While tons of people choose to be unproductive the day after the Super Bowl, Phillip Brenneman, 46, of Garrett Indiana, decided upon the exact opposite. On February 2, 2015 Phillip woke up on the couch, surrounded by leftover pizza boxes, wings and all the junk food he had gorged on the previous evening while watching the New England Patriots win their fourth championship bowl game, no longer wanting to be a bystander in his own life. He woke up sickened by the idea that he had to go inject himself in the sore and bruised areas on his body where he administered his daily insulin. He woke up no longer wanting to be so unhealthy and out of shape that he was unable to participate in activities with his family and friends. He woke up no longer wanting to be defined by the terms “obese” or “overweight”. On this day instead of swinging through the McDonald’s Drive-Thru to pick up two sausage egg and cheese meals before work, he poured himself a healthy bowl of cereal and spoke to wife and daughter about how he wanted to start making healthier eating choices and working out.

The day after the Super Bowl XLIX was the day Phillip Brenneman decided to get his life back.

Born and raised in York, Pennsylvania, Phillip moved to Garrett, Indiana in 2004 to take a job as a technician specialist at an international printing company. Phillip had a normal childhood, but he was not very athletic or active growing up. He started putting on excessive weight in his earlier adult years and in 2009 was diagnosed as a diabetic. His health continued to worsen over the next few years and he developed high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other heart related issues. At his heaviest weight of 401 lbs., Phillip knew that if he did not make the changes he needed to get healthy, he would not make it.

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The first step Phillip took to get healthy was to focus on his nutrition and change his eating habits. Instead of eating when he was bored or stressed, Phillip started to use and view food as the fuel he needed to have a healthy life. Phil started eating all natural, organic, and unprocessed foods and focused on proportions.  Instead of buying a grocery cart full of high sugar and saturated fatty foods at the store, he was now buying foods with low carbs, high protein and healthy fats.

In addition to changing his diet, Phillip joined the YMCA of DeKalb County. Phillip would get to the gym around 4:00 am every morning to work out, either focusing on lite cardio, lifting weights or cross training, depending on the day. About 1 year later and 100 pounds less, Phillip began jogging and running. He couldn’t go far, but stuck with it and kept adding on more time and distance each week. In the fall of 2015 he ran his first 5K and fell in love with the sport. Phillip continued training and today he is running around 25 miles a week. He most recently finished his first Half Marathon on October 1, 2016 at The Freedom’s Run in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

Philip has lost over 200 lbs. since the morning after the 2015 Superbowl. In the 15+ months since he started his fitness journey, he has lost weight, but has also gained so much more. Phillip has learned to believe in himself again and has discovered the willpower, drive, and commitment that had been hiding for many years.

Phillip has discovered new and challenging activities to take part in that before he could have only watched.  In addition to running, Phil has taken up road cycling and is frequently going on 20-30-mile-long rides.

He is no longer is taking any of the medications for the high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes he was suffering from, including the painful insulin shots. After a recent routine checkup, he has found out that his blood sugar levels are normal.

As a father, Phillip is now able to play and really enjoy time with his daughter, when before he couldn’t do a lot of things physically, like running or getting down on the floor to play with her, or other activities that he wanted to do and share with her as a Dad should. He now has a better connection with his wife because his mental attitude and stress levels. They can now do more activities together and enjoy each other’s company. His whole family is getting stronger and more loving as result of his weight loss. They enjoy family walks, family swims at the YMCA and other outdoor activities.

Phillip’s drive, willpower and dedication for wanting his life back has made all of these things possible, as well as the choices to eat better and exercise. Like a lot of people, Phil knew that what he was eating, along with his daily habits and lifestyles choices, were not good for him, so he changed them. He did the research, asked the questions, and tried different things; ultimately finding out what he had to do that would work for him to get healthy and stay healthy.

Phillip is a true inspiration to anyone trying to lose weight and get healthy. To learn more about Phil and his story, check out his interview with Dr. Mark Cucuzzella on the Natural Running Center Blog or his segment on the Today Show.

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Photo Credit: Scotty Mullins