A major health scare has prompted a Hamilton man to shed more than 100kg.
At his heaviest, Neum Muli’aumaseali’i weighed in at 293kg.
In January 2024, the 39-year-old was taken to hospital with sepsis in his blood.
Neum Muli’aumaseali’i says he hasn’t set himself a weight goal – he’s focussed on the non-scale victories like being about to “move and groove” again, or fitting in a seat on a plane. (Source: Breakfast)
“I had been massive my whole life,” he told Breakfast, “but this was a massive wake-up call.”
He threw himself into a strict regime of diet, exercise and increased water intake, but said he soon “fell off the wagon”.
Last November, he started again – and this time, he broadcast it on social media.
Muli’aumaseali’i has now amassed more than 45,000 followers on TikTok, where he frequently goes live during his early-morning walks.
“[Social media] keeps me accountable for sure, but it’s also a really positive place with a lot of encouragement.”
Learning to accept the compliments has been a challenge, Muli’aumaseali’i said, but he keeps going knowing he is inspiring others to make changes in their own lives.
His latest weigh-in, on March 22, put him at 188.5kg.
While he steps on the scales every 15 days, Muli’aumaseali’i is not setting an ultimate weight goal, saying focusing on the numbers has been his “downfall” in the past.
Instead, he’s looking at the non-scale victories – being able to “move and groove” again, or fitting in a seat on a plane.
His advice? Don’t compare your own journey to others you see online.
“Remember, comparison is the killer of dreams. In hospital, I could barely walk five steps without collapsing. That was my benchmark.”
