If you are a Forks Over Knives reader, you may already know Anthony Masiello remarkable story. Once weighing over 360 pounds and struggling with several health issues, this young father of two transformed his life by adopting a whole food plant-based (WFPB) diet. He lost 160 pounds, reversed chronic health problems and gained a new lease on life, becoming an inspiring figure in the plant-based movement.
Since we first shared his story in 2017, Masiello has turned his personal transformation into a professional mission. Leaving a successful career in pharmaceuticals, he founded Love.life Telehealtha platform connecting patients with lifestyle medicine doctors. Through this work, he helps others achieve the same kind of life-changing results that he experienced. We recently caught up with Masiello to learn more about his journey, insights, and advice for anyone looking to build a career in the plant-based space.
How did you discover plant-based and plant-based nutrition?
Anthony Masiello: The short answer is out of necessity. In 2005, I applied for a 20-year life insurance policy and was turned down. I was morbidly obese, on blood pressure medication, had high cholesterol and sleep apnea. And I was only 33 years old. I was going for the insurance policy because my wife was pregnant with our second son. So here I am thinking my life is just beginning, and I’ve had this company telling myself that the end is in sight, essentially.
I went to Google and typed in “vegetarian weight loss.” (Although) all that was popular at the time were high-protein, high-fat diets, which just never made sense to me. …I found the book by Dr. Joel Fuhrman Eat to livewho said to eat vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and seeds and eliminate all processed foods. And that’s what I did.
Was the transition difficult?
AM: Only until I started losing weight and my doctor started reducing my medications. And then it became fun, because now I was like, “Holy smokes, this works. For the first time in my life, I’m starting to feel better. Then it became easy.
What inspired you to leave pharmaceuticals and launch your telemedicine platform, Love.life Telehealth?
AM: I loved the people I worked with… but I kind of lost the passion (our purpose). I left my job at Novartis in 2018 and didn’t really have a plan. I started going to (lifestyle medicine) conferences and noticed a pattern: a doctor would give a presentation, share case studies, stories of people like me. And then (there would be) a Q&A. Almost every time, someone in the audience would raise their hand and say, “Where can I find a (lifestyle medicine) doctor?” And there was never a right answer, because it depended – where do you live? Can you travel?
I kept hearing this over and over again. So I started researching telemedicine systems… I knew quite a bit about how to evaluate existing systems, and I basically put the pieces together and figured out we could do this.
How do you see traditional Western medicine and lifestyle medicine adapting?
AM: They work hand in hand. I think the change we need to make is to adopt a lifestyle first approach, then we can use medications and other medical procedures as the next level, when we cannot achieve the desired results with lifestyle changes . None of the doctors at Love.Life Telehealth abandon their years of experience in treating patients with conventional medicine. They rely on that.
What is the patient feedback?
AM: We hear from patients all the time who are lowering their cholesterol, taking off medications, lowering their blood pressure and reversing Type 2 diabetes. …(Beyond those) more measurable things, we hear from patients that they feel better, they’re happier to get up in the morning.
Be the change
“Forging a career in the lifestyle medicine space has been one of the most challenging and rewarding things I have ever done,” says Masiello. “Here is my advice for others looking to do the same.”
Build a community. “Join or create a local WFPB group on Meetup.comso you can connect with other WFPB folks in your area for lunches, weekend walks, or food outings,” says Masiello. “By collaborating with others who share your passion for plant-based nutrition, you are more likely to bring new ideas to fruition.”
Share your experience. “Find opportunities to share your own experience with a WFPB lifestyle, whether that means speaking at local events or sharing your story online. You’ll inspire others and likely end up connecting with others on a similar path. ” (Submit your achievement to Forks Over Knives here!)
To learn more about a whole food, plant-based diet, visit our Herbal primer. For meal planning support, see Forks Meal PlannerFOK’s easy weekly meal planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.