ThisIsCosta – Speaker. Writer. Health Nut

This isCOSTASpeaker. Author. Health Nut

BIO

Inspirational Speaker, Author, Health Fanatic, TV Presenter, Entrepreneur, recovering addict/alcoholic with over 13 years clean and a multiple ironman athlete.

From a young age Costa battled addiction from cigarettes and alcohol to eventually drugs in his early 30’s. Brought to his knees by a crippling crystal meth addiction he eventually found a path of recovery. With it came a new quest; to create the best version of himself.

Through constantly renewed health goals and small daily improvements, he transformed himself into an athlete, writer, and speaker with a purpose. His first book, “I am Costa: From Meth to Marathons” will be available later this year and is a memoir on personal health and transformation. In his humorous and original style, he brings light to the darkness of addiction and shows that true body mind and spirit recovery is possible for anyone. His book and message are about celebration of individuality and diversity. For Costa, being himself and accepting himself became a matter of life and death.

His passion is igniting others to create and own their own transformation to a healthy life. His purpose is to carry a message of hope to the still suffering addict as well as one of caution with growing issues of addiction affecting many in society today from drugs, to work, social media, food and others.

Costa has successfully launched a multimedia career with success of his talks, TV appearances, and first book published by Bookstorm Publishers.

An incredible story and a true testament to the strength we have. Congratulations on taking back control of your body and mind.’

– Roland Schoeman. Olympic Swimmer

‘Sex, drugs and souvlaki – the full catastrophe! A witty, life-affirming tale of one man’s marathon road to redemption.’

– Gus Silber. Author and Journalist

‘Having lived as a “Greek boy” myself, I know the struggles of othering, stinky food and addiction. This is a story of hope and triumph. And lunacy….. because marathons. I savoured every page.’

– Pabi Moloi. Radio and TV Host

Buy your copy

Published by Bookstorm Publisher

Book Launch

Corporate Talks

Costa is a natural story teller and inspiring speaker who finds life is seriously funny. As a result, humour is an important part of his delivery about very serious topics. Transformation, addiction recovery, health and wellness are his passion and here are 4 different types of talks he offers, each with their own focus in areas he has experience to talk in. Talks are 40-45 min long and can be shortened according to time demands.

Based on stories from his book, Costa has crafted a few talks relevant to corporate South Africa

1- Diversity and Individuality

His main talk is around diversity and individuality. Through his own experiences, Costa learnt from a young age to hide who he really was. As a result, many coping mechanisms developed that included substance abuse. The path of addiction led eventually to a crystal meth addiction. Denying himself, failure to accept himself as unique and his place in society nearly killed him.

Diversity is all around us. Nothing is “normal” anymore and Costa invites people to look around and be more accepting of those different to them. Breaking down barriers between people and allowing individuality to flourish is the main take away points of this inspiring funny and poignant talk.

2 - Addiction and Health Talk

This is an engaging talk that starts with his first addictions as a pre-teen and how it manifested in many areas of his life. He discusses the potential origins of his own addictions, from intense bullying as a youth to confusion around his sexual orientation. Costa takes you on a progressive journey through his life, to how bad it got when he reached his rock bottom; a dangerous crystal meth addiction.

Entering a free 12-step recovery program he found freedom and he talks about what he had to do to get back on his feet and how he managed to get 12 years clean and sober. He then applies these similar steps into a new passion he found in exercise and triathlon. We hear how we went from no sporting or exercise history to completing multiple races including 11 half Ironman and 3 full Ironman races in 5 years. His hacks to health are unconventional, with some funny methods and downright simple ones too. These are presented in an inspiring way that make his achievements accessible and possible for all.

Different addictions within society today are discussed and the audience is invited to consider where it shows up in their life. The impact of such addictions or negative habits on work, family life and general health are looked at.

With a realization that most people in the modern world are affected, the audience is left with a simple plan to move past such behaviours and addictions.

Costa acts as an inspiring catalyst for his audience, inviting them to seek out and find their own plan of transformation.

His primary motivation is for the audience to leave with new ideas on how to TRULY LIVE their best and healthiest life possible.

Contact me here for more info costa@thisiscosta.com

School Talk

“Olympic Hero or Drug Hero”: Both are your choice.

Due to the more mature subject matter, this talk is suggested for Grade 10,11 and 12 only.

It opens with Costa positioning himself as a super fit and accomplished athlete who competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics in Triathlon for South Africa. With most of the audience not being born at the time, he paints for them a picture of glory and huge success in his life as a result thereof.

Costa then reveal that while he had such aspirations as a young child, he chose a negative and destructive road of smoking and alcohol instead. He briefly discusses being bullied at school and trying to conform as a sexually confused boy in at school. He highlights the role such intolerance and shaming played in the progression of his emotional trouble and further addiction to drugs later in life and eventually a crystal meth addiction.

He educates on how addiction often comes from ignoring emotions that need to be felt and dealt with. He then takes the audience on his journey of recovery and shows how he applied it with tenacity and how that led to discovering running and fitness.

Through his quirky and sometimes funny stories they see how at 40 he started achieving many things that no one would have thought possible including successfully completing multiple Ironman races and the like. He talks about how he revealed himself to be a true athlete; one who has the right mental capacity and a genetic predisposition for endurance multisport. Many coaches have mentioned to him that with such a dramatic rise to fitness, so late in life, that he clearly would have had incredible potential as a youth; perhaps even a shot at the Olympics!

In a dramatic moment, Costa pauses to show the audience the level of remorse he has for throwing away such dreams and potential. This talk uses the power of this story to motivate and inspire youth to make healthy decisions not only relating to drugs but to all lifestyle choices, from food, to social media, gaming and other past time choices.

It is also a talk to reach out to those who feel they need support due to emotional trouble they may be encountering, or drug and any addiction issues they are facing.

Prior to the talk there will need to be a consultation with the school to discuss what policies and procedures they have in place regarding bullying, counselling options, drug and alcohol intervention and policies around cellphones, social media and other technology use at the school. Costa will then weave any approved options into the end of his talk in an accessible way for action to be taken, should someone feel the need to.

Contact me here for more info costa@thisiscosta.com