Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Matt Troise. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Matt, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?
I wish that I started creating content years before I actually did. YouTube had already launched 5 years before I started posting videos of my daily life and experiences living in Brooklyn, New York. Little did I know, my life wouldn’t seem to be that interesting as I would struggle to even get a couple views. There was a feature on YouTube where you could make a time capsule video and have it become public in 10 years. I made this video, and I was hoping that I would have 1,000 subscribers 10 years from the date.
It was only until I started posting videos about what I was truly passionate about which was fitness, keto & pro wrestling that my YouTube channel really started to take off starting in 2018 when I started doing livestreams. The viewers started coming in from all over the world, even from different planets (I would jokingly tell my audience) as my channel would grow from only a few subscribers to over 1,000 within a matter of months. I would educate my subs about my journey discovering keto and how it saved my life.
Not to spoil the ending but when my time capsule video premiered, I had shattered my goal by earning over 80K Subs on my Keto ‘n’ Wrestling Channel and also branched out onto another channel with my Brother Jonny Boots which grew to over 95K Subscribers called MJ Wrestling Shoots. Who would have thought that sitting on my couch talking about what I was passionate about would end up becoming a business that would generate income through viewership, brand deals and eventually commercials? Now I never did this for the money, never have and never will. To show my appreciation to my subs I offer monthly prizes which coincide with WWE’s PLE’s where I’ll ship prizes to anywhere around the world, free of charge.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
It all started to come together when I first got diagnosed with having high blood pressure. I was just a regular guy working in New York City having a bagel with cream cheese and a large coffee to start the day. On payday I would splurge and get a bacon, egg and cheese on a roll with a chocolate donut on the side. For lunch I’d usually get a burrito with a side of guac and chips. After work I’d go to the gym for about an hour usually lifting weights with little cardio. For dinner, I would have any meat, vegetable and a “healthy” serving of rice and if it was payday I would have a pint of ice cream. Seems pretty normal right? After a few years, this routine started to take its toll. I started to gain weight and also retain water. My face started to look red and was puffy like a puffer fish.
I started getting frequent headaches and pressure which felt like a rubber band was around my scalp. It came to a point where aspirin wasn’t working anymore, and I started to also feel dizzy throughout the day. It was a regular weekday where I would have to work in the basement of Grand Central Terminal. I had a mild headache and dizziness but nothing worse than I felt the previous month or so. I was walking around the basement when I started to see dark spots and my dizziness increased to the point where I couldn’t catch my balance. I passed out on the dirty concrete floor inside the confines of Grand Central with no one around. I’m not sure how long I was out for, but I woke up on the floor still dizzy and not able to make it up to a vertical base. I knew that something was terribly wrong and I didn’t want to end up being found this way. I was able to use my knees and elbows in a way to crawl on all fours and proceeded to crawl from the basement all the way to the street level.
Of course no one helps you, it’s New York City. Just a regular guy crawling on all fours, maybe he’s on drugs people must say. I was able to hail a cab while on my knees. I pulled myself into the cab and asked the driver to go to Maimonides medical center in Brooklyn. On the way there, I called my boss to let her know what happened and she was very understanding and wished me all the best. All I could think about while I was in the cab was if I would ever see my family and fiancé again.
Once arriving at the medical center, I was treated very kindly and with care. Upon taking my vitals, they discovered that my blood pressure was 160 over 100 which was quite high. The doctor looked at me and said, “You’re pretty young to be getting high blood pressure, (I was 31) It must run in your family”. He shook my hand and said, “Don’t worry you’re going to take this pill and live a long and healthy life”. It felt as if he was shaking hands with a new lifelong patient.
I followed the Doctor’s orders and started taking blood pressure meds. I felt belt initially; however, I only had enough energy to go to work and come home. I had no energy to go to the gym anymore at this point. I kept going for follow up visits every month and my blood pressure was slightly improving, however I still felt weak and didn’t feel like myself. I was referred to an Endocrinologist for further testing. I went through several rounds of bloodwork and the results were shocking to say the very least.
I had extremely low testosterone and high estrogen levels, was prediabetic with a blood sugar level of 130 mg/dl and my TSH level was through the roof at 11 mU/L. The Endocrinologist diagnosed me with hypothyroidism and prescribed another pill. She also wanted to start hormone replacement therapy but first wanted to retest my testosterone and estrogen the following week because they were completely out of whack. The Endocrinologist told me “Your estrogen is as high as a pregnant person”.
