Five stories that have North Texas talking: A Lake Jackson native ate Chick-fil-A regularly and lost 140 pounds; A Dallas woman won The Price Is Right; TCU researchers hope to save the bats; and more.
From Jenny Craig to juicing, Alton Ward tried all of the diets. At 18 and 352, the Texas A&M freshman got serious about losing weight. With fad diets proving to be a bust, Ward started eating Chick-fil-A regularly like he used to as a kid.
Within a year, he lost 140 pounds. He told Business Insider Chick-fil-A’s portions and regular cardio and strength exercise was the life-saving combination. He eventually got down to 190 pounds and shed the complications that come with obesity — high blood pressure and cholesterol.
Now, at 25, he doesn’t eat Chick-Fil-A quite as much anymore, but his then-diet was lunch and dinner at least five times a week, Ward detailed on Chick-fil-A’s website. Ward told Business Insider that not all fast food is “greasy burgers and...artery-clogging” and that spending more money for the healthier options was worth it.
"People are always looking for the short-term solution. Chick-fil-A just helped me to take a step back and understand that I have to make a long term life change and find food that works for me and exercise that works for me and make it fun."
Ward has been living and working in sales in Colorado and promoting health and wellness in the community, especially among children, but he’s making the move back to Texas on Sunday, according to Fort Worth Star-Telegram. [Business Insider, Fort Worth Star-Telegram]
- A woman from Uptown Dallas can answer all of our burning questions about The Price Is Right. Is everyone genuinely that excited? Do you have to pay taxes? Is the wheel super heavy? Yes, to all three, corporate recruiter Susanne Clift told Dallas Observer. Clift went on the longtime game show after inheriting leftover tickets from her boyfriend’s brother, and after waiting in line, filling out paperwork and being randomly chosen to play, she ended up winning the final showcase that included a gold bracelet, speedboat and all-inclusive trip to Costa-aaa Rica-aaa (read in announcer’s voice). Clift also said host Drew Carey is a genuinely nice guy. [Dallas Observer]
- Don’t let a little flesh-eating bacteria keep you from the beach this summer. Recent cases of Texas beach-goers contracting infections from vibrio vulnificus are scaring people, but they don’t need to. There have been 27 cases this year, but how many resulted in serious infections is unknown. Dr. A. Scott Lea, a professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston told Austin American-Statesman the vibrio infection is much more likely to be associated with injuries while fishing, boating or netting, and most people don’t swim in the higher-risk areas — bays, marshes or around docks. The best defense after a day at the beach — soap and water. [Austin American-Statesman, Texas Standard]
- Wind turbines you see scattered about the vast countryside lazily rotating are unintentional yet relentless bat-killers. A team of TCU researchers estimate approximately half a million bats are killed by turbine blades spinning between 150-200 miles per hour every year, and with renewable energy being a national priority, the number of bat deaths will keep climbing, KERA News reported. The team is trying to figure out ways to deter bats from the turbines, but first, they have to find out why the bats are attracted to the colossal choppers. Researcher Amanda Hale suspects bats confuse the smooth surface of the turbine for water. Hale’s research will be tested next summer near the Oklahoma border, where her team will apply texture to some turbines and leave others smooth. [KERA News]
- Texas is nearing its goal of permanently assigning 250 additional troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. The state is expanding its coverage beyond the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas to include West Texas and Big Bend, The Texas Tribune reported. By the end of the summer, the state Department of Public Safety will have graduated 209 of the 250 troopers required by the $800 million House Bill 11, “an omnibus border-security measure passed in 2015 mandating the increase in staffing levels.” Critics argued the border was safe and the wave of immigrants in 2015 were fleeing violence and meant Texas no harm, but lawmakers justified the bill saying the U.S. Border Patrol was overwhelmed and the state department needed to help out. [The Texas Tribune]
