Continued from Fast-Food for Weight Loss?

From Obscurity to Weight Loss Stardom

Today, nearly seven years later, the once shy, introverted guy spends nearly 200 days a year on the road for the Subway chain, opening restaurants across the country and handling press interviews with aplomb.

He’s appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live, and was the subject of a story on the news program 48 Hours.

He’s carried the Olympic torch, been the grand marshal at NASCAR races, and flipped the coin at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Wherever Jared goes, he proudly displays his old pants with the 60-inch waistband.

“I never expected any of this,” he says. Despite the reception he receives, he continues to be amazed by how many people are positively influenced by his story.

More than 1,000 people have contacted Subway corporate headquarters to say Jared inspired them to lose weight and lead healthier lifestyles.

“People come up to me on the street and say, ‘You inspired me. I want to lose a few pounds.’ I don’t think of myself as any different,” Jared says. “I know what it’s like to be on that side of the fence.”

He also knows how hard it is to maintain weight loss. Today the 29-year-old married man chooses low-fat foods and limits his calories to 2,400 per day. “I have my ups and downs just like anybody else,” he says.

“Since I’m in restaurants all the time, I try to make healthy choices from the menu. I try to do things in moderation. I realize I don’t have to finish my whole plate of food, and I try to keep up with my walking.” Note: To be continued…