Page 78 - summer2016

Wise Traditions Podcast Interviews

A LIFE UNBURDENED
With Richard Morris

Hilda Labrada Gore: Our guest today is HLG: What was the turning point? What made
Richard Morris, author of A Life Unburdened, you realize that something had to change?
a man who unsuccessfully tried diet after
diet for weight loss. At one juncture Richard RM: It happened in 2002 when I was commut-
weighed over four hundred pounds. He would ing to work in New York. I walked to work, as
wake up most mornings asking himself, “Is in New York nearly everybody walks to work
today the day I die?” Today you'll hear how he if it is not too far from home. For me a walk of
lost weight by ignoring the experts and using several blocks began to feel like walking ten
the power of real food. I have heard people miles or climbing Mount Everest. I mean I would
use the expression, “I'm a changed man.” But I be out of breath by the time I got to the office.
think you really are a changed man, aren't you? One day my knee gave out on me as I was step-
ping into the elevator and I almost fell down. I
RM: In my case this is literally true. Back in had all kinds of aches and pains. Just standing
2002 I weighed over four hundred pounds. And up for more than a minute was painful for me.
I was sick—I was pre-diabetic, I had asthma That's when I would wake up every morning and
and high blood pressure. I was in really bad ask myself, “Is today the day I die?” I realized I
shape. Then I lost most of that excess weight, needed to do something different and the thing
and I have kept it off. I'm running obstacle that I did different was the food that I was eating.
races. I'm signed up for a Spartan race. I'm
running five K's and ten K's and really enjoy- HLG: When I read about your struggles—in-
ing life. cluding the painful details like your belt buckle
digging into your waist, or sweating profusely
HLG: Oh my goodness what a drastic change! after the slightest exertion—my heart went out

Hilda Labrada Gore, Four hundred pounds. Excuse me but that to you.
a mother of four, sounds like a couple of people's worth of
has been involved weight. Please tell us first about how you got RM: Actually, there's one thing that I didn't
with WAPF for over in the position of being so overweight? put in my book because it was so painful. I was
ten years and is the always drenched in sweat by the time I got to
chapter leader for RM: This is going to sound a little strange, work, and one day I got to work and opened my
Washington, DC.
She went to Kenya but I honestly had no idea how large I was. desk drawer to find that someone had placed a
last summer on It's like putting a crab in water on the stove container of deodorant in there. I was taking
behalf of WAPF. and then slowly turning up the heat; the crab baths and showers and washing and trying to
She is the director doesn't notice it because the water heats up be as hygienic as possible but that four- or five-
of communications slowly. I was gaining a pound here and five block walk to work might as well have been ten
for Body & Soul, a pounds there. I would look in the mirror, and miles. So you can imagine what a painful thing
worldwide fitness every day I knew I was overweight but every it was to find the deodorant.
organization. She day I looked sort of normal to myself. It isn't
also plays the
guitar and is the until you see yourself in a photograph or in a HLG: Richard, you said food made the differ-
contemporary music video that you realize you've gained a lot of ence—I thought food would have been part of
leader at National weight. It snuck up on me—I was never fully the problem.
Presbyterian Church. conscious of it.
78 Wise Traditions SUMMER 2016 Wise Traditions