I was a physical mess.  Severe sleep apnea.  Blood pressure medicine.  My waist size and shirt size was the last one you could get in the regular store.  You would never have bet on me to lose 85 pounds in eighteen months.  But, after the better part of twenty years of rapid deterioration, I finally decided to get to a gym and do something about it.  I had to be around for my daughters, and I wasn’t proud of what I’d become.  Healthier eating helped me drop a lot of the weight.  Lean proteins, low sugar, low carb – they are still a part of my plan and always will be.  I don’t diet – I live differently.  But I never really made “the connection” until I found an exercise plan that worked for me.  The workouts, the “buzz” from it – the deep sense of accomplishment.  Then, running became my go-to workout.  First, a 5k, then a few more.  Then a 10k or two, and eventually, a half marathon.  I was hooked.  The same guy who couldn’t walk three flights of stairs without huffing and puffing ran 13.1 miles without stopping.  My only wish is to have done it sooner.  So – if you’re reading this – don’t make my mistake.  Start.  Today.