From the American Heart Association:

A Story of Hope told by Ramon Chapa Jr.

I should have known better. In fact, I did, but I was a hypocrite.

Even though I had worked as an outreach volunteer for the American Heart Association for several years, my aversion to exercise and fondness for potato chips had helped push my weight to nearly 300 pounds.

Reality eventually hit like a sledgehammer a few years ago when I began having chest pains and shortness of breath. I was convinced I was having a heart attack.

A checkup with my doctor revealed good and bad news. The good news was that I had not had a heart attack. The bad news was that my blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure were out of control.

I was shocked when my doctor said I was pre-diabetic and a prime candidate for cardiovascular disease and stroke. Me? As an AHA volunteer, I knew all the statistics about heart disease and increased risks for Latinos, but I was in denial about my own risk. Fortunately, as I was leaving his office, Dr. Lopez's wife said something that changed my life - she suggested I get on a treadmill.

That was the best decision that I ever made. I am convinced it saved my life.

I started slowly. At first, I walked on the treadmill only while watching football on TV. A little later, I incorporated better eating habits. Encouraged by my initial weight loss, I started walking every day. I added muscle-strengthening sit ups a couple days a week to my routine and pretty soon I could jog. Now I can run!

Not quite a year later, I went back to my doctor. This time, tests showed my blood pressure and cholesterol levels were normal and I was out of the diabetes danger zone. I was thrilled when the doctor took me off all medications. Today, I'm in the best condition of my life and comfortably maintain my weight at around 198 pounds - a weight I hadn't seen in almost 20 years.

People ask me, 'Did you have lap-band surgery?'"  I just smile and tell them the truth - all I do is eat right and exercise for my health.