We B.E. -lieve!

lost a combined total of 109 pounds and achieved a 25.7 percent reduction in body fat.

Healthy Living: There seems to be no limit to the impact you are making.

B.E. Thompson: I absolutely feel a sense of obligation to pay it forward. I have my life back. For me, there is nothing more satisfying than helping others get their lives back. God has given me a wonderful platform to help others adopt their own healthy choices in life. That is something I take very seriously.

Healthy Living: After losing the weight, you underwent three skin-removal surgeries. How did they go?

B.E. Thompson: First off, the surgeries represented the finishing touches on my transformation, and now I no longer have saggy skin or man boobs. Because I exercised religiously and ate healthy, I feel that I

“When I learned about B.E.’s success, I knew I could achieve similar success. I work out with B.E. at Infinity Fitness. He stays on me about going to the gym and eating healthy. He has definitely been my inspiration, and he is also a great friend. “

“I was inspired after reading B.E.’s story in Healthy Living Magazine. He was 540 pounds when he started losing weight. I was 300 pounds when I started losing weight. He had a mountain to climb; I had a foothill. He helped me immensely, and I did not want to let him down.”

“I am president of the Florida Coalition of the Homeless, so I’ve been a business colleague of B.E.’s for 10 years. When I saw how well he was doing losing weight, I knew I could do it, too. I reached out to him, and he was more than glad to help me. He keeps me motivated and accountable.” toned up very well when I was losing weight. I also received lipomassage treatments regularly. Therefore, I only had two pounds of skin removed from my arms and five pounds removed from my thighs. With the central trunk lift, I had eight pounds removed. Each surgery was an outpatient procedure. The healing and recovery process after the surgeries was easy. I received lymphatic drainage and scar revision treatments. The most cumbersome aspect was dealing with the drains hanging off my body. After the central trunk lift, I had two drains on each hip, and after the thigh procedure, I had two drains on each side of my groin. Having to conceal these rubber tubes and drains is a challenge!

Healthy Living: Are you able to do things now you never thought possible?

B.E. Thompson: Since losing all this weight, I have competed in three 5k races. I go into them with a mindset of having fun and finishing. My ultimate goal is to complete a half-marathon.

HealthyLiving: Many overweight people are afraid to go to the gym because they feel uneasy about being around people who are fit and toned. What would you say to these people?

B.E. Thompson: People fear that others might talk about them when they enter the gym. Guess what? Some might. If they do, they do. Don’t let it bother you. They are probably going to find something to talk about anyway. That is unfortunate because people should be more supportive of one another. It drives me crazy how some people are so quick to judge instead of offering support. When people saw how determined I was, they became supportive.

Healthy Living: Speaking of that, was there ever a time you were embarrassed in public?

B.E. Thompson: Numerous times. One time I was walking down the aisle of a grocery store, and I noticed an elderly woman who kept staring at me. I said hello to her. She looked at me and said, “You’re fat!” She said it in a mean tone and was visibly shaking. You could hear the anger in her voice. I was dumbfounded and embarrassed because my wife was with me. She waited for me in the front of the store and apologized. I told her that calling me fat in the manner she did was dehumanizing. I also told her I was fully aware I was overweight and how she thought I did not know that was mind-boggling.

Healthy Living: Did children ever say mean things to you?

B.E. Thompson: Several years ago, my wife and I used to

“Whenever our workout group would see B.E. reach a new milestone, it felt like a sense of accomplishment for everybody. Seeing his success made me push myself harder. Watching him fight the good fight was very encouraging. ”

“I read B.E.’s story in Healthy Living Magazine and broke down and cried. It was as if I was reading a story about myself. Like B.E., I was also 540 pounds. He has encouraged me. He even invited me to his gym, and I have implemented some of his routines into my own workout program.”

“I met B.E. in the gym when he first started his journey. Now, I consider him a member of my family. In the beginning, I thought I could help motivate him. However, he is the one who truly motivated me. I’ve never met anyone who is as inspiring as he is.”

“I graduated from high school with B.E. He has always been uplifting and sweet. However, as I witnessed his transformation and realized how much healthier and younger he looked, I realized I could do the same for myself. Whenever I hit a speed bump, I know I can reach out to him for encouragement.” baby-sit the young daughter of a friend. One day, as I was carrying her, she put her head down and said she was sad because I was fat. She did not say it in a mean, hurtful way, but she obviously was old enough to know that being overweight is not a good thing. I told her, “I’m sad that I’m fat, too.” That was the end of the discussion.

Healthy Living: Well, you certainly do not have to worry about anyone calling you fat these days.

B.E. Thompson: I recently ran into one of my old high school coaches. He did not recognize me at first. He kept reading my nametag. When it finally registered with him, he walked back over to me with his jaw dropped. He told me how great I look and how proud he is of me. I never grow tired of those reactions.

HealthyLiving: Having spent most of your adult life morbidly obese, what is it like these days to see yourself in a mirror?

B.E. Thompson: Because I was so obese for so long, sometimes I still think of myself as being that way. So when I see my reflection in a mirror or window, I pause and ask myself, “Who’s that?” Then I realize it is me. That helps me understand why others react the way they do.

Healthy Living: What advice would you give to people who are undergoing a lifestyle change of their own?

B.E. Thompson: First of all, you should not allow others to negatively influence you and use that as an excuse for failure. Secondly, you need to surround yourself with a good support system. Unfortunately, there are people who are no longer part of my circle of influence because they were trying to sabotage my weightloss effort.

Healthy Living: Can you elaborate on that?

B.E. Thompson: When I was at the point where I had lost 150 pounds, a friend continued bringing me brownies and other treats. I asked this friend politely to stop baking me things. One day, this person showed up at my door with a red velvet cake. I threw it in the trash. This friend struggles with weight issues and also knew the journey I was on. To this day, I feel this friend was trying to sabotage my efforts because of jealousy. Sadly, we are no longer friends.

Healthy Living: That is too bad. However, you have made lots of new friends, right?

B.E. Thompson: This journey has allowed me to meet so many wonderful people whom I would never have met otherwise. I feel so blessed and honored to call them my friends. They are a great addition to the wonderful friends who have supported me throughout my life.

Healthy Living: I hear you are also turning the heads of ladies.

B.E. Thompson [laughs]: I went to a funeral recently, and there was a bunch of women who I did not know. One lady I did know and we talked at the funeral. Later on Facebook, she told me the others asked her who the hot guy was she talked to at the funeral. I had never in my life been referred to as hot. It is flattering, but at the end of the day, I go home to my wife and dogs, still live in the same house, still drive the same truck, and for the most part, still have the same circle of friends. Those things keep me grounded. I’m still the same person I always was. I just have a lot more clothing options these days!