Craig Clark
From ‘Dough Boy’ to Oh Boy!
For Craig Clark, the road to healthier living has been paved with asphalt. That’s where he runs and bikes — making time for exercise at least five days per week, and, more recently, adding swimming and triathlons. Six years ago, he wore size 42 pants and an almost 3x shirt. Now 125 pounds lighter, he’s happy to be a size medium and overjoyed to have his wife and biggest supporter, Tiffany, by his side.
THE NOT-SO-GOOD OLD DAYS
“I was always the chubby kid growing up,” Clark says. “My nickname throughout high school was ‘doughboy.’ We were not a very health-conscious family, so watching what we ate wasn’t really a priority.”
ON HITTING ROCK BOTTOM
“Six years ago, after dropping my wife’s car to get the tires changed at the local Walmart, I decide I would just walk the mile to my house,” Clark says. “It took me over an hour to walk that one mile. When I finally arrived home, I knew something had to change. My son was still very little, and it hit me that, if I didn’t make a change, I wouldn’t be able to play with him or be the kind of dad I wanted to be. That day, my wife and I joined the gym.”
THE TURNING POINT
“We started a Biggest Loser program at our local fitness center, where we got to meet with a nutritionist and work with a personal trainer three times a week,” Clark says. “I made changes in what and how much I was eating, and stuck to a consistent exercise regimen. I went on to win the Biggest Loser competition. I took the money I won and invested it right back into my health by buying my wife and I our first road bikes. My passion for fitness turned to cycling, then duathlons, and eventually evolved into triathlons.”
BIGGEST THRILLS
“I just recently completed my first full IronMan in Chattanooga, Tenn.,” Clark says. “It has been a long, hard journey, but worth every ounce of sweat, tears and hard work. My determination has opened up amazing opportunities within my triathlon community. I have been sponsored by Chomp NOLA — a custom healthy meal prep and delivery program — and have been selected to be a team member on the BASE racing team for the 2017 race season. I can do things now that I would have never even dreamt of doing. Anything is possible with a little hard work and dedication.”
GETTING UP AND MAKING IT HAPPEN
“I remember what it took to get where I am, and the things I am now able to do for myself and my family,” Clark says. “I don’t ever want to go back. I want to teach my children how important it is to stay healthy and take care of yourself. You have to find your reason why — your reason to stay healthy and put in the work. It is by no means easy, but it’s completely worth it. To be able to run around with my children and enjoy myself … I won’t ever go back to where I was. I carry my old license in my wallet as a reminder that anything is possible.”
WISDOM TO SHARE
“Stick to healthy meals,” Clark advises. “Splurge now and then, but know that straying too far from healthy eating habits usually makes you feel sick. I also work out at least five days a week, depending on what I am training for or if I am just maintaining. When I hear someone say they don’t have time to work out, my reply is ‘you have to make time.’ Just like with anything else in life, if it’s that important to you, you have to find time.”