Summer of 2023: My wife, Annie, and I had finished up 3 months of project managing a nearly $1 Million dollar renovation on a real estate investment. Fast food at gas stations became the standard for my dining.

For 20 years of my life, Faith, Family, Fitness, and Finances was a mantra I focused upon so that I could be the leader of my family that my kids and wife needed me to be. However, that afternoon, looking at myself in the hotel mirror, I said to myself:

“Brandon…you look like a Big. Fat. Tick!” You know, those disgusting little insects that latch onto humans and animals and feed on their blood to the point they are so filled they are ready to explode. That’s what I thought I looked like.

This moment and reckoning with myself had been coming since my stroke in 2017. While I always tried to live a balanced life (or the “best” I thought I could with 4 kids), it was after my subsequent heart procedure that I continued to gradually add more weight (i.e. developed worse habits!!) A few more pizzas. A couple too many Imperial Stout Beers. I had tried at various times many different kinds of Diets, and as Tony Robbins says…the Diet’s usually made me feel like i was Dying.

But then, I discovered some things. I began to read and study a bunch self-help and personal development books. Many were focused on habits, mastering mornings, productivity, and improving my mindset.

This began my journey of intermittent fasting. Admittedly, at first, it was focused solely on one thing…Losing Weight. Fasting as some type of a spiritual discipline wasn’t what I was after. I thought I had my Faith part of my life covered pretty well. I was still learning and serving in various capacities. And the weight loss journey I craved…was to focus on the Fitness part of my life.

However, what I ended up discovering has been completely life altering and I want to encourage you to lean in…join me a little closer around the campfire.

Most of the personal development books seemingly relied upon one common premise for achieving transformation: Essentially lying to ourselves and making ourselves believe we are something that we are not, until we implement the habits that lead to the desired transformation. Faking it, until we make it.

That’s great and all, but one of the primary reasons people fail to achieve their goals is they run out of willpower. Our energy and motivation tanks hit empty before the transformation occurs.

Then, other ideations began slowly in my mind. I read about the Daniel diet and purchased a book about that. I purchased the book more for the “Biblical fasting” education than wanting to eat berries all day. (The thought of that diet even today…not going to lie, it does nothing for me! No hate, just saying…I like to eat). 🙂

Then, the “icing on the cake” (Yo, Yeager, we are talking about weight loss here, brutha!): After reading many secular personal development books (not saying I did not learn from them, I absolutely did!), I began to read some other faith-based habit books.

And then, it was as-if the gaps in my knowledge for all of these years rapidly came into view. All along. It was right there inside of me, but I just wasn’t harnessing the power within me. I’ve been a believer for us long as I can remember, but I just didn’t know what I know now. Ephesians 1:19-20. “I also pray they will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for those of us who believe. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead”. 

If you are a Christian, YOU have this power as well. It’s like a nuclear reactor core living inside of you that hasn’t been fully activated yet. You’ve been only using 10% of it’s power, but when you realize you can increase the power by turning some knobs, it’s like you can now become like Iron Man. 

I’m not saying everybody has to be a Christian to make or break habits, because obviously people can, and do, achieve personal transformations all the time. However, if you are Christian, You just need to approach habit changing differently. In a radical way that has always been there, but we’ve never realized it. Amazingly, it is so much easier when you can rely on God’s power, instead of will power to achieve the desired results and changes in your life.

When you can truly intersect your Fitness with your Faith, it’s like putting racing fuel into your car. You become a Superman and there isn’t anything that the Devil can throw at you that you cannot overcome.

PS. I still have a long way to go. It’s a process of continual learning. However, here are my results for the first half of 2024.

If you are interested in experiencing the same thing, let me know. PS. My Goal for 2025, is to get to 180 pounds. I’ve learned a lot so far, and know there is more to learn.

Make it a Great Day,

Brandon