In December 2005, at 6 feet 4 inches (193 cm) tall and 33 years old, I was on medication for high blood pressure, experiencing frequent migraine headaches, had a 54 inch (137 cm) waist, weighed 360 pounds (163.6 kg), and was having difficulty getting a 20 year term life insurance policy. Oh, and I was a long-time vegetarian who thought I ate well!

I had been struggling with my weight since I was 13 years old. Throughout the years I tried all sorts of diets and weight loss methods in attempts to lose weight. Some things worked for a little while, but the weight never stayed off for very long. With the upcoming birth of my second son I decided to get serious about becoming healthy once again. I had become very frustrated by all of the weight loss information and diet plans that I was able to find and was not sure what to do, but knew I had to do something. To get started on January 1, 2006 I made a New Year's resolution to give up soda and sweets, and set a goal to lose 50 pounds (22.7 kg) by the end of the year.

I gradually added more and more vegetables to my lunch and dinner meals. By the time my second son was born, two months after beginning living as a Nutritarian, I had lost 30 pounds (13.6 kg)!

I continued making gradual changes to my diet for the next several months, until I reached a point where I was eating about 90% of my diet from foods such as vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and seeds. By the end of 2006 I had lost a total of 90 pounds (41 kg), was off blood pressure medication, was no longer experiencing headaches, and had blown away my goal of losing 50 pounds (22.7 kg) for the year! I was feeling absolutely great!!

Without the headaches, being 90 pounds (41 kg) lighter, and with all of the newly found energy, I decided that I wanted to start exercising so I began running. I gradually increased the amount of running I was doing, continued eating right, and ran my first 5k race on May 10, 2007. At that point I was hooked on living a healthy lifestyle that included eating right and exercising regularly. For the rest of 2007 I continued following the recommended style of eating and also continued increasing the amount of running I was doing. In September of 2007 I ran the Philadelphia Distance Run half-marathon in 1 hour 48 minutes and 21 seconds! I now enjoy running regularly, and run races of various distances throughout the year. This desire to exercise was amazing to me. I was never into sports or exercise, and the fact that it was so easy for me now was incredible.

Even with this increase in exercise I continued to lose almost exactly 8 pounds (3.6 kg) a month, every month, until September 2007 when my weight loss stopped just as suddenly as it began. At this point I weighed 197 pounds (89.5 kg), my blood pressure was fine without medication, I no longer got headaches, was able to get that life insurance policy, and was in the best shape of my life. Now, more than 18 months after my body weight leveled off, I still weigh right around 200 pounds (91 kg), bringing my total weight loss to 160 pounds (72.7 kg)!

I am thoroughly enjoying this extremely healthy lifestyle, and am proud to be a positive role model for my sons Evan and Henry. Being able to keep up with them today, and knowing that I will continue to be an active part of their lives for years to come, makes me realize that becoming healthy is the most important thing I have done for myself, and my family.