Matthew Millheiser, 44, IT Analyst/Developer, Fort Lauderdale, FL
How much weight have you lost? 72 pounds.
Tell us what the “old you” used to be like. I used to tell people that I came from a race of giants, because all the men in my family are tall and broad with tendencies to get “stocky”. Growing up we were the Football linemen, shotput/discus throwers in Track, or stuck in the outfield in Baseball. Still, I managed to stay active, fit, and healthy for many years after college — at least until I got that first corporate job that required a lot of business travel. You know the drill: endless airports, hotel rooms, breakfast buffets, room service, chain restaurants… yeesh. This was compounded by my work in Information Technology, featuring endless hours spent plopped down on my Royal American in front of a computer monitor.
Before
Thus the pattern would engage: the weight would go up, the diet would start, some minimal exercise would be involved, and the weight would go down. And I’d stay healthy and mostly fit… until I wasn’t anymore, creating a Möbius strip of yo-yo’ing weight. Ensuing health issues eventually made themselves aware. By my late 30s I developed sleep apnea, hypertension, and fatigue from chronic anemia. What would later be diagnosed as ulcerative colitis further sapped me not only of energy but of the motivation to do anything to improve my physical well-being.
By the time I turned 40, I was extremely overweight (clinically I was “obese”, but with my body type I was told I “carried it well”), lethargic, always out-of-breath (even during such simple acts as cooking dinner or singing karaoke), and making every excuse I could possibly imagine to justify my wistfully woeful condition!
What prompted your weight loss? I turned 40.
OK, I know, that’s the walking, talking cliche, right? Mea maxima culpa on that particular revelation. Yet, it’s true. When I hit four decades of life, I had that honest self-evaluation period. Call it vanity if you will, but I was tired of hating every picture of me I saw on friends’ and family’s social media. I was sick of my limited wardrobe of clothes I felt “comfortable” wearing. I loathed feeling slow, weak, and tired every moment of every day.
No one enjoys feeling like 50 gallons of lumpy potato salad in a 25 gallon bag. I mean, unless that’s your “thing”…
And then this happened: my wife Kim and I took a cruise to Jamaica and Haiti to celebrate my 40th birthday. While grabbing some sun by the pool I was asked by some event coordinator if I wanted to participate in the “Belly Flop Contest”.
That, as they say, was all she wrote…
How did you lose the weight? I remembered listening to the WDW Radio podcast a few years previous, in which host Lou Mongello and his guests were discussing running the Walt Disney World Half Marathon. At the time it sounded like something fun that maybe I could do in the future… but let’s face it, I wasn’t a runner. I was never a runner. I was too big to be a runner. I wasn’t cut out to be a runner.
So right around then I figured I’d become a Runner.
After a wee bit of research, I discovered the Couch to 5K program online. To my utterly inexperienced sensibilities, it seemed like a reasonable start to a running and fitness regimen. Thus on the sunny afternoon of January 31, 2011 — two days after returning from that “Belly Flop”-filled extravaganza on the high seas — I took that first tentative, near-terrifying step on the treadmill…
… and around ten weeks later, that “Never Gonna Be A Runner” Dude ran three miles. THREE MILES — continuously! Just driving three miles used to be a chore. And steadily over time, this former “Belly-Flopping Master of Melancholia” was chalking up the miles like they were going out of style.
While this was happening, I cross-trained with weights and elliptical, and kept a rigorous food journal, monitoring my caloric intake with (apologies to Monty Python fans) ruthless efficiency and fanatical devotion. This wasn’t diet and exercise; this was a massive lifestyle upgrade. And the more I committed to the cause, the more wanted to commit to the cause. A mental overhaul.
To quote George Harrison in the Yellow Submarine movie: “It’s all in the mind, ya know?”
How long did it take? The results came very quickly. On average I was losing about 9 pounds a month. No pills, no shakes, no fads and no gimmicks; just healthy eating and exercising six days a week, and unshakeable constancy. In just around eight months, I dropped over 70 pounds.
Eating sensibly and moving the body around — funny how that works.
What was the hardest part? Taking that first step was the hardest part — I should have snapped a selfie while I was climbing aboard that treadmill with a look of abject horror on my face! That was really it, though. Once I was moving, I was motivated, and once I was motivated I started seeing results… and once I started seeing results, that pushed my motivation even harder.
What’s the opposite of a vicious cycle? A ‘virtuous’ cycle? I like the sound of that…
Most fun part of your weight loss? The continuous ego-stroking from friends, family, coworkers, and admirers? Yeesh, vanity again… No but seriously (like I wasn’t serious just now!), my runs became my relaxation time. My mind cleared, the stress of the day vanished, and when I popped in my headphones to listen to my music, podcasts, or audiobooks, I was somewhere else. Somewhere strong, focused, calm, and balanced. Was that the fabled “Runner’s High”? Maybe. But I loved that feeling of being outdoors and removed from that mundane choir of everyday cacophony.
Most rewarding experience? Remember that aforementioned Disney Half Marathon? When I started my journey in January 2011, I vowed to run that Half Marathon in 2012. Six months later, I registered for the race. And on January 7th, 2012, I ran the Walt Disney World Half Marathon — my first distance race. Ever.
