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To bring together health and fitness information that continues to motivate and inspire movement within each and every one of us to live our lives to the fullest.
Jay Quintero
Y100 air personality Jay Quintero, is a one of a kind person. A little over one year ago, he was on the road to living a life full of Diabetes medication, along with the uncomfortable feeling of moving around and not being able to do the things the average person can do. Right before the Thanksgiving of 2009, he was faced with a life changing decision. Here is Jay’s story as I saw it.
When I first met Jay, back in the spring of 2005, I saw him as the lovable, cuddly, always in the friend zone person. He was a bit overweight. And by bit, he was 5’9 and over 350 pounds. I am guessing it was because he was always around the delicious cooking of the Mexican culture.
I was the Promotions Director for one of the many formats on 106.7, KELZ. He was hired out of Houston, Tx. where he was an On-Air Personality for KQQK, and other Tejano stations in the Houston area.
If anyone in San Antonio can remember our format at that time, we were a Top 40 radio station that was very heavily into the clothing and fashion scene. Our main target at that time was the Hispanic female, age 18-25. They are very fashion savvy and really stayed away from what they did not see what was “in style” to them.
Being a bit overweight, it was hard for me to buy his staff shirts, because the majority of the clothing I would buy for staff and listeners were sizes small to large. Unfortunately, he wore a XXXXXL. I am sure he felt so uncomfortable around the listeners at the remotes and other station functions we had.
He always kept a positive attitude about everything he did, and always made the people around him laugh, as he does today.
When I left the radio station in 2007, I would talk to him occasionally. I told him that I was borderline diabetic and was close to being placed on medication (even though I am not a big person). The conversation then turned to him and he told me that he WAS placed on several medications to prevent himself from becoming Type II diabetic. Anyone who is placed on medication usually runs in one of two directions. They will either continue on the medication and eventually increase the dosage until they are on insulin, or make a life changing 180 degree turn and eat healthy, exercise, and rid themselves of the medication they are taking.
After he was interviewed for a radio station in Florida and verbally accepting a job there (all from his voice and sound checks), was asked for some type of head shot so the Program Director can put a face with the voice. When Jay sent the picture and waited for a call back, it never came. Jay then called the Program Director, and was told, “we will get back to you.” Anyone in the media industry knows that is a polite way to tell you that you did not get the job.
At that time, he knew something had to be done. He applied to have Gastric Bypass Surgery done to help aid with the weight loss. He waited for several months to get approved for the Gastric Bypass Surgery, but as anyone who has dealt with insurance companies, this is not a fun process. Right before Thanksgiving of 2009, he was released as a full time employee for Cox Radio. Benefits and pay were cut right before the Holiday season. Fortunately, this just made him drive even harder and was determined not to let this beat him. He opted for the cobra insurance and finally received the news he was approved and was scheduled for surgery right before Thanksgiving (even though the receptionist asked if he wanted to wait till after the holidays). He then felt, there is no better time than the present.
He posted on the social network “Facebook”, his surgery weight and he was in for this life change. There are few people that opt to take the surgery, and even fewer that stick by what they need to do to have this work for them. He was in for a lifetime of change. He would have to change his eating habits, by cutting his portions and changing the food he would intake, along with exercising every day to aid with his cardio vascular.
As soon was able to start walking, he set his route around his neighborhood, and every day, rain or shine, he was out walking the route. He took pictures, it seemed like every day, but you could just see the weight slide off of him. He would post the food he would eat, and would want to eat, but stuck with the game plan. Nothing was getting in the way of his main goal, to live a healthy life for his wife and daughter, and not be another statistic. I have to admit, he was my inspiration on some of my runs when I was training for my marathon. There were days, I felt sluggish, lazy, sorry for myself, but reading his posts on Facebook, I felt the pain he was going through and never gave up.
When talking to him, he made the comment, “I was living to die”. He didn’t want to make any big purchases, or take any trips feeling that he wasn’t going to be around very long and didn’t want leave his family in any debt.
As of today, he weighs 194 pounds (which is less than me), and is completely off of all of his medication.
His life, growing up in Houston Tx., was a struggle. He was never the small kid in school, over eating because he was not sure when his next meal was going to come. He was having to shop at the Big and Tall stores because he could not shop at Walmart, or Target. Even up to the last days before the surgery, obstacles were still popping up. Now he says he fits into an XL (but it looks like a Large to me), and can shop anywhere his BIG heart desires.
Well Jay, in a way you did die. The shy, big, overweight person that was living in you is now gone and deceased. I cannot wait to start doing some of these races with you, and hope you don’t embarrass me too much by beating me. You are an inspiration to many of us.
I would like to be the first to say “Welcome to the rest of you long and healthy life!”
Check out this awesome video of his life transformation at www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1IGxK79_RQ.
