A few months after this in August, all 3 of our children had to visit Children’s Mercy for one thing or another. Our oldest son suffered from a asthma attack and couldn’t breathe. He had to be rushed to Research Medical Center and then transported by ambulance to Children’s Mercy. He has suffered with asthma for majority of his life and has to keep his inhalers handy for any high movement activity. During this month, we also noticed a change in our youngest son’s health. He was losing weight, urinating frequently and wetting the bed multiple times a night, and only wanted cold water. My wife ended up taking him in to his pediatrician for a blood test. She called in a panic crying and said they immediately told us to take him to the emergency room at Children’s Mercy. Later that day, he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at 4 years of age. He is now insulin dependent and hope and pray there will be ways to make it more manageable to deal with as he grows older. Both of our boys deal with asthma and use their inhalers and nebulizers as needed. Our youngest son also deals with severe food allergies and eczema.
After adjusting to our youngest son’s needs, we started being more aware and informed about our health. I wanted to set an example for our children by changing my eating habits, working out more and getting in top shape. I do this for them, so that as they grow I inspire them to live a healthy lifestyle by setting the example.
I first met Micah through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City. We both were 2016 Most Wanted honorees with our wives and helped raise a combined record breaking total of $429,621 with the other fundraising nominees.
The day I decided to start my journey with HitchFit was one night in celebration of the Most Wanted event held in December. We were all at Tom’s Town in downtown Kansas City, and Micah was one of the first people I spoke to when we arrived. Throughout the night, I was stuffing my face with all the food in sight! All kinds of bad carbs, sweets and a few libations. I sat down with Micah, after feeling so guilty, and just started asking questions about how to eat better and build muscle. He was more than generous with information and answering the questions I had. I told him that I wanted to get started with HitchFit very soon and start the transformation journey!
After leaving the event, I started following him on every social media outlet possible to understand who he was a person and learn more about
HitchFit. After seeing a picture he posted on Instagram of his grocery run, I went out and purchased everything he purchased in the photo.
My first day of HitchFit was on Tuesday, March 7, 2017. I wasn’t prepared at all for the first workout because I didn’t eat enough to fuel my body. After about 15 minutes of a hard core workout, I found myself running to the bathroom to vomit. I knew that I wasn’t going to let this happen again and I didn’t want to feel the way I did anymore about my body or my health. I was determined to make a change for my life…so I did just that. I dropped 15 pounds from 174 to 159 and went from 14% body fat to 6% body fat.
Some of Ben’s Training
My wife Nia and I have been blessed with 3 kids. Eusavio (12), Zion (5) & Zoe (2). 2016 was one of many changes for us. I quit my job of 10 years as an electrical engineer and made the jump to being a full-time entrepreneur. I have been running my media production company, Ben Rich Productions, LLC for 10+ years. I provide DJ services, photography services & graphic design/printing services. I am a real estate agent with Reece Nichols Real Estate. I am also the Engineering & Technology instructor at Benjamin Banneker Charter Academy of Technology leading the new STEAM Academy. I have been labeled as the “Modern Day Renaissance Man”. I love being involved in my community of my hometown Kansas City, KS and my place of residence in Kansas City, MO. I am a proud graduate of Prairie View A&M University where I received my bachelor degree in 2006 in electrical engineering and received my MBA from Park University in 2011.
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