~ Auto Buzz ~: IENATSCH TUESDAY: Two Riders Gain Eight Horsepower Each: Real-World Weight-Loss Stories Mark Schellinger and Brian Smith shed over 50 pounds each

What body type are you? Mesomorph, ectomorph, or endomorph? Me…I’m a skinnybastomorph. In fact, my wife has prohibited me from offering dietary advice to anyone at any time because she knows I can eat whatever, whenever, and still stay skinny. Not many skinnybastomorphs out there and I see the struggle my friends and students have with their weight. After every two day Champ School I will invariably hear a rider wish he were in better shape. In many cases the school gives students a real reason to work out because they’ve found something they love and know that improved fitness and reduced weight will be immediate benefits. The joys of riding are a strong enough reason to finally get fit, or in many examples, get fit again. And every seven pounds you lose is equal to gaining one horsepower. But what would prompt me to write yet another article on weight loss here in America? Haven’t you heard enough advice? Probably, but this Ienatsch Tuesday isn’t advice, it’s two real-world stories of two close friends who have each lost and kept off more than 50 pounds. My hope is that both examples of weight loss, each approached from different angles, will provide a path and incentive for any rider seeking improved fitness. Ienatsch Tuesday is about riding motorcycles and improved fitness improves riding joy. Mark Schellinger 55 years old; YCRS Instructor; Military Special Forces Driving Trainer; Dirt bike rider; Track-day rider

Mark Schellinger ran the Michelin tire distributorship for Colorado’s MRA club and is seen here with champion Shane Turpin at the awards banquet five years ago. “Yeah, I was getting heavier and trying to hide it with an untucked shirt,” Schellinger remembers. (Photo by Tammy Schellinger)

In Mark’s words: “I am 6-foot-1 and fairly active. I don’t exercise deliberately very much. I don’t go to the gym. I wish I liked doing that, but I don’t. In July of 2008 I reached my highest weight: 244 pounds. I started watching my food intake and doing some sit ups. By year end I was down to 210 pounds. This was during a huge Harley-Davidson training program and I remember telling my friend Jeff Haney that I wanted to get down to 200 pounds. Jeff told me he would eat his hat if I ever got that low. He didn’t think it was possible. Well, seemed he was right. Shortly after that program ended I started traveling a lot and slowly regaining weight. Fast-forward to January 2013. The YCRS team arrives at Laguna Seca for the first of five schools. All the instructors receive new AlpineStars leathers. They were bitchin’, but my first thought was, ‘Great, am I going to be able to fit in ’em?’ After much struggling I managed to get into my new set of gear.

New gear day! Jill Sato distributed fresh AlpineStars suits and Schellinger (far right) “felt like a pork sausage with too much stuffing.” He continues, “I looked at my coworkers and was motivated to get fit.” (Photo by 4theriders.com)

This sweaty struggle into a too-tight suit was a defining moment for me. I didn't want to be that guy. I told myself that I would ultimately lose my job because of my weight and size. I was 234 pounds on January 24, 2013. I started on a new life. I found an app for my iPad called “My Fitness Pro.” It's basically a calorie counter. I watched it very closely for the first two months until I got a feeling for calorie counting. My new schedule would be get up and drink two cups of coffee. Good thing I love yogurt because that's what I had for lunch. Everyday, coffee and yogurt. Finally dinner time! I ate whatever I wanted. My wife Tammy and I love Mexican food, so lots of tacos and burritos. But, instead of overeating I only ate until I felt full. I never pressured myself to finish the plate or eat until I became uncomfortable. I knew I had to quit drinking Coke products and that was a tough habit to kick, but water and flavored water became my constant companion. After dinner I would have a snack like an apple, banana, or some cashews. My Fitness Pro had me on 1850 calories per day. Small victories started to happen. I weighed myself daily and started losing two to four pounds a week. By the end of March I was back to 210 pounds...the same weight Jeff told me I’d never get below.

Schellinger attended the 2014 MRA awards banquet 50 pounds lighter, new pants and a tucked-in shirt…this time accompanying Nick during a racing poem recital (that basically poked fun at our pal Shane Turpin and congratulated new #1 Rob Christman). (Photo by Tammy Schellinger)

I kept going. Mid-May and I saw 200 on the scale for the first time in maybe ten years. I kept going. September 2013 the scale registered 186 pounds but I didn't stay that low very long. Seemed my body really didn't like it. Today I am at 192 pounds and it's pretty easy to stay in that area.

Mark Schellinger, summer 2015.

In the near future I plan to knuckle down and try to see 180. Guess Jeff H. has a hat to eat!”

Brian Smith 59 Years Old; Paintings and Coatings Contractor; Track-Day Rider; Street Rider; Dirt Rider

“This picture says it all,” laughs Brian. And it was taken about a week before the doctor prescribed pills to reduce dangerous cholesterol levels.

In Brian’s words: “My road to fitness began in 2007 when I had a physical and the doc said my cholesterol was high. I tried the pills and didn’t like the lethargic feeling and my eldest son Jeremy convinced me to try the exercise and diet thing. That was what I call Phase One of three. I went from eating whatever whenever and not exercising to working out four times a week and changing my diet to essentially whole foods. I cut out the fast food, beer and snacking but my portion sizes were still a bit hefty; I was able to drop 21 pounds. This 21-pound drop coincided with my reintroduction to motorcycles in 2008 when my youngest son Jordan wanted to get involved. We both purchased Husqvarna 610 Supermotos and I had fun relearning and teaching Jordan how to ride. My dad bought me a bike when I was eight, I did some WERA racing from 1978 to 1983 and I’ve never stopped street riding. Bikes had always been in my life but my motorsports passion had been captivated by building and driving a track-only Porsche 930; my riding had slowed to a trickle.

