The prevalence of diet-related illnesses has grown exponentially in recent decades. About half of all US adults have diet-related chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. These harrowing figures highlight the negative impact of poor eating and sedentary lifestyles on health outcomes. As the average American’s diet and daily physical activity worsen, more individuals are fighting an uphill battle to reclaim their health. Fitness expert Ben Sley has lived this struggle firsthand and leverages his personal experiences to offer inspiring keynotes and an upcoming app empowering users to develop healthier lifestyles.
Shaped by his experiences in the Marine Corps, Ben lived a very balanced life infused with nutritious eating and daily exercise. During his service throughout the 1970s, Ben entered the legal field, gaining valuable experience that would allow him to build a successful career.
Despite major accomplishments as a judge advocate and intellectual property attorney, Ben’s personal life spiraled out of control. The extreme stress and demanding workload took a toll on his health–both mentally and physically. After a while, Ben gained a significant amount of weight that he couldn’t seem to lose. What was once five or 10 pounds soon became 70 pounds of unwanted fat. Ben tried traditional diet plans with the hope that he could keep the extra weight off. Unfortunately, the results never stayed long-term, and Ben found himself yo-yo-ing from one extreme routine to another.
Things really began to change for Ben when he was invited to an upcoming Marine Birthday Ball. This event was the catalyst for Ben to find a more effective weight loss method. Besides lowering his high blood pressure and mitigating other medical complications, Ben’s biggest goal was to become slim enough that he could fit into his Marine Corps Dress Blues uniform. With six months to achieve this feat, Ben committed himself to a mental and physical transformation. This relentless pursuit of health led to a loss of 76 pounds, enabling Ben to comfortably fit into his old uniform.
Ben’s perspective on weight loss completely shifted after this long-awaited win. He finally realized what had been holding him back. “Losing weight was something I wanted to achieve, but it was always an unrealistic desire until I finally had a concrete goal to inspire me. It was only then that I became serious about meal planning, exercising, and staying consistent even if my goals were far from reach,” Ben says.
Taking the first step to building new habits is one of the hardest parts of becoming healthier and happier. It’s easier to remain stuck in a state of helplessness and overwhelm than to have the courage to start from the beginning. Losing almost 80 pounds allowed Ben to see that his mindset played a larger role in his weight loss journey than he previously thought. By maintaining healthy habits and a positive outlook, Ben has kept the weight off for over five years.
There have been some challenges to staying in shape, specifically in how one views the difficulty of getting fit, but Ben has pinpointed what holds most people back. “Diet culture encourages people to buy into quick fixes and miracle products without changing the underlying habits that cause them to remain overweight and unhappy,” Ben says. “You will never get different results from doing the same thing, and many would say you’re crazy for thinking that could ever work! The road to long-lasting health requires personal investment and dedication.”
Ben emphasizes sustainability as a key element in unlocking a better future. In his soon-to-be-released exercise and meal plan app and many of his keynotes, he references practicality as the foundation for habits that stick. Setting intentions and pairing those desires with small but impactful actions is the main thesis in Ben’s book How To Lose Weight After Fifty: Keys to Healthy and Lifelong Weight Loss. His narratives on fitness and health are powerful anecdotes for change. They inspire readers to take accountability for their weight loss like never before. Rather than find excuses, readers quickly shift their perspective to what they can control.
Ben’s app, which will be released in the next few months, offers comprehensive meal planning ideas, custom exercise plans, and a convenient directory for use in supermarkets and restaurants. The platform is a simple way for people of all ages to confidently make long-term changes that lead to a healthier, more positive life.
Photo by Victor Freitas: Pexels
