How an Anaheim Man Changed His Lifestyle around for the Better
A year-and-a-half ago, Americans were shut in their homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some remained glued in their beds while binge-watching Netflix. Others worried about the possible weight gain that would come along with it.
Jacob Sepeda, a 26-year-old Anaheim, California, local, who was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in January 2020, fell into unhealthy choices during the early months of the lockdown. Sepeda, at 319 pounds made the decision to change his life around and began his fitness journey during that summer. Today he lives a healthier lifestyle and credits his cousin and personal trainers.
“And in that year and two months, I have lost 106 pounds. I am no longer a Type 2 diabetic and I no longer have asthma,” says Sepeda as he grins from ear-to-ear, clearly relieved to be fit and free of those ailments. “Now my doctor says I’m in perfect health. All my blood work has come back perfectly healthy.”
Sepeda grew up in a family with health history of diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if you have a mother, or father with diabetes, you are more likely to have prediabetes and develop diabetes. Growing up, he never played any sports, was always inactive and overweight. In school, he was constantly bullied and was made fun of because of his weight. As the years went by, the name calling stopped affecting him all together.
Soon after being diagnosed with diabetes, Sepeda wanted change.
“And I was like, I don’t want this to affect me the rest of my life. So, I started going to the gym a little bit,” says Sepeda.
Right as he was getting into a routine the lockdown happened, setting him back. Furloughed from both of his jobs, Sepeda was isolated and went back to his unhealthy habits.
“I had already been training at P3 for a good while now, and I told him to try out my gym,” says Destiny Ledesma, Sepeda’s cousin.
“Work with Andre, he’ll get you the goals that you need, and he’ll work with you. You just put in the work and show up and he will give you the resources for it,” she adds in a proud tone.
P3 Strength Camp in Fullerton, California, is a gym that specializes in group training at an optimized level. Andre Ponce, nutritionist, personal trainer, and owner of P3, says that with each person that comes in through the doors, he and his team of trainers analyze everyone to ensure they get the proper guidance and support.
“Do you need to lose body fat? Do you need different weight training techniques? It’s real customized training in a group environment,” says Ponce as he gets ready for his next weight training class.
Marcus Perry, a certified personal trainer, and the general manager of Nutrishop in Anaheim, says that the pandemic has affected more than half of America.
“Every single day I have at least one conversation with somebody who says ‘Hey, you know what? I’m back at it since COVID, this is my first time since the pandemic that I’m getting back into it,” says Perry.
Getting to our healthier version has been an ongoing thing that we deal with.
“My best approach to helping anybody and everybody is coming in and having a conversation, the quicker you come in and have a conversation about what is going to take to get you back to where you want, the sooner we can alleviate the stress off of you,” says Perry about the constant struggle Americans face about understanding why they put on weight.
Despite going through unprecedented times, Sepeda knew he wanted to be healthy for the long run.
“We came up with a plan, and he just wanted it so bad, I’ve never seen someone want it so bad,” says Ponce about working with Sepeda.
Sepeda now follows a high protein diet, and works out six times a week, lifting heavier weights each time.
“I’m happy with my life. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life, and I don’t see myself ever stopping,” says Sepeda joyfully.
