Tyler Nelson CONQUERED obesity, poverty, depression, Low-self esteem, and serious health issues to become great. Tyler now inspires and motivates others who want to take the same initiative, with the power that inspired him.. He shares his exclusive Testimony with B.O.L.D of how he experienced great loss to achieve an even greater reward.
THE GREATEST LOSS --
"This is it; I’m dying…Look at you!
You idiot! You’re dying!...This sucks!" were
the thoughts of a 365 pound Tyler Nelson as he lay on the hard pavement surrounded
by panic having suffered a heart attack at the age of 22. At that time Tyler
was a free spirit that disregarded the responsibilities of his life including
school, work, and his health. However he was loved by his friends for his
dedication, compassion, and comic relief from the worries of life. Because of
his boisterous laugh and unceasing smile no one knew of the darkness that
lurked underneath while he lived on the floor of his best friend’s apartment.
Upon God sparing his life he knew it was time to make a change and he left
Atlanta in search of his destiny.
Despite
his outward happiness Tyler suffered from depression that emerged from a place
of sadness from being incomplete. While he knew he was loved by many there were
some that doubted his capacity to be greater. That doubt cut through the warmth
of those who believed in him and redirected his thinking to being more of a
friendly ‘pet’ to all than a man. He had flunked out of school, was unemployed,
and technically homeless therefore not living up to the expectations of his
family or his own. Although he felt worthless he never believed that God would
try to take his life away, let alone give him a second chance. Sometimes people
that are teetering on faith and have a near death experience they attack and
mock God’s power and reject any notions of mercy. However when asked if he
recognized this heart attack as God’s ‘wake-up call’ by showing his power and
mercy Tyler cheerfully and earnestly responded,
“Of course! God is putting on the greatest show the world has ever seen and each of us has a part in his production…even me. He wants us to strive for his glory and see the light in the dark. It may physically feel like it, but He will never do anything to hurt us. Everything that hurts or rough paths we take are in attempts to make us stronger…it is ultimately up to us what we learn from the lesson(s).”
Upon leaving Atlanta and settling in back home in Texas he realized that his body needed to change if his mind was going to change. He obtained two jobs and returned to school in order to move out of his parent’s house and have a place of his own. During his days off from school and work he would run and clear his mind from all the naysayers and his own negative thoughts and church goers would say the enemy trying to intervene. The hardest part of keeping up his workout was consistency. He would get to a point where it was too hard and start to give up. But then he was reminded through prayer and his current progress that he was given a second chance and needed to continue. So sore feet, tired legs, and with barely enough sleep he continued to run and lift weights until he hit his goal weight of 185! When he looked at before and after pictures he asked his family and friends ‘Why didn’t you tell me that I was that big?’ and was stunned that no one could answer.
Yet he also knew that the same people he was asking loved his spirit not his body. Regardless of others lack of commentary he knew his lifestyle had to change so he switched from nearly a carnivore to a vegetarian and continues to explore new healthy ways enjoy his life. For those who are still battling the urge to workout he had this to say,
When going through a transformation like this it is important to recognize the love for yourself that God has ingrained in us so that we may understand his passion behind the reason why we were created. Tyler’s weight loss helped him to reconnect with the love that he had for himself and was reconnected to his spiritual life. To sleep as a 365 pound child then to rise as a 185 pound man that is ready to conquer all with humility, courage, and a complex systematic plan to succeed is all possible through faith and God. Now Tyler feels that his relationship with God is more consistent instead of wandering through life confused and empty. It is important to him and to all to realize that there is no such thing as perfection and every situation should be handled separately with prayer and not with the desires of our hearts. It’s not an easy task when we are given the free will to choose, however we could always choose death or live with God’s plan.“My advice to anyone trying to lose weight is balance. I honestly think it is the most integral part of any lifestyle change…It’s all about consistency, balance, and willpower. I enjoy talking to anyone about their own transformations and hope that my transformation from near death to a new life inspires them. To God be the glory.”
Tyler- Healthy and Inspired!
“Slowly but surely it is becoming clearer to me that it is not about my heart’s desires, but what God desires for us. A lot of people think life is a journey in self-discovery, but I believe that it is our slow spiritual journey back to God.”
With his new start Tyler aspires to inspire others. He has selected several different paths to be used as God’s vessel such being the poet laureate of the United States of America, running marathons, and becoming a lawyer or politician.Overall he wants to be out in the community and leave a mark that will help uplift people beyond their ‘realistic’ expectations while still remaining the same comical embracing ‘teddy bear that all have come to love. Tyler Nelson has not reached his destiny yet, but he is charging through his journey and celebrating with all who love him along the way.
-Carmen Fletcher
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