How to Better Conquer the Ups & Downs of a Weight Loss Journey | David M. | Better Man Podcast Ep. 130

Dean Pohlman: Hey guys, it’s Dean. Welcome to the Man podcast. Today’s episode is a member interview with David M from Tennessee. In this episode, we’re going to talk about David’s health journey starting way back in 2016. He ended up losing about 50 pounds, but he still had a lot of pain in his body. And then just a few months ago, he started doing manual yoga.

Dean Pohlman: He had kind of plateaued on his fitness, was having a lot of pain, difficulty moving. He’s also a late father in life, so he had a daughter in his mid 40s and he knew he needed to make some changes. If you wanted to be able to play with her, to be there for her. And frankly, as he says in this podcast, to be able to make it to her wedding.

Dean Pohlman: So, I think this is a really inspirational episode. David is doing a lot of the, the right things, creating the right environment to allow himself to be successful with his weight loss and with his fitness. He’s been relying on community at work. He’s got a great supportive environment at home and also, with his newfound mental yoga community.

Dean Pohlman: So I hope you enjoyed this episode. And there are a lot of great things that you can get out of this, and a lot of inspiration to implement into your own health journey. I hope this episode inspires you to be a better man. Hey guys, it’s Dean. Welcome back to the Betterment Podcast. Today is a member interview. I’ve got David M here to talk about his story.

Dean Pohlman: David, thanks for being here.

David M.: You’re welcome. Happy to be. Happy to do it.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah. So, and I love having these conversations because I get to understand. And the people listening get to understand. What was your health journey? What inspired you to be more proactive with your health? And one question I thought I’d ask today that I, that I haven’t done with the other interviews. So I’m throwing you a curveball here for your first question.

Dean Pohlman: If you just introduce yourself, take a minute to introduce yourself. How would you what would you say about yourself,

David M.: Well, I think you know. You could, like, I could go on my hobbies. I loved love to cook. I’m a barbecue chef for our team here in Memphis. We don’t win very much, but stuff like that. But really, I am Mary Margaret Stafford, and, Okay. And that’s where life really revolves around is, I have an eight year old.

David M.: Well, seven and a half, almost eight year old daughter that, pretty much rules the roost around here. And and.

Dean Pohlman: Yes.

David M.: You know,

Dean Pohlman: Kids are tyrants.

David M.: Yeah, they really are. They really are.

Dean Pohlman: One day I’m going to stand up to my child. But not today.

David M.: Today is not that day.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah. Okay. Cool. Yeah. So. So that’s your that’s your big inspiration. So what what for you kind of was your your oh shit moment where you realized, okay, I’ve got to make a change here.

David M.: Yeah. So I’m going to go back a few years. So, in just like the 2000, 16, 17, 19 through 19, I had a lot of anxiety issues, and, like, almost debilitating to a point. And I started getting through those with help of therapy and actually, working out a lot. But it wasn’t like heavy working out.

David M.: It was walking. But you know, I at the time is when we had our daughter, and I ended up like ballooning up to about 300 and 350 pounds. Of course somebody just, came to my door.

Dean Pohlman: Of course.

David M.: I’m sorry about that. Okay. But,

Dean Pohlman: You you ballooned up to, what was your weight?

David M.: I ballooned up to 350 pounds. Okay, so I, And how tall are you? Yeah. Six one.

Dean Pohlman: Six one.

David M.: Okay. So, like, in high school, I was, like, 190, so, Got it. I got I got pretty big. And there was a lot of, you know, a lot of eating. I do. I love to eat a lot of food, but also a lot of drinking. And, from Wisconsin, it was a pretty heavy drinking culture, as.

Dean Pohlman: Well as someone who went to school in Wisconsin and has family and sconce and, you know, there’s when it’s cold, you just there’s not much to do, you know, so you just you sit inside and you drink and for some reason, like, it’s really easy to get carbs, but meat and vegetables are just nowhere to be found. It’s all just cheese and carbs.

David M.: It’s cheese and carbs. So lots of pizza. I mean, yeah, it’s bratwurst, but besides that, yes, you got, which is probably not your healthiest meat either. But yeah. So, you know, it got pretty bad. I was used to that. That culture of eating whatever I want to drink or whatever I want. And no matter how much I tried to diet and issues, it just it just didn’t really work.

David M.: And then, so towards the end of 2019 is when I hit 350 pounds and, and, you know, with that, of course, is high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and, you know, I had now and, two year old baby at 2019, I couldn’t bend over to pick up her toys without being out of breath. I also had lots of, like, muscle issues.

David M.: The worst were my ankles, my Achilles tendinitis. But I had chops in my like. I’ve had chops in my knees, and that shattered my shoulders. I’ve had lots of cortisone shots or other other things to, try to help. And then in 2019, I listen to the podcast for something or other, and I heard an ad for another yoga group, at the time and, but basically I’m like, well, I could try that.

