"I've been a regular visitor for a while now and figured I'd post my
story here, and hopefully give some inspiration to your readers.
I am a 182cm tall, 34 year old male, and at the beginning of this
year I was a walking time bomb. An ex-smoker, I have been an exercise
minimalist most of my