The Concierge Doc Podcast with Dr. Jason Littleton, M.D.
The Concierge Doc Podcast is hosted by Dr Jason Littleton, M.D., where he features medical content to make smart lifestyle choices for optimal health, wellness, energy, youthfulness, longevity, balance, and happiness.
The Concierge Doc Podcast with Dr. Jason Littleton, M.D.
Meet the 500lbs CEO Who IS CRUSHING His Weight Loss Goals
Visit Dr Jason Littleton's website: https://www.jasonmd.com/
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Disclaimer:
Access to the Information and materials contained in this podcast is at your own risk. The information contained is presented for the purpose of educating the consumer on a variety of wellness and health care topics (the “Information”). Nothing contained is intended to be instructional for medical diagnosis or treatment. The Information contained is compiled from a variety of sources. The Information should not be considered complete and not exhaustive and should not be in place of a visit or consultation with your own primary care doctor.
Hey friends, welcome to the Concierge Doc Podcast. I'm your host, dr Jason Littleton, ceo and founder of Littleton Concierge Medicine. Welcome to the podcast. Today we've got a great show, really an introduction to 2025. This is my first interview having a guest on. We're going to start rolling it out and having more guests, more expert guests that I want to introduce to you guys, and I want to start out with my first guest, joe Matterin. He is a client and patient of mine and I think he has a very interesting story of extreme obesity and his comeback tour when it comes to this, and I want to share this with you and I know he's excited to share this with you. So let's get started, let's jump into this, let's go, let's go Now.
Speaker 1:As you guys always know, before I start any podcast, I always read this disclaimer so I can stay friends with my compliance team. Access to the information and materials contained in this podcast is at your own risk. The information contained is presented for the purpose of educating the consumer on a variety of wellness and healthcare topics. The information nothing contained is intended to be instructional for medical diagnosis or treatment. The information contained is compiled from a variety of sources. The information should not be considered complete and exhaustive and should not be in place of a visit or consultation with your own primary care doctor. Like I always say, that's intuitive, that's instinctive, but it goes to be said.
Speaker 1:And look, I would love for you to come and see me personally. Come make an appointment with me at Littleton Concierge Medicine. You can just go to my website, jasonmdcom. But it's important so that you guys have accurate assessment, diagnosis and treatment. All right, so as we get going, I want to introduce my guest client and patient and friend and brother in Christ, Joe Matterin. And welcome to the podcast, joe. Thank you for coming on today.
Speaker 2:Dr Jason Littleton, it is an honor and a pleasure to be here and to be your first guest brother. I am psyched we're going to have a great podcast today.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know you have an interesting story, I mean, of extreme obesity and there's so much that goes into that.
Speaker 1:A lot of people, I think around the world, struggle with extreme obesity where they can't get out of their home they don't have anyone to take care of them, and they may not even have the ability to afford even a concert doctor or the medical care that you know you have access to. But a lot of people struggle to this and I think a lot of people who have you know, who are overweight, are way more than they want and maybe they don't have extreme obesity they struggle with just self-esteem, self-confidence, and they deal with anxiety and depression. You know all sorts of things self-esteem, self-confidence, and they deal with anxiety and depression. You know all sorts of things, and so I want to talk with you about that. See, you know how you can speak to that, but first I want to start out with at your heaviest, how much were you?
Speaker 2:600 pounds 600 pounds.
Speaker 1:And when, when, when was that?
Speaker 2:It was six months ago.
Speaker 1:Six months ago, and how much do?
Speaker 2:you weigh now 550 pounds. I've gotten 50 pounds off in the last six months thanks to your help and a great medication that you helped me get.
Speaker 1:I mean that's a huge deal.
Speaker 2:It is.
Speaker 1:That's a huge deal 50 pound weight loss.
Speaker 2:It is.
Speaker 1:Now let me ask you this At 600 pounds, when's the last time, even now, when's the last time you were outside of your house?
Speaker 2:Other than outside in my hot tub, in my backyard, four years Four years.
Speaker 1:Four years, that's got to be difficult, it is. And with that being said, I mean what were some of the reasons why you could not get outside of the house?
Speaker 2:One, to drive I couldn't fit behind the steering wheel. My escalate, my stomach was too big, the wheel was just locked down. Two, not having clothes to fit me, you got to be clothed to go outside. And three, just an inability to walk more than 20 feet at a time. And when I go out, I have to be out safely. I have the world's most amazing hot tub designed to hold eight people, 88 jets, 500 gallons that's how I get out, but that's on my back porch and I have a fenced-in property. Aside from that, it's been social media TikTok, instagram visits from you, the finest doctor on the planet. I'm very lucky to be your brother, your friend. I'm going to tell everyone you are the finest doctor on the planet. I know that to be true and I'm so honored to have you as my physician.