David M.: There is some success stories. And, and then I also started, doing keto. Okay. And so I was walking, doing a little bit of this other, you know, group and, and started, doing keto. And I lost a good amount of weight with that. Probably got down to about to 300 and, and then added in and I kind of, plateaued.

David M.: And then I added in intermittent fasting, which I still do on and off today. And I got down to about 275, but then went back up to, 280 and it was just started ballooning there. So like 2022 not ballooning, just kind of plateauing. I would go down to 275, I go up to 285. And it started you know, mid last year is creeping back up to 300.

David M.: Yeah. And I’ll admit it, I got on set bound, which is one of those GLP ones. Yeah. And that helped. It didn’t really help me lose. So it just helped me stop gaining. Okay. And the beginning of this year, end of last year, I’m at the point where I’m walking most days, and I am, doing some lifting at the gym.

David M.: We joined a gym because, I’ve, I hadn’t been doing yoga for a while. But we joined in the gym because the pool and the pool, in the summer, my daughter could swim at. And, so I was going there lifting a couple days a week, but mostly walking. But I heard, like, I like my I would get up out of a chair and I would take and this is just December, you know, and I wouldn’t move like I would it take me about 10 or 15 steps until I’d walk the tightness and pain in my hips out.

David M.: I also have lower back issues. I stand a lot in my job, like I’d said, the boots and we’ll stand all day or in, but medical device sales or marketing and I’ll be in surgeries and you know, standing all day in surgeries and my lower back within five minutes we just tighten up. Yeah. You only really, sore.

David M.: And that’s when I saw the ad on Facebook for absolute beginners. Okay. Like 27 bucks, I think it was. And, and I’m like. And I had actually tried you guys, before something I saw on YouTube and this is, I don’t 3 or 4 years ago. And it was a really hard routine because it was just a random one.

David M.: So I was, you know, I was a little scared off by that. Yeah. And I couldn’t do the ones. What for? Whichever one I found on there. I think I probably looked up men mental yoga, but it didn’t give me like, yeah, whatever popped up was a hard one. Okay. I’m like, well, absolute beginners have done yoga in the past.

David M.: I’ll do it again. And, and it was great. And I did that. And then I got into the, beginners fundamentals. I think it was called or beginner. That’s a new one. The next one after a absolute like beginners. Okay. Foundations maybe.

Dean Pohlman: Oh, strength foundations. Okay. You jumped a notch. Yeah.

David M.: No, no, it was a beginners one. It was a beginners one. Okay. Yeah, it was. Yeah.

Dean Pohlman: Absolute beginners. Beginners fundamentals. And then there’s like, there’s no.

David M.: Those beginners fundamentals I.

Dean Pohlman: Think. Okay. Beginners fundamentals. Yeah.

David M.: And so I did that for two weeks and and that all felt really good. And so now I’m about two months in and the, the hip pain I mean I still have like a little bit because I think I have a torn labor and but outside of that, standing up and the I was talking about, I was sore for like ten steps and I’d totally gone away.

David M.: I can stand at a booth, separate booth that went away. I can much longer now. I mean, it does get tight when you’re at a booth for, like, so. Yeah, it is, but but for the most part, I would.

Dean Pohlman: I would get tight standing at a booth for three hours. Two hours. I would probably just start. I’m that weird guy who does yoga, like just wherever though.

David M.: So I’ve started. Yeah. You start seeing me do weird, like trying to get because that the one, reclined, twist. I mean, that’s a lifesaver. I love that thing. If I could do that in the middle of the exhibit, but it’s. I would feel that’d be great. But I’ll go up to my hotel room and do it.

Dean Pohlman: You can do a, stamp, put one foot on a chair, like, do like a Captain Morgan thing. Put one foot on a chair in front of you, and then bring your elbow, or bring your hand across your body, and then put your hand on the opposing knee and then reach your other arm back. So it’s like you’re doing a it’s like you’re doing that reclined twist, but you’re standing to do it here, I’ll, I’ll do it.

Dean Pohlman: So if you have the video version you’ll be able to see what I’m doing.

David M.: But okay, do this. I do so I can see that. Oh yeah okay.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah. So you can you can do that when you have to do it. And, you know, might might be a conversation starter for people you like that looks like it feels good. And you’re like, yes. Let me tell you about your shoulders.

David M.: Perfect.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah. Totally unrelated segue.

David M.: Yeah, exactly. But yeah. So, that helped. And now, you know, I just completed the breath series. I’ll say, like the end of the fourth round of the breath series. I did start the core necessity. So it’s kind of doing two days for a little bit.

Dean Pohlman: Oh, nice.

