F I T P RO F I L E
Journey to Good Health
By Erica Walters. Photo by Chris Hope.
Cigarettes and fatty foods don’t make for a good “after” photo. But healthy eating habits and exercise do. Bert Suggs, 34, owner of Acer Edge, lost 60 pounds after giving up some not-so-good behaviors.
like high blood pressure, diabetes, and some cancers, which in turn lead to a lower quality of life. However, by changing a few habits, the body can reverse some chronic conditions and promote a higher quality of life.
Unhappy with his current lifestyle, Suggs decided to research ways to become healthier.
“I was sick of being sick and tired,” Suggs said.
“I started the journey back to good health at 235 pounds,” Suggs said. “[Before] I smoked, ate horribly, and didn’t exercise at all.”
In doing so, Suggs began to see his body as a temple. He went back to the basics, educating himself on the best natural foods and exercise to obtain his ultimate wellness goal.
It is proven that bad eating habits and a lack of exercise cause chronic health conditions
“I finally had enough of my old lifestyle and began to look towards God for motivation.”
When it comes to starting any weight-loss venture, consulting a physician, adapting healthy eating habits, practicing moderation, and consistently exercising are at its core. By looking at his body as a temple and researching healthy practices, Suggs became present and aware of what makes a healthy lifestyle. He introduced healthier, natural foods into his diet and put aside cigarettes and fatty, processed foods, which took some additional planning and prepping due to his busy schedule. To avoid excuses for eating fast food or skipping meals because of a lack of time, Suggs had to find a way to eat healthy meals. “Ultimate Foods helped me maintain what I’ve worked so hard for while on a busy schedule,” he said. Ultimate Foods is located at 1 N. Main St. in downtown Memphis. It provides preportioned, balanced meals and snacks for those on the go. Ultimate Foods accepts orders online, or costumers can pick up healthy meals to go. Keep in mind that eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive. A bag of fresh fruits and vegetables, along with lean protein, can cost about the same as a week of prepared meals.
HEALTH+FITNESS | July 2014
Even with healthy eating habits and exercise, Suggs experienced plateaus, but he didn’t quit. During his weight loss, he made the decision to visit the Refinery, a health and wellness clinic in East Memphis, where he worked with specialists to increase his testosterone to a normal level. As advice to others, Suggs promotes researching and having fun with ways to become healthier.
Bert Suggs quit smoking, changed his diet and lost 60 lbs. 14
“It took me about a year to get where I wanted to be, but I continue to research and work on myself and probably will always do so,” he said. “Most of all you must put in the hard work and not let a setback totally derail what you’re trying to do.”