My ultra-healthy trip began on February 17. I won an opportunity from WCHL, through a drawing, to compete in their Annual “Healthiest You” contest. We were split into 8 teams and competed for 6 weeks for team and individual prizes for getting into the best shape. After a few years of being in terrible shape, I was excited at seeing what I might accomplish. I had pretty much maintained the same weight for many years, and suddenly ballooned up to an alarming weight. I went to the Doctor, who informed me I have a thyroid condition. I was prescribed meds that controlled it, but the weight was very stubborn coming off.

I lost a good bit of weight the first week of exercising and diet, but after that, it really tapered off. Also, I was so out of shape I felt like I had been run over by a truck! My ankles and feet were killing me. I really had to push myself to keep going.

Things got much better after I took an aquatics class taught by Lisa Marcusson. I found that you can burn tons of calories working out in the water without all the stress on your joints. One day, I expressed to Lisa my anguish over eating well, exercising, and getting more sleep BUT still losing hardly any weight. She instructed me to watch Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. It’s an eye-opening documentary about a 309 pound man who goes on a 60 day juicing fast. The next day I bought a bunch of veggies and fruit and broke out the juicer Laura Zayats gave to me, and with the help of the BEST girlfriend on the planet (Robin aka Sugar Puff), OFF I WENT. The day I started juicing I had lost 17 pounds. Ten days after starting to juice, I had lost close to 29 pounds in total. The most amazing aspect of juicing is the unbelievable energy it gives you. It basically mainlines all those nutrients right into your bloodstream while stripping accumulated toxins right out of your body. I honestly haven’t felt this great since I was in my teens! I have started to do projects around the house (a garden, painting rooms, etc), and it’s psychologically wonderful to be able to do so.

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At the finale hosted live by Ron Stutts, my team (which had dwindled down to just 4 of us) won every contest but one. I was lucky enough to win the men’s division and got a free year’s membership at the UNC Wellness Center (a VERY deluxe gym).

After winning, I have tried to maintain doing 5 aquatics classes (1 hour each week) and continued the juicing. Lisa and I appeared on Ron Stutts’ morning show to talk about all of this too.

Today, on day 58 (I ended it 2 days early because I have to travel to Georgia for a memorial), I am ending my juice fast after losing a total of 64 pounds! I have not had any salt, caffeine, alcohol, or solid food for the duration. When I say end, I mean I intend to go back to eating a healthy diet AND juice once a day for breakfast. In a month I will start to juice fast again for two weeks, take a month off, juice fast for two weeks, take a month off and repeat this cycle until I am down to my 1986 weight of 175 pounds. I have not had any caffeine, alcohol, or solid food for the duration.

I have so much gratitude for Lisa, who mentored me with tons of encouragement, a great exercise program and juicing advice; Sugar Puff who had to hear me whine about all the aches and pains and put hours and hours in helping me juice; my teammates and coaches who made the exercising fun and bearable; AND WCHL, The UNC Wellness Center and my team’s sponsor, TWIG, for giving me the opportunity and incentives to achieve this.

If any of you are interested in hearing more about juicing or aquatics, I am here for you. Juicing is some good stuff! Even Sugar Puff is going to try to do a 14 day fast!

Life is to way too damned short to spend it sick, tired and just feeling bad (physically and mentally).