A Valley man hopes to inspire others after making a life-changing decision to improve his health.
Shawn Ramey, 38, from Phoenix says he battled weight issues but lost 102 pounds since July.
"No smoker wakes up thinking, 'oh I like smoking," Ramey said. "No fat person wakes up, (and) says 'oh I really enjoy this."
Ramey is using himself as an example. He says in 2013 his daughter, who was 10 years old at the time, got sick. He says he turned to everything from booze, to food, to pain medication.
"She made a full recovery," Ramey said. "(But) I didn't."
Ramey told ABC15 the turning point came on July 17 of this year, when he weighed 326 pounds.
"I think I woke up with that alcohol headache and that out of breath (while) going up my stairs," he said. "It was just time."
Ramey says he changed his diet, habits and took up exercise and is now down to 224 pounds. He is taking up a friend on his challenge to compete in the 2018 Ironman competition.
"Regardless at the end of my journey, whether I finish or not, having a goal and being healthy, just being healthy and living a long life for my kids to create more memories is all that matters," he said.
Ramey hopes his experience inspires others. He says friends - and strangers - have reached out to him after seeing his transformation.
"I'm not a hero, I'm not a motivational speaker, I just know what it's like to always be tired of being sick and tired," he said. "I know what it's like to use every excuse you can imagine, and then I know what it's like to suck those excuses in and get to work and make it happen."
