I am a scout leader from the Ft. Worth/Keller area in Texas.

I have been overweight for most of my adult life. A friend posted a link to the Forks Over Knives documentary on my Facebook page back in February of 2012. I watched it one night, then asked my wife to watch it with me the next night. Needless to say, we were both intrigued.

We decided to give the “plant-strong” eating lifestyle a two-week trial. We both had no problem eating veggies, fruits, and whole grains, but didn’t want to commit fully until we were sure that this wasn’t just something that we might start & stop.

Almost immediately, we found this eating lifestyle to be easy and fun. We were having a blast discovering a new cooking style and really enjoying each other’s company in the kitchen.

At about the same time, I had decided to sign up for a backcountry trek with my son, at the Philmont Scout Ranch in the mountains of New Mexico. I knew that at my weight (almost 300 lbs.) I would not be allowed to participate. The maximum allowed for my height was 239, so I committed myself to maintaining the plant-strong lifestyle to get myself in better shape and down to an allowable weight.

To make a long story short, from February to August 2012, I dropped over 100 pounds and got down to 175!

We just got back from the trek, during which we backpacked somewhere between 85 and 100 miles and hiked up several peaks, the highest being Baldy Mountain at 12,441 feet (see photo).

My wife and I share the plant-strong lifestyle with everyone and anyone who will listen. It probably saved my life (there is a history of heart disease in the male side of my family), and it allowed me to share an incredible experience with my teenage son.

Thank you so much.