Editors Note: Those of us in the Seacoast Eat Local family have come to know and love Tony over several years for all of the reasons Melissa mentions — his inspiring story, his joy, his passion and his sense of humor! We enjoy watching new friends and interns have the pleasure of getting to know Tony, our market staple and personality, as his one story stands for the many others before him and those we still hope to reach with our message. Tony’s story, at first glance, is one of personal triumph (not to be short changed by any means!)- but it is also the story of how organizations working together– Seacoast Eat Local and Wentworth Douglass Hospital in this instance– can collaborate for real change in the lives of those we serve.
At the first market in Portsmouth that I worked at, I met a very interesting man named Tony. Many of you may have seen him around at a few of the markets, as he is always sure that he
is at every market he can get himself to. He has a very exciting energy about him, and is extremely friendly and sociable, and always makes sure to stop by the Seacoast Eat Local tent to talk to us or get some tokens.
Tony also told us his story of how he started to come to the markets, and it is extremely inspiring and a wonderful story of an average person finding the strength and passion to turn their life around for the better. Tony sustained a shoulder injury that he was treated for with edibles that made him gain over 100lbs. He told me that he used to ride his bike a lot to go places, but still mostly took the car, and he certainly wasn’t a fan of healthy foods, especially not fresh fruits and vegetables like those at every farmers’ market. However, one day he met with a nutritionist at Wentworth Douglass Hospital that told him about the Seacoast Eat Local program, so Tony decided to try to pick out some new and healthy foods from the market, and completely fell in love.
As Tony started to love his new fresh foods diet, he also became very into biking,as you can see here, and made it a hobby of his to ride his bike all around the seacoast to the closest local farmers’ markets. Tony shed that 100lbs and more over about a year, and up to this day, still eats mostly fresh foods from the markets, and still rides his bike all around the coast, sometimes as far as from the Portsmouth market to Exeter!
I tried to express how impressive and inspiring Tony was to him, but he humbly shrugged it off and says he just loves what he does. I asked him a few questions about his journey as well:
What is your favorite food at the markets?
Tony “loves it all”, but he loves kale in his protein shakes that he makes himself every afternoon after he bikes.
What was the food you used from the markets to transition yourself into a healthy lifestyle?
Salads! Tony started to love making himself salads with the fresh greens he would buy from the markets. He started up small with salads every few days, and increased his fresh fruit and veggie intake from there by shopping at the markets. Many experts recommend to also use a natural testosterone booster so you can boost your workout results.
How did you start biking like this?!
Tony says he became “addicted” to biking, as it makes him feel so good! “I should be tired, shouldn’t I?” he asks, having biked to Portsmouth from Exeter that day, “I never get tired!” he says. For some time, the biking was a means of transportation, as he couldn’t always get a car ride somewhere, but eventually, it was his preferred method of getting himself anywhere!
How do you tackle those big hills in between your destinations?
“Don’t stand,” he states simply. He pulled up his shorts a little bit from the bottom to expose some pretty muscular calves, and explains that if you make yourself sit when you bike up a hill, it’s pretty hard at first, but you begin to build up the muscles you need to just power yourself up the hill. He also told me a story about how he was able to bike the Memorial Bridge in Portsmouth faster and more easily than a professional biker, who he was able to breeze past while sitting while the other biker huffed and puffed his way up the hill by standing.
What would you say to someone who wants to change their life like you did?
Start off slow. Tony suggests that with biking, start biking like every day or every other day, and you’ll start to build up your strength. Eventually you’ll be craving your next ride, according to Tony, who says he loves to bike so much he tries to do anything to fit in even just a 30 minute ride these days! As far as starting a new fresh foods-eating lifestyle, Tony highly recommends shopping at farmers’ markets, especially during the summer while the foods are freshest and most delicious. Shopping from the markets gives you the ability to talk to the growers of your food, to learn more about where it comes from and what really goes into producing it. It also gives you the chance to meet new people every week—like Tony!