MAN LOSES OVER 140 POUNDS

Mississippi weighs in at the second highest adult obesity rate in the nation.
But, some South Mississippians are fighting back … And winning the battle to get their weight down, their confidence up and their health better.
News 25’s Lindsey Goodwin shares the story of one local man who’s still going strong on his health and fitness journey.

1 YEAR, 14 PANT SIZES, AND A LIFETIME TO LIVE, 27 YEAR OLD RAY MCINTYRE WEIGHTED IN AT 427LBS.
AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED WITH BLOUNT’S DISEASE, A GROWTH DISORDER THAT AFFECTS THE BONES IN THE LOWER LEG, AND A LITTLE INSPIRATION FROM HIS FATHER, RAY KNEW HE NEEDED TO MAKE A CHANGE.
Ray McIntyre: ” I lost my father when I was younger to a heart attack, mainly health issues. And that was something that sits in my mind all the time and it kind of drove me to where I’m at right now. I had no choice. I knew I didn’t want to go down that path; I wanted to be here, be here for my family. So it’s like ‘you need to do something about this.’
SINCE HE BEGAN HIS FITNESS JOURNEY ONE YEAR AGO, RAY LOST 140LBS BY CUTTING OUT FAST FOODS, RED MEAT, AND GOING TO THE GYM EVERYDAY. BUT HE SAYS HIS JOURNEY HASN’T ALWAYS BEEN EASY LIFTING, AND HE HOPES TO INSPIRE OTHERS TO MAKE THE TRANSFORMATION AS WELL.
Ray: ” When I first walked in the gym, I came in with a blank mind. I was intimidated because I saw people more fit than me. Don’t let that intimidate you. It’s not a weight war, it’s not a weight race. I also want to become a trainer and inspire people and let them know, hey look, if I did it, you can do it. I’ve really been through this so I know what it’s like to lack confidence, I know what it feels like to lack motivation.”
Adam Alexander, Fitness Manager/Personal Trainer, Crunch Fitness: ” Just from a physical transformation, people see it and they know that they can come in here and do the work that he’s put in, because it takes a different kind of person to be able to come in here and physically put yourself through that.”
Lindsey Goodwin: ” And while he says the process has been slow, it’s been the best ride of his life.”
Ray: ” Yesterday when I got up for my 1 year anniversary, I put those pants on and it was like tears of joy. Like, this is really me.”
WITH MISSISSIPPI BEING AT AN ALL TIME HIGH FOR OBESITY, RAY ENCOURAGES EVERYONE TO TAKE THAT FIRST STEP INTO THE GYM AND NEVER LOOK BACK.
IN D’IBERVILLE, LINDSEY GOODWIN NEWS 25.