In the meantime, I had another follow with my Doctor from Maimonides. During the visit I asked the question “Is there something I’m doing wrong, like is there something I’m eating that’s causing my body to react this way”? The Doctor told me these exact words “You don’t have to worry about what you’re eating anymore; you’re on the pill; you can eat whatever you want”. At this point a lightbulb went off in my head, this has to be diet related. I started doing tons of research about how to reverse high blood pressure naturally. Low carb and keto kept coming up and Dr. Berg on YouTube. I started binge watching his videos and he recommended keto to not only reverse high blood pressure but also type 2 diabetes and balancing hormones.
I decided to give low carb a try because I was worried that keto was bad for you because of how the media would constantly give it a bad rap. Upon trying low carb, I started to feel an improvement in my energy levels and my blood pressure numbers. I noticed that the less carbs I was consuming, the better I felt. The next time I did bloodwork, there were improvements all across the board. I mentioned that I changed my diet and went low carb to my endocrinologist, and she said, “Keto is bad for you and if you decide to do it then I won’t treat you any longer”, basically kicking me out of her office. I left discouraged; however, I knew I was on to something.
I went full blown keto the following week not knowing the outcome. It was a roll of the dice, a risk if you will. I’ll either be at the mercy of doctors for the rest of my life or I could reclaim it. Within 2 months, I had completely reversed my high blood pressure, pre-diabetes and hormone imbalance. I threw all of my medications in the garbage and reclaimed my life. I haven’t had to see a doctor for any of these issues again and it’s been almost 7 years now since adapting a ketogenic lifestyle. My journey was all documented through my YouTube channel Keto ‘n’ Wrestling creating videos and livestreams. My viewers saw the transformation from 2018 and went on this journey with me growing from less than 100 subs to over 80k subs.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
My experience dealing with doctors and medications resonated with a broad audience. I documented my whole journey from when I was sick to when I regained my health on YouTube. When I started livestreaming, I would sit on my couch and get a couple viewers here and there asking questions about my lifestyle and interests. The main reason why I started livestreaming was to document my health progress while watching WWE shows. Sometimes I felt so weak that I would lay down on my couch while livestreaming. Worst case scenario, I would tell whoever was watching the stream to call 911 if I was feeling worse because of my high blood pressure.
Viewers became subscribers within months of me posting livestreams and daily videos about my journey. As my health improved by adapting a ketogenic lifestyle, I moved my livestream to a designated area inside my bedroom as I displayed wrestling memorabilia in my background. I had so much energy that I no longer need a break for a nap. Just like how I was consistent about my newfound lifestyle on keto, I was also consistent with my posts. There wouldn’t be a day that passed without me posting a video. There would even be days that I would post 3-5 videos, especially when YouTube introduced Shorts.
My channel grew to 10k subscribers before the pandemic. During the pandemic, my channel exploded gaining 10k additional subs every few months. I had amassed over 80k subs and specifically made a livestreaming room in my house. I was posting my keto recipes, workouts and livestreams every day. It became a business even though I never did this for the money. I only did this to pay it forward and inspire others to embark on their own journeys and find what they’re passionate about.
My journey is unique to me; however, the same principals apply. Consistency is key to success. The more times you do something, the better you’ll become. Don’t expect success to happen overnight. Sometimes it does happen but put in the work and your odds of success are infinitely better. Think of video creation like lottery tickets. The odds of your video going viral are very slim however it’s never zero because you posted. You have to play the game to win. There’s always a chance; that’s why the more content you put out the better your chances. Never give up, a quote made famous by WWE Superstar John Cena. Those words stuck with me and my journey. You may fail along the way but If you quit, then you’ll most definitely fail at your goal. On the upside, you may crush your goal and reach heights you never thought were possible.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My main goal is to spread awareness that once I was sick and now, I’m not. I wasn’t cured by the medical industry but treated by managing my illnesses with medications. Perhaps my story would inspire others to do some research and seek alternative methods for treatment while also following their dreams and ambitions. I was able to combine my two greatest passions in life (Keto ‘n’ Wrestling) and make a channel that I enjoy and that thousands around the world come to witness. My dream was to become a YouTube star, and I wanted to show the world who I was and leave a legacy that would far outlive my time in this world.
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