Kevin W. McCarthy

The Professor of On-Purpose

Health

God & The Chocolate Ice Cream

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I am a fan of Nic Askew, the creator of Soul Biographies.  "God & The Chocolate Ice Cream" starring Michael Neill offers provocative thoughts on the integration of the spiritual and material worlds – the space where I like to play and work.  Invest a few minutes and watch this short film that is embedded below. 

Ironically, before opening my computer and watching this video, I awoke about 5:30 a.m. and went to the freezer.  Last night I bought a quart of chocolate ice cream against my better judgment.  I at

Chocolate ice creamImage via Wikipedia

e about half of the chocolate ice cream.  At 5:32 a.m. I pulled off the ice cream lid and turned the container upside down over the kitchen sink drain so it would thaw and disappear.  My decision was based on reasons of both health and spiritual discipline. 

From a health perspective I am 15 pounds over my goal weight.  I know I need to get back on the Health Program my wife coaches.  More importantly, the chocolate ice cream is a metaphorical impediment to my stewardship of all that God has given me.  Think of it as Jacob's hip or the thorn in Paul's flesh.  I've learned in talking with Judith and other health coaches, ultimately, it isn't what we're eating, it is what's eating at us.

My irrational desire for sugar, cream, and chocolate is more akin to an addiction.  It provides a profound empathy for the heroin or cocaine addict.  Truly, there, but by the grace of God go I.  It is a "no" to which I so often say "yes" (watch the video to understand).  Left unchecked, it would consume my life prematurely.  Intellectually I get it, yet lust takes over.  In this regard, I also relate to the sins of Tiger Woods.  Fortunately, my lust is more socially acceptable and less morally reprehensible.  Yet, make no mistake, it is lust gone awry.

I am reminded of Matthew 7:5: "You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you
will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."  This scripture causes me to hold my tongue at the failings of others.  I'm making the attempt to avoid being a hypocrite!

So why dump the ice cream down the drain?  I've learned the best way to avoid sin is to not cozy too close to it.  Healthy boundaries make for a healthy life.  Sure, it is a fix, not a cure.  Until the deep work in my soul is reconciled, I settle for temporary acts of protection.  

Perhaps, now dear reader, you'll appreciate why I am a fan of Nic Askew.  He stirs the spirit of one who is in the business of stirring spirits.  My hope is my On-Purpose Minutes provoke you is similar fashion.

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

'god & the chocolate ice cream' from Nic Askew on Vimeo.

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There You Go Again, Congress!

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My prediction is that the Health Care Reform Bill about to negotiated between the US House and Senate to put before President Obama will be to health care what the Community Reinvestment Act was to the housing and financial markets – a disaster filled with unintended consequences.  Rather than people losing their homes and facing financial ruin, this time it will be people’s lives and health at stake.  The sub-prime crisis will pale in comparison.

The very engines of wealth creation and free enterprise are being eroded by these proposed policies.  The Community Reinvestment Act fiddled with market economics to qualify previously unqualified borrowers by providing a government backing.  The Health Care Reform Bill is yet another round of government policy rigging the health care system, playing politics and power rather than reforming.  Look no further than the massive fraud in the Medicare and Medicaid systems to see what we have coming our way.  Now multiply this by tens of millions of new people who think insurance is a blank check entitlement to cover their poor choices and unhealthy lifestyle.  

Insurance is a business concept based on actuarial science of share risks. Insurance is not health care.  The very concept of risk-reward and personal responsibility has been lost in the health care reform debate.  We’ve also lost sight of the important role of community hospitals for indigent care.  The Hippocratic Oath remains a prevailing approach to caring for our fellow humans.   Government mandates to universal coverage are yet another falling domino in the Great Society that would undermine greatness and society.  When government steps in as a “brother’s keeper,” then society steps back from helping. 

Please review the track record of greater government direct involvement in non-defense services.  The Declaration and US Constitution speak to the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness, not as the reason for government to be the public option.  Government is to regulate, not run industry.  The current trend is alarmingly off-purpose.

I welcome your opinions.

PS – I found this clip on YouTube about Health Care in the 1980 Presidential Debates with Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan.  Reagan’s comeback to Carter inspired the title of this posting.  Enjoy!

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Weighing In Again

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A number of readers followed my journey of losing weight this year.  I lost 50 pounds… but have I kept it off?

Yes!  I weigh either side of 190 a few pounds, down from a 1/1/2008 holiday high of 240!

Here's a summary of my journey.
I lost the 50 pounds from January 1 through September of this year.   The first ten pounds I dropped from January 1 – April 2.  While doing the Take Shape For Life program (phase 1: weight loss), I dropped 37 pounds between April 3 and June 30.  As the keynote speaker at their National Convention I was weighed on stage (dressed) and was 193 or down a total of 47 pounds.  In the transition stage I dropped a few more pounds to get to 190.  A full 50 pound drop in mass. 

As exciting as my weight loss is, Judith, my wife, decided to become a Certified Health Coach with Take Shape For Life.  Attending the National Convention with me, plus a desire to help others, and my results, prompted her to catch Dr. A's vision for Getting America Healthy.

Wow!  She's helping about 20 people regain their health.  It is an exciting time and the extra income during these economic times has been a true blessing.  She's been a stay at home mom (I hung her Darden School MBA diploma in our laundry room – really!).  This is a wonderful transition for her back to the workplace on her own terms.  Wonderful success stories with clients bring joy to her spirit.  Teaming up with Dr. Wayne Andersen and the Take Shape For Life team has been a joy. 

