Champion's Challenge: Our Interview with #ChallengeLifeKraze Winner, Mike Fowler

Mike Fowler has challenged us to reconsider what is possible. Over the past year, Mike has undergone an incredible transformation and has completely turned his life around. But, as his participation (and ultimate victory!) in Dolvett Quince’s #ChallengeLifeKraze contest shows, he’s not done yet! Despite his busy schedule, Mike is excited about inspiring others, and agreed to let us interview him—here, he shares some challenges he’s overcome, new ones he’s facing, and his advice for you as you face challenges of your own!

Hey Mike! Congrats on your big win! First, would you mind telling us how you found out about LifeKraze, and what made you want to be a member?

I found out about LifeKraze when Dolvett Quince tweeted about it. I thought it was a good idea to participate because one of my rules for success is “seek like minded people and use their support” LifeKraze is a community of people celebrating the Healthy, Active Lifestyle I seek to be a part of.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve recently faced?

My journey to health and improved wellness started with the death of a loved one, on New Year’s Day 2012. We had suffered the unexpected loss of a what we considered a healthy 68 year old family member and while we were at the funeral home grieving, just a few hours after her death, the coroner had stopped by to talk to the family. I requested that an autopsy be preformed since we had no idea how she died in the middle of the night. He asked, in a very matter-of-fact manner, if I would be paying for the autopsy, since the state would not pay, as her death was not a medical mystery? Very puzzled I asked him to explain how this was no mystery? After all, she was only 68 and the only medicine she ever took was for a now-controlled high blood pressure. Again, in the very matter-of-fact manner, he said “I am sorry for your loss but she had high blood pressure over the years, she is overweight and she smoked over 20 years, her death is no mystery PERIOD.” At this time I felt like I had gotten kicked in the chest. Here I stood, an ex-smoker of 20 years with blood pressure running consistently 190/110 and was untreated because I did not want to affect my medical insurance for my family so I stayed away from the doctor. I weighed 306 pounds and I thought about my kids having to decide if paying for an autopsy was worth the money since I also chose to not take care of myself. I decided even if I could not do it for me I had to do it for my kids. I was only 40 and there was still time to change my health. I went on to lose 127 pounds and my blood pressure runs 107/65 now!

What is a challenge you are currently taking on?

My latest challenge is really about a switch in my mind set - from WEIGHT LOSS to FAT LOSS. I have worked very hard the last 15 months to lose weight, which I did through tracking everything I ate. There is the saying “Weight loss is 80% nutrition and 20% fitness.” I was VERY serious about the 80% part and had no desire to work out at all. I was maintaining a minimum of 35% calories from protein sources and a maximum of calories determined by a body analyzer, keeping my calories about 200-400 calories under my BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). Doing this allowed me to lose 127 pounds and 30% body fat. However, I am still at 18% body fat and have a goal of getting into single digits. This made me look into the dreaded 20% fitness thing….. as well as increase my calorie intake and stop being concerned about what the scale says I weigh. It may sound weird but eating more calories and disregarding the fear of weight-increase was a VERY scary thing to overcome.

How are you overcoming it?

To overcome my concern of adding calories I came up with a workout routine that included cardio and weight training. This was all very new to me so I did a ton of research on the internet and I joined a gym. I decided to gauge my results weekly with a body analyzer measuring my % of body fat and % of muscle and not judge anything by weight alone. If I did not see % of fat fall and % muscle rise I would adjust calories accordingly. So far, this has started working for me—in the first 4 weeks the numbers are moving in the right direction and yes I have gained 7 pounds but I am ok with that.

How has winning Dolvett’s contest (and that sweet AFG elliptical) impacted how you’re tackling this challenge?

I am so excited to win this equipment and utilize it on days when I just cannot make the time for the drive to the gym. Particularly because I’ve undergone a number of knee surgeries that have prevented me from running in the past, this will offer me one more tool in the NO EXCUSES game I am trying to play!

And, finally, what advice do you have for people who are facing their own challenges, whether health related, or otherwise?

Change is incredibly hard but you have to find your “WHY” and have a laser focus on it each and every day. Put reminders on your mirror in the bathroom, on the refrigerator and screen savers of your electronic devices. Seek like minded people and use the support of others to get through those tough times when you may want to quit. Don’t forget that it took an incredible amount of time to get you to where you are and that where you want to be is not going to happen overnight. Allow and count on failures, they happen so use them to strengthen your resolve not derail it!

So there you have it! Our most enthusiastic congratulations and thanks go to Mike for inspiring us with his incredible journey. We’d also like to thank Dolvett for leading this awesome challenge, and AFG Fitness for providing an epic prize, and YOU, for following along!

With what you’ve learned from Mike, what new challenges will you be taking on?