Sixteen years ago, I was in the worst physical and mental shape of my life. I was a work-a-holic, Internet addict who never exercised and mostly ate junk food. When the food was healthy, such as my wife’s home-cooked meals, I always ate 2-3 plates.

The next year, I lost a lot of weight, abandoned narcissism, disconnected, and started living large on low-caloric technology. I even wrote a best-selling book about it.

In the proceeding years, I maintained that balance. But I was still 5-10 pounds more than my doctor wanted after my back surgery. “The lighter you are, the longer your back will last,” he said.

This year, I finally shed those last 10 pounds, plus an extra five for insurance (because I quickly gain five pounds sometimes, especially on vacation). That way I’m never over my target weight, which makes me feel good about how I’m treating my back and extending my physical health.

I’m not sharing this to sell you anything. In fact, my mostly vegetarian diet is free of charge and basically this: eat real food, mostly plants, not too much, and only dessert on special occasions. On top of that, I rigorously exercise for 21 minutes each weekday and play soccer three times a week.

Why, then, would I hurl something so superficial onto the internet? Because people can change. Maybe you don’t need any changes. But most of us do. I’m grateful for a lifetime of change where each of us can learn and grow at or own pace and by our own free will and choice.

To be fair, life was still beautiful all those years ago. And I was more than the sum of my weight and mental compulsions. But I’m grateful to have achieved peak health this year and hope to inspire others to do the same.

If I can do it over 16 years, anyone can.