7 min readFor decades, Michael Collins, 56, a mental health worker from Boaz, Alabama, dealt with the trauma of losing his beloved cousin in a car accident. He turned to food as a coping mechanism to numb the pain he felt inside. His unhealthy relationship with food only intensified with the increased anxiety and shame he felt being in public, unable to do basic activities like walking. At 526 pounds, his doctor told him he was dying. The health scare gave him the strength to seek help physically and mentally. Read on to learn more about Collins' inspiring transformation.
I BELIEVE THAT the primary contributor to my weight gain was living with PTSD. At age 18, I was involved in a tragic car accident where I nearly lost my life and faced the threat of burning to death. Unfortunately, I lost my cousin in the crash. Although I managed to free both of us from the wreckage, I was unable to save his life. He had been like a brother and best friend to me.
For a long time I grieved my cousin and struggled with survivor’s guilt. I turned to food as a way to numb the pain. The only time I didn’t feel the internal pain was when I had food in my mouth. I didn’t care about what I ate. If it was available and tasted good, I ate it.
It didn’t take long for me to gain weight because the food I ate was unhealthy. I’m talking burgers, fries, and sweets. It wasn’t uncommon for me to consume a large pizza by myself and then eat more junk food within an hour.
When I reached my 20s, I weighed over 300 pounds. It didn’t stop there, steadily rising with every year that passed. The physical and mental pain was unbearable. It would hurt to get up from a chair, walk, or engage in any type of activity. I had difficulty breathing and experienced chest pain and palpitations.
Mentally, the embarrassment and ridicule from onlookers was unbearable. I rarely went anywhere unless it was totally necessary. I remember the discomfort of walking into a restaurant and having people stare at me—especially when I couldn’t fit into a booth. I felt like the elephant in the room because, in many ways, I was.
The Health Scare That Changed His Life
By 2020, I was 51 years old and weighed 526 pounds. At my weight, I faced several health issues like high blood pressure. Taking medication didn’t keep it under control. Simple activities like walking to my office left me breathless. I experienced chest pain and palpitations and had to go to the ER on multiple occasions because I thought I was having a heart attack.
I was also living with Type 2 diabetes. My A1C levels had been ranging from the high 8s to the low 11s. Then on Friday, October 16, 2020, my doctor turned my world upside down.
He told me I was dying.
Since my current medications were not working, he advised me to start insulin shots. I didn’t want to do that. One reason I didn't want to start taking insulin shots was that I had witnessed family members struggle with managing their diabetes through injections. They faced the challenges of remembering to take their shots and constantly pricking their fingers to test their blood sugar, as they feared their levels might drop too low. The cost of insulin was also a significant factor for me.
He warned me that he couldn’t guarantee I’d live for another six months without insulin. I left his office in tears. This was the turning point in my life. I knew in my heart that I could find a way to overcome this challenge.
How He Took Control of His Weight
My insurance provider offered Virta Health as a diabetes treatment program. I decided to apply to the program, and I was approved. Within about two weeks, I started working closely with a Virta coach, who helped me understand which foods were affecting my blood sugar. I eliminated the junk food from my diet and started weighing the food I ate. Within six weeks, I was off all of my diabetes medications, and the pounds began to melt away.
My aim was to keep my daily protein intake at 17 ounces, and my carbohydrate intake at 30 grams per day. A typical breakfast for me was 3 ounces of eggs and a sausage patty, along with half an avocado. Lunch was usually a salad with 5 ounces of protein. Dinner was 5 ounces of protein and a green vegetable. My favorite vegetables are green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and leafy greens–nothing starchy. Between meals, my snacks would be an ounce of nuts or beef jerky. Occasionally, I’d treat myself to a protein shake. I still eat this way today.
As I continued to follow the nutritional guidance offered by Virta, my chronic pain decreased. I used this momentum to start walking more. Soon enough, I regained my ability to breathe. The more strength I gained, the more I walked.
Once my weight dropped to 400 pounds, I began going to Planet Fitness. I walked on the treadmill and did light weight training every other day after work and on weekends. Those are still my favorite workouts. During weight training, I focused on maintaining proper form. I felt motivated to keep going with every improvement I saw and felt after every workout.
I initially lost a lot of weight, averaging about 5 pounds or more each week. Over the course of the first year, I lost approximately 120 pounds, followed by another 100 pounds in the next year. In the subsequent years, the pace of my weight loss slowed down. On Christmas Day 2025, I weighed 225.7 pounds. I lost a total of 300.3 pounds in just over five years.
How He Learned to Forgive Himself
During my weight loss journey, I did not seek mental health services in regards to the car accident but I knew I had to learn to forgive everyone involved. Most of all, I had to forgive myself for not being able to save my cousin's life decades ago.
Last year, I visited a therapist because the PTSD I was experiencing was preventing me from sleeping. She helped me understand what I knew but refused to accept. That this was not my fault, and nothing I could do would change what happened. I definitely recommend that anyone who has lived through a tragic event and is dealing with PTSD seek to counseling rather than trying to cope alone, like I did for decades.
He “Refused To Lose”
Over my weight loss journey, I learned that I can accomplish almost anything when I put in the effort. I refused to lose. Whenever I faced a setback, I would work even harder to reach my goals. It’s important to believe in yourself and in what you are trying to achieve, and to never give up.
I’d spent much of my life in a shell, hiding from the public eye. As I lost weight, however, I began building confidence in myself. I no longer wanted to be a recluse. My fear of being in crowds diminished and my anxiety about being in public disappeared. I started to truly enjoy living life again.
When I was at my heaviest, I had to ride an ATV to our fish pond to fish with my five-year-old grandson, because I couldn’t walk. Then, one day in 2023, after I’d lost over 200 pounds, my grandson and I walked to that fish pond. After we fished, I asked him if he wanted to race me back to the house, and I could actually take off running! He couldn’t believe I could run without stopping. That was one of the best moments of my life.
In 2024, I entered a 5K freedom run. I told my wife, and she thought I was kidding! I wasn’t.
There were 1,375 runners in the race, and I decided to start dead last because I wasn’t sure if I could even walk 3.1 miles. I didn’t want to get in the runners’ way. Yet I surprised even myself, landing in 415th place! I was so happy, and the 5K run became one of my major accomplishments in life.
I now volunteer with Virta Health myself because I want to give people hope that they too can change their lives. One day I would love to write a book about my weight loss journey, plus run another 5K with a new goal of finishing at the top of my age group.
I understand the pain and struggle of living with obesity. I understand the feeling of being left behind while your family and friends enjoy life. I’ve experienced loneliness and hopelessness. However, you don’t have to stay this way. On a weight loss journey, the path may not be easy at first. You might encounter setbacks along the way, but it’s essential to believe in yourself and stay committed to the process. Celebrate every small step forward as a victory. If you face a setback, use it as motivation to push harder and move ahead.
Most importantly, have faith in yourself and your goals. Refuse to give up. You can do it! The rewards are truly amazing.
Lisa is an internationally established health writer whose credits include Good Housekeeping, Prevention, Men’s Health, Oprah Daily, Woman’s Day, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Esquire, Glamour, The Washington Post, WebMD, Medscape, The Los Angeles Times, Parade, Health, Self, Family Circle and Seventeen. She is the author of eight best-selling books, including The Essentials of Theater.
