Editor's Choice
Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet; Sports Medicine / Fitness; Diabetes
Article Date: 29 Jul 2011 - 13:00 PDT window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({ appId: 'aa16a4bf93f23f07eb33109d5f1134d3', status: true, cookie: true, xfbml: true, channelUrl: 'http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/scripts/facebooklike.html'}); }; (function() { var e = document.createElement('script'); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; document.getElementById('fb-root').appendChild(e); }()); 
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Will Nevin, 25, feared a frightening diagnosis by doctors so much that he went on a diet and exercise drive and lost 175 lbs in 11 months. He had been starting to have tingling sensations in his feet, which after an internet search made him wonder whether he might be pre-diabetic.
One day, in January 2010, while travelling with friends by car from Alabama to California, he felt a tightening in the chest and a racing heart. He assumed the worst and thought that perhaps he was having a heart attack. He kept quiet about his symptoms, saying nothing to his friends. Now, he realizes that was probably not a very wise thing to do.
The symptoms slowly went away and the road trip continued. He had not seen a doctor for three years. A fear lingered in the back of his mind that there might be something seriously wrong with his health. This fear grew and eventually pushed him into doing something about it.
Back in Alabama he continued wondering whether he had some serious and perhaps life-threatening condition. The worry sometimes overwhelmed him, but he kept it to himself. Today, on reflection, he says he was "wallowing in self pity."
A month passed, the worries continued, but so did his lifestyle of eating and watching TV - a lifestyle of physical inaction and eating. And then, suddenly, for no clear reason that he can recall, he walked to his university gym.
During his walk he acknowledged to himself that at the age of 24 a human is usually at the peak of his/her physical condition. If he was unfit, unhealthy, and flabby and weak at that age, then that peak either passed a long time ago or would never occur, he thought.
He remembers that his first trip into the gym was like going into a strange and unfamiliar land, except of course, for the smoothie counter. He got onto a treadmill and managed to do a three-mile walk on it.
From that day on he did not miss one day at the gym. He also carried out some research and altered his eating habits, cutting down on red meat meals and increasing his intake of veggies and fruits.
He did not see a doctor, nutritionist, gym instructor or sports scientist for advice - something he says today he regrets. He believes he was lucky that everything turned out well.
There were moments in the gym when he would look around and see nothing but perfect bodies, and would feel despondent and lonely. Negative thoughts of never ever being able to look like them occasionally entered his mind.
He found himself becoming frustrated and upset when he weighed himself and was disappointed with the results. This is a common problem - individuals with high expectations becoming frustrated and upset on the scale.
However, he persevered and people and family started to notice. Such comments as "You look different.." gradually turned into "Wow! I cannot recognize you any more..". Clothes starting becoming unwearable and he had to get new ones.
Nevin, who was studying law, felt a great sense of achievement when he managed to walk up the flight of stairs to his law class without panting. Today he says he can sprint up them with ease.
After 11 months Nevin weighed in at 175 pounds, a 50% drop in bodyweight. He had arrived, after many months, at that magic number - 175!
Even today he says he looks at himself in the mirror and still cannot believe it is him.
Now he was ready to see his doctor for a check-up, he thought. Whatever he was told he felt he could cope with. He passed with flying colors - he was fine, a healthy young man.
Prediabetes - this is when an individual's blood sugar level is abnormally high, but not enough for a diagnosis of diabetes type two to be made. The person is nearly at the threshold, knocking on the diabetes door. If nothing is done, such as losing weight, changing diet, and doing more exercise, most likely the person will eventually develop diabetes. Even at the pre-diabetes stage, damage to some organs, such as the heart, may already be starting to happen.
People need to know that the progression from pre-diabetes to diabetes type 2 is not inevitable, it is preventable. In most cases, all you have to do is more exercise, lose weight, and eat healthy foods.
Obesity in the USA - obesity rates have been increasing progressively in America for the last thirty years. In most other industrialized nations, and many other countries rates have also been rising. However, the USA rates are among the highest in the world. In 1997 it was estimated that 19.4% of adults were obese, this rose to 24.5% in 2004, 26.6% in 2007, to 33.8% in 2008 (Source: CDC).
Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today
Article Reference:
CNN, Wikipedia, BBC, CDC.
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posted by
Qwerty on 29 Jul 2011 at 1:55 pm
Did he ever find his a1c level?
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posted by
Heather on 29 Jul 2011 at 1:59 pm
Taking responsibility for his own health! Many can learn from him. Health does not come in a bottle, box, or pill. Way to go :)
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posted by
Peg on 29 Jul 2011 at 2:15 pm
WOW! I am so impressed with this young man's determination and willingness to do what he needed to in order to get himself healthy! Way to go!
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posted by
Myka on 29 Jul 2011 at 2:18 pm
While he should have done this with the guidance of a professional, I applaud that he did it in a healthy manner without resorting to extreme crash/fad dieting. The focus on weight loss should be more about health and less about looks. When the former is achieved, the latter will be close behind.
It's easy to get discouraged when one is not getting the desired effects right away, but an effective, long-term wieght loss plan takes time. It's very important to keep that in mind.
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posted by
Liz on 29 Jul 2011 at 2:18 pm
This story must be spread throughout the country to indivdiuals realize how easily preventable obesity, and all the diseases along with it are. The statistics with mortality rates are pathetic.
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posted by
Elaine Connelly on 29 Jul 2011 at 2:34 pm
I am not obese, I exercise moderately, try to eat fruits, vegetables, try to not eat much red meat. My entire Maternal side of the family all ended up with diabetes 2. I am on meds, take them faithfully. Try to monitor my blood sugar. And I still cannot get any lower than I currently am. Sometimes you get handed a genetic disposition which proves to be insurmountable.
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posted by
Johan on 31 Jul 2011 at 10:23 am
Elaine Connelly wrote: "try to eat fruits, vegetables, try to not eat much red meat".
Well perhaps we should send someone over to threaten you with a gun and you won't TRY anymore. YOU WILL eat it!
Everyone who's ever improved their health (I've even been slim my entire life) knows its always possible to eat a little better. Even if you look like a super-model. And I say "eat better" not "eat less" because that is not a solution.
So stop eating those carbs and perhaps you will see results even sooner than you think.
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posted by
Uzomah on 1 Aug 2011 at 1:22 am
I am highly encouraged by the work that this young man took. I need to so the same. Thanks for woting the article. I would prefer not to be scare to an ideal weight, but I have not done it yet. Maybe, should just do as an earlier post read" do not try, just doi it". thanks, I am encouraged. I plan to do what I need to do to achieve better health.
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