Like many of us, Camille and Marlon Jones have struggled with getting and staying healthy.
Just before the pandemic began, they found themselves once again trying to find the motivation they needed. Their final push came in the form of a physical exam when Marlon found out that he was pre-diabetic and experiencing sleep apnea.
“We were in denial for a very long time about how far we let ourselves go,” Camille said.
Now they had the motivation, but they still needed a better game plan. Luckily, everything they required to adopt a healthier lifestyle was right next to them all along: each other.
With Marlon in charge of their workouts and Camille handling their nutrition, the Atlanta couple began to figure out what works for them.
“We knew we wanted to start running, but we had no idea where to go. So we did our first run in a business parking lot,” Marlon said. “We ran for 2.3 miles around and around the parking lot.”
Before they knew it, this power couple discovered that they weren’t just better at running than they thought they would be – they actually loved it! In May 2020 alone, they ran a combined total of 50K!
“And that was kind of the first thing that proved to us that we can do this,” Camille said.
Another important component in their journey has been developing a healthier relationship with food. In the past, Camille has gone on plenty of yo-yo diets, but this time around, she took a different approach.
“Before, our eating habits were everywhere,” she said. “We didn’t really have structure, so finding that balance between the foods we love and the foods we need have really been key.”
For example, instead of removing nachos from their diet, a favorite of Marlon’s, they put a healthy twist on the meal by using low-carb tortillas and ground turkey and chicken chorizo instead of fattier meats.
By making these collective changes, Camille and Marlon have seen incredible results. Over the course of their health journey, Camille has lost 40 pounds and Marlon has lost nearly 150. That’s a total of 190 pounds!
“Camille and I were able to accomplish some things that we felt we would never be able to do,” Marlon said. “We went out, proved ourselves wrong, and if we can do it, you guys can do the exact same thing.”
“Try it before you say you can’t do it,” Camille added. “And most of the time, you’ll find out you can.”
Don’t forget to share this article with a friend to make them smile.
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.