A Remarkable Transformation: Local Voice Overcomes Diabetes Through Diet and Determination
“I would always try and hide my weight,” says Dan Cochell. “I would always wear bigger clothes and just sort of exist with the weight. And I would always literally pray to God and ask to just be skinny one more time before I die in my life.”
For years, these were the thoughts plaguing Dan Cochell, the familiar voice many wake up to each morning. While his cheerful tones graced the airwaves, internally, Cochell struggled with his weight, carrying the burden for as long as he could remember. A life-altering diagnosis in 2021 forced him to confront his health head-on.
A New Lease on Life
“January 17th, 2021,” says Cochell. “It’s kind of a day that will always be with me. Like my birthday. It was like I was given a second chance.”
That day, he received a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. The news jolted him into action. He knew if he didn’t lose weight, he was on a dangerous path.
“I was motivated,” says Cochell. “I was on death’s doorstep. I mean, to be that high of your A1C and that overweight… I was maybe one or two donuts away or maybe a pizza away from having a heart attack.”
Cochell embarked on a complete lifestyle change, focusing fiercely on diet, the very day of his diagnosis. It was a gradual process, a slow and steady weight loss journey.
“This literally took me three years,” says Cochell. “In the beginning, I could see the gradual weight loss maybe one or two pounds a month. I could see it in my clothes and then I could see it when I looked in the mirror that okay there was something happening. But the third year is when I really started in late fall going, wow, I am really losing weight.”
He dropped an astonishing 135 pounds. Today, he’s nearly unrecognizable to those who knew him before.
“When I’m actually walking in the store and someone who knew me back when I was big walks right by me because they can’t recognize me,” says Cochell. “That’s pretty remarkable.”
The Power of Diet
Cochell transformed his body without resorting to grueling workouts or expensive weight-loss programs. He credits his success to a dedication to monitoring carbohydrates.
“I became a carb expert,” says Cochell.
Counting carbs, discipline, and managing cravings became his key strategies.
“What I found out through the diabetes education is I can have three 15 carb selections each meal,” says Cochell. “So if I had low carb bread, which is eight carbs. If I had two pieces of bread, that’d be 16 carbs so that’s one selection. I count out potato chips; 18 potato chips would be another 15 carbs and then something number three. So I would have that every single meal.”
He found a routine that worked for him, showcasing a simple, yet effective approach to managing his weight.
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And walking around work is a good way Dan gets his steps in.
“Here at the station at lunch I’d go out, walk around the parking lot several times a day, brisk walk,” says Cochell. “That’s the only workout I’ve ever done to lose the weight.”
While he is still on insulin, he has a positive outlook for the future.
“It really changed my life losing this weight… I feel so much healthier, and you know, I already have energy anyway, but I feel a lot more energetic and I feel a lot younger,” says Cochell.
November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 38 million Americans have diabetes, 90-95% of which have type 2. While there is no cure for type 2 diabetes, it can be reversed in most people by managing blood sugar levels and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.</活躍
What message does Dan share with people who are struggling with similar challenges to what he faced?
## Interview: Dan Cochell – A Voice Transformed
**Host:** Welcome back to the show. Today, we have a very special guest, local radio personality Dan Cochell. Dan, thank you for joining us.
**Dan:** Thanks for having me!
**Host:** Now, Dan, you’re known as the friendly voice that wakes many of us up each morning. But what many listeners might not know is your impressive journey of personal transformation. Can you tell us about it?
**Dan:** Absolutely. For a long time, I struggled with my weight. It was something I hid, always wearing baggy clothes and wishing things were different.
Then, in January 2021, I received a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. That was a wake-up call.
It wasn’t just about the diagnosis itself, it was realizing how close I was to serious health problems.
**Host:** That sounds incredibly difficult. What changed for you?
**Dan:** Honestly, fear was a big motivator. I knew if I didn’t make changes, I was putting my life at risk. So, I decided to change my diet completely.
**Host:** Was it a quick fix or a gradual process?
**Dan:** It was definitely a journey, a slow and steady one. It took three years, but I started to see results, even if it was just a pound or two a month. Seeing those changes in my clothes and in the mirror kept me motivated. [[1](https://www.facebook.com/KRDOnewsradio/videos/dan-cochell-getting-you-ready-for-the-weekend/304724968024772/)]
**Host:** 135 pounds is an amazing achievement, Dan. What’s it like to feel like a completely different person?
**Dan:** It’s incredible. People don’t recognize me sometimes! I feel healthier, more energetic - it’s like I’ve been given a second chance.
**Host:** What message do you want to share with people who might be struggling with similar challenges?
**Dan:** Don’t give up hope. It’s never too late to make a change. It takes time and dedication, but the rewards are worth it. Those small steps add up.
**Host:** Thank you so much for sharing your story, Dan. It’s truly inspiring.
