IMAGINE a 16-stone, chain-smoking chocoholic with high blood pressure deciding to run the marathon. That’s what Steve Way did at the Commonwealth Games, when he finished an amazing tenth. He is an inspiration and proof that if you want something hard enough, anything is possible.

In seven years, Steve has dropped to 10st 8lbs (most of it muscle) and even though he’s 40 he’ll be doing more than just making up the numbers at the Games.

This year he was the third Brit to cross the line at the 26-mile London marathon, finishing eighth. He was just eight minutes behind Mo Farah, quite an achievement.

He wasn’t even one of the elite participants, but his superb performance earned him almost £900 in prize money. What amazed me was reading in the papers that the night before the London marathon he’d spent the night in a camper van on his cousin’s driveway to save money – hardly the perfect preparation for a big brace.

 Back page of Steve’s local paper

Steve, a bank worker from Bournemouth, happily admits he was “a fat bloke” and his health was suffering. “Towards the end of 2007 I could hardly sleep,” he says. “I was coughing and waking up because of the smoking.

“Our meals were takeaways and I would eat chocolates and sweets all the time. I realised I has to do something different to break the cycle.”

That’s the real lesson and the inspiration for anyone who wants to change their lifestyle to improve their health. The hardest part is always breaking the cycle of habits that it’s so easy to get into.

What’s important to realise that is that because habits are easy to get into, they can be just as easy to break. Ask Steve (below).

Just think about Steve Way running for England in the Marathon and set yourself a goal to be like him. Not running a marathon necessarily, but doing something different that will get your body moving. Let his achievement be your inspiration.

And do let me know how you get on. Your achievements may be different to Steve’s yet they can be just as much of an inspiration to others.