Four Petronella Blocks

In 2010 Eric O’Grey was 51 and weighed 340 pounds. He took insulin for type 2 diabetes and 15 other medications, including antidepressants and weight loss drugs. He tried dieting, but nothing helped. “It's amazing how painful it is to be that heavy,” he says. “Every part of your body hurts.” He felt traditional medicine had failed him, so he consulted a naturopath. She recommended a plant-based diet. She said to throw out everything in the house that wasn’t on her list. She ordered him to adopt a dog and walk it thirty minutes, twice a day. At the shelter he met Petey, an obese, depressed pooch. At first the pair could only manage 100 yards or so, but Petey loved it. “He looked so appreciative,” Eric said. “I decided to become the person he thought I was.” Today Eric is into fresh vegetables and long-distance running.  “It's never too late to turn it around,” he says.