The Atkins corporation choose David Anderson to feature on its website in the future. |
David Anderson and his family approached the Mystery Mine roller coaster in Dollywood with zeal in the summer of 2009. But when they darted into seats and yanked down the shoulder straps, David Anderson made a devastating discovery — the restraints couldn't reach over his 300-pound frame. Lines of people watched as attendants asked him to exit the ride.
“It was just embarrassing,” he said. “That day I swore up and down that next year, when we came back, I would ride that ride.”
To accomplish that goal, Anderson, 46, began the Atkins diet on Jan. 1, 2010. Since then, he’s incorporated a running routine and lost a remarkable 119 pounds. In hopes of inspiring others with his story, the Atkins corporation choose Anderson to feature on its website in the future.
“It kind of shocked me,” Anderson said about Atkins’ proposal, which came last week. “I was tickled to death.”
But the Boyle County native said he’s come a long way from chubby kid on the playground to diet success story.
“I’ve been big since I was born,” he said.
Kids rarely teased Anderson, but he said he received the nickname ‘Whimpy’ as a freshman at Boyle County High School. Anderson didn’t take nicknames or other jabs about his weight seriously, though, because he didn’t view his weight as a serious issue.
So, after marrying his wife Rhonda and having four children, Anderson found himself leading an unhealthy lifestyle.
“I was just always on the couch watching TV,” he said.
However, Anderson spent Saturdays cheering from the side as his son, John, ran cross country races throughout middle school, high school and college.
John Anderson said he paid little attention to his dad’s inactivity and increasing weight, focusing instead on the joy of having a proud father at the finish line.
“As a kid, I just thought ‘Hey that’s my dad, and my dad can beat your dad up,’” he said.
But David Anderson watched his son with admiration, wishing he could one day run beside him.
Daughter Whitney, 22, beat her father to the punch. Whitney said she’d always been called the spitting image of her overweight dad, and when she reached 271 pounds at age 21, she opted to have gastric bypass surgery.
“The second I woke up from surgery I was like, ‘I'm ready to do this. I want to get up and walk in the mornings. I want to be successful,’” she said.
Whitney Anderson began working with a personal trainer and ran her first five-kilometer race three months after surgery in 2009.
Again, David Anderson watched from the side.
“It was hard to know that I was getting rid of these health issues that my dad was still dealing with,” Whitney Anderson said.
But, after watching Whitney Anderson lose half her body weight and experiencing the humiliating situation in Dollywood, David Anderson began his diet.
He decided to try the controversial Atkins diet, which largely eliminates carbohydrates from meals and left Anderson's friends questioning his choice.
"I don't eat a pound of bacon," he said in response. " I don't eat half a dozen eggs...I just don't eat bread and potatoes. I eat a lot of salads."
Anderson accompanied his diet with a running regimen that transformed him into the trim twin of the man he once was.
In May, he accomplished one of the his oldest goals—running the McDowell Wellness Center's 10-kilometer race with Whitney and John Anderson.
After he finished, John Anderson wound back through the course to cross the finish line with his father.
“I’ve watched thousands of races, but never did anything,” David Anderson said. “I just wanted to say I’ve been in a race with my son.”
But David Anderson didn't stop there. His entire family, including Rhonda and daughters Emily, 18, and Ashley, 24, have run several races together this year. David, Whitney and John are also planning to run the "Flying Pig" half marathon in Ohio this May.
“I picked it because, if you had asked me when I would run a half marathon, I would have said ‘when pigs fly,’” David Anderson said.
But many things that were once impossible for Anderson are now realities, including a ride on the Mystery Mine at Dollywood.
“We were the first ones in line this summer,” he said. “Not only did we ride it, we rode it 10 times.”
“It was just embarrassing,” he said. “That day I swore up and down that next year, when we came back, I would ride that ride.”
To accomplish that goal, Anderson, 46, began the Atkins diet on Jan. 1, 2010. Since then, he’s incorporated a running routine and lost a remarkable 119 pounds. In hopes of inspiring others with his story, the Atkins corporation choose Anderson to feature on its website in the future.
“It kind of shocked me,” Anderson said about Atkins’ proposal, which came last week. “I was tickled to death.”
But the Boyle County native said he’s come a long way from chubby kid on the playground to diet success story.
“I’ve been big since I was born,” he said.
Kids rarely teased Anderson, but he said he received the nickname ‘Whimpy’ as a freshman at Boyle County High School. Anderson didn’t take nicknames or other jabs about his weight seriously, though, because he didn’t view his weight as a serious issue.
So, after marrying his wife Rhonda and having four children, Anderson found himself leading an unhealthy lifestyle.
“I was just always on the couch watching TV,” he said.
However, Anderson spent Saturdays cheering from the side as his son, John, ran cross country races throughout middle school, high school and college.
John Anderson said he paid little attention to his dad’s inactivity and increasing weight, focusing instead on the joy of having a proud father at the finish line.
“As a kid, I just thought ‘Hey that’s my dad, and my dad can beat your dad up,’” he said.
But David Anderson watched his son with admiration, wishing he could one day run beside him.
Daughter Whitney, 22, beat her father to the punch. Whitney said she’d always been called the spitting image of her overweight dad, and when she reached 271 pounds at age 21, she opted to have gastric bypass surgery.
“The second I woke up from surgery I was like, ‘I'm ready to do this. I want to get up and walk in the mornings. I want to be successful,’” she said.
Whitney Anderson began working with a personal trainer and ran her first five-kilometer race three months after surgery in 2009.
Again, David Anderson watched from the side.
“It was hard to know that I was getting rid of these health issues that my dad was still dealing with,” Whitney Anderson said.
But, after watching Whitney Anderson lose half her body weight and experiencing the humiliating situation in Dollywood, David Anderson began his diet.
He decided to try the controversial Atkins diet, which largely eliminates carbohydrates from meals and left Anderson's friends questioning his choice.
"I don't eat a pound of bacon," he said in response. " I don't eat half a dozen eggs...I just don't eat bread and potatoes. I eat a lot of salads."
Anderson accompanied his diet with a running regimen that transformed him into the trim twin of the man he once was.
In May, he accomplished one of the his oldest goals—running the McDowell Wellness Center's 10-kilometer race with Whitney and John Anderson.
After he finished, John Anderson wound back through the course to cross the finish line with his father.
“I’ve watched thousands of races, but never did anything,” David Anderson said. “I just wanted to say I’ve been in a race with my son.”
But David Anderson didn't stop there. His entire family, including Rhonda and daughters Emily, 18, and Ashley, 24, have run several races together this year. David, Whitney and John are also planning to run the "Flying Pig" half marathon in Ohio this May.
“I picked it because, if you had asked me when I would run a half marathon, I would have said ‘when pigs fly,’” David Anderson said.
But many things that were once impossible for Anderson are now realities, including a ride on the Mystery Mine at Dollywood.
“We were the first ones in line this summer,” he said. “Not only did we ride it, we rode it 10 times.”
