What did some of those changes look like?

Eating right, resting right, and really understanding what I was eating. I feel like we were all taught to eat until you’re full—Grandma or your momma would cook, and we really weren’t educated on food. Diabetes and so many different ailments have to do with good eating habits. If you want to remain healthy, you need to know what’s good for your body. The goal is to be here for as long as you can and live the best life you can possibly live, and I’m all for that.

When you’re on the go, you’re going to eat whatever you can get. I had to become disciplined enough to cut a couple things out. Right now, I don’t eat any beef, pork, or chicken. I don’t eat any fried foods, and I don't eat too many carbs. That sounds crazy, but over time, it’s all about mental focus. I grew up on fried foods, so when you're able to cut those things, it gives you a sense of self-control as well.

I thought it was going to be hard, but it made me go harder. Now, I find myself doing a lot of things that I couldn’t do before, and I can still rest up and be ready for tomorrow.

Were those shifts difficult to implement, especially with your demanding schedule?

If you find yourself getting too far left with something, you have to get back right. I know where I came from, and when I was up 60 pounds and I had to get it off, that was a struggle for me. I promised myself I would never get back there. That's what keeps me focused—just knowing that it can happen. If I’m off for two or three days, I feel a way. [laughs] You have to keep that focus.

With athletes, it’s mandatory to stay in shape, because it’s work. But for me, if I treat it like work, I might not want to get up every morning and do it. I just try to keep it in my head that it’s a lifestyle—it’s a part of my life that I enjoy. So when I get up and work out, that’s my time to be in my zone. I listen to the music I want, and I do my thing. When I’m done with that, then it’s time to go to "work."

What are your favorite methods of staying in shape?

I love to run. Running is a stress reliever. It gives me time to think. On the track, the road, or the treadmill, it's almost a sense of freedom, especially for someone who is always on the go and among other people. Running is like my downtime. I love boxing, too. It’s the hand-eye coordination—getting that to a science is a task in itself. Running is my favorite, and boxing is right behind it.

What prompted you to want to be active in raising public awareness of these charities, as opposed to just donating to them?

I've always believed that you lead by example, and I’m all about being hands-on. For me, the race is a challenge that I wanted to do, but for a cause—for my city, and for the children. I think it’s a good thing for kids to see me run, and for the city to see me as an example, because of the individual I used to be. It's easy to give money, but it’s better to use your work to get other people involved, too.

On a day that you can be home with no business obligations, what’s your typical routine?

For breakfast, I love salmon and egg whites. Lunch would probably be a dope tuna salad. For dinner, fish and vegetables. I'll switch it up, though, because I don't like to eat too much fish.

On Sunday, that’s my cheat day. If you go hard all week, and everything is right, on Sunday, you can kind of do your thing—in moderation. My thing? Bloody Marys and pizza. If my week was great and I did everything I was supposed to do in the gym, I deserve a Bloody Mary and a slice or two of pizza.

This interview has been edited and condensed.