Smith became the Chief Instructor for his Porsche region and instructed with clubs all along the east coast in this ’86 Turbo built in his garage. His 21-pound weight drop and increased fitness helped his driving as he found himself less fatigued in the Turbo. “But my weight loss leveled off, so I started counting calories.” (Photo by Tom Branoff)

For Phase Two I got an app for my iPhone called “Lose it.” It counts calories on the food you’re eating and removes calories based on your activity and exercise routine. I was shocked that I was on a 3500 calorie a day intake when I’m supposed to be no more than 2000. That began Phase Two and over a 14-month period I dropped another 19 pounds. It was good, but I leveled off there as well and then put a few pounds back on, some of it newly-acquired muscle. Interesting note: a single slice of bread is 100 calories. If you eat bread with every meal you're nearly at half your allowable daily intake on bread alone.

You’re going to get a lot of support in your fitness journey. Here, Smith’s local YMCA made a poster to document his success. But look at “Favorite food: Pasta-ANY size, ANY shape”. That favorite would soon take a hit.

At this point I had lost 42 pounds and again hit a wall. My calorie-counting and workouts had taken me a long way but it wasn’t until a friend told me about a book titled Wheat Belly that I entered Phase Three. I actually didn’t read the book. I skimmed the info I needed off the internet and simply followed the chart. http://www.chewfo.com/diets/wheat-belly-by-william-davis-2011-what-to-eat-and-foods-to-avoid-food-list/. Wheat Belly was written by cardiologist William Davis who was seeking a cause for heart disease. He believes enriched wheat is a culprit. I didn’t put much thought into it until one night back in October my wife Karyn called to say she was running late and would I grill some burgers. I said okay and she said there were rolls in the drawer. Burgers were great! Three weeks later, same deal and she said there are still rolls. I opened the drawer and there they were, the same buns from three weeks ago and they looked like the day they were baked! I started thinking of what chemicals could be in there to make them last that long and that’s when I realized what “enriched” meant. We started in November right after Thanksgiving and went through the holidays and vacations and are still going. The weight went away, the waist went away, the energy is up, Karyn and I really feel healthy and we don’t miss being “enriched” much. The whole idea is basically no wheat and limited grains. Remember that no wheat means no bread! No cereal! No pasta! Everywhere you turn today you’re lured into wheat products. Bakery, pizza, fast food, cereal…try to break away from those temptations. Shop the perimeter of your supermarket. Eat daily fresh if you can. Learn to cook. It’s fun!

A simple but delicious chicken salad lunch in the motorhome during an N2 trackday this summer helped Smith dip under the 200 pound mark. Smith and son Jordan have a pair of track-only Ducatis and the elder rider is now fit enough to truly enjoy his machine. Smith’s daughter and all three of his sons are exceedingly fit and that helped Dad get it together.

That said, Karyn and I follow the guideline of “Don't torture yourself.” Follow the rules closely but it’s okay to stray a bit and treat yourself. It’s amazing how great a pasta dish tastes after two months of not having it!

Karyn and Brian Smith hiking Zion Park in 2012. “I couldn’t have done this in 2007,” admits Brian.

On January third of 2007 I had a 42-inch waist, weighed 252 pounds and stood 6’1”. Phase One: Ended with 40-inch waist, 231 pounds on 3/3/2009 Phase Two: Ended with 38-inch waist, 212 pounds on 2/20/2011…but then crept back to 227 pounds Phase Three: Currently 36-inch waist, 197 pounds and probably in the best shape I’ve ever been in. Have a goal to drop 10 more pounds. I need to add that since I started wheat belly I do not have the same degree of joint pain. I’m rarely sore unless it is from activity and consequently take almost no Ibuprofen for joint pain, pills I used to take every morning. Could the things that are bad for our hearts also be the cause of arthritis and joint inflammation? The toughest part? Walking through the gym door the first time. It gets easier after that because you get on a mission. It’s also easier if your better half/partner/kids are in on it as well. My experience gave me a clear lesson: If you want to have an active lifestyle, get fit and stay fit. Lesson two: Don’t be discouraged by slow progress. I didn’t get out of shape and fat overnight so I didn’t expect to be in shape and slim in a week. It takes time, be patient, don’t give up. The same holds true with the gym. If you go there for the first time and blast away for a couple of months, you'll burn out and not want to go back. Ease in and make attainable goals for both diet and exercise and you’re more likely to stay with it. And don’t just do this for yourself, do it for your family. There is no better gift for your spouse or parental example as that of a healthy lifestyle. It changes your life in all good ways. Mind is sharper, sleep is better, senses are clearer…and your bikes get faster!”

Brian Smith, summer 2015. (Photo by thesbimage.com)

Nick’s Note: Making a big change midlife is difficult, whether it’s quitting smoking, weight loss or career adjustments. I am so proud of Mark and Brian, and I followed their “transitions” with interest and awe. This column is about a “motorcycle life” and I have witnessed each of these riders’ lives improve with what they’ve done. I hope it inspires and helps any rider looking for “horsepower through fitness.” More Next Tuesday!