Someone said this to me the other day. “Why eat well and exercise? You’re not gettinga ny younger!” Really? Thanks for that nugget of wisdom. I guess I should just pack it up, give up, and wait to die. At age 49, right?

You can’t stop getting older, but you can feel young, spry, and energetic past 40 as long as you eat well and get some exercise. I was beginning to feel like an old man. My muscles ached and my joints were sore nearly every moment of my life past 40. My ability to do something so basic as tying my shoes became a chore. I became winded climbing one flight of stairs in my house. Running anything past 15-20 feet was out of the question. Long walks would leave me sweaty, tired, and winded. I really felt like I had lost my youth.

Then, I got tired of it. Based on information from my cousin Sarah, my friend Matt, and the reading I did on the Interweb based on the information they gave me, I decided that I wasn’t ready to just roll into the grave. I was going to get my health back and lose weight (and hopefully get fit). I didn’t expect to become a runner, but I’m ahead of myself here.

I convinced Sherry to join me in this endeavor, and we both committed to the lifestyle change in perpetuity. There was no turning back; we were in it for the long haul. We both did a Whole30 which changed our lives, and then we transitioned into Paleo. After 13 months, I’ve lost 110 lbs and have started running. Sure, I’m only running 3.25 miles in 30 minutes, but that’s after four weeks of running.

The best part of it all: I feel young. I feel energetic, I no longer feel sluggish, tired, or craving foods all the time. I eat three times a day when it’s time to eat a meal to fuel my body, and nothing more. I eat well, and I eat delicious food that leaves me satisfied. I don’t suffer when it comes to what I’m eating. As for the exercise: I never thought I’d be one of those people who enjoy exercise, but I do enjoy my runs. I probably like the post-run feeling a bit more than the actual run itself, but out of my last five runs, four of them were actually fun. One was even amazing.

I know I can’t stop the clock. We all have an expiration date. I refuse to feel old prematurely. I refuse to be so heavy that I can’t sit in a booth at a restaurant. I refuse to ne so big that I need a belt extender on an airplane (or have to face the look of the person who has to sit next to me on the plane). I love how I feel. I love having energy. I love being flexible. I really feel like I did over 20 years ago, and that’s no exaggeration.

Everyone can do what I did. It’s just food and a “whole lotta discipline.” I lost 110 lbs without running. To be honest, I’ve only lost 2 lbs since I began running a month ago. Food plays a much larger part in weight loss than any weight loss fitness program will lead you to believe. It also requires no additional products; just eat right and stick to it.

And yeah, I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing. I never want to feel like I used to before I got healthy. That life was filled with pain, embarrassment, and disgust. Never again.