( CNN ) -- Kevin Pippen left his father 's nursing home knowing he had to make a change . His father was n't obese or dying of lung cancer . But seeing his quality of life made Pippen want to delay death as long as possible . `` It was just a wake-up call , '' the 57-year-old from Georgetown , Kentucky , says , `` knowing if I kept smoking and eating the way I was , and not exercising , I was probably going to be where he is a lot quicker than I should be . '' A couple of weeks later , in July 2011 , Pippen bought nicotine patches , started exercising and never looked back . `` I was miserable when I was large , but I would never admit it , '' he wrote on iReport . `` I can remember looking at myself in the mirror thinking how wonderful it would be to just wake up one morning , healthy and physically fit . '' Pippen 's wife , Susan , enjoyed walking every night after dinner . He joined her on the evening jaunts , until he started experiencing shooting pains in his arms and had trouble breathing . A visit to the VA Medical Center revealed that he had an 80 % blockage in one of his coronary arteries and Type 2 diabetes . In November 2011 , doctors inserted a stent to improve the blood flow to his heart . He barely fit on the operating table . Doctors offered to get him into a bariatric center for gastric bypass surgery as well , but Pippen refused . Instead , the former Airman 1st Class went on a low-carb diet , remembering that his drill instructor had forbidden potatoes and bread when an overweight Pippen entered boot camp . He had always loved comfort food -- biscuits and gravy , mashed potatoes , cheeseburgers with fries -- so the switch was difficult at first . But Pippen is n't a man to do things halfway , his wife says . It only took one nicotine patch , and an inspiring self-help book , for Pippen to quit smoking . `` Kevin becomes very focused on whatever he is working on at any one time , '' Susan says . `` I think when Kevin made the decision to get healthy , it made it easier for both of us -- that we both had to make time for exercise , and our eating choices had to be healthier . '' The couple started planning their meals and grocery shopping together , trying new foods like kale and spaghetti squash . They even created healthier versions of their old favorites , like pizza . Pippen took group fitness classes at their gym and swam laps on the weekends . He did Zumba and kickboxing and body sculpting and spinning -- basically anything to get moving . `` I love it when I 'm with a group of people because it just motivates the crap out of me , '' he says . `` You do n't want to be left behind , so it makes you try harder . '' In the first year , he lost 117 pounds . Susan worried that once Pippen reached his goal , he would revert to his old habits . He was neglecting his business in his efforts to lose weight ; nothing else seemed to matter . `` Once I decide to do something , do n't get in my way , '' Pippen says with a laugh . `` It may take me a while to make that decision , but once I do I 'm so driven . '' Over the next 8 months he lost another 70 pounds . Pippen is now maintaining at 182 pounds . His body fat percentage is approximately 17 % . Susan is n't much of a scale person , but she 's lost a significant amount of weight as well . She dropped from a size 10 to a size 2 , and now wears extra-small shirts . Neither is worried about going back to their old lifestyle ; they like the energy these healthy habits have given them too much to quit . Pippen gave up his low-carb diet after the first year and has switched to calorie counting . He tries to eat less than 1,850 a day by making tiny swaps , like using unsweetened almond milk instead of 1 % . He notices that people treat him differently now that he 's healthy , whether it 's at the grocery store or the gym . He feels better and he thinks that self confidence shows . The couple goes to boot camp on Mondays , and takes a spinning class on Tuesdays and Thursdays . Pippen does kickboxing on Wednesdays and swims laps on the weekends , while Susan runs on the treadmill . She plans to do a few races next year . `` The hardest part for me is exercising when I do n't want to , '' she says . `` The easiest is eating a little chocolate every day without the guilt , and buying new clothes ! ''
Kevin Pippen lost 188 pounds in two years , cutting his body weight in half . His wife , Susan , has gotten fit as well , dropping from a size 10 to a size 2 . Comment: