Jonathon Walters did n't know where to begin . He just knew he had to start somewhere , or he would n't be alive for much longer . His weight had caused him problems for years . In high school , he was wearing size 50 pants . As a junior , sick of the bullies and comments from teachers , Walters went to his father and told him he was dropping out of school . He recalls his dad saying , `` John , quitting is unlike anything else in life . It is only hard the first time you do it . After that it is habit and almost impossible to break . '' His dad was right . Walters received his high school diploma through home schooling in 2006 . But in the years that followed , he quit college and multiple jobs . Now , though , the comic book colorist from Benton , Illinois , is finally sticking with something . His father 's death motivated him to lose 200 pounds in the last nine months , and he says he is n't looking back . 'My world had collapsed ' On May 6 , 2013 , Walters received devastating news : His father had died from a heart attack . He was 53 . According to Walters , his father was n't overweight or really out of shape , so his death was unexpected . `` My world had collapsed , '' Walters said . Walters was despondent . He left his job as a telecommunications sales rep and did n't speak to practically anyone besides his wife and three young boys . Already heavy , Walters began packing on more weight in the weeks after his father died . He ate to numb the pain he felt , every night feeling the crushing weight laying heavy on his chest . `` At first I played the role of the victim and slowly let my obsession with food consume me , '' he said . But then he had a realization about his father 's death . It hit him that he too would `` eventually run out of tomorrows . '' On July 18 , he woke up and decided he had had enough . He was done . `` I was done being a burden to my family . I was done feeling pain every second of every day . I was done being stared at in grocery stores . I was done being the regular customer at fast food restaurants . I was done being the unhealthy version of me . `` I was done quitting everything I started . I was going to not only lose the weight , I was going to obliterate it . I was going to stop giving up . I quit quitting . '' Facing reality . Walters made a doctor 's appointment for the next day . He had no idea how he would do it , but he was determined to lose weight without surgery and knew he needed help . At the doctor 's office , he had to sit in the bench-style chairs because he was too large to fit in the regular seats . Facing reality was hard . He weighed 477 pounds , had high blood pressure and high cholesterol , as well as a severe fatty liver . He left the doctor 's office and started exercising the next day . `` I could barely walk without getting winded . After every time I went walking , I could feel pain in my legs and feet . It hurt so bad to keep going , but I knew it was temporary and giving up was permanent . '' Walters would walk a quarter mile , then rest for 5 minutes . Slowly , he worked himself up to greater distances . Soon , he was up to 3 miles a day and was down 50 pounds . A few months later , he started running . Walters now runs 10 miles a day , lifts weights and works out on machines at the gym . He has completely changed his diet , lowering his carbohydrate intake , eating more vegetables and fruits , and increasing his protein consumption . He also cut out fried foods and soda . The 6 ' 3 '' man currently weighs 270 pounds . He still wants to lose an additional 30 to 40 pounds , but at a much slower pace through weightlifting . He started a Facebook page to hold himself accountable and is inspired by all the messages he gets each day . Terri Hartman , a nurse practitioner who worked with Walters early on in his diet , said she 's thrilled with his progress . Besides changing his own life , she 's seen his lifestyle changes inspire others , including his two sisters , to become healthy . Walters has found new strength and willpower , Hartman says -- something that will aid him the rest of his life . This time , Walters is determined not to quit . `` It is n't about me anymore . My mission is to bring motivation to the masses and show them it does n't take any surgeries , pills or other products , '' Walters said . `` I have three boys and a wife that count on me daily . ... Imagining my sons and wife without me , makes every ounce of effort I put in worth it . '' He lost 125 pounds , but still felt fat . Random online match helps man lose nearly 400 pounds .
Jonathon Walters grew from 477 pounds to 550 pounds . His father 's unexpected death motivated Walters to make healthier choices . He is determined not to quit for his father 's sake .