It was another lonely Friday night. I sat at my desk with the lights off, entranced by the dim, flickering light of my computer monitor. Desperation and disappointment surged into my psyche. I felt hopeless.

Then, inspiration struck. After hours of aimless web browsing, I stumbled upon the story of Ben Davis. Ben, weighing 358 pounds and overcome with depression, decided to run. On his website, bendoeslife.com, I was able to pry into his thoughts and feelings as he overcame his first 5K, 10K, Sprint Triathlon, Half-Marathon, Marathon, and amazingly, his first Ironman. “If he can do this,” I pondered, “I certainly can too.” It was time for me to make a change.

So, I made a blog. It had humble beginnings, just like many other fitness-hopefuls. It was a really strange feeling; I never had been so open with my thoughts, and putting them out there on a public setting was undoubtedly terrifying.

However, I took solace in knowing that I was not the only person with such a journey.

I started my journey at 224 pounds. Though not morbidly obese, it was enough to make me feel self-conscious. Many times in the past I would go to the gym, work out with a trainer for a month or two, and later lose motivation. I convinced myself that this time, it has to stick.

My runs were slow, but consistent. I realized that I was no Usain Bolt; my goal was, instead, completion. Following the Couch-to-5K plan from Cool Running, the workouts started off challenging, but just enough. It was hard not to feel fulfilled with a shirt drenched with sweat down to my belly button.

The power of slow, incremental progress is astounding. With just a little increase in intensity each day and a few subtle changes in diet, a herculean task becomes feasible. Now, this isn’t to say it didn’t come with sacrifice. There were many days when I would groan and mumble, thinking “Man, my shins really hurt today!” or “Missing one day couldn’t be too bad, right?” Vanquishing such thoughts showed me that this endeavor was more mental training than physical.

Ultimately, I managed to work through the difficult days. After persevering through my first 20-minute outdoor run, I knew anything was within reach. The weight was falling off. I was beginning to feel happy.

This all crystalized when I went to the Do Life 5K on Katy Trail. There, I ran with Ben Davis himself; alongside my roommate Jim and many fellow “Do Lifers”. It was an experience that I think everyone deserves to have. So far, I’ve lost 23 pounds in the past three months, and I plan to keep pushing forward.

In essence, getting a healthy mind and body is absolutely feasible. Just don’t expect anything overnight. It’s going to take work, but it will happen. Make a plan, stick to it, tell everyone you know about it and enjoy the ride. It has proven to be the best decision of my life.

Andrew Pinkowitz is a sophomore majoring in financial consulting and Spanish with a minor in communication studies. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].