It’s the kind of underdog story that makes you want to yell, “Run, Forrest, run!” It’s the story of how barely being able to run four laps around a track became the spark that set the course for Pittsburgh neurosurgeon Joseph Maroon to overcome major challenges. Now at age 68, this veteran of 50 triathlons and five Ironman triathlons (he competes in his sixth this October in Kona, Hawaii) is sharing his story of overcoming personal hurdles in hopes of helping others turn their lives around.

A life-changing invitation  

Dr. Maroon was about 40 when he lost his father to a heart attack. At the time, he was out of shape and going through a divorce. Deeply depressed, he soon plunged from a bright career as a professor of neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh to helping his mother manage his father’s truck stop and occasionally pumping gas for 18-wheelers as they rolled in from the nearby interstate.

Dr. Maroon’s metamorphosis back to a healthy lifestyle began months later when a local banker and running enthusiast invited him to go for a run. Maroon ran just four times around the track that day and was exhausted. But he found that night was the first time he’d slept well in about a year. He smiles at the memory, saying, “I started running more and more, and began to feel better and better. I became something like the Forrest Gump of Bridgeport, Ohio.”

He discovered cross training after experiencing muscle strains from running too much. He learned how to swim, started biking, and soon competed in his first of 50 triathlons.

The exercise propelled him out his depression and back onto his feet. He returned to the University of Pittsburgh as Vice Chairman of Neurological Surgery. That’s about the time he started to investigate proper nutrition and dietary supplements, and began going into his local GNC store to learn more and obtain the proper sports supplements. He realized that proper nutrition and supplementation were important elements if he wanted to continue on the trajectory he was on. In 1993, he competed in his first of five Ironman races, the Superbowl of the triathlon sport, each time placing among the top 10 in his age group except once when he was dealing with a knee injury.

Dr. Maroon’s life-changing commitment to fitness, nutrition and exercise has brought him professional recognition, as well. In addition to his university responsibilities of performing more than 350 neurosurgical operations a year, he is the team neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers, medical eirector for World Wrestling Entertainment, serves as chairman of GNC’s Medical Advisory Board, and is a board member of Mylan Pharmaceutical Company, the third largest generic drug manufacturer in the world.

The doctor’s training formula

If you are inspired by Dr. Maroon’s story, you’ll want to follow his three-part fitness approach, which focuses on exercise, nutrition and supplementation.

Exercise for strength, endurance and flexibility

·         See your doctor. If you are in your 30s or 40s and overweight, see your doctor for an EKG and blood tests to measure your baseline health.

·         Exercise at your own pace. Once you are cleared by your doctor, begin slow and consistent aerobic exercise, such as biking, swimming or walking, three to four days a week. After a month, increase your activity level in increments of 10-15 percent on a weekly basis. 

·         Add 30 minutes of weight and flexibility training two to three times weekly. You can use free weights and/or machines. Good flexibility exercises include yoga or Pilates.

Nutrition and supplementation

• Follow the 80/20 rule. Approximately 80 percent of each meal should be plant-based, and no more than 20 percent should be animal-based.
• Choose the right oils. The best oil for cooking and salads is olive oil. The other essential beneficial dietary oil is that found in fish (omega-3s) and fish oil supplements.
• Aim for 40-45 grams of fiber daily.
• Focus on complex carbohydrates including whole grains, beans and lentils.
• Add probiotics: Good sources include yogurt and milk with lactobacillus.
• Avoid “white” foods including white flour, white bread, white rice, salt, sugar, and cream sauces.
• Consume red wine, red grape juice, dark chocolate and green tea (at least three cups per day). Additionally, Dr. Maroon has learned about the benefits of resveratrol, a dietary supplement found concentrated in the skins of red grapes and red wine. Resveratrol in addition to being a powerful antioxidant has recently been found to actually activate genes that are linked to healthy aging.

Supplements for added support

Dr. Maroon notes that bundling supplements with your diet and exercise program can help improve your results. Choosing the right form of supplements can be tricky. He suggests that you either do your own homework or discuss with store personnel such as they have at GNC.

He recommends a daily regimen of: Mega Men® or Women’s Ultra Mega® multivitamins, 2,000-4,000 IU of vitamin D, 1,200 mg of calcium, 400 mg of magnesium, 1,000 mg of vitamin C, 400 mg of vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) that include one to two grams of EPA and DHA, 100 to 300 mg of CoQ-10, 400 to 600 mg of alpha lipoic acid, and 600 mg of L-carnitine.

“These antioxidants help protect against cell damage resulting from the stress placed on the body during exercise. Furthermore, the omega-3 fatty acids have natural anti-inflammatory properties to help adjust every day joint stress.”

Dr. Maroon emphasizes that as you embark on your training program, you can let go of your worries about weight. The weight loss happens secondarily as a result of your physical activity and better nutrition. The spirituality and emotional balance that comes from this type of program is also very important to diffuse the impact of stress in our daily lives. But that’s another part of his story.

Biography – Dr. Joseph Maroon

Dr. Maroon is Vice Chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. His research into brain tumors and diseases of the spine has led to many innovative techniques for diagnosing and treating disorders of the spine and discs, tumors of the pituitary gland and orbits, and acoustic tumors.

Dr. Maroon has been the team neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers since 1977 and has done extensive research and teaching in the area of concussions and other head injuries in athletes and neuropsychological testing of professional athletes. He is a board-certified neurosurgeon with nearly 30 years of clinical experience.

His publications number more than 250 and he is a reviewer of five medical journals. He has authored or co-authored 40 book chapters and edited or written five books. He is on three neurological journal editorial boards and has introduced microsurgical and percutaneous techniques for the minimally invasive treatment of herniated lumbar discs.

In 2002, he was nominated a Health Care Hero Lifetime Achievement Award finalist by the Pittsburgh Business Times and has been listed, for 8 consecutive years, as one of “America’s Best Neurosurgeons” in the publication of America’s Best Doctors.  He also served on the Board of Directors of the American Youth Foundation (AYF), an international organization that fosters leadership qualities in students. 

Despite his busy professional schedule, Dr. Maroon has maintained his athletic interest by competing in more than 50 triathlon events including Ironman triathlons (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run) in Hawaii (1993 and 2003), Canada (1995), New Zealand (1997) and Europe (2000). In 1999 he, along with Joe Montana and Kareem Abdul-Jabaar were inducted into the Lou Holtz Upper Ohio Valley Hall of Fame for his athletic accomplishments and contributions to sports medicine.