MEET DAN
“Set small goals that are achievable to get that forward momentum going.” - Dan
My name is Dan Grimsley. At 51 years old, I had always led a pretty active life. I have battled weight issues most of the time but was able to keep it somewhat in check. I was active in scuba diving, working a full-time job, and additionally going to college to earn my engineering degree.
The Rock Bottom
But then, as it sometimes does, life and weight caught up to me. I found myself in congestive heart failure, on oxygen pretty much 24 hours a day, and struggling just to move around my house. After several heart attacks and numerous blood clots in my legs and lungs, I was forced to retire on disability and found myself in and out of the hospital on a monthly basis.
Walking 50 feet was nearly impossible without stopping to sit down. During the night, I would stop breathing; choking and gasping for air. Very, very dark times! My rock bottom was the day a cardiologist told me, "Dan, you are not going to see another year at this rate." At that point, I was furious with him but mostly at myself for getting to this point.
Small Steps to Progress
I had to make a change. Slowly but surely, I began altering my lifestyle. I started by setting very simple goals. Each and every day, I had a step goal or calorie goal to meet or beat! Those goals today look so simple but at the time, they seemed huge! With the amazing support of my family and an amazing medical team, I began to make progress.
My "why", or motivation, has always been my family. This is very important to establish in any fitness or wellness journey. I started off just using a Sunny Health and Fitness hand bike to build endurance, eventually working up to a stationary bike, then eventually I made it to the treadmill. At first, after five minutes, I was done! After putting in some hard work and having many, many days of wanting to stop, I could see huge changes happening in my life and health.
This was very, very exciting to see progress being made! Little things like fitting in chairs, cars, being able to get back in the world! One huge non scale victory for me, which so many take for granted, was the day my son and I rode a roller coaster! That day is a day I will never, ever forget. If I ever had a milestone, that was it!
Support & Equipment
My starting weight was 572 lbs. That number still to this day does not seem real! Today, Iʼm weighing in at 275 lbs and my life has forever changed! I'm a certified fitness trainer, Iʼm running 4 miles 3 days per week, and weightlifting 6 days per week. Finding support and equipment that worked for me was a valuable tool. I found that through Sunnyʼs product line! It has never let me down and I will be a consumer for the long run! We currently own several pieces of Sunny Health and Fitness equipment but my family's favorite is our Asuna 5100 indoor cycling bike. It's a long way from the hand bike I started with! Having well-made fitness equipment is essential for any journey. Having it at home and easily accessible is also important. It's close by, dependable, and will help propel you forward towards your goals. Just add work: Commitment and consistency, mix in a little patience and the mental attitude that you can achieve any goal you may have if you just believe in yourself! I recommend Sunny to my friends and clients along with family. I know I can trust the quality and customer service is top-notch!
His Advice
In closing, focusing on nutrition, daily exercise in some form, and having the drive to help myself, my family, and inspiration and encouragement from others have changed my life. I'm thankful for each and every day! Live life! Move daily! Inspire others!
- Dan Grimsley
*Please consult your doctor if you are considering exercise after an injury or have pre-existing conditions.