David M.: But yeah. And I’m still walk. I mean, one of the things with walking and, and actually the other thing that I did in January, so I started working with two guys and I was like, cut out my drinking like I was, I was drinking most nights. Okay. And and bourbon. Not just a beer too. It was it was bourbon.

David M.: It wasn’t like ten glass, you know, a bottle of it or anything, but it was drinking every night and. Yeah. So since January, I am now down to 246 pounds this morning.

Dean Pohlman: Wow. Since graduations.

David M.: Thank you very much. So over four.

Dean Pohlman: Hundred in three months. That’s. Yeah. That’s all. And after plateauing for like as long as you were, that’s were you were you drinking still in like through 2019.

David M.: Yeah I’ve been I mean you were I was drinking pretty and I you know again I’m not like binge drinking every night or anything, but it was drinking most nights having a drink or 2 or 3. Yeah. And then now my most and it’s on the weekends and social occasions. I have a drink, but I’m not.

David M.: I mean, we don’t have bourbon in the house, and which helped a lot. And I found, like, alternatives, like, there’s these adaptogen carbonated drinks that I’ll have at night research. Okay. That’s one of them.

Dean Pohlman: Oh, yeah. Recess. And that’s fine.

David M.: Or anything, but.

Dean Pohlman: I’ve seen that.

David M.: But,

Dean Pohlman: Yeah, you know what I mean. There is something about just like hearing a can open and that sound, and you’re like, relaxing, right? And then you just have a sip and it’s carbonated, so it reminds you of, like, so that’s I, I can sympathize with that. Like, that’s, that’s like my kind of, that’s my kind of beer is just sitting down opening a can and that’s like, okay, I’m cool.

David M.: And that’s, that’s exactly it. I just needed sort of a replacement. And so I found some of these nonalcoholic things. I also drink some of the, you know, those tablets you put in water, the hydration sports tablets. Yeah. I think it’s the same as the one I use, but there’s, like, with some other ones.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah. Nunes

David M.: Or or element or whatever. But anyway, they’re, they’re a lot of different ones that are just flavored drinks. I tried to find ones that don’t have a lot of sugar because there are some nonalcoholic like cocktail stuff you can get. You just have more, more sugar than Coca-Cola. So you got to be careful there. But, but yeah.

David M.: And I still intermittent fast a lot during the week like tonight. Well, it’s Friday and it’s pizza night. I’m going to have carbs. I’m going to have cheese. It’s going to be great.

Dean Pohlman: Will you be kicked out of Wisconsin if you didn’t? So.

David M.: Yeah. Yeah. Well, I’m in Memphis now.

Dean Pohlman: So now you’re in Memphis.

David M.: But yeah, I move. They came,

Dean Pohlman: They kicked you out.

David M.: After they did kick me out.

Dean Pohlman: After you started losing too much. Now I feel like I’m. Now I feel like I’m talking Wisconsin. I’m. I’m sorry. Wisconsin. I’m not. I’m part of you. I apologize.

David M.: I’ll just say go Packers. And then everything’s good again. Go.

Dean Pohlman: Pack. Go. Oh yeah. You betcha.

David M.: Oh you got it down.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah I my my whole mom’s side of the family, they, they own a grocery store in Door County if you. Oh.

David M.: Okay.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah. So there they bleed. You know, yellow and green and red. Yeah. Depending on which game they’re watching. Badgers. I went to Wisconsin. I went to Wisconsin in Madison. So, yeah, I went to.

David M.: Well, so I was a trader already, but.

Dean Pohlman: Oh, wow. Man, just, just trying to find your place in the world. It sounds like you’re in Tennessee now.

David M.: I’ve been all over the place, but, yeah, I’ve been Tennessee for, like, 20 years now, so.

Dean Pohlman: Oh, well. Okay.

David M.: Cool. I’m like, I’m 51, so it’s, I’m 51 with a seven year old, so it’s, it it’s hard. I need to do the yoga in order to be able to move and keep up with her. And she’s doing basketball and, soccer. And now she’s doing softball, which would be interesting, but but, so,

Dean Pohlman: So you’ve got your, you’ve got your why.

David M.: You know, that is my why.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah. Yeah, I love that. And I want to I want to come back to that too. I want to, I want to go back to, you know, you were talking about how you were struggling with you couldn’t pick up your toys without being out of breath, and you were getting all these cortisone shots. Where was there a specific moment where you said, okay, this is it, I am changing, and or was it like, how did that happen?

David M.: Well, I had been, you know, I, I tried lots of different things and I think I was looking for inspiration. I mean, there’s kind of like there’s kind of twofold. So initially back in 2019, I heard a success story of somebody who, you know, couldn’t walk and was like worse off. And I was being bedridden and stuff and slowly doing exercises and then getting motioning and getting back into being able to run.

