Names: Rod and Brenda Titus

Age: Both 56, married 38 years

Residence: Lawrence County

Profession: Rod works for Duke Energy, Brenda works at Kohl’s department store.

What led to your decision to adopt a healthier lifestyle?

Rod: In 2008, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I had treatments and am currently cancer free. After treatments, I’d put on some weight. I needed to make a change as far as my diet and other habits. My wife and I both started at Healthy Balance in October 2009. For our wedding anniversary we decided we would join a gym together. That was our gift to each other.

Describe your fitness routine:

Rod: I do an hour of cardio six or seven days a week and three days a week I’m on the weights. In the beginning, I worked one-on-one with Ken Barnes, a personal trainer. He got me on a weight-lifting program—nothing heavy, just to tone up and build strength.

Brenda: I walk six days a week, an hour each day (about 4 miles) and lift weights two days a week.

What changes have you seen?

Rod: I weighed 247 pounds. Now I’m down to just under 200 pounds. I’ve really noticed it in my job performance. I build substations for Duke Energy and it’s a physical job. Before, I was always out of energy, it was getting harder to do things, but it’s easier for me now.

Has it been hard to stick with your routine?

Rod: I’ve never not exercised, but I’d never been in a scheduled program like I am now. Fifteen years ago I rode a bicycle about 400 or 500 miles a week, but I gradually dropped it and got out of the habit of exercising regularly.

What’s different this time?

Rod: Anytime you hear cancer it scares you. Once I got over that, found out it was treatable because it was caught early, I decided I needed to take better care of myself. It’s not been really hard to stick with it. If you get into a routine where it gets boring, do something else. The other day I took a pilates class. It keeps you interested and you’re still exercising.

How do you de-stress?

Rod: Bike riding, and when I’m home, I like doing yard work and working in the flower bed.

Brenda: I walk. I first started walking 15 years ago to lose weight. Now I walk to stay in shape and relieve stress. If I don’t walk or do some kind of exercise, I don’t feel as good and I miss it. Rod and I have walked many mini-marathons. We’ve done them all in under 3 hours.

What are your goals?

Rod: I want to get down to 185 pounds.

Brenda: I want to do a marathon one time in my life. I’m going to walk the Monumental Marathon with my friend Jackie Nov. 6. It takes a lot of time to train, but if I’m going to do it, I want to do it right.

Best lifestyle change in the last five years:

Rod: Getting into a regular physical exercise program and a healthier diet. We eat more fruits and vegetables and we’ve tried to cut out processed foods. We look at labels to avoid sodium and sugar.

Brenda: Our eating habits. I used to eat a lot more chocolate. I never ate breakfast. I’d eat chocolate in the mornings to get myself started. Now I eat peanut butter and a banana for breakfast every morning. And we eat a lot of greens and organic foods—not so much red meat—and we grill, never fry.

Health/fitness advice:

Rod: You have to realize it’s not something you can start and stop. With me, it has to be a lifetime commitment. When I get to my goal I will still have to go to the gym four or five days a week.

Brenda: Be patient. When I first started walking, I went one block and back and that’s all I could do. Gradually, I was able to do more. If it takes a year, that’s OK. I lost 40 pounds in that year.

What motivates you?

Rod: The gym motivates me and Ken Barnes is a good motivator. I’ve learned a lot from him and Marcey [another personal trainer], too, on how to eat healthy.

Brenda: I like it when I put my clothes on and they fit the way they do. Setting goals like doing this marathon ... that helps me want to do something more challenging.

How do you stay driven?:

Brenda: I’m stubborn (laughing).

What inspires you?

Rod: That goal is still out in front of me and I want to reach it and stay there.

Brenda: Taking care of my body for God.

Who inspires you?

Rod: Brenda. She’s been great. She’s the one that’s encouraged me. She’s probably my biggest inspiration. She realized I needed to get healthier and change my habits.

Brenda: Rod. Seeing Rod lose his weight makes me want to go in and support him. Before, he would try something and in a few months quit. Now he’s really going for it. My friend Jackie inspires me too. She’s the one who says, “God expects this.”