Florida CEO Diets

Stacie Kress Booker | 2/1/2009

Spam Blocker

Michael Murdoch has spent the last 10 years starting companies and watching them grow — along with his waistline. “It’s hard to focus on your own health when you run a company,” says Murdoch, who currently heads AppRiver, a $20-million company that blocks spam and viruses for 35,000 customers worldwide.

Michael Murdoch [Photo: Ray Stanyard]

Murdoch chose Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa after polling other executives and researching places like Canyon Ranch and Duke Medical. He decided south Florida couldn’t be beat in the winter. At Pritikin, Murdoch spent an intensive two weeks following daily exercise routines, attending lectures by the medical staff, nutritionists and trainers and learning a healthy-eating routine that focused on fruits, vegetables, seafood and chicken and cut out salt, sugar and fat. “It helped jump-start new exercise and eating habits.”

Michael Murdoch
CEO, AppRiver, Gulf Breeze

Age: 45
Height: 6 feet
Before: 200 pounds
After: 188 pounds
Lost: 12 pounds; wants to lose 10 more.
Method: Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Turnberry Isles, Aventura. Murdoch has been twice and would like to go annually for a tune-up.
Epiphany: He took a food label-reading class at Pritikin and learned processed foods are the enemy — too much sodium, fat and sugar. “A lot of stuff is marketed as healthy. They can put anything on that box. You have to look at the ingredients and read the fine print.”
Diet buster: Pepperoni pizza and a cold beer. “I’ll treat myself once or twice a month.”
Diet saver: “I keep a bowl of fresh fruit on my desk at work.”

Tags: Healthcare