About Steven Shewach
And Why I Created VitaMen
Getting older is a fact. We're all on a one-way journey and there's no going back.
But.....how we get older, the quality of life we have, and the quantity of healthy years lived are surprisingly in our control based on what we eat, how we move, and how we sleep. I call it The Longevity Trio.
I created VitaMen because I see and know too many men in midlife, who frankly, look and feel like shit. And it'll only get worse if a major life shift does not occur. And because when my father died at 66 years old, I saw just how seriously poor lifestyle choices can lead to an untimely death. Possibly like yourself, I'm experiencing other older people close to me going through difficult elder years, and in some cases, their significant issues are due to the cumulative effects of poor lifestyle choices. That could've been preventable!
With all that I've learned and tried myself over the years, along with my training and education background, I realized I can provide personalized guidance and support to help men achieve optimal health, well-being, and overall vitality. Whether you're looking to improve your physical fitness, manage stress, enhance your mental clarity, or find purpose and fulfillment, I am here to assist you every step of the way.
Cultural Rebel
Growing up in suburban Detroit, I had a pretty typical childhood. Although there were early indications that I wasn't cut out for mainstream life in America. Of course, there wasn't much autonomy to do anything about that in my childhood. While I flexed this perspective in relatively small ways throughout my childhood and teenage years, it wasn't until college that travel, adventure (usually in nature), and societal norm-busting emerged as core principles of my life. So much so that after a short stint in the entertainment and arts industry, I earned a Master's degree in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Administration focusing on Adventure Education and Outdoor Recreation. For nine years I got paid to be outside in jaw-droppingly beautiful nature to teach, guide, and train outdoor leaders and enthusiasts.
After spending more than half the nights in a year in a sleeping bag for many years, there was one aspect of American life that pulled strong......so I bought my first and only house and left the outdoor industry to try my hand at project management, working at a consulting firm. Around this time my father got ill very quickly and died four months after his diagnosis. A couple of years after he died, a series of other difficult events converged in my personal life within a short time that had me pondering my very existence. And wondering why I wasn't very happy. Despite my nonconformist ways, I felt the need to test my limits, expand my world to the world, and simplify my life. Where freedom, by way of adventure and being in nature, became the foundation of my life.
My Midlife Gap Decade
So at the age of 42, I stopped working and I decided to answer a series of existential questions that started with "Who am I without" : a home and car? stuff? a job? a career? a relationship? a country?
I upped my ante of nonconformism to its highest level yet. I sold my 3bd/2.5ba suburban Portland home and nearly everything in it. And embarked on what became a midlife gap decade (plus two years)—a total of 12 years not working!— the very crux of midlife. And most of that time was spent as a nomad adventuring around the world; likely experiencing more freedom, adventure, and nature than many people will ever experience in their entire life.
I’ve traveled to 65+ countries; some highlights include trekking to Everest Base Camp and completing the Annapurna Circuit Trek in Nepal, having the best day of my life climbing and hiking everywhere in Machu Picchu, two-months exploring Patagonia, a week-long Kung-Fu course in Thailand, taking Buddhist courses in monasteries in India, mountain biking down the world's most dangerous road outside of La Paz, Bolivia, and so many others.
My nomad lifestyle had exercise, hormesis (short periods of beneficial bodily stress), and novelty built into it. I often walked in cities or trekked high in the mountains 15-20 miles a day. However, managing consistent and healthy nutrition was difficult; traveling to so many different countries and their different foods—all while adhering to my many decades-long ovo-lacto-pescetarian diet.
Midlife Mojo Makeover
In the midst of my nomad adventures, I met Dora—a miraculous coming together of two wanderlust souls. We joined forces and were nomads together for several years. We got married two weeks before the pandemic shut down the world. Which effectively shut down our nomad lifestyle. We became semi-nomadic spending the winters in the Algarve region (southern coast) of Portugal; where Dora grew up. And my adventure lifestyle, with ever-so-important built-in exercise, was significantly upended. I transitioned to more traditional exercise regimens along with diving deep into the longevity space.
I realized that tracking my health metrics, using data-driven tools and technology, along with how to eat, move, and sleep—specifically for my age—was like a magic formula for optimal health; now and into the future. I became stronger and fitter. For example, my resting heart rate is in the low 50s and often dips into the mid-40s while sleeping.
And with my newfound youthfulness, it became apparent what was next for me. To pick up where I'd left off—doing men's work and coaching—before becoming a nomad. But in a new way—by integrating my new phase in life and becoming singularly focused on vitality and wellness for men in midlife.
And so that's how I got here. To be able to pass on my knowledge and experience and help you on your journey to vitality, health, and wellness.
And here you are. You know you need a huge shift. You're looking for a path forward to pain-free aging. Well, my friend, perhaps you've found it.
Enough About Me. This is About You. Are You Ready to Rock?
But.....if you still wanna make sure I'm the real deal, check out my IG feed below chronicling my recently wrapped up 8 years of nomad-ing around the world, most of them with my beautiful wife, Dora.