The Reach Out: Matthew Miller
The MSNBC analyst and partner at Vianovo likes walking (a lot!) and the Peloton. He also has an ambitious (high elevation) fitness goal.
Matthew Miller is a partner at Vianovo where he serves as a communications strategist, advisor, and crisis counselor to business and political leaders.
Miller is an MSNBC analyst who has written for the Washington Post, Time Magazine, and Politico.
As Director of the Office of Public Affairs for the Department of Justice from 2009 to 2011, Miller led the Department’s communications team and served as Attorney General Eric Holder’s spokesman.
Miller worked in leadership positions in the U.S. House and Senate, serving as communications director for the House Democratic Caucus and for Senator Charles Schumer at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
I spoke with Matthew Miller about why regular exercise is important to him.
How do you make physical activity a part of your life?
I mostly try to walk a lot. I live about two blocks from Rock Creek Park, which winds through Northwest Washington D.C., and I try to get out for an hour or two every day. I find that a walk or hike in the woods is the best way to get me moving and clear my head. I also use the Peloton, particularly on days when it's too cold or too hot outside.
Was the Peloton a COVID-era addition to your workout routine?
Like most people, when the gyms closed, my first instinct was to walk even more, whether around my neighborhood or in the park. But as we reached that first COVID winter, walking outside became difficult and I missed the elliptical workouts I’d been doing at the gym. That’s when we decided to get a Peloton, and we really love it.
Are you a morning exercise person?
I do walk my dog every morning, but with the kids around, mornings are a little too hectic to focus on exercise. I also like to get a lot of work done in the morning, so that means I’ll often walk or use the Peloton later in the day. Whenever it fits in!
What is your motivation for sticking to an exercise routine?
Wanting to be healthy and live longer is one motivator, as well as wanting to be able to fit into my clothes. But also just because it makes me feel better. Truthfully, the days when I don't exercise, I just don't feel as good.
Do you like to wear a fitness monitor?
I’ve actually been religiously tracking my steps on my iPhone for a few years. If I check it during the day, and I haven’t done enough steps, it gives me a good kick in the rear to get going. My wife recently bought me a Garmin watch, which is incredibly useful for tracking steps, but also elevation gain, which is ideal for hiking.
It’s interesting — I just finished 100 days working in the White House on Ukraine issues with the National Security Council. Since phones and devices are not allowed, I basically stopped tracking my steps for 100 days. I was walking a lot and climbing up and down stairs, but I never had any idea how many steps I was taking! I’d become so used to checking my step count that going cold turkey was quite an eye opener.
Do you tune out politics while working out and listen to music instead?
When I walk, I like to get away from the news, so I listen to a variety of non-political podcasts (eg., sports, history). One exception is Chris Hayes, whose podcast is more of an in-depth conversation with one person that may or may not be about politics.
Is there a sport or fitness activity that you think you might want to try?
I recently did a hike with my wife and kids at Mount Rainier in Washington. I was carrying a three-year-old on my back, and my six-year-old set the pace, but we still did an elevation gain of 2000 feet. That has inspired me to do more hiking and reach the summit of some of these mountains. I'm hoping to do one this year and then a longer-term goal is to summit Kilimanjaro before turning 50.
Thank you, @matthewamiller 😀 I hope you reach your Kilimanjaro goal soon!
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