It was rough. Because I was so overweight, I had numbness in my arms. There were times when I would cough blood. I rarely slept because I did not want to have a heart attack in bed. I always wondered how many people it would take to get me out.

If the EMTs would roll their eyes when they saw me.

In 2008 I decided to change my life. I decided to diet.

At the time, there were a ton of flashy programs out there.

Eat what you want and lose weight…
Have a chocolate shake for breakfast and lunch…
Lose 15 pounds in two weeks…

You name it, I heard it. I have tried them. I was still tempted. The funny thing about diets is that they all look good on paper. That is, until you realize the food that is delivered in a box in your house tastes like cardboard.

So I did something incredibly boring. Something I have never done before. I changed the way I ate.

I started to eat more fruits and vegetables and less processed foods. I started to eat more lean meats and less fatty meats. I started to work out. This is from someone who thought that gym had to have a slim in front of it.

I started to lose weight. In fact, I lost over 200 pounds. I remember going from 420 pounds to 198 pounds in a little over a year.

More importantly than losing weight, I bought time. I knew I was going to be around for a while. I knew that with every carrot I ate or every trip to the gym, I was making a better decision for myself.

Look, diets do work. If they did not, it would not be this billion dollar industry. You can lose weight by drinking shakes or taking pills. I have done it only to gain more weight.

From someone who was over 400 pounds before, I will say that it is nice to not have to diet. I know that a few small choices and sacrifices can lead to big things, including knowing there is a tomorrow.

Tony Posnanski is a renowned blogger, a chef, and an Anytime Fitness member. He writes about weight loss, fitness, motivation and more on his blog The Anti Jared.