David M.: Yeah. But then and I sort of hit it again because I think the second phase is the trinket, as you know, was cutting that part out and, you know, January or not, January, like last fall, I was just, you know, I woke up, hung over and one day and I’m hurting my hips and I’m just sitting there and like, I’m not going to be here to see my daughters.

David M.: You know, I just turned 51 in December. My, I’m not going to see your wedding. You know, I’m not going to see she’s I’m an old dad already and I’m not going to make it. And the amount of the 380 at 360 and the 180 since then, I mean now like I go for a walk and I got bored.

David M.: So now I started running again and like, you know, and, you know, 12, 13 minute miles, we’re not we’re not breaking any records here. But but yeah, it’s great. And I’m just doing it because I want to and I feel great. And you know, playing with her, you know, we’re on the trampoline. I posted that picture of us doing yoga outside a couple days ago.

David M.: Yeah, well, after that, the deal was she does yoga with me, and I do the trampoline with her. So then we’re just on the trampoline, jumping around. I know that probably can break an ankle, but it’s still fun. But, But, yeah, like jumping on trampoline. I mean, it’s it’s I don’t get out of breath. I can get in and out of the trampoline, which I tell you, three years ago, that would have been very hard.

David M.: Everything would hurt trying to even, like, squeeze under that entry weight. Right? Trampoline. So.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah. So when you when did you start noticing results like do you remember when you first noticed. Oh, you know, I’m able to and, we don’t have to, we could talk about with men for yoga within the last few months. Or we could go back to when you, you know, started losing a lot of weight in 2019.

Dean Pohlman: But because the first, the hardest part of, you know, you can make that decision. You can have that pain and you can make the decision to start improving. But, you know, when you start to encounter resistance as you implement those habits, that’s when you’re like, okay, how do I keep going? Even though it’s difficult?

David M.: I mean, I hate to say it like a to weight number, but it really resonated with me at around 300 pounds, like losing that 50 pounds. Yeah. And 50 pounds is a lot. I mean, if you pick up 50 pounds of barbells and walk around a gym, I mean, that’s a lot, right? And at that 50 pound marker and, you know, I bribed myself.

David M.: I told myself that I had in this middle of Covid at this point, like if I hit 50, I’m buying a new grill. So I got a new grill, okay. I like to grill. So and that was my my goal. I hit it and then I didn’t want to get it back above it because then I felt like I had to return the grill, but yeah.

Dean Pohlman: And that would be a pain. Yeah.

David M.: Yeah, exactly. It was, it was big. But yeah, I, I at 300, I, you know, I’m still getting soft tissue issues and the like would hurt, but I could definitely. And it wasn’t you know obviously just a weight because I was exercising. But I could pick up the toys and I felt like almost a normal person. And, you know, I started getting, you know, looks at work about a day of your, you know, from my eye.

David M.: But also there’s another thing centered around Covid. We had a new, kind of new boss who was very health oriented and encouraging and stuff like that. And so, he would see me at work like Covid. We were like the only two people in the office and would be like, hey, you’re looking good. And and you know that that was inspiration, too.

David M.: So hearing it for a year, was a lot. And then. Yeah. And then like, you know, going back to the second phase where, you know, I was starting to hurt again and, and it helps and have even though I was working out and feeling like I was pretty healthy or healthier around the 280 as far as weight concern, you know, the drinking part was not and I still had high cholesterol and stuff like that.

David M.: But, you know, within weeks of doing the beginners, absolute beginners and the beginner fundamentals, within weeks, that hip pain or hip stiffness and hip pain went away. I mean, that was pretty remarkable. Yeah. Then, you know, in the last few weeks I have gone from 260 to 250 and I have now running again. And it doesn’t like if I tried to run for more than like three minutes before it would, it would hurt now.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah.

David M.: Now it feels good.

Dean Pohlman: Wow. That’s awesome. Well congratulations on all your consistency to get there.

David M.: Thank you, thank you.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah.

David M.:

Dean Pohlman: When.

David M.: Yeah. And I have to say good.

Dean Pohlman: Oh, no. Go ahead.

David M.: I just going to say, I have to say I’ve just been with man flow yoga. Trying to the what I feel is missing. I’m missing weight. I’m trying to lift more weights and I. Yeah. And I’ve know you’ve got the the Austin series. I bought this book. I haven’t read it yet, but. Yeah, like about a couple of days ago, but I had, one on one with Josh, and he gave me,

Dean Pohlman: Oh, nice.

David M.: 19. So I’ve started trying to do that. It’s just trying to find time for weights because I do travel a lot from work, travel, especially this time of the year. I’m traveling like every other week where, you can do yoga in a hotel room, but it’s hard to get the the weights and most of places have gyms.

