The writers of the hit Netflix actuality collection Million Greenback Secret may by no means have scripted a extra twisted plot than what Kyle Wimberley confronted upon his return to actuality.
After the South Louisiana native was eradicated from the collection, it was straight to work for the chiseled Cajun—a 14-hour, in a single day marathon drive from Louisiana to the Texas oil fields which will have been his most unwinnable problem. Low ranges of sleep, excessive warmth, and a grueling day within the Lone Star solar, together with the psychological crash from the adrenaline-fueled streaming expertise led to emotions of light-headedness and dizziness.
These signs worsened, with extreme nausea and an unsettling sensation of paralysis. Wimberley’s workmates rushed him to the closest hospital—10 miles away—the place docs stated the fact star suffered from dehydration and kidney injury.
If there was ever a time for the Million Greenback Secret contestant to ponder “what may have been” if he had gained the present’s grand prize and never have been eradicated, it will actually have been whereas he was hooked as much as medical machines. “If I had gained that million {dollars}, this will likely by no means have occurred,” Kyle Wimberley joked. “As a result of I most likely wouldn’t have been at work.”
Luckily, the 27-year-old is working his approach again to 100% well being—at each his water-well drilling job and within the gymnasium. Viewers who caught a glimpse of his unassumingly ripped physique on the Netflix collection can attest to the essential position health has performed within the fast restoration of this former highschool operating again.
Whereas he’s nonetheless enjoys his easy life on his job drilling, the success of the present has inspired Wimberley to maintain pushing for a actuality present repeat. It’s why getting again to a weightroom routine and getting his physique proper is important. Outdoors of labor, his passions preserve him busy. Wimberley immerses himself in actions comparable to health, images, duck looking, and crawfish cooking.
Moreover, Kyle co-founded a neighborhood mud racing occasion in Louisiana with a buddy, which caught the eye of representatives from the Discovery Channel. This opportunity encounter opened the door to a facet gig on TV and finally led to his participation in Million Greenback Secret.
Kyle Wimberley’s Journey From Mud Racing to Actuality TV
So how did a Louisiana-born Cajun, who watches little to no tv, discover himself on a actuality collection watched by thousands and thousands? Mud racing, in fact.
Wimberley, an avid mud racing fanatic, together with a buddy, hosted a number of native mud using occasions through which followers and individuals would convey out their ATVs and four-wheelers and journey via the mud. Afterwards, everybody indulges in an all-day crawfish cookout.
In line with Wimberley, these occasions caught the eye of producers from the Discovery Channel. Whereas that challenge continues to be within the works, casting brokers started reaching out to him for separate alternatives. Considered one of which was to take part in Million Greenback Secret, the present through which the premise was having 12 contestants interact in a high-stakes recreation of predator and prey.
Over eight episodes, the much less lucky opponents needed to strategize to seek out and get rid of the “millionaire” whereas always shifting alliances to place themselves in a greater place to win. Casting brokers believed his sharp and low-key southern demeanor can be an ideal match. Wimberley, flattered at first, wasn’t solely optimistic of issues understanding.
“I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t have tremendous excessive hopes, simply because so many reveals didn’t occur prior to now for no matter purpose,” he says. “However I stored going via the casting course of, and subsequent factor I knew, I used to be on a flight to Canada.”
Previous to his keep on the present’s location—the ultra-luxurious Stag Resort in British Columbia—the one time Wimberley ever left the states was for a relative’s wedding ceremony south of the U.S. border. “I’ve by no means gone overseas, apart from to Mexico once I was, like, 8.”
Wimberley made it to Episode 7 earlier than his eventual elimination. Not unhealthy for a participant who went in to the collection unaware of the state of affairs he was getting himself into. “I simply confirmed up with no prep in any respect,” he says. “I needed every thing to be new to me,” he defined.
His confidence all through the present didn’t at all times shine via. Regardless of being surrounded with next-level lodging, nerves and tradition shock caught up with him, inflicting him to lose 10 kilos. There have been instances when he would share his meals with fellow castmates, comparable to Sydnee Falkner, earlier than he turned snug in his environment.
“I went out of your common man from South Louisiana working a traditional job to having 50 cameras in entrance of my face,” he says. “However by concerning the week-and-a-half mark, I actually acquired used to it.”
For the fitness-focused outdoorsman who prides himself on his Cajun cooking expertise realized from his mom, high delicacies shortly turned a luxurious he got here to understand: “That they had an in-house chef, and his meals was wonderful,” he says. “They gave us three meals a day and snacks, and it was all actually wholesome, clear, single-ingredient meals. It was insane.”
Amid the changes, certainly one of his solely escapes was attempting to slot in a exercise. As he turned used to his new environment, he made do with no matter exercise he may handle. The scenic property balcony turned his gymnasium. “I might get my suitcases, pack my garments and different stuff, and simply begin curling my suitcase on the balcony,” he remembers. “Or I’d do tricep dips on some patio furnishings. That kind of stuff.”
Apparently, it by no means dawned on Wimberley that the resort may need exercise gear accessible for him. “One of many employees members noticed me curling my suitcase,” he admits. “She stated that they’ve dumbbells right here. She got here and introduced me some dumbbells, and I used to be good to go after that.”
There’s No Wealth with out Having Your Well being
Technically talking, by hitting the gymnasium earlier than spending eight-plus hours beneath the sweltering solar warmth serving to drill water wells for oil fields, Kyle Wimberley has turn into accustomed to placing in two-a-days of coaching. His experience confirms that there’s nothing related between the 2 sorts of “exercises.”
“It’s totally different,” he says. “In a gymnasium exercise, you could have managed actions through which you’re hitting sure physique components. Right here, you’re slinging pipe all day. You’re carrying it in your shoulder, pulling it out of the bottom. You’re simply cranking on that pipe all day. So, it’s fairly intense and positively totally different from the gymnasium.”
Wimberley’s workday begins round 3:45 a.m., permitting him loads of time to get that first exercise in. He says it offers him an energizing enhance earlier than arriving on the job website by 6:45. Relying on the day, he might be out within the fields for hours or within the workplace ending up some tedious administrative work.
The unpredictability of his each day schedule forces Wimberley to remain on level together with his vitamin and hydration—particularly in excessive warmth situations. Nonetheless, on today, following his return from Million Greenback Secret, one thing went unpredictably flawed.
“This was 100% uncommon as a result of I’m at all times attempting to eat clear,” he says. “I make it very obvious to at all times keep hydrated. I’ll drink water, salt, potassium—Powerade-type stuff. However I assume it simply wasn’t sufficient.”
Exhausted from the lengthy drive, he felt the consequences of sleep deprivation. However like every athletic and hard-working 20-something, he selected to battle via it. He relied on his usually in-sync health ranges to get him via this grueling 12-hour workday. Nonetheless, the mixture of the warmth and admittedly not consuming as a lot as he usually does took a toll. It’s not at all times straightforward to eat within the fields, so he often packs two or three protein bars as a backup for lunch, however today wasn’t typical.
His situation quickly deteriorated. Extreme nausea and vomiting whereas behind the drilling rig set off alarm bells for him and his coworkers. When he sat within the truck to chill down, a terrifying sensation swept over him: his fingers and toes started to go numb.
Rushed to the hospital by his colleagues, Kyle underwent a difficult night time of evaluation and remedy. Docs knowledgeable him that his kidneys have been in severe hazard of failure—an alarming revelation given his in any other case wholesome way of life. He left the hospital after 9 hours. Later checks confirmed no main injury, however the ordeal left Wimberley with a heavy life lesson about how shut his kidneys have been to being within the “failing vary.” He not takes his health as a right.
“The primary factor I used to be serious about within the hospital was that I used to be terrified,” he says. “I didn’t know what was occurring or if I used to be gonna have everlasting injury. I often deal with my physique like a temple for essentially the most half, so this was scary.”
From Taking Pics to Staying Match for in Entrance of the Cameras
Together with his well being now in test, Kyle Wimberley is again to his regular routine of coaching and outdoor. Over time he’s additionally developed a eager curiosity in taking footage. “Images has been a extremely huge pastime of mine for a number of years now,” he says. “I primarily acquired into it to {photograph} my hunts, however now I additionally do gymnasium images. I’ve even carried out engagement images as nicely.”
His constructive takeaway from his expertise on Million Greenback Secret has inspired him to pursue a profession, this time in entrance of the cameras. Did the short-term comforts of luxurious residing gasoline this new ardour? Presumably. However the problem of breaking out of his each day routine has impressed him to hunt new alternatives.
“I had a decision to get out of my consolation zone, and I’m nonetheless wanting to do this,” he explains. “I might completely do one other present or tackle extra initiatives that not solely push me out of my consolation zone but additionally enable me to find new issues.”
Transferring ahead, Wimberley should keep a deal with his well being as he recovers from a current well being setback. A month previous to his kidney incident, he was on a path to get shredded. For this he says he consumed about 2,200 energy a day. “It appears like loads for a reduce, however with the bodily labor concerned, it balances out,” he says.
Wimberley has been coaching since highschool. Earlier than trying to outsmart his MDS opponents, he was outrunning defenders as a operating again. “I used to be fairly quick in highschool,” he remembers. “I ran a 4.4 40.”
Nowadays, the chiseled Cajun trains for each efficiency and aesthetics. He says he follows a muscle-group-specific coaching plan that he adjusts each 9 to 12 weeks. A typical week for Wimberley consists of again and biceps on Monday, chest and triceps on Tuesday. He’ll full the three-day break up on Wednesday with legday, earlier than repeating the cycle for the remainder of the week.
His routine isn’t flashy; it’s a tried-and-true components that he says appears to be efficient. “It’s arduous to maintain it fascinating generally, as we are likely to do the identical factor over and over. However it will get outcomes,” he notes.
In terms of cardio, Wimberley finds a diversified routine works greatest for him. Swimming reigns supreme, offering a full-body exercise whereas providing a much-needed cooldown from the Southern warmth. He additionally incorporates biking, high-incline treadmill exercises, and even the StairMaster.
Like many elements of his life lately, cardio could be a difficult however fulfilling mix of various actions and pursuits. “Mixing it up is vital,” he says.