Alive & Well

How I lost 40 pounds

“The question of how to preserve the health is one of primary importance. When we study this question in the fear of God, we shall learn that it is best, for both our physical and our spiritual advancement, to observe simplicity in diet. …

“ … Let us patiently study the question. We need knowledge and judgment in order to move wisely in this matter. Nature’s laws are not be resisted but obeyed.” (9T 153)

I want to confess something. It always has been difficult for me to stay in good health. I have tended to be overweight since childhood. I know that many have this tendency for genetic reasons but, in my case, it was because I ate excessively. As a result, I have had several health problems, especially high blood pressure and both high cholesterol and triglyceride levels. I have been a vegetarian since I was baptized but still ate too much, especially vegetarian meat.

When I studied at Andrews University, I was able to change my lifestyle. I ate healthy and exercised, so during my time there I was able to stay relatively slim. But during the years that I was a church pastor, my weight oscillated. In 2001, my wife and I went to an Adventist lifestyle center in Oklahoma. There they taught us the principles of good health. After two weeks, we came out of there, refreshed and committed to staying healthy. However, when I started working at the Lake Union, I gradually fell into the same routine of overeating and not exercising. I gained weight again and started to have problems with high blood pressure and high metabolic numbers.

When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, I discovered that people who suffer from high blood pressure and excess weight are four times more likely to die from the virus than those who are in good health. I understood then that it was necessary for me to take control of my health. First, I prayed to the Lord and put my faith in the verse that says: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13). When eating, I counted calories using an app called MyFitnessPal. I also recalled the eating principles I had learned at the lifestyle center and made a commitment to stay vegan. Then I started walking a minimum of four miles a day/ five days a week.

However, I knew it would be a slow process so I needed to be patient until I could see the fruits of my effort. Thank God, I’ve already lost 40 pounds, my blood pressure is normal, my cholesterol number dropped from 203 to 150, and the triglyceride number dropped from 325 to 102. Additionally, I feel more energetic and my mind is clearer when I read and pray.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has a beautiful health message. I know it is not easy to change your lifestyle, especially your diet. However, for your own sake, I recommend that, in addition to praying, studying the Bible and attending worship, that you also take your health very seriously. As you do so, remember that whether you eat or drink or do anything else, do it all for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). P

Carmelo Mercado is vice president of the Lake Union. E Carmelo Mercado