Recently I watched a television show on TLC called the “650lb Virgin.” A strange title perhaps, but a fascinating story. It is a documentary about 32-year old David Smith who lost over 400lbs in 26 months the old school way – through diet and exercise. That’s right – no gimmicks, no pills, no gastric bypass surgery. Just old fashioned hard work and determination.
Smith’s story is a painful one – he had a traumatic childhood that included being abused by his best friend when he was young, bullied in school because of his weight and losing his mother and greatest supporter to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In 2003, upon reaching 650lbs, and after years of isolation, Smith was close to suicide. However, rather than give up, and not wanting to be ridiculed in death as we was in life Smith looked “somewhere deep down and discovered that he still harbored a hope that he could transform himself. He decided to lose weight.”
Smith enlisted the help of Chris Powell, a personal trainer and fitness expert on a local television station. Together the two changed Smith’s life by altering his food habits and introducing exercise into his daily routine. “The baby steps became giant strides. The weight melted off — a phenomenal average of more than 15 pounds a month. By 2007, just 26 months after he decided to transform himself and his life, Smith had lost 410 pounds from a starting weight of 650.”
Smith had further complications, including surgery to remove over 30lb of excess skin due to his weight along with learning to deal in the social world in his new fit and trim body, and even find his first girlfriend! But he takes it one day at a time and has even become a personal trainer to help others in his situation.
Find some inspiration…
Whether you have 15lbs to lose or 650lbs, the discipline, determination and willpower are the same for everyone. It is about sitting down to examine yourself, your life and how you want to live it. The next time you reach a hurdle or feel frustrated with your own weight loss journey remember David Smith. Or, find your own inspiration that will keep you on the right track to becoming a healthier person, mind, body and spirit. Losing weight is a tough goal and having a network of support is crucial to success. It may be a long journey, but it will be well worth it in the end when you feel strong, confident and healthy for your family, your kids and yourself.
Read more about David Smith’s Journey at:
“Looking for Love, 650-lb Virgin loses 410,” http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31845266/ns/today_relationships/
