Lifestyle
February 15, 2017
Paul MooreStaff Writer
For Justin Durrant, even the little things were becoming a struggle. Tying his shoes. Getting the mail. Taking out the trash.
He was 37 years old, weighed 340 pounds and both his parents had died young of heart disease. He decided it was time to do something.
âI wanted to be around for my kids,â he says. âGenetics were playing against me, so I figured Iâd take control of what I can.â
As we mark American Heart Month in February, stories like Justinâs serve as a reminder of how important it is to keep that ticker healthy. Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of men and women in the U.S., and obesity is a huge factor.
Once Justin decided to take control last June, the first thing he did was buy a pair of running shoes â so he could walk. He also put a treadmill by the desk in his home office.
âIâd get in a couple hours of walking, just doing the work Iâd normally do,â says Justin, who works in IT at Best Buy. âWithin the first few weeks, I started feeling better, sleeping better and breathing better.â
A little help from technology
The treadmill work led to walks around the neighborhood, and the pounds started melting off. Justin then turned to technology for a little more motivation. He bought a Fitbit Charge HR and a Fitbit Aria Wi-Fi scale to track his progress.
âIâm a metrics/analytics guy, so keeping track of the data points really helps me,â he says. âThe scale links to my Fitbit account and tracks my weight. Itâs pretty seamless.â
So far, averaging 15,000 steps a day, Justin has lost about 55 pounds and wants to lose another 50 or so by next fall. He says thereâs no secret to his success â just common sense.
âItâs eating less and moving more. There are no magic pills,â he says. âIâm eating a lot of the same things I used to, just in moderation.â
His next goal is to run a 5K race this spring.
âI canât quite run for long distances yet, because itâs hard on my knees and joints, but I can do stints of five minutes running,â he says. âBefore, I couldnât last five minutes walking.â
Of course, there is a downside to Justinâs remarkable transformation.
âI donât eat as many chicken wings as I used to, which is unfortunate,â he deadpans. âBut Iâll get over it.â
Looking for some tech to help you with your health and wellness goals? Go to BestBuy.com or stop in to a nearby store and talk to an expert Blue Shirt.