A few years back I was checked into the ICU at my local VA Medical center with a blood sugar of over 500 and my world for the second time crumbling around me. As you may have guessed I was being diagnosed at 35 years old as a type two diabetic. This discovery chilled me to the core. My grandfather was diabetic and I witnessed the trials he went through first hand, I did not want this for myself or my family. It was at this point I realized I was out of control with my eating; I needed to make a change.

A few years before my diagnoses I was in the USAF I was fit and could run for days. I felt great, then my world for the first time came tumbling down around me. I had developed A-Fib and issue with my heart that can cause some bad things to happen to me. I was given a medical retirement and sent home. The Air Force was my retirement plan, I had planned to be a lifer, but I guess the good Lord had other plans for me.

When I first got home I was depressed and turned to food for comfort. I ballooned to a good 300+ pounds. Between now and then I have struggled to keep the weight off. I bounce from 250 to 299 and everything in between. It was my scare with diabetes that has awaken the warrior in me once again.

When I was first diagnosed as type two diabetic I looked at my wife and apologized for letting it get this far, I was scared and looking for answers. A few days after being released from the hospital I felt the fire of the warrior start to rekindle inside of me. My wife and I changed our way of eating and in two months my A1C went from a 12 to 4.5. While still in insulin I had my first win in this war. Skipping ahead to today I am now off insulin (a new development WIN). Now to just keep on losing weight and getting healthy. I hope this DietBet stokes the fire within into a raging bomb fire fueled with Greek fire so I can set a good example for my children and let them have the father they deserve; more importantly help my wife have the man she deserves. I wish everyone here good luck and while this may be a competition, lets lift each other through the down times. EMBRACE THE SUCK!!!