David M.: But yeah, it’s a lot easier to fit it in. In my room, I usually go down and steal a yoga mat, bring it up to my room nice, and then and then do the workouts there. So I’ve got one of those half, those half, blocks that’s half the size. So I can put that in my bag.

David M.: All right. Not perfect, but yeah.

Dean Pohlman: That’s good. Yeah. It’s it’s it’s challenging. Even if there is a weight room around, it’s difficult to, anytime you change the environment, it just makes it, you know, it just makes it more complicated. So even though you might have all the stuff that you need, you get down there and you’re like, all right, where’s okay, is this machine okay?

Dean Pohlman: Are there dumbbells? Cool. Is there a spot where I can use the dumbbells. Like do they have a bench. And so all that, all that extra variability, even though you have the same stuff it just it makes it more difficult. It adds a layer of it just adds friction to it. So it makes it hard to be consistent when you’re traveling and.

David M.: They’re, they’re not like pleasant gyms, you know, they’re like, you know, Hilton Garden Inn or a Courtyard Marriott or whatever. And they’re about the size. They’re smaller than your room. Yeah. Broken treadmills.

Dean Pohlman: Right?

David M.: Yeah. Everything kind of looks a little dirty. Yeah, yeah. And once in a while, we get, like, a nice resort hotel, and there’s, like, a unbelievable gym. But that’s not most of the time. But.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah, there’s, there’s I’ve, there’s water, dumbbells and just seeing those or if you’ve tried those, but there’s, you can buy like dumbbells that you fill with water.

David M.: That’s a good idea.

Dean Pohlman: And you can, you know, use those in the gym. I think, I think the good thing about strength training, as you know, most people do strength training. They aim for three times a week. But in reality, you can, you know, if you’re just doing it once or twice per week, that’s that’s plenty, to get some results. So, you know, it’s I.

David M.: Saw that on your with it is it’s Austin. I forgot his last name. But that series you did with him, it’s like just a couple of times a week. And just. Even if it’s two sets, just get something.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah. I’d be I’d be interested to see what would happen for you. If you can start strength training consistently and, I mean, the cool thing about your where you are right now is you haven’t plateaued with what you’re doing yet. It sounds like I mean, you’ve lost like 10 pounds in the last month or like a couple weeks, you.

David M.: Know, I’ve been when I hit 250 a couple weeks ago. So I, I have been kind of going up and down with that. But there’s also been work trips. And with work trips I try to, I just try to maintain I’m not I’m not. Yeah. I don’t necessarily fast while I’m traveling.

Dean Pohlman: It has or do you have any strategies for when your work, when you’re traveling for work that have that you’ve found helpful? I mean, could be nutrition, that exercise.

David M.: One thing that I’m doing is calories need to be worth it.

Dean Pohlman: So like I’m.

David M.: On a plane and they have those crappy pretzels or like biscotti cookies that are okay, but not like the best cookies in the world. I don’t I don’t get those. I don’t get them free like I used to always be like, okay, I got to have a Coke or I, you know, I just get soda water or if I even have a drink at all.

David M.: And so calories have to be worth it. Airport food. Airplane food is worse, but airport food is not really worth it. Now, if, like I was telling you earlier, I travel to Austin a lot and so like, you know, next week I’ll be in Austin and we’re going to go have some good ramen at a good ramen place.

David M.: Or there’s a barbecue place. So go ahead.

Dean Pohlman: I was going to say please get some barbecue. It’s called styles switch barbecue. It’s about ten minutes from the domain, which is where you’re going. And, yeah, it is worth it. It’s worth the calories, you know?

David M.: So style switch. Okay. We’re staying at the Residence Inn and Domain, so I will. Yeah, I will find that that place. So, Yeah. Style switch sound, sound. And I love Texas barbecue. So in Memphis, not to get into that barbecue because I could talk about that. But we’re pork in Memphis, so you don’t get good brisket in Memphis.

David M.: You get good, good ribs, but not not good brisket.

Dean Pohlman: So yeah, we’ve we’ve got good brisket. I actually, so I do we started doing more weekend events in Austin and this is style switch barbecue has been like that is now my go to restaurant for the group. Because it’s close to demand for yoga studio. It’s close to here. So.

David M.: Yeah.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah. Anyways, so if you come here and do a weekend event, we’ll probably end up going to style switch barbecue.

David M.: Yeah. At some point I definitely want to do, weekend event. I haven’t been able to figure out the time. I was hoping to do the one in LA, because I’m going to be out in San Diego around the same time, but I don’t think I can make it work.

Dean Pohlman: But okay. Anyways.

David M.: Have a.

Dean Pohlman: Talking about travel strategies.

