Student loses more than 150 pounds using campus resources

Ruben Rodriguez’s life drastically changed after his father was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in the summer of 2010.

A secondary education major from Holland, Rodriguez weighed more than 300 pounds and decided that he would do all he could not to follow in his father’s footsteps. “I was pretty big and I knew it. I thought I was going to be the next one diagnosed in my family,” he said.

Rodriguez shared his story of losing more than 150 pounds at Grand Valley’s Fitness and Wellness Expo on February 1. He said a variety of factors helped him lose weight, including support from family and friends, regular exercise routines and making healthy choices from a campus meal plan.

Rodriguez and his roommate decided to train for a 5K, which is when he started using the Campus Recreation Center. “I used the treadmills, track, everything I could. When I combined dieting, cardio and weight lifting, the pounds began to drop,” he said.

Rodriguez cut out fast food and drinks loaded with sugar, and chose to eat salads and healthier meals. “Some people think it’s hard to eat healthy on campus, but really there are a lot of healthy options here,” he said. “But one of the challenging parts was not going out to eat with my friends and watching other people eat.”

People wanting to lose weight should do what they want to do at the gym and not worry about what others are doing, he said. “If you can only walk on the treadmill instead of run, by all means, walk on the treadmill. Don’t let anyone bring you down,” he said.

Today, Rodriguez maintains a healthy weight by working out five days a week at the Recreation Center. “It’s simple,” he said. “When I eat a little bit more, I work out a little harder. ”