel good — really good, with more energy, more endurance, and more enjoyment of life in general.
“How did you do it?”
It’s the question I hear more than any other these days. The answers related to my healthy habits and weight loss are relatively simple, and I am happy to share them with you here. But first, I must offer four disclaimers.
First, consult a doctor. Not all weight issues are caused by overeating. Health conditions can be the culprit: hormonal issues, sluggish thyroid, Cushing’s Syndrome, menopause, diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, sleep apnea. Rule these and other health conditions out first. In many cases, your doctor may offer treatment or advise you regarding the best way to make changes.
Second, stop looking for a short-term solution. To be blunt, shortcuts to weight loss rarely work long-term. Instead, settle in for the long haul. Be realistic. Prepare for setbacks (and occasional utter failures). Prioritize good health over weight loss and let the pounds come off as a result. Find what works for you. Every body, metabolism, and personality is different. Find what will work for you for a lifetime!
Third, acknowledge the addictive nature of overeating. Treat overeating like the addiction it is. Seek accountability and even intervention where needed. Track eating habits until the addiction is under control. Replace overeating with another (preferably active) behavior such as exercise, gardening, hiking, or some other new hobby. Learn to celebrate success with something other than food! Obviously, you can’t stop eating, which makes you susceptible to overeating. Manage intake carefully to avoid falling into old habits.
Finally, remember you can’t do this by yourself. Scripture makes it clear human nature is weak at best. However, I am so thankful for the promise of 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in [your] weakness.” With God’s help, you can do this! As you prepare to begin your journey to better health, enlist prayer partners. (Ten people prayed for me every day through the first 60 days of my own health journey, and it made all the difference.)
Now, back to the question: “How did you do it?”
I sought help from my doctor and a personal trainer in my Sunday School class. Based on their advice, I developed the following extraordinarily simple (though not easy) plan, coupled with regular, moderate exercise.
Clean. Avoid preservatives, processed foods, and all canned/boxed “convenience” foods such as macaroni and cheese and hamburger helper. Limit fried foods only to those prepared in an air fryer with light oil. Avoid sugary (and often salty) drinks, cereal, and snacks.
Lean. Eliminate all junk meat (hotdogs, deli meats, canned or cured meats). Instead, purchase lean cuts of fresh meat — again grilled or baked, not fried. When possible, select free-range, hormone-free meats.
Green. Consume regular servings of fresh fruits and vegetables. Again, not fried or canned.
And a bonus: after hitting a plateau where further weight loss was difficult, I reduced salt. To my surprise, the final 15 pounds melted away in a few short weeks.
Like I said, simple...not easy. But with the Lord’s help, you can do it, whether it is my simple plan or another plan that works better for you. So, lay aside the weight, for His sake and for your own. I’m cheering for you!
About the Writer: Eric K. Thomsen is managing editor of ONE Magazine.
