Maniac Scott Johnson lost over 100 lbs in just two years by fully embracing a healthy and rugged lifestyle. As a self-proclaimed hater of running, this was no easy task. We were fortunate enough to talk to Scott recently and find out some of his weight-loss secrets and motivations!
1. Give us a quick background on yourself:
My name is Scott, I’m 29 and have lived in NC my whole life, where I graduated from the culinary school and currently work as a chef at a Country Club. As you can tell from the photos, I’ve slimmed down quite a bit over the last few years!
2. Congrats on the impressive weight loss! What lifestyle changes did you make to accomplish your health goals?
To lose the weight I changed my diet, with the most drastic change being that I quit drinking alcohol. In addition, I maintain a very lean meat, whole grain diet. It’s relatively simple, but being disciplined is a huge part of my success. As for exercise, I HATE jogging/running, so I have to get creative, and that’s part of the reason I was drawn to Rugged Maniac. I love boxing, canopy high wire walking, hiking, kayaking, and pretty much anything that keeps me active without the monotony of just going for a straight run without having any fun.
3. What would you say to someone struggling with their weight who wants to make similar improvements?
You have to want it, and you can do it! Love yourself enough to better yourself and don’t worry about what others see and say. Be who you are and enjoy what you do, not just in self improvement, but in all aspects of life, because those that mind don’t matter and those that matter don’t mind.
4. How were you introduced to Rugged Maniac?
My sister was the first from my family to try Rugged Maniac 4 years ago, and she convinced me to join her the following year after seeing how much fun she had. We were both overweight back then, so we had a common goal of getting in shape, and training for the race was a great place to start. Each year we were able to convince new family members to join our team, and now it’s a tradition for our entire family.
As I said before, I’ve never been a fan of running but the obstacles out on the course and the drive that other runners give me, I’ve found an entirely new passion for it. Every runner that we encounter at Rugged Maniac is super friendly. Everyone pushes each other out there and the shared joy when someone makes it through an obstacle or crosses the finish line is truly moving and life changing. During a Rugged Maniac race, everyone is there to have fun and encourage others, and that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day. It’s contagious and there is nothing else like it.