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After passing out when climbing a flight of stairs, Travis Forsgren decided it was time for a change.
"I felt lost, I felt alone, I felt insignificant. I really just neglected to take care of myself,” he said.
Travis admits that he found himself physically, mentally and spiritually checked out. Tipping the scales at more than 300 pounds, Travis realized there were some hard decisions ahead.
“Coming to terms with something like that is one thing, but finding a solution is a completely different obstacle to overcome," he said. "I had to really come to terms with the reality of the situation that was staring me right in the face.”
Travis made healthy changes to his diet and found ways to move.
“My physical goal was to get out and walk every single day and I really didn’t have a distance in mind, I just walked until I really couldn’t or I was tired.”
While out walking, Travis started taking pictures with his cellphone. “I really started seeing the beauty and recognizing the beauty that surrounded me.”
In less than a year’s time, Travis had lost nearly 100 pounds and has kept it off.
“Three years ago I had a hard time waking up in the morning and finding the drive or the outlook to go and face the day," he said. "Today it’s completely different.”
Now Travis looks for opportunities to explore Utah’s mountains. Armed with a camera and a passion for exploring, he’s managed to keep the weight off while inspiring others to "Live Well.’"
“You really have to identify within your own self the things that hold value," he said. "I’ve got two little kids that really wanted to have a dad. I didn’t want to be remembered as the guy who sat on the couch eating potato chips, I wanted to be remembered as the dad who got involved.”
Looking back, Travis said all the hard work seemed overwhelming at times and he would do it all over again.
“The reward for me is just everything that you see. It’s amazing, it’s absolutely beautiful — and the reward just doesn’t stop. There’s new trails, there’s new experiences... even on the same trail, there’s new things to be seen.”
