Synopses & Reviews
At the age of 22, Ben Davis weighed over 360 pounds. Depressed, addicted to food, and morbidly obese, he thought he’d lost all hope. But after a Christmas Eve conversation with his grandmother, Ben promised himself that he would finally take control of his life. Ben decided to “do life,” and so can you.
He started running—slowly at first, but as the pounds came off and his outlook on life started to change, he went faster and further. At first, he couldn’t run a mile, but before long he was running five, ten, and then twenty miles at a time. His father and brother joined him, and as a team they ran a marathon and went on to complete one of the hardest physical competitions in the world, the Ironman.
Throughout his journey, Ben captured his transformation in a series of YouTube videos, inspiring countless others around the world to “do life” along with him. In Do Life, Ben shares more of his personal story--from his lifelong struggles with food and obesity to each goal that he set for himself along his journey, including the pitfalls, setbacks, and hard won victories.
But in Do Life, Ben does more than tell his story. He illustrates how you can use his techniques to start living your own life to the fullest, whether that means making a complete transformation, losing weight, or simply running further. Running taught Ben how to “do life” and here he teaches you what he’s learned along the way—how to set aside crippling fear and self-doubt, finally find your smile, and ultimately share it with those around you. By sharing his discovery of what was holding him back and how he was able to push forward, Ben will teach you how to break free from any obstacle and live the life you’ve always wanted.
Do Life isn’t just about diet or exercise, depression, or addiction—it’s about stepping out of your ordinary life and becoming who you want to be. It’s the story of one man who decided to live life his way. And it could be your story, too.
Review
“He needed to be inspired to change his life, and yet now he will be a huge inspiration in mine. Ordinary people doing miraculous things—this is what Ben is about. It would be easier to give in, but Ben fought back. And Ben won. If I am ever fortunate enough to run the Boston Marathon again, I will be thinking of Ben Davis as I line up to start. I will think of his journey and it will give me strength to run through mine.” —Kara Goucher, Olympic Marathoner “Ben’s story and wisdom captured me from the start. An everyman kind of guy, Ben winningly convinces his loyal fans that they can get healthy, happy, and live the lives of their dreams.” —Caitlin Boyle, author and founder of Operation Beautiful “Ben’s story is remarkable and inspiring. He personifies so much of what Runner’s World stands for.” —David Willey, editor in chief, Runner’s World
Review
PRAISE FOR BEN DAVIS AND DO LIFE
“Hes a living testimonial to the power of personal transformation and, yes, something of a sensation.”—Runners World
“He needed to be inspired to change his life, and yet now he will be a huge inspiration in mine. Ordinary people doing miraculous things—this is what Ben is about. It would be easier to give in, but Ben fought back. And Ben won. If I am ever fortunate enough to run the Boston Marathon again, I will be thinking of Ben Davis as I line up to start. I will think of his journey and it will give me strength to run through mine.” —Kara Goucher, Olympic marathoner
“Bens story and wisdom captured me from the start. An everyman kind of guy, Ben winningly convinces his loyal fans that they can get healthy, happy, and live the lives of their dreams.”—Caitlin Boyle, author and founder of Operation Beautiful
“A lot of people lose weight, but thats not the story with Ben. Bens story is about recognizing that youre not happy with your life and taking a hard left to fix it. Too many people let their lives cruise forward on autopilot—thats not living. Ben is an active participant in his life now, and at such a young age, hell be able to convince a lot of people to join him for a long time to come!” —Brandi Koskie, director of publishing, Diets in Review.com
“Ben has a true gift in how he relates to people and how he shares his inspiring message in a very personal and entertaining way. It was clear there are many who will be taking his message with them as they start or continue their road to a better life.”
—Jake McKelvy, director of Lake Forest Fitness Center, Lake Forest, Illinois
“Bens story is remarkable and inspiring. He personifies so much of what Runners World stands for.”—David Willey, editor in chief, Runners World
Synopsis
Now in paperback: ?An impressive achievement...Not likely to be forgotten anytime soon.?(Washington Times)Here is the riveting true story of Jason McElwain? better known as ?J-Mac??the autistic student who made headlines when he scored twenty points, including a school record six three-pointers, for his high school basketball team in 2006. Including the revealing perspectives of J-Mac?s family and coach, this is McElwain?s inspiring account of the challenges of growing up autistic?not only for himself, but for his family. It?s also the tale of his unlikely star turn, the difference it made in his journey through life?and all the heartbreaking and heart-lifting stops along the way.
About the Author
Ben Davis went from morbidly obese and depressed to healthy and happy. He has lost 120 pounds, run seven marathons, completed two Ironmans, and gone from miserable recluse to motivational speaker. He has dozens of medals and has met thousands of amazing people along the way.