Speaker 2:I'm the healthiest 550 pound man on the planet, thanks to you, and very soon it'll be 500. Then I'm back out, resuming my swimming journey.
Speaker 1:My gosh. Yeah, and you're a swimmer. That's one of the things that you have used in the past to stay fit and healthy and to reduce weight, but you haven't been able to do that.
Speaker 2:So let's talk about that for a moment. So behind Universal Studios, in a lake called Lake Cain, with a group of triathletes, is an amazing man. You've met him because you were there with me at the lake swim for my 100th kilometer swim Dr John Lucky Meisenheimer, who has truly touched my life. Okay, I swam in three years, 221 kilometers when we lay that out, dr Jason. Years, 221 kilometers when we lay that out, dr Jason. That's driving distance from Tampa, florida to Daytona 137 miles.
Speaker 1:And I'm going to continue that journey from 222 to 500 in April and I'm all set to go. That's phenomenal, it's incredible. I think one of the biggest questions that are on my mind that I want my listeners to know about is can you talk to us about at your darkest time? What was that? I mean, how much did you weigh, what was that? What did you feel? And then bring us out of it. How did you get out of that?
Speaker 2:Sure, 600 pounds in bed under the covers. The most I could walk was to the bathroom and back. I had my iPhone, I had social media. How I got out in the world was through tech talk seeing the world, connecting with friends, talking to you, getting in the word, staying mentally strong. Failure is never an option, not ever and slowly getting back. It's like how I did my leg swims. One day I went to the leg swim and I did my first swim. It was a bucket list item. One becomes two, two becomes 100. You're there for my 100th kilometer anniversary and we are where we are today Small, tiny changes Watching your podcast, staying positive. You being tiny changes, watching your podcast, staying positive. You being my doctor, taking your advice and guidance. But slow, steady, positive steps. That's how you work your way out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know I, I always say little changes make a ton of difference. And you know, uh, I, did you ever struggle with um suicidal ideation and ideation and things like that? Did you ever struggle? Was it ever that dark?
Speaker 2:Never. Suicide is never an option. I never would allow it to be in my life. I'm mentally strong, I'm spiritually strong and plus, in my career. Right early in my career I worked as a paramedic. I was a mental health guardian advocate. I know how to handle people that have mental health. I would never, ever allow it. You just simply cannot allow it in your mind. It should never be an option, ever.
Speaker 1:And that's, you know, that's incredible, that's an amazing challenge. I mean, I think that. I mean, I think that you know there are people out there that don't weigh 600 pounds. They might weigh 20, 30, 50 pounds overweight, right, right. But sometimes people can just be in a very, very dark place and here, you know, you're at the extreme side, where you went from 600, now you're around 550, what would you say to those people who may not be in your situation but are just feeling down and out and need that encouragement? Because I think people need to hear from you in that.
Speaker 2:I think the answer is, dr G, is to have a good support system. Not only do I have the finest doctor in the world, I have the best friends in the world. I have a core group of friends that love me, care about me, come visit me, believe in me. They're my cheerleaders. They can look at my hashtag 500 pound CEO hashtag swim, joe, swim and just watch, and they know I'm confidently going to get back to my journey and get back in that mode. The answer is a good support system. I can't do it alone. You're a part of a team, dr Jason. While you're my physician, I have someone who comes in as a part-time caregiver and, quite excitingly, in the last week it's now my fifth day living alone. I have now a caretaker that comes in part-time. I can now take care of myself again. I can bathe myself, I can shave myself, I can make meals. I couldn't do that a year ago and that alone is a victory that I'm very proud of. Small, steady, positive steps.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's amazing. I think one of the things that and I'm still going down the same vein you know, when someone's overweight, there are people who can have poor self-esteem right. You're someone who has a strong personality. You seem to have amazing self-esteem, but what about that person who doesn't? How? How do they um? How do they deal with being overweight and being in public? And what could you say to that person?
Speaker 2:Bring in a counselor, either secular, christian, whatever you're comfortable with. Do it by FaceTime, do it by Zoom. Work with a counselor, even if you have to do it in your home by video, but have a professional there to help you, which is what I had many years ago when I rebuilt my self-esteem. I spent 10 years in a Christian counselor's office working through issues and I suffered a lot of abuse in my life from a young age. Christian counseling made me the man I am today. Okay, learning to forgive, learning to properly process anger, you know, learning to get in the word and be strong in my faith all these things. But talking right, psychotherapy, getting it out. The best advice I can give is professional counseling.