I don’t even think I have the words to describe what that experience felt like. I’ll just throw the phrase ‘MEGA EUPHORIC TRIUMPH’ out there and hope that suffices.
Since that time I’ve completed 9 5Ks, 5 10Ks, 23 half marathons, 4 full marathons, a Tough Mudder, and a host of other relays, specialty runs, obstacle races, and so forth.
Who/what inspires you when you feel like quitting? The way I see it, I’m continuously being hunted down by the person I was pre- January 31, 2011. The overweight, lazy, lethargic, unhealthy version of myself. If I slow down even for a second, he’s gonna show up with an extra-large pizza, a case of beer, video game controller and a Netflix subscription over a Google Fiber line. He’s a fun guy, that one. Jolly, happy, and carefree… which of course, is the ultimate delusion. In actuality, he was none of those things. I’ve been down that rabbit hole and stayed there for a long time. I ain’t heading back anytime soon.
How has this weight loss changed you life? It didn’t so much change my life as much as it gave me life. It felt good to feel good, period. My sleep apnea vanished almost overnight, which meant more restful sleep and in turn better health overall. I felt mentally sharper, more confident, and more upbeat. It gave me motivation to improve myself in every capacity — professionally, intellectually, and definitely spiritually. There wasn’t a single aspect of my entire life that didn’t improve from becoming more fit, healthy, and active.
I’ve also met legions of new friends in the running community: locally, through run clubs, and worldwide throughout the Internet. Almost all of them have their own inspirational stories that placed them on the road to fitness. These journeys motivate us to keep moving, reinforce our communal bonds, and provide motivation for countless others.
Have any advice for others who’d like to lose weight? Fad diets, surgical procedures, magnets, supplements, and other such gimmicks won’t do you a lick of good. You don’t need to invest a ton of money or dedicate endless amounts of time. You don’t need fancy equipment, shoes, or clothes. You don’t even need a gym membership. All you need is the desire to change and the will to overcome. Yes, that first step is always the hardest… but then afterward you’ll find it wasn’t all that hard to begin with.
There are a TON of great resources online. Find them and use them, and make a plan that works for you. Others may have advice on what you should be doing, but what works for them — or me! — may not be your best approach to fitness. Still, no matter what, keep moving. Even a 30-minute walk around your neighborhood a few times a week will do wonders.
Weight loss is 90% diet. Keep that food journal going. Find out what your net caloric intake should be and stick to it.
And finally: have scheduled Off-Days. I don’t call them ‘Cheat Days’, because that implies you’re doing something wrong. Off Days aren’t a cheat, they are both a reward for your hard work and a reminder to enjoy the fun things in moderation. Every week I had six days of proper diet and exercise, followed by a seventh day of normalcy. I didn’t go crazy that day, gobbling down whatever I wanted, but it was nice to know I could go out that night for a steak and a beer, or some killer Thai food, even some ice cream for dessert — whatever. You’ll discover that you can enjoy these things in proper moderation. Knowing that you’re not completely giving up the things you love makes it a lot easier to work towards your fitness goals.
Your must-have fitness equipment. My favorite running shoes (Hoka One-One Stinson Tarmacs), my Garmin 220 watch, and my tunes. Oh, and awesome running partners are worth their weight in recovery chocolate milk!
Favorite training song: Motörhead — “Ace of Spades”. There’s simply no better running song. Ever. When you need to kick your game into high gear and get that extra boost, put this one on. Trust me. Or rather, trust Lemmy.
Favorite healthy food: My go-to meal is chicken, brown rice, black beans, and veggies. But lately I’ve become a huge fan of quinoa burgers!
Favorite not-so-healthy food: Chinese food. Loaded with fat and sodium and calories, it can be your worst dietary nightmare. On the other hand, it tastes so darn good. Like my grandmama used to say, “You dim sum, you lose some…” *groan*
Funniest /weirdest/most awkward experience during your weight loss journey. I was so self-conscious about running, it took me almost eight months to get off the treadmill and brave running outside. Of course once I did, I never wanted to get on the treadmill again… but that very first time outside, in the middle of a nine mile run, I tripped over the sidewalk in front of roughly, oh, let’s say NINE ZILLION PEOPLE. Mid tumble, I tucked my head into my arm and turned it into this tuck-and-roll thing and sprouted right back up again… like I meant to do that. These two guys (who witnessed the entire debacle) started sarcastically applauding from their driveway. I think I turned about 37 shades of chartreuse.
Future goals: I want… no, I need to run the Boston Marathon. One day…
Meanwhile, I’m training for my first triathlon in April. It’s only a sprint tri, but I’ve started swim training and am loving it! Eventually I’d love to compete in an an Iron Man event. I’m also looking forward to running a marathon in Alaska this June and eventually I’d like to try an Ultramarathon.
I’d also like for the Disney race announcers to call out my name when I reach the Finish Line. Seriously! Eleven Run Disney races so far, and Zilch! Nada! Bupkis! I feel like the Susan Lucci of the running world…
Check out Matthew’s blog for more info about running and race reviews! http://millheiser.com/
Matthew, Your success has been impressive, hard-earned and logical. Thanks for sharing your fab story in such a fun way with so many big words! We’re huge new fans of THE YOU. Fitz and the entire team at Fitzness.com
