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At 45 pounds down and counting, Mike's a much healthier hunter

As a professional outdoor communicator and the director of Outdoor Ministry for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in the Midwest I have dozens of speaking engagements every year. Last March I spoke at a church in southeast Missouri and one of the guys there videotaped my presentation.

I was extremely grateful for that ... right up until the time I viewed it.

I was appalled. I have known for a long time that I was overweight. I have tried several times to change that but it was just too hard to do. But when I saw the "sowbelly" I had in that video I knew something had to change, change big and change quick.

I shared my issues with some very close friends at church and we decided to start the "Fat Club". At the end of each day we all text each other everything we had to eat that day and all the purposeful exercise we did.

We are holding one another accountable. As of Sept. 1 I had lost 35 pounds. That might sound good, and it is. However, on Oct. 1 I had still only lost 35 pounds. It was time to make some more changes.

I knew I had to add more exercise and perhaps add some supplements to my diet. That is when a great friend, Jim Richman, introduced me to Wilderness Athlete products. These protein supplements, vitamins, fish oils and rehydrating products were exactly what I needed. I have been using them throughout October and have lost another 10 pounds.

All Wilderness Athlete products have been gluten free since the beginning of their company, 13 years ago - before gluten-free was cool. They use both whey protein and soy protein in their other protein blends.

They wanted to use elk protein or even stag protein. That would have been pretty cool. But they had to stick with beef, mostly because no one is making elk protein yet. So while the average customer and I may prefer a venison backstrap over a T-bone, they are confident you will not taste the difference in the beef protein. You are not going to taste meat at all actually, don't worry, just cocoa or vanilla.

So now let me share with you why I am excited to tell you about my weight loss and how it might help you too have a better hunting experience. Back in early April when my walking exercise started I struggled to get around the track at school two times. That's about a half mile.

Now I am up to six to 10 miles a day. That means if I walk a couple of hundred yards to my tree stand I will not be drenched in perspiration and gasping for air. I can move much more comfortably through the timber.

Also, and even better, putting up stands and working on existing stands was 1000 percent easier this fall. It is amazing how much more agile I am and what better shape I am in. And the icing on the cake is that my doctor has cut my diabetes meds by over 50 percent with more cuts to come. That's why I am a great proponent of healthier hunting.

As my weight loss/exercise program began showing results this spring my wife, Nancy, decided to join me in my quest. I know better than to give you any numbers on her success, but she too is doing great.

To find out more about Wilderness Athletes products check out wildernessathelete.com or call (800) 300-1215.

So besides Jim Richman, I need to thank the members of the Lakeside Christian Church Fat Club for their support, motivation and encouragement. Robin, J.D., Randy, Mark, Doug and Dave - you guys sparked my competitive self to lose weight and it is working. Before Fat Club I lived to eat. Now I eat to live. Thank you, my friends.