Lyle Wallace was a towering presence at 6 feet 3 inches during his high school freshman year, weighing around 185 pounds.
His active lifestyle, filled with football and basketball during his junior and senior years, saw him flourish with a sturdy physique that peaked at 230 pounds. That momentum persisted due to his fast metabolism and a commitment to regular exercise. However, everything shifted once he began Bible college in upstate New York—where physical health slipped down his priority list.
The Weight Crept On
As he transitioned into ministry, the weight gained was insidious. Meals shared with young congregation members turned into frequent visits to fast food establishments like Taco Bell or local Mexican spots, where the habit of filling up on chips and salsa before the main course became rampant.
This lifestyle was compounded by the emotional toll of the job; Lyle struggled to detach from the heavy emotional burdens faced by others. Experiences that included exposure to domestic violence and sexual abuse had a profound effect on him.
As his stress levels spiked, so did Lyle’s reliance on food as a comfort. He faced increasingly troublesome digestive issues, including bouts of diverticulitis that landed him in and out of medical facilities for colonoscopies and liver biopsies. By his 20s and 30s, despite obvious warning signs, he found himself leading a sedentary lifestyle, primarily sitting in his office studying, writing sermons, and managing paperwork.
As age progressed, Lyle’s metabolism began to slow—but he failed to adapt his lifestyle to mitigate this change.
Physical challenges grew evident through issues like tendonitis and alarming symptoms that resembled a heart attack. He lived in excruciating pain from his back problems, which culminated in spine surgery in 2019.
Serious Health Concerns Emerge
The stark reality of his health hit Lyle like a freight train when he was diagnosed with diabetes in January 2023. His fear was palpable—his father lived with diabetes and took multiple insulin shots daily. Lyle, terrified of needles, didn’t want to follow that same path as the scale tipped over 285 pounds.
Though prescribed Metformin, he received no guidance on lifestyle changes, leading his blood sugar levels to spike instead. An A1C test revealed a concerning value of 8.0, deepening his despair.
This was, however, a moment of clarity. Encouraged by his health insurance, Lyle enrolled in an app called Twin Health, which utilized AI to create a “digital twin” of his metabolic health.
This app collated his health data—from lab tests to a smart scale and blood pressure cuff—and provided tailored suggestions for nutrition, sleep, and exercise. Lyle learned impactful strategies such as prioritizing protein and fiber before carbohydrates to bolster his metabolism. Together with his wife Nicole, they scanned barcodes at the supermarket to evaluate food options, ensuring they avoided sugar spikes.
A Health Transformation
Gradually, Lyle amplified his physical activity, reaching a goal of walking four miles a day without aggravating his back. One afternoon, he dashed after his eight-year-old daughter and her cousin, realizing how far he’d come when he overtook them, leaving them in disbelief.
Currently weighing in at 215 pounds, he has shed a total of 70 pounds, with a reduction from a 42-inch to a 36-inch waist and 2.5 inches off his collar size.
The most triumphant part of his journey? He has reversed his diabetes, bringing his A1C down to 5.1, freeing himself from medication. His congregation, curious and inspired, frequently asks him how he achieved such a remarkable transformation. While not typically a tech-savvy individual, Lyle found that AI has been a powerful ally on his path to wellness.