By the way, Judith has lost 25 pounds on TSFL as well.  She's back to her college weight. 

So if your New Years Resolution will include losing 20, 30, 40 pounds or more, click here to visit Judith's web site.  You can email her here for more information.

I have to admit, I'm a zealot about this weight loss / get to optimal health company.  TSFL is truly on-purpose.

Have a Happy and Healthy Holiday season.  We are!

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

My On-Purpose Pants!

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One of the oddities about an affluent society is our clothes closet.  Many of us who have gained a few pounds over the years have two and, sometimes, three sets of clothes.  I'm not talking seasonal clothing like winter and summer clothes.  No I'm talking normal, fat, and even fatter.  By the time most of us reach "even fatter," we've lost hope and finally given away the normal clothes settling for the fat and even fatter selection. 

Since I've been in the process of reprogramming my eating through the Take Shape For Life system, I've dropped over thirty pounds since April 3.  Yep, 30 pounds in 2 months.  My "even fatter" clothes began drooping on me within a couple of weeks.  After about a month, I was digging around into the "fat" set of clothes.  Now they're bagging. 

Over the weekend I bought two pair of men's pants and a pair of jeans – size 36!  My belts no longer fit either.  I've shrunk out of my 40s and 38s.  I was looking like a homeless guy with baggy pants.  Honestly, I can't remember wearing 36s.  There were none in my closet.  When I played a lot of competitive tennis – some 18 years ago – I was a size 34 tennis short.  So to wear a 36 is like rediscovering my youth.  What a joy for the baby boomer! 

I am still in my fat burning state.  Who knows, could 34s actually be in my life again?  Why not?  Honestly, the image of size 34 was so hopelessly erased from my self-perception that it is still hard for me to imagine it.  And I'm a guy with vision!  Yet I know it is not only possible, it is probable if I simply decide to commit to it.  My goal weight is 190.  At that weight the 36s will probably fit just fine.  Then again size 34 might be just the thing.

There isn't a day that goes by that someone doesn't ask me about my weight loss and tell me how good I look.  Never in my life have I had so many kind words spoken to me about my appearance.  Family, friends, and clients have asked for my help so I decided to get smarter about TSFL so I can better advise them rightly.  Plus, I love to learn.  I am such a fan of Take Shape For Life that I accepted the invitation by Dr. Andersen to be trained as a Health Coach.  I'll be trained by the best so I can help people be on-purpose with their health.  My wife, Judith, is really the person most interested in actually doing the day-to-coaching with coaching.  Together, we'll be learning.  I'm a zealot about this life changing program that has helped move me toward optimal health and away from disease.  I cannot NOT share it with you.

If you've done a want list and tournament on your Physical/Health Life Account and had "lose weight" show up as your top want, then TSFL may be the program just for you.  Do you have an on-purpose plan to trim down and keep off the weight?  Great!  If not, then let's connect… on-purpose.  Wouldn't you like to own a pair of on-purpose pants as well?

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

30 pound weight loss – 7 Weeks!

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Tsfl_may_23_2008Unbelievable!  I am somewhat stunned.  After years of attempting to eat right, exercise, and drink more water… and failing to lose much beyond the initial five or ten pounds, I am actually down 30 pounds since April 4th.  That’s seven short weeks ago. 

Here is my weigh in photo taken just about 6;45 am this morning.  You may recall my blog post on April 4th with my scale reading 230!  My goal weight remains 40 pounds of weight loss or to reach 190 pounds.  Nevertheless, to break the 200 mark is a major milestone for me.  I can’t remember the last time I weighed under 200.  Certainly, when I was playing lots of competitive tennis at age 35 – some 18 years ago – I was in much better shape.  Playing in the Men’s 35 Nationals Clay Courts I hurt my knee and laid off for 13 years until a modest three-year return to courts.  I haven’t play for nearly two years now.  I would have to guess my weight has been above 200 since 1990.  I just can’t believe I let it slide like this for so long.

The picture that’s the header of my blog shows me in late October, 2007.  I probably weighed 235 at the time of the photo shoot.  Now, in addition to new clothes, I’ll soon need new photos taken for my web site and speaker kit.  This is what one calls a good problem. 

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Trimming Down

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Week 5 on Take Shape For Life has been a challenging one.  Still, I am down to 207 – two pounds for the week – twenty-three pounds in five weeks.

My feeding schedule has been all out of whack this week so I've ended up skipping some MediFast/TSFL meals – a no-no that threatens my "fat burning" stage.  Dinner at the Outback last night with some friends visiting from out of town and Mother's Day out to dinner this Sunday will add to the challenge.  I'm learning to manage my restaurant eating to conform to the  Lean and Green approach. 

I found two pair of old pants in my closet that fit me – baggy.  I'm holding off going clothes shopping until I get to my goal of 190.  Then again, I don't want to look like a hobo in someone else's oversized pants… but there is a certain satisfaction in gathering my size 38 pants at the waist when I used to fill the size 40s. 

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Weigh Down

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Amazing!  Today I crossed the halfway point in my stated weight loss goal.  I am actually down 21 pounds in 4 weeks.  I’m stunned and amazed, but not really now that I understand the TSFL system.  Pardon me for gushing over with excitement.  This TSFL is a system with high predictability.  I’ve been sticking very close to my "fueling schedule" and exercising everyday so I can reach my goal sooner rather than later.  Weight loss is merely the beginning – Phase 1, as TSFL calls it.  Phase 2 – BeSlim is just getting healthier – to optimal health.  Here is a link to my health coaches’ web site: Lori and Wayne Andersen to read more about the program. 

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