In his senior year of high school, Ontario native Levi Demour-Iozzo injured his back on a max squat. The injury became the downfall of any good exercise habit, and Demour-Iozzo soon used the injury as a crutch to skip workouts. Then his life encountered more setbacks. He graduated high school, but soon dropped out of college.
"I was a 19-year old drop out at 275 pounds and working as a server," he said. "After each shift I was spent. Id go to bars, but I was brutal with girls-I couldnt talk to them if my life depended on it. I just had no confidence or self-esteem."
But over the next year, Levi would pull off a 100-pound weight loss transformation, trimming his way to a muscular 175. That journey began one November, when Demour-Iozzo and a friend began making New Year's Eve plans, including where to go and what to wear.
"I took out a peacoat from high school, but I couldnt even pull the zipper up," he said. "The light just clicked. I knew it was time to do something."
He made a new plan: fit into this peacoat by New Year's Eve.
Demour-Iozzo also went back to school, enrolling in a local university. He had learned a lot about nutrition from his high school basketball coaches, but he'd ignored the advice. Now, back in school and unable to return home for lunch, Demour-Iozzo had to employ some of that advice.
"It was important that I diligently pack my lunches, so I wouldnt eat out and make unhealthy choices," he said. "I did more research on healthy diets and stuck to fish, chicken, salad, and vegetables." Since Demour-Iozzo was also working at a restaurant, he had to be extra careful not to graze. He avoided burgers and pastas, sticking to lean meats and veggies.
As for exercise, Demour-Iozzo knew he would need an equally-disciplined regimen.
He found Max Workouts by Shin Ohtake and started on a high intensity circuit program. "I would go six days a week," he said, "weight training Monday, Wednesday, Fridayand then interval training on a cardio bike Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays," After the first 12 weeks, he had already lost 40 pounds.
Losing the weight didn't just help Demour-Iozzo fit back into his peacoat, it also helped relieve lingering back pain from his high school injury.
Workouts became more fun, and Demour-Iozzo soon found his exercise discipline translating into academic discipline. "I wasn't a great student; I procrastinated a lot. After the weight loss I was more diligent. I would send our resumes without stopping. Now, I go into every task with that mentality."
Demour-Iozzo says he found that drive through encouragement. "When I was working out one day, a muscular guy came up and asked me about my routine. 'That looks really hard,' he said. 'Keep up the good work.' Looking back, that really motivated me."
Demour-Iozzo's own encouragement for others: "Dig in and really find that inner workhorse. What I found from fitness I hope everyone can find."