Frater Loses Weight, Provides Inspiration

Gaining weight is much easier than taking it off, but at over 240 pounds Frater Armando made a decision to change. It was this small but important resolution that began the arduous task of taking off the excess weight.

As a student at Arizona State University, Spataro, now 27, would walk from the TKE house on fraternity row up "A" Mountain near campus. He walked five nights a week. After improving his cardiovascular fitness and losing weight, he started jogging and doing more vigorous activities. Six months after he began, the weight was down to 170 pounds.

His advice, after three years of maintaining the weight loss: Start slowly, but get started.

Frater Armando explained that a combination of wanting to look younger and a desire to become more confident inspired him to start the process. "I was living in the house, and I noticed the other guys were all in better shape," said Spataro. "When I was heavier, I looked a lot older. It's kind of hard to say this, but because of all the beautiful people that attended Arizona State, I felt that I didn't stack up against the competition."

While other fraters encouraged Armando along the way, he knew it was up to him to make the necessary changes for success. "I stopped drinking beer entirely," said Spataro. "I subscribed to Men's Health magazine. I did a lot of the workouts they would have in the articles, how to get the six-pack and more. I'd follow a lot of the eating advice, the alternatives to fatty foods. I walked or jogged around campus. After a few months, I joined a gym in Chandler. I continued the nightly jogs and ran five days a week.

After following a regimented diet and exercise program, including "a lot of water and crystal light," he felt comfortable starting to purchase new clothes.

"I started buying new clothes about two months later," said Spataro. "That's when I noticed the biggest weight loss. I lost 15 to 20 pounds. A lot of my clothes were baggy to begin with. I didn't go really crazy because I knew I wasn't done yet."

Upon returning for school (Fall 2003), Frater Armando said a number of people didn't recognize him from his transformation. "I hadn't seen everybody the whole summer," said Spataro. "We had a meeting and everyone looked at me like, "Who's this guy?" Then they put my voice to the body. I pretty much motivated everybody. I noticed everyone else eating Lean Cuisine, staying away from the beer and drinking Crystal Light."

Frater Armando said the best advice he can give is to stay active. Eating healthy, exercising, all the things that doctors tell you to do are great, but you must make the decision to change.

Adapted from Arizona Republic Article. If you would like to see news here about your chapter, contact Communications Coordinator Tom McAninch.