Speaker 1:It will change your life, yeah that's amazing, that needed to be said, and I think that people who are struggling with their self-esteem being out in public or just struggling with the whole thought process that they just don't know if they can possibly lose the weight and I think that's a huge subset of people where they are overweight and they have given up on thinking that they could actually lose weight. You know, I love what you said. I love what you said Awesome. Christian counseling can make a huge difference. Um, what do you say to people who, um, feel like they're never going to lose the weight? They feel like it's impossible. They feel like they've tried and tried and tried and they're not losing weight. They're gaining weight or they're just, they just plateaued, they just, you know, they're not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
Speaker 2:I think the answer is they're going to lose it when they're ready. It has to be in their own time, and if they don't want to see a counselor or have any friends, they'll know when they've suffered enough physically, emotionally. So you know what? No more. I'm not going to let food control me. Now let's look at me.
Speaker 2:My first year of obesity was when I was nine years old. Wow, okay, and I'm 59 years today. So this is my 50th year with obesity. I'm six foot tall, I'm 550 pounds that's as of today and I spent a majority of my life at about 420 pounds for about 15 years. But my first year obesity was nine. I broke 200 pounds when I was nine years old and, as a result, I'd be happy to be back at 420. I mean 420 pounds at six foot tall. I can put on my shoes, I could put on a suit, I could fly on an airplane. Yeah, I need two seats. I mean, you know, 737 has the tiny seats, but then I can get out and see the world. I was traveling, I was going out to California, I was driving, you know, through LA and you know, seeing friends and traveling on business and, yeah, I would be happy to be down to the 420.
Speaker 2:But my goals involve when I'm out of the home, getting back into the pool. Advent Health Celebration they're in Celebration of Florida. That's my pool, that's where I'll swim, getting back in the lake. The lake is a safe place for me, dr Jason. Triathletes are some of the greatest people in the world and while it's public, it's private in the fact that I have everyone there as my friend and I'm very, very safe. People say Joe, are you not seriously? You're not afraid of alligators? And you know what I say. I say listen, I'm bigger than any alligator that could be in that lake. They should be afraid of me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there you go, there you go, there you go. That's a whole nother. It's a whole nother.
Speaker 2:Change of perspective yes, it is you came down the lake and you were there for my hundredth kilometer with Lucky yeah, but I didn't get in. No, you didn't you didn't, but you were there and you came down in celebration. You remember, you gave Dr Lucky Meisenheimer your book and he gave you his book. It was a very amazing day you shared together.
Speaker 1:It was Next time I'll have to get in.
Speaker 2:Absolutely.
Speaker 1:Wow, you said a lot. I think it's really gonna make a difference and help people um. Now I want to talk about you know um, when we talk about um, what you've experienced so far in your weight loss, um, you recently lost 50 pounds, um, which is I just think it's a huge deal, a huge deal, and you were here at my home and we celebrated that together on the scale.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, that was a victory. It really was. Right in my living room I'm on the scale and we calculated the numbers and boom it was. It was a lot to be proud of. There's a lot more, but that's the first of many positive steps.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. What is your? What is your ultimate goal?
Speaker 2:steps yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what is your? What is your ultimate goal? To live a long happy, healthy life.
Speaker 2:And what is your ultimate weight goal? 300 pounds, okay, okay, I could. I could conquer the world at 300 pounds. Piece of cake, wow, wow, absolutely. Then I'm going to Dubai in an Airbus A380 and I'm going up on top of the Burj Khalifa, because that's the big goal, my God, absolutely.
Speaker 1:You're going to have to write a book about this, because it's such. I mean, I've seen you for years and it's such an inspirational journey, so I have a little surprise for you.
Speaker 2:Go ahead.
Speaker 1:I started the book yesterday and the book is going to be called.
Speaker 2:The book is going to be called Loved Beyond is going to be called loved beyond measure, and I want to show you something. I have a little surprise. You ready? All right, all right, take a look at this. This is earned. This is not given. You see this? Yeah, this indicates that I have swam 200 kilometers and Lucky's Lake. This is the hardest thing I've ever had to earn in my life and I'm very, very proud of it.
Speaker 2:And this, by the way, it's a 5X shirt and Lucky goes to me. He goes, joe, he goes. I must really love you. It took me six months to find this shirt. It's really hard to find one of this size, but, joe, we're really proud of you.
