Hi Reader, This update is different because a lot has happened over the last few weeks. My wife and I are mourning the loss of her father, Charlie. How do you keep going amid such a seismic shift and emotional blow like my wife is facing? What's Inside Being your best when life is challenging Who was Charlie Wright? A lesson from my mom Science: Grief's effect on weight and immunity The honor of grief Your Best When Life Is At Its Worst It’s hard being the rock for someone whose world is...
3 days ago • 4 min read
Hey Reader, Some weeks, I have to fight to find a bright spot. This week, the bright spot found me. I have been feeling pretty good. No major flare-ups to speak of. After so much uncertainty, that feels like a genuine gift. It has also reignited something in me: I am ready to keep moving back into the weight-loss space and help people who feel stuck. Then I stepped on the scale for the first time in a while. What I saw stopped me in my tracks. What's Inside A surprise on the scale Could we...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Hey Reader, Three years ago, when I was at my lowest and searching for answers, I made a bold proclamation to my wife, Julie. Driven by a potent combination of frustration and fear, I turned to her and said, “If I ever pull out of this, I’m going to get a tattoo.” What's Inside The promise I finally kept What true strength looks like My wild week with MAVY The weight loss lesson that stuck Prior to this point, tattoos were something that I would avoid like the plague. For one, I thought it...
about 1 month ago • 7 min read
Hey Reader, Sometimes a picture captures a wonderful moment but misses everything it took to get there. That was certainly true in Las Vegas. In this edition, I’m sharing the difficult hours behind one very happy photo, the people who helped me rally when I wasn’t sure I could, and the perfectly timed reminder that gave me exactly the medicine I needed: Never Give Up. What's Inside The Vegas Breakdown Nobody Saw A Fortune Cookie Changed Everything The Adventures Ahead Are Huge Wait Until You...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
Hey Reader, Well, you voted. And let me tell you, it wasn't close. When I asked what you wanted more of in this newsletter, I honestly figured the answers would be scattered all over the place. Some of you would want interviews. Some would want recipes and tips. Maybe a few kind souls would check the box about my recovery just to make me feel good about myself. Nope. Overwhelmingly, you told me you want to hear about the medical mystery. The three-plus years of it. The tests, the dead ends,...
2 months ago • 9 min read
Hey Reader, It's hard to believe that three months have passed since I was in an operating room in Rochester, Minnesota wondering whether my life would ever be the same. In some ways it feels like yesterday, but in others it's moving slower than rush hour traffic. What's Inside Remaining symptoms and frustrations A new problem What doctors are saying Venting without bringing others down Good news! Old clothes fit again! What do you want to talk about? New book! "What Your Doctor Isn't Telling...
3 months ago • 4 min read
Hey Reader, Onboard the flight to Cleveland This is my first big trip out of town since surgery, and I’ll be honest with you. I’m nervous. Last night, as I was packing and later walking the dog with Julie, it dawned on me that I was actually feeling the worst I have in about two months. Normally this would irritate the ever-loving jeepers out of me. But I’m also very aware of something else. For the last three years, I would almost always feel extra out of sorts right before a trip. The...
4 months ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader, It has been a wild couple of months on the road to recovery. Then again, I suppose that’s been true for the last few years. At this point “wild” and I are basically on a first-name basis. As I write this, I’m a little more than two months removed from surgery at the Mayo Clinic. That means it has been two months since my Roux-en-Y gastric bypass was reversed, the feeding tube was removed, and my stomach was put back together again a la Humpty Dumpty. And let me tell you, Humpty...
4 months ago • 7 min read
Hey Reader, For the first time in nearly two decades, I have a normal stomach. Three years ago, when all my symptoms first began, I never imagined it would end like this. But here we are. The surgery to reverse the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) procedure was delicate, dangerous, and painful. Because of an incredible amount of scarring from the initial surgery, it took five and a half hours to complete. But honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. This entire ordeal has been delicate,...
6 months ago • 4 min read