David M.: Yeah, I mean, travel is hard, but it’s try not to eat. I would say. Like, I have one of those yoga blocks that I bring with me, and a belt and yoga mat from, from the gym, so I can I get that done. And even if you only have to do 15 minutes, 15 minutes is better than the nothing, right?

David M.: And and so just trying to figure out the time and then I also communicate with my coworkers about it. And so now, like my current boss is he’s doing an exercise thing. We’re kind of on the same, wavelength. So for, like, for traveling together and, and I, they know getting a workout in is important to me.

David M.: We’ll try to and, you know, everyone else kind of wants to do it, too, whether it’s as you know, they’re as focused on it right now or not, but just communicating that. And then we’ll be like, okay, we’re going to do dinner at 630 instead of right after work and let’s go get 45 minutes in. Yeah, yeah. And let’s start at 830 so we can do a run in the morning or something.

David M.: We’re in a walk, and a lot of times you’re in cool neighborhoods and cool cities and walking around. Is this this? Yeah. Take advantage of. I was in Miami. I think I posted a picture there, too. I was in Miami last week and had a nice view of the ocean from my, my room. I posted that on the, Facebook or something, and, but I got to run along the, the water, and it was beautiful.

David M.: Yeah, it’s 70 degrees and sunny with waves and a nice breeze. Yeah. My Miami beach.

Dean Pohlman: So yeah, I’m trying.

David M.: To trying to do that. But yeah, traveling is not easy. So I get just it only calories that are worth it and try to maintain. Yeah. And you indicated to your coworkers what you’re.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah. I mean, well you’ve got so many of these boxes checked here. You know, you know, you know, you have a supportive community around you, right? You have your, your work environment, which, which, you know, no one ridicules you for saying like, oh, you’re going to go work out. We’re going to go eat pizza. You suck.

Dean Pohlman: You know, they actually they actually participate with you, which is, which is awesome. And you have the and you and, your boss are the, you know, that the cool kids who also work out and so they create, you know, you’re creating this, this environment where you’re doing that, and you’ve got these rules for yourself. Yeah.

Dean Pohlman: You’ve just you just got a lot of the right, a lot of right boxes. Check. I’m actually curious about your, your partner is your is your wife supportive of the your health journey? Yeah.

David M.: So I was just about to say is I was talking about my my work family being supportive. My wife has been. And she’s, you know, we both had, so she’s lost a lot of weight recently, too. And, for me eating and walking and, we, we walked together a lot on the weekends, and, you know, and we’re both trying to stay healthy for our daughter, so she, she’s very supportive.

David M.: And I got to admit, like, I have got very focused around, like, almost addictively trying to get the workouts in and, some points that ends up putting more on her. And, so that is something I’m trying to work on too, because it is putting more on her to if I’m going to go try to do a workout before bed, then she’s putting our daughter.

Dean Pohlman: Down.

David M.: Or, you know, reading to her and, trying to do something in the morning. But we’re trying to find a balance there. And so that that is another thing I got to work on is making sure I give her the, you know, the, the time that she is getting what her needs and as well. And, yeah.

David M.: So that’s something that I am working on because I will say that in the last few weeks it’s been more about me, and I need to I need to make it more about her as well.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah, that’s a tough balance. Are you you guys having open conversations around that?

David M.: Yeah, we are, and I’ve made a couple little steps like, I’m now making get up at 430 every morning, but I’m now making my daughter her lunches every morning. And I’ve found a couple things.

Dean Pohlman: Those the lunch making that is like what’s making lunches? And then like, what are we making for dinner is like, those are the two most stressful topics in my house.

David M.: Well it’s true. And who’s cleaning up after dinner? So that that’s the, Yeah, it me and we both like to, well, cook, but like, during the week, I mean, it’s so utilitarian because they’re both. She’s working now and I’m, Or again we got, you know, some, you know, whether there’s basketball practice for a daughter or whatever it is, there’s so much going on.

David M.: And then all of a sudden it’s 730 and we just finished eating and Margaret’s got to go to bed. I’m trying to get I got, you know, my watch is telling me I need so much more sleep than I’m getting. And I’m getting up at 430 and now it’s 930 because I just finished the dishes. So yeah, it’s it’s difficult finding the time, but communication is good.

David M.: And I will say, I don’t think I was doing a great job or we were doing a great job of that. We’re doing a much better job of it now. Probably because I was getting a little too selfish in, in focus. You know, I’m making sure I get my exercises that I, I put a little too much on her.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah. And even if I don’t know, even in my experience, even if she’s not saying anything about it, you can you can both tell. And you’re just you’re not bringing it up. You’re like, I’m glad that I’m working out, but I’m also not going to say thank you, because if I say thank you, then she’s going to say like, well, now that you mention.

David M.: You’re something else.

Dean Pohlman: But yeah.

David M.: But yeah, she’s an she has been very supportive though. So and all in all, you know, and we both see it because we both are older, you know, we had we got married late and that it took us a long time to have children. And we basically gave up and had, you know, the miracle child and, and just are very, very grateful.

David M.: But then, you know, now I need to make sure that we are, you know, we can hang with younger parents.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah.

David M.: So, yeah.

Dean Pohlman: So and, one thing that you’ve touched on is you’ve shifted your, you shifted your mindset from, I, I don’t know if you ever had, if this was ever your mindset, if you, if you had like a half to work out mindset versus I get you. But now it sounds much more like you enjoy exercise. Like you look forward to it, you prioritize it.

Dean Pohlman: And I’m wondering, did you have, do you remember when that shift happened?

David M.: Yeah. I mean, I’ve always liked walking because when I was going to, I, I can’t remember if I told you this before the caller this is on the podcast, but I had major anxiety issues and walking really helped with that. I mean, I did see a therapist who I still see today who helps with that, even though I don’t necessarily feel like I have the same issues exactly as I was having then.

David M.: I don’t want to get there. And but I just have them right? Still. Go to the therapist, not as much, but but the walking, it’s meditative. It’s it’s yeah, I’m And I think, you know, Jesse had that talk on walking a few weeks ago. Yeah. But, yeah, it’s very meditative and it’s very zen and, so that I,

David M.: Yeah, I, I’ve enjoyed that a lot, but I’ve hated weightlifting. And so I’m trying to get into liking that. And the yoga was sort of like, somewhere in there. And now, you know, one thing I haven’t touched on with man flow yoga or talking, but has been hugely important to me as a community aspect of it.

David M.: And now you kind of want to do you’re looking forward to doing the workout so you can post something or see what the other guys give you on those darn leg lifts that you’re doing where you have to sit against the wall, lift your leg like an inch, and who knew that would be hard? But it’s impossible, right?

David M.: But yeah, you would just want to talk with the other people in the community about that. And and so that I have to say that makes it more fun. Yeah. And, and then when you like, I did a, side plank, for 30s the other day where, you know, a month and a half ago, I could only do it with the knees on top of each other.

David M.: So. Yeah, you’re just trying to, or the knees on the ground and just letting you know, but but. Yeah, but now I got 30s on both sides. So you get these non scale victories at are just fantastic. And yeah. And then you can go brag about them on, on Facebook.

Dean Pohlman: Right.

David M.: With your, with my new friend said I’m, I’m starting to have that you know and virtual friends.

Dean Pohlman: That’s awesome.

David M.: Yeah. That’s good.

Dean Pohlman: Well I’m glad the community has been helpful for you. So I want to shift over to our, my, my, my for questions I like I like asking everybody actually know before that what’s what’s the next thing you want to work on in your fitness.

David M.: Well, I touched on earlier. I want to get more, more weightlifting, in because I’m feeling like I need more building muscle.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah.

David M.: And then in addition to that, I, I don’t know, I mean, I it’s really I’m feeling so good right now compared to where I was a month and a half ago. I don’t want it to stop. Yeah. Because I feel like I’ve had, I’m, I’m just in a good place and I don’t feel like a, the last few years I have not even though I had lost some weight.

David M.: Yeah. I had didn’t feel like I was in a good place and now I it’s it’s great. And so, Yeah, I just kind of want to keep on, get some weightlifting and build some muscle and then enjoy where, where I am right now. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Cool. I would like it to, to get down to 225.

Dean Pohlman: But 225, I mean, you’re, you’re on the track, you’re, you’re, you’re getting there. You know.

David M.: I think so I think so.

Dean Pohlman: And, and you know, it’s not just that you stopped. It’s not also it’s not just the calories from the drinking. It’s also probably your sleep has gotten that much better now that all of the other things are getting better too. So I think.

David M.: That’s the those that.

Dean Pohlman: Are.

David M.: The sleep and feeling better in the morning. And then the other thing is, I never would have thought about doing workouts at night, but now, like doing, like I can walk in the morning and do my whole day and then do, you know, yoga right before I go to bed.

Dean Pohlman:

David M.: And if I have enough time, we have a, we have an infrared sauna that we got.

Dean Pohlman: Oh nice.

David M.: Yeah. It’s and so I try to I recommend those are not cheap but my, my wife has some autoimmune issues and inflammatory issues. So, we got that for her. But I’ll be honest, I use it. I mean, she does, but, but yeah, so doing a, a 20 minute yoga and, 30 minute sauna before bed is sleep like a baby.

David M.: Where, you know, before I’d be having a couple Bourbons and I’d go to sleep, but then you wake up at two or wake up feeling crappy. So.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah, I have one drink and I like, I, I’m just some so sensitive to it now just because it’s been it’s been a long time since I was binge drinking in Wisconsin. So, it’s. Yeah, come a long way anyways.

David M.: And my wife, was really surprised. We went to a fundraiser the other day, and I had a couple drinks, probably 3 or 4, and, I got really tipsy, and she had never. It’s like, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you tipsy. I had such a tolerance like. So I’m actually proud of you that you’re drunk. Because there was a sign that I,

David M.: I haven’t been drinking, so.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah, there comes a time when, your your partner actually is, like, glad that you’re a little tipsy because you’re, like, you never drink and you never, like, relax. So I’m glad that you’re actually letting yourself go for a little bit. It’s a weird transition, but, but I get it. All right, so four questions. What’s the one habit belief?

Dean Pohlman: One habit, belief or mindset that has helped you the most with your overall health and wellness?

David M.: Not you got to figure out what works for you. And don’t listen to the haters. So, people don’t believe in keto or don’t believe in intermittent fasting or whatever it is, or, you know, I just saying, have you found and people if it’s working for you and you’re losing weight and you’re getting healthier, you know, different things and maybe it is just calories in, calories out with intermittent fasting.

David M.: And it’s not all these different things, but it works for me. So that is what I do. It allows me to I don’t eat until six, during the week most days, 6 or 7 at night. And then I can eat whatever I want, but, but, yeah, you just kind of. Not everything’s going to work for everyone.

David M.: But don’t listen to the haters and do what works for you.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah. All right. What’s one thing that you do for your health that is often overlooked or undervalued by others?

David M.: Probably that sauna. Yeah. There is. You know, the walking in the sauna are so. Because a lot of my issues stemmed from the anxiety that I was having and those things. And, and you learn how to, and that breathing and, which goes with the walking but the breathing. So. And figuring out how you can relax and and so I found my ways of doing that and that is a sauna and, and walking.

David M.: And then I’m trying to do more breathing. So I do the fox breathing stuff, you know, for in hold for for four out hold for, so when I start getting really stressed at work or I start, you know, having a anxiety ridden moment, I’ll try the box breathing first and then try to get on the walk.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah. It’s great. What’s the most stressful part of your day to day life?

David M.: You know, having a seven and a half year old daughter. There are just fears. I’m sure every one of has kids from the day they’re born or they’re day they’re conceived probably to the day I die. That will be my fear. And so just having irrational fears of, something going, you know, with my daughter. Yeah, that that’s probably the most stressful.

David M.: I mean, there’s a lot of work stress as well. But I’m trying to keep them keep the mindset that and I didn’t have that in the past, so work will come and go, but, you know, so, so yeah, just making sure my daughter is okay and, and that nothing bad happens to her.

Dean Pohlman: Yeah. What’s your best piece of advice for men who want to be healthier?

David M.: Honestly, out of all this stuff we talked about one of the greatest parts of, man flow yoga has been that community aspect. And I’m trying to now find that at home with with people here that I can hang with, not just going out that beers or whatever, but. Yeah, but I think community and finding your community, is it,

Dean Pohlman: All right. That’s a great one. Cool. All right, well, David, I want to say thank you for coming on. I’m really, really grateful for your sharing your story, but also for being part of our community and contributing there. So thank you for all that.

David M.: You’re welcome. Thank you very much. Thanks for putting it together. It’s been awesome.

Dean Pohlman: My pleasure. All right. Well, guys, I hope you enjoyed this interview with David. I hope it inspires you to be a better man. I will see you on the next episode.

David M.: Thank you.

Dean Pohlman: All right, guys, I hope you enjoyed that interview. Thank you so much for listening. If you are already part of the mantle yoga community, I want to say thank you so much for being here and trusting us with your health, with your wellness. If you’re not already and you’d like to join, go to Mantle yoga.com/join to learn more and get started with a free seven day trial.

Dean Pohlman: I want to thank David for being on the podcast. And also, if you’re interested and sharing your own health and wellness journey, please reach out to me. Help at man for yoga.com. We are doing more of those interviews now. If you enjoyed this podcast episode, I also want to encourage you to leave a review. You can do that on wherever you’re listening to the podcast, on Apple, on on Spotify.

Dean Pohlman: You can also watch video versions of this podcast on YouTube, on the Betterment Podcast YouTube channel, or in the Mental Yoga app and members area. I forgot what else I have to say, but thank you for being here. I look forward to seeing you on the next episode, and I hope this inspires you to be a better man.

Dean Pohlman: If you want to do a free seven day challenge, go to Mandalay yoga.com/7 DC and you can learn how yoga, a fitness centric created specifically for men, can help you with your day to day fitness and, your longevity goals. All right, guys, I’ll see you in the next episode. Thanks for listening.

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