Speaker 2:And that last making it to 200 kilometers. I had a week to do it. Lucky's like wait, joe, stop, I'm going to Las Vegas tomorrow on a dermatologist conference. Can you get it done today? And I'm like, excuse me, I'm like five kilometers in one day, lucky, I've never done more than two. He goes, I'll make you a deal, I'll let you here with your friend Danielle. You've got the whole day in the lake. Get it done. And Danielle and I spent from 6 30 in the morning till three o'clock in the lake. I get my fifth kilometer in. We're ringing the bell, we're celebrating Hardest thing I ever do in my life. I worked my butt off for that shirt and I'm very proud of it and I want the world to see it. And the next shirt's gonna say 500K and I'll have that done in the next two years.
Speaker 1:Man, that's amazing. That's incredible Absolutely. I mean, that's such a motivator. I think it goes to be said you have one of the things you know as a doctor that I see is that you always have things out in front of you to keep you motivated. And one of the things that you said that I thought was really important is that when I asked you what your goal was, instead of you just saying, well, you want to be 250 pounds or 200 pounds or some numerical goal, you said to live a long, healthy life. Yeah, and I think, as a doctor, you said it. That's the key. It is.
Speaker 2:So, much.
Speaker 1:I want people to focus on quality of life and being motivated and being healthy, as opposed to being focused on a metric. Not that we're not focused on metrics, but you should ultimately be focused on being healthy, being well, accomplishing goals, and I think when you're accomplishing goals, those goals will pull you it should motivate you, so to speak, to reaching certain metrics as far as things that matter as far as like weight or cholesterol.
Speaker 2:And as my doctor, you know me well. Right, we've seen, you've done exams, we've seen my bloods. But between you and I we know other than my type two diabetes, which could be reversed, and I'm on melanger right now. My vitals are great, I'm healthy. I mean I've got a great shot. I reverse type two. Then we get the weight down. I mean my joints are great, my heart's great, my brain's great, I'll be good. But the point is we're going to reverse that type two very, very soon and the Mount Jaro has done a great job. And, dr Jason, you could probably quickly talk about the fact we fought with that right for a year. We fought the insurance company to get me that medicine. That's the fifth one we tried and we never, ever quit but we found one that worked and it's doing a great job. We'll kick it up to the next level in January. More weight will come off, but it's been such a lifesaver it really has been, and I'm really honored to not only have your care but to finally have a medicine that works.
Speaker 1:I mean, I'm just amazed by your journey.
Speaker 2:Thank you.
Speaker 1:I think, most importantly, most important, I'm amazed by how, how motivated you are, your attitude, your self-esteem. You never let 600 pounds or not being out of your house for four years, get to you and get you down I think most people. I mean it's a testament to how tough you are. I think most people could not have handled that. Most people could not have handled that.
Speaker 2:Sure, but I agree. But I've also had you there on the phone, top lift me as well If I've had a day where I've been a little off. I've said, hey, dr Jason, let's pray, or can you stop over? And you have stopped over just to pray with me and give me a little visitation and things like that, right. But then the other great things were shared, right when you went and got in a Cirrus aircraft and flew and worked on your flight training and got out in the world because you know, I'm the CEO of an aerospace company, that's what I do and our passion's aviation. And seeing you fly with friends of mine and get up over central Florida in a Cirrus SR22, and having you send me a picture and say, hey, joe, look, I'm flying. I'm like Dr Jason, I'm not going to be far behind you. I learned to fly an airplane when I was 12 years old. I'll be getting back to that one day soon. I can't wait. You know how much I love to fly, dr Jason.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, I do, I do, I do, I do. First of all, that was such an amazing gift that, uh, you know you blessed, just like you. And you know and I talk about that in my book you know the Energize. Again, what I like about what you just said and what I talked about in my book is about how the things that motivate us help us to make change. And you know, like, whether it's flying or swimming for me, skiing you can use that to make change. And you know, like, whether it's flying or swimming for me, skiing you can use that to make change. And I think you used your motivation, not only in aviation but swimming, to make change and along with your faith in Jesus, Christ our Lord and Savior.
Speaker 1:You were able to endure tough times and times where you didn't see weight coming off, and now weight is coming off Right. And now you're on the fast track. That's right, and soon you'll be out of your house.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 1:You'll be back in the pool, back at the lake, back doing things that you haven't done in years? Yeah, haven't done in years. I want people to hear your testimony and to get over things that has been, you know, stuffing them up, keeping them at bay, keeping them at home, even though they can actually get out of the house on their own and do things. There are some people who are in prison in their house because of things that have nothing to do with weight.
Speaker 2:That's right.
Speaker 1:And hearing your testimony can help them to unlock the prison door, so to speak.
Speaker 2:I remember you were the first one that I ever told I was going to write my first book and that was last December. And, if you recall, because I've done professional voiceover, I'm more comfortable on the mic than I am writing and I actually, in my hot tub voiceovered with the trickling waterfall in the background. The entire 18 chapters of my first book called and it's basically about. It's a story about surviving abuse and being loved. It's called I Am Loved and then I expanded on that by starting back yesterday. So basically the first book covered from the day I was born until present day and this is going to be the start, with the getting out and starting my journey. And I love to write, I love to voiceover, but I love to inspire. I want to leave behind a legacy and I think a book and or an audio book is a great way to do that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I would agree, I would agree, I would agree Now, and you know I have a copy of your book that you've signed for me and I read regularly because we talk about meds, right, m-e-d-s, and, believe me, you taught me and I know it works. And same thing Last week's podcast. You're talking about self-care. I implemented those things in my life this last week. It's like my fifth day being totally alone, on my own, without care. I'm doing great.
Speaker 2:I have someone that comes in part-time, but I'm running my business as a CEO right from this office. I mean you know you're in your home, it's quiet. You know you can feel the Lord with you. I mean I'm singing praise and worship music. I mean I have a tree, I have presents, I'm talking to my friends all around the world. You know video chat has been very, very powerful and all those people are there and supportive and it's just a matter of you reaching out. You want to have friends in person. You want to have friends in person. You want to have video chat, just being social. We're social creatures. We really are.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah exactly, Um, man, I, it's just, it's just awesome hearing this. I mean, I'm, I've, I've wanted people to hear your testimony for a long time. We've talked about this and to be able to drop this off at the beginning of the year, I think, when everyone's thinking about fitness and weight loss and thinking about you, know, being a new you, um, this is um, a powerful, powerful, awesome testimony, and I want to ask you what do you want um people to know as they go into into 2025 as far as health and their outlook, and that they should have? What would you say to them?
Speaker 2:It's a new beginning. Don't worry too much about the future. Enjoy the moment, enjoy the day, stay strong. Just live every day to the fullest. Lucky Meisenheimer taught me that right, as not only my dermatologist but the person who runs the lake swim. Lucky just has this happy-go-lucky attitude. You know Dr Chase and he has, on a given day, like 200 people on his property at the lake. He loves being around people, letting people be people, but he just takes life, he grabs it and lives life to the fullest. And as a mentor of mine, that's what I've learned Enjoy the moment. Don't concentrate too much on the past, but also don't concentrate too much on the future. Enjoy the moment. Have daily goals, weekly goals, monthly goals, but just enjoy the moment, because life is beautiful. It truly is.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love it. I love it. I mean, that's a great, that's a great. Um, that's, that's, that's a great thing to say. I love that. You said that I got to have you back on the show.
Speaker 2:I'd be honored. I'm having a ball. This is just great. You and I planned this for a very, very long time and I can't wait to the day where I'm out and driving and I'm coming over to your studio and we'll be side by side. We'll be doing this together. I look forward to that day very soon.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, that's what. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we're going to. We're going to definitely do this again. I um, you know, listen, guys. You know Joe's testimony is powerful and I think you have to take what he said and use him as an example, wherever you're at, whether you're dealing with weight loss or you're dealing with depression or anxiety.
Speaker 1:Or you're dealing with weight loss or you're dealing with depression or anxiety or you're dealing with something else that's in your way. Having a support system, christian counseling, being able to have access to a concierge doctor like myself that's important. That's important. I understand having access to a concierge doctor. Maybe everyone might not have that access, but your own primary care doctor or health provider can make a huge difference in your life as well. Of course, I would love to see you at Littles and Concierge Medicine too. That's something that I would love to do Now.
Speaker 1:I think that this should motivate you as you go into 2025. It should motivate you. It should cause you to be like, no matter what the issue is, you know, I can have a positive attitude. I can have goals that motivate me to go forward. I can make little changes that make a ton of difference. I can do these things that can carry me through, to live healthy and be well, and I will get to my goal, no matter how dark things seem. No matter how dark things seem, and I think these are the takeaways that you should have from this testimony. As I always say, please follow my podcast, know my handles. You know Facebook, instagram, linkedin, you know Amazon Audible. Look at all these handles, take a listen to the weekly podcast and continue to follow me Each week as we bring more content with you, and this year we're bringing just expert guests, just like we started off today, to you. I can't wait to see you next time. Talk to you guys later. Thank you, bye.
