In July 2016, Chris Wright had a moment that ultimately changed the course of his life. He was helping his wife pull weeds in their yard, a task that many would view as relatively simple.  Within minutes of helping, Chris suddenly felt short of breath and dizzy. The fear he felt that day led him to decide it was time to make a lifestyle change. At the time, he was 33 years old and weighed 333 pounds. Most days he spent dealing with back and joint pain, unable to complete even the smallest tasks around the house.

Together, Chris and his wife, Steffanie, made a plan to start dieting and watching their calorie intake. They stayed away from processed foods and started eating more fresh vegetables. By November 2016, it was obvious the diet was working as Chris had lost 40 pounds in 4 months. Chris’s father-in-law noticed his progress and encouraged him to keep going by challenging him to pass the military physical fitness test. To pass this test, Chris would need to complete 31 pushups in 2 minutes, 43 situps in 2 minutes, and a 2-mile run in under 17 minutes and 30 seconds. To help him train for the test, Chris’ father-in-law offered to pay for a YMCA family membership and personal training for Chris and Steffanie.

Motivated and eager to complete this challenge, Chris and his family joined the Lake Nona YMCA in November. A few days later, Chris and Steffanie connected with a personal trainer, who helped put them on a path to take their fitness to the next level. Their trainer created strength training and cardio workouts for them and offered nutritional advice to help them stay on track with their eating.

Fast forward to August, and Chris has lost 90 pounds in just over a year since committing to make a lifestyle change. Both Chris and Steffanie have more energy and less pain, and their overall quality of life has greatly improved over the past 13 months. Chris is very close to passing the military physical fitness test and was recently accepted into the National Guard as a JAG officer. He is very excited to begin this next step in his career and gives credit for his success to the support he received from his wife, family and the staff at the Lake Nona YMCA.