In the fourth episode of Brain Over Belly, host Rick Dunn introduces us to Colin, our second of two special people, here in the Treasure Valley, who are committed to losing their excess weight and keeping it off for life, with the help of Dr. David Brown at Idaho BMI.
Colin is 23 years old. 6 feet tall. 430 lbs. He has struggled with weight since he was a little kid, but things took a turn for the worse at the end of high school when he stopped playing sports and broke up with his high school sweetheart.
Rick and Colin explore the ups and downs of Colin’s weight, plus the turning points in his short life that led him to want to solve the puzzle of obesity once and for all. You have to tune in to really appreciate all the honesty and laughter, but here are some highlights:
Oh my God, I’ve gotten so much bigger!
Colin grew up in a family that dieted. They would lose weight together and then gain it back together. Despite nudges from his parents to keep at the dieting, It wasn’t until he was looking through a photo album one day that he was able to see how big he had actually gotten.
Dating is hard.
Colin is a bright guy. He’s working full-time and going to school full-time. He enjoys his friends, but his weight makes it hard to meet girls. “Dating is hard. How you look is a big part of what other people see in you.”
Who knows better than me?
After one too many failed weight loss attempts, Colin finally decided “there must be people who know better than me.” He researched and met up with Dr. Brown, who explained the connection between his brain and belly and confirmed that the solution is “a lot more complicated than eat less, walk more.”
I want a wife.
When asked what his goals are, Colin shares, “I want to be able to consider myself healthy. I want to be happy with what I see in the mirror. I want to be able to enjoy going outside. I want a wife.”
You are important. Keep trying.
To all the people out there with similar weight struggles (regardless of how old you are), Colin says, “You are important. Keep trying. There will be a lot of times when you will want to give up. Don’t give up. You have to define your own way to do this. Some people can count calories, walk, hit the gym and lose weight. Others can’t. Everyone is different. Everyone is important. No matter what you’ve tried, pick yourself up and keep at it.”
You won’t even recognize yourself.
It’s hard to tell who is more excited about the transformation Colin will go through during the next 18 months – Rick or Colin! From 430 pounds to an end goal of 180 pounds, that’s more than half of who he is today in weight. But with the help of Dr. Brown and Idaho BMI, you can expect that Colin won’t recognize himself in even more ways that have nothing to do with numbers on a scale.
So take the time to listen to Colin’s story, and check back every month to hear how he and Mona are doing.
The Brain Over Belly podcast is available everywhere you listen to podcasts. Subscribe at Listen Boise now.
What have you got to lose?