Living Magazine Fall 2014 Living Magazine | Page 6

®

2014 SLIM & SASSY
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
ANDREW MARSHALL
After many years of struggling with obesity,
Andrew lost over 67 lbs. and 21 percent of his
total body mass! He took control of his lifestyle
and changed almost every aspect of his wellness
in three short months.

"I am no longer the
person I once was."

DECISION TO CHANGE
Having worked in the medical field, I have seen the
terrible complications that can arise from poor life
choices. Although many health conditions can’t be
avoided, everything I was dealing with was a direct
result of my poor health habits. It got to the point that
my health interfered with my personal obligations as
well as my academic pursuits. I was unable to enjoy all
the activities that I used to do for fun. I began to
experience multiple health problems ranging from
excessively high blood pressure to pre-diabetic symptoms. I no longer had the energy to keep up with my
kids and found myself telling them “no” more often

6 / FALL 2014 LIVING MAGAZINE

than “yes” when they asked me to play or do something active. That’s not the kind of father I wanted to be.
Having passively tried and failed to make healthy
changes and lose weight in the past, I was fearful of my
future. I knew massive changes must be made and this
time my whole heart and soul had to be in it.
FINDING MOTIVATION
I realized it was important to find motivation anywhere I
could. My initial motivation came from realizing the
state of my health. As I began to make changes, I found
motivation in thinking of my future with my children. I
found motivation in my increased energy and well-