In two years and three months, at the age of 50, I went from being nearly 300 lbs to being a soldier in the Texas Army National Guard. I fit into my Marine Corps dress blues uniform, and I’ve been able to attend both the Marine Corps Birthday Ball for two years in a row in uniform, and also my field artillery unit’s St. Barbara’s Ball. These are things that were unimaginable for me just two years and a few months ago.

I ran a 5k for the Arthritis Foundation. Not just once, but twice now. The first time, I ran it in 27+ minutes, and this past time, I finished in 26:45. Not the fastest, but at 1:10 faster than last year, I take that as a success!

I run three times a week, and I constantly challenge myself to improve my pace and (sometimes) my distances ran. I eat well, and I try to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. I help people from all over the world learn to eat healthy foods to lose weight and regain good health.

I’ve been able to take adventures I never thought possible. I took hang glider lessons with my wife, did zip-lining, flew a WWII trainer bi-plane, and hiked up and down hills in Canada.

My most important accomplishment is being healthier. I am no longer Diabetic, my cholesterol is at normal levels, I no longer have circulation issues in my feet, I am no longer experiencing nerve tingling in my thighs, my skin is clearer, my teeth/gums are much healthier, and my vision even improved (my eyesight was being impacted by the Diabetes). No longer having to test my blood and take Metformin are huge wins in and of themselves! The fact of the matter is that I likely increased the amount of time I have left on this planet, and all it took was changing my diet. And that means more time with this amazing lady.

Sometimes I’m hard on myself when my weight goes back up, but if I look at it objectively, I’ve really made really good progress, I have the keys to staying healthy, and I can manage my weight even when it goes up temporarily. It’s all a process, and one I am learning more about every day.