Proud Son

My parents came home from a long trip, and I hadn’t seen my mom in quite a while.

When she walked into the kitchen, I actually froze for a second. “Wow, Ma… people are going to think you’re on Ozempic! You look amazing.” She blinked, completely innocent, and replied, “What’s that?” She’s not, by the way—she did it the old-fashioned way.

My mom made a promise to my sister years ago that she’d live to be 100. My sister was born when my mom was 45, and she always wanted my mom to be at her wedding and to meet her kids. So that was the deal: 100 or bust.

My parents are 73 and 67 now, and they both regularly attend classes at our gym. I love having them there. There’s something truly special about working out with your family—watching the people who raised you try to raise their own standard.

Back to my mom looking incredible. She lost over 40 pounds in five months. My dad dropped over 35. Discipline did the heavy lifting, and they did it together. They originally started this plan to reduce inflammation, identify food sensitivities, and reset their metabolism. But they ended up learning so much more: portion control, what their bodies actually need, and how good it feels to be intentional. I watched them weigh and measure food after it was cooked. As the kids say, they were locked in.

I’ve never seen my parents this committed to a “diet.” They’ve tried plenty over the years. So I sat down with my mom and asked her what made this one different. She said she finally reached the point where she was sick of feeling the way she did. She was ready. She’d reached her tipping point. And having my dad fully on board made all the difference.

Now that they’ve completed their challenge with the company they worked with, my mom is at a weight she hasn’t seen since high school. She looks incredible—but more importantly, she feels good. With her rheumatoid arthritis, finding foods that lower inflammation has drastically reduced flare-ups. My dad is no longer prediabetic and has cut his cholesterol meds in half.

They are settling back into a new normal of healthy eating. What is healthy? Not overindulging. There is a balance to everything. I saw my mom eat a single scoop of ice cream with a little corner of cake the other night. In the past, it would have been three scoops.

It’s never too late. Remember, the best time to plant a tree was 47 years ago; the second-best time is today. Young or old, you can still make impactful changes in your life; you just have to make up your mind and make it happen.

The only downside? They basically had to replace their entire wardrobe—a small price to pay for a second shot at feeling young.

I’m just a proud son watching two people decide they weren’t done improving. And I think that’s worth sharing. spt