His heavy days are behind him.
Back when he was a teenager, a big Manno Theos was the catcher on his Vancouver baseball team, which twice represented Canada at Babe Ruth League tournaments.
Around that time he took an interest in fitness, initially motivated by the possibility that shedding a few pounds could be an in with the girls. But eventually, cardio and weight workouts would become a regular part of his routine.
“I fell in love with it,” said Theos, a member of Courtenay council who is becoming a certified fitness training specialist. “There’s so many benefits. That’s why I’ve decided to take on this lifestyle more seriously, and try to encourage others to follow that… Even 30-40 minutes a day is going to make a huge difference in people’s lives. Part of this role is to be a role model and lead by example. Walk the walk, literally. The passion is there.”
Another passion is travel. In the last two years, Theos has visited Italy, Greece, Holland, Belgium, England, Hawaii and California. In the latter, he engaged in a marathon climb of the Santa Monica Stairs — up and down 200 of them a total of 50 times. It took four hours to complete.
While in Italy, he accomplished a personal best of 73 push-ups.
Aside from exercising in faraway places, Theos enjoys learning about other cultures, meeting people and “experiencing the beauty of the world.”
Politics is another passion for the married man with two daughters. He is on his fifth council term in Courtenay. His first year was 1999.
In his early 20s, Theos had ventured into business in Vancouver, but was frustrated with the red tape. Rather than complain, his father challenged him to do something about the situation.
After moving to the Island, three members of the Theos family ran for Nanaimo council. His brother ran for mayor, while Manno and his father ran for council.
“It was a family effort. We all lost, but it was a great learning experience.”
Theos then ran in a by-election in Courtenay in 1998. He finished second in voting out of six candidates.
“It was a bit of a surprise because no one had even heard of me. I knocked on thousands of doors. Talk to the people, listen to the people, try to be an active listener and then deliver what you feel the people want. It’s a pretty simple recipe to success, but sometimes politics gets in the way,” he said with a laugh.