Preaching a new, healthy way of life By Nanci Hellmich, USA TODAY
The Ibarras of San Jose are so busy, it’s no wonder that eating well and exercising didn’t fit into their schedules. Jose, 46, is a pastor at a local church and has a full-time job as a facilities supervisor for a commercial custodial company. His wife, Doris, 45, is a human resources manager for the same company, and she runs the church’s sound booth. Their children, Jocelyn, 20, and Joseph, 16, also wear multiple hats, including juggling school and church responsibilities. They often skipped breakfast, grabbed fast-food meals while dashing between activities and rarely made time to exercise. That whirlwind lifestyle took a toll. A few years ago, Jose had a mild heart attack. He also struggles with high blood pressure and high cholesterol and is borderline diabetic. He has had battles with gout. In January, he was carrying 299 pounds on his 5-foot-6 frame. He says he was so busy that he relied on fast-food meals, and “I didn’t do any exercise whatsoever.”
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Jose Ibarra Jr., 46, walks the dog for 30 minutes a day and is almost to the point of being able to run. PHOTOS BY ROBERT HANASHIRO / USAT
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