This week, to honor the New Year and keeping with my sincere hope that 2015 is a healthy and happy new year for all my readers, I want to share a little of my own story with you. Consider this my version of 8 Questions: Lifestyle change.

Time goes by quickly. It was almost six years ago that my journey to health and fitness started. At that time, my cholesterol was extremely high, I had early signs of a heart issues and I weighed 65-plus pounds more than today. I started down a path to wellness that seemed hopeless at times and tested my dedication and drive almost daily.

In the process, many very good people, from health care professionals to coworkers and complete strangers, supported and encouraged my efforts. Along the way, I was given the opportunity to write this column, which is now read in many other areas of the country and promoting health and fitness to even more people.

I would like to share a column I wrote in 2011 which was titled "It's Never Too Late." This particular column tells a common story of how good people change lives and how it is never too late for any of us to turn our health and wellness around.

I was talking with an older friend the other day and he made the comment that he is getting too old to work out. My instant response came out so quickly it surprised me: "It is never too late in life to enjoy fitness!"

I proceeded to share my three-year fitness journey with my friend in hopes of inspiring him to start his own first steps into fitness.

My story started three years ago like so many others - an unfortunate divorce, finding myself unhealthy both physical and emotionally and in my case, with a very young child that needed me more than ever.

I remember the day that it all started for me and my drive for fitness and eventually writing this column. It was a weekend morning and my son and I were hanging out and I headed down some basement stairs and slipped. I bounced down a half-dozen steps and quickly realized I just re-injured my lower back; I'd had extensive surgery on my L3, L4, L5 vertebrae in 2002.

There I was, on my back, with severe pain and unable to get back up the stairs. My son, who was 3 and a half years old at the time, came to me and said "It's OK daddy, I can help you." As his small hands started to pull on my arm and help me up, I realized that his big heart, but small body would give little help.

In that tender moment, tears filled my eyes and my son asked why I was crying and I told him no reason, but I knew if I am going to take care of my son, something needs to change. Out of pure will, my son and I got up the stairs to get help and a much-needed ice pack.

My next stop was physical therapy, where I shared my story about my son's efforts to help and I mentioned to my PT how I wish I could be in the same shape I was in in my early 30s. That's when my PT, who was an amazing guy, said "There is no reason you can't."

I then proceeded to tell him a number of reasons why I can't and he just stood his ground, saying, "It is never too late to be in the best shape of your life." He then shared his own story that he had cancer, his kids were in the same age range as mine and how they inspired him to overcome his illness. This made my issues seem so insignificant. It really made me think there was something to his words, so I started running and getting to the gym more often. This amazing father and therapist lost his fight and passed away in September of that year and when I heard this, his words of encouragement filled my thoughts and crystallized my own drive to be as fit as I could possibly get.

Then I was working with a very fit and athletic younger guy who would toss out good-hearted challenges and would say things like "old guys can't have a six-pack abs" and "old guys can't be as strong as younger guys or run very fast, jump very high" etc. With so much inspiration and challenges, my health and fitness has become a lifestyle and remembering the words "It's never too late" has proven to be so true.

Now as I looked back and recounted to my young friend the loss of 65 pounds, reducing my waist from a 36 to 31, running the mile in less than seven minutes and yes, even finding my six-pack abs, I challenged him that he could do the same. I also coached him to take it slow and avoid the many injuries that in my haste I experienced - a torn bicep, torn ankle ligament, plantar fasciitis and numerous other bumps and bruises.

Looking forward to this awesome world of health and fitness, I have made the commitment for 2012 to become a Certified Personal Trainer along with a Certification in Nutrition so I can write a more informed newspaper column. I have set goals to compete in three sprint triathlons this summer, another Dirty Dash, a handful of running races and with luck, a Warrior Dash in Hawaii in March.

Now fast-forward to 2015, and I can say the last five years have been amazing. I have more than 180 columns written with more than 150,000 words bringing health and fitness information to you, my readers. Looking at numerous health and fitness credentials achieved and more on the way for 2015, I am more excited about the future than ever before.

The best standout moments through all my fitness-related adventures have included the wonderful people I have had the pleasure to meet - many of you who read this column in fact. So, clearly it is never too late to help, encourage and to take action to make your life and the life of others healthier and happier through wellness. Happy New Year!

Judd Jones is a director for the Hagadone Corporation.