In 2017, Nick Smith was given a second chance at life.
At the age of 54, the father and former Principal weighed in at 335 pounds, was stressed and had put his own health and wellness on the back burner.
A 90 per cent block in the main artery to his heart caused two heart attacks, and doctors said he was very lucky, “You can’t change your genetics and I was very fortunate because if I had a third heart attack, I may not have survived. My cardiologist, my doctor told me I needed to make some changes in my life. I needed to lose weight. and get my stress level under control. Diet, exercise,” Smith says.
With the help of WW, Smith has lost 75 pounds and kept it off.
He has done a lot of celebrating of little victories, “Doesn’t have to be, to lose 50, 70 or 80 pounds. It could be, I am down a size or I need to put another notch in my belt. Or I can tie my shoelaces without having difficulty breathing.”
Smith has this advice for those who may be wanting to lose weight, but who are unsure how to start, “If you have the opportunity, do it now before you have that health reckoning. A lot of people are out there and in that contemplative stage. If you’re thinking about doing it, do it for you, and take advantage of it. What have you got to lose except for better health?”
He adds, “Not everybody’s journey is going to be linear, straight, you’re going to have setbacks. You’re going to have those days where you think, I don’t know if I can do this and that’s when you have to say, okay, I’m in this for the long haul.”
(Photo: submitted)
