Being overweight can affect not just one’s physical health but one’s mental health as well.
From diabetes to high blood pressure to depression, several illnesses and psychological problems have been associated with obesity.
Changing your habits
All it takes is a firm decision. No matter what anyone tells you, you will never manage to lose weight until you put your mind to it and never look back.
Losing weight, of course, is not only about appearances. When someone loses a significant amount of weight, they are less prone to allergies, appreciate food more, tend to have happier sex lives, sleep better, and, generally, have a more positive mindset.
Finding the motivation and drive to push yourself
But, again, one needs to have a motive in order to start fighting obesity. It’s not easy to make the decision, but once you have made it, nothing is capable of stopping you.
Just like motivational speaker and blogger Asia Ford, who a few years back decided to lose weight when she saw her then-husband losing a limb due to diabetes.
A mother of three
Ford, a mother of three, decided at that point that she could not let her children face this world without her love and support.
And she knew that if she wanted to be around them for a long time, she had to lose a significant amount of weight.
And she did it with incomparable focus and devotion.
Shedding the weight
She soon managed to lose 200lbs and she decided to celebrate her achievement by participating in the Rodes City Run in Louisville.
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After months of training, Ford was ready for the race. But she forgot something: breakfast.
“I messed up and forgot to eat this morning,” she wrote on a Facebook post at the time.
She was also, at the same time, recovering from pneumonia, so she was not in perfect shape for the race. But she still felt she had to do it. She owed it to herself and her children.
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Around mile 5, she started having trouble breathing and feeling dizzy. The paramedics that attended to her could not convince her to stop running. She explained that she had to finish no matter what.
An officer overhears the situation
A police officer who happened to be close by and heard Ford’s exchange with the paramedics decided to jump in and help.
He called ahead to make sure there would still be a finish line when Ford arrived, and he helped the woman finish the race.
Lt Aubrey Gregory knew this woman would be an inspiration for many if she managed to realize her goal.
“I said I’m not going to let her stop, we’re going to do this together,” he told WAVE 3. “So I got out and I grabbed her hand. I had to meet this inspirational woman.”
Indeed, Ford with Gregory’s and her son’s help managed to cross the finish line. This made her extremely happy and proud of herself.
Later on, the woman told the local news that the officer was her “angel” and she was grateful to him for helping her finish the race.
Ford’s son, Terrance, also thanked the man who helped his mother.
“With all the stuff that’s going on with police, it’s just nice to know there are nice people out there,” he said.
Today, Ford keeps inspiring people through her speeches, and she continues her journey towards a healthier lifestyle, which she documents on Facebook and Instagram.
This woman isn’t just an inspiration for herself but for her friends and family as well. All it takes is a mindset to make that healthy switch and with Ford’s commitment, she’s managed to inspire family and strangers alike.
Watch the video below to hear her inspiring story.
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