On top of Pikes Peak in Colorado in May 2001.  At an elevation of 14,110 ft., I reached the summit riding aboard the highest Railway in America. Even at rest I was short of breath and gasping for air weighing in at well over 400 pounds.  I could not have made it up a flight of steps in that condition.

On top the Peak of MT. Whitney in California on Sept. 18, 2002.  At 14,497 ft., it is the tallest mountain in the continental United States. With my weight at 197 pounds I was able to hike it with ease!   "Let the people sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops.  Let them give glory to the Lord and proclaim His praise."  Isaiah 42: 11-12.

Welcome to my web site!

My name is Dr. Nick Yphantides from San Diego, California.  On April 1, 2001, I began a pilgrimage that covered 38,000 miles of driving an RV across the length and width of the great United States!!!  My adventure took me to all 50 states in 50 weeks, all 30 Major League Baseball Parks while attending 110 Major League Baseball Games including the 2001 All-Star Game, League Championship Series and the amazing 2001 World Series between the Diamondbacks and Yankees.  All of this I accomplished while becoming less than half the man I once was.  I have since lost a total of 270 pounds in the process dropping from 467 pounds to my current weight of 197 pounds.  While loosing the weight was quite a challenge, I am currently striving to maintain my current health through a completely new lifestyle and approach towards personal fitness.  My prayer is to have this radical physical transformation be a lasting and permanent one for the rest of my life.

With the help of this web site, I hope to share with you a sample of the adventures and experiences I was blessed with along the way.  The journey was the ultimate pilgrimage of adventure, personal discovery and spiritual growth.  It is my desire not to boast about my accomplishments, but rather be a source of encouragement and motivation to others that might be facing similar struggles.   It took a long time for me to reach the point of pulling the trigger and finally doing something drastic to address my personal health.  As a Medical Doctor I got tired of telling my patients "do as I say not as I do!"  It is now my desire to humbly say to them and you "do as I say and as I have done."  I realize that not everyone has the luxury of the time and resources to have this kind of experience, but I do believe that we can be purposeful and deliberate in becoming healthier individuals.  The strategy of combining doing something good for my health while doing something I enjoyed was a miraculous combination. God was very generous in blessing me in so many ways during this adventure.  I am honored to share this site with you as a testimony of the amazing things He can do in the life of a man dependent on Him.  If a 467 pounder can receive the strength and ability to do what I have done, with God's help, so can YOU!!!

Come on in, look around at the chronological photo album and, if you have the time, read some of the updates that I submitted every couple weeks initially and less frequently now.  Feel free to click on the flashing envelope below to send me a personal e-mail.  I promise to make every effort to respond promptly to every message I receive.

My desire is for you to be encouraged and motivated in your own personal health and fitness.  This adventure has been such an overwhelming gift from God.  The least I can do is share some of the pearls of experience and lessons learned with others who have the interest.  God bless you and thanks so much for your visit!   Enjoy!

Dr. Nick