After his first marriage ended in divorce, Tom Granville never thought he would experience the joy of parenthood. When his second wife gave birth to their baby girl, he found joy he never knew was missing in his life.

Then Tom’s doctor delivered some unsettling news. At 450 pounds with high blood pressure and pounding headaches, the doctor warned that obesity was taking a toll on Tom’s body, and his life was at risk.

It was my, “come to Jesus moment,” Tom explained. The day he left his doctor’s office, he drove away and made a promise to himself to get healthy so he would be able to see his daughter grow up. “I left the doctor’s office and gave up fast food, junk food, pop, processed sugar, and most of my red meat,” he said. “I started eating healthy and joined a gym.”

Now, 70+ pounds lighter, Tom is making good on his promise and enjoying all the perks that come with his leaner frame, including squeezing back into that old beloved hockey uniform.

Tom admits that working in the fast food industry, and leading a sedentary lifestyle played a big part in his weight gain. A divorce in 2024 and a torn Achilles in 2024 exacerbated the problem. At his heaviest, Tom had trouble doing simple chores without getting winded. He knows that fateful visit to the doctor and having them say his blood pressure out loud, “155/120” is what saved his life.

Fueled by Fear. . .

Tom got rid of all the junk food in his house. He paid close attention to his portion sizes and included plenty of fruits and vegetables into his diet. For exercise, he joined a gym, and became a regular attendee, working out 3-4 days per week.

Today, he feels good and although he hasn’t reached his goal weight, he has lost enough to really notice a difference in his health and energy level. Little realizations here and there, like being able to do longer periods of cardio, wearing smaller sizes, and having other people tell him how great he looks, have really encouraged him to keep going.

The temptation to falter is always there.

“I struggle to stay on track every day,” he admitted. “The temptations are always out there, calling to me to go back to my old ways.” Aside from the number on the scale, there are other weight loss goals he’s working toward and he’s excited to check them off the list. Last year he completed four 5K races and he’s this close to getting back in the hockey rink.

Tom’s Tips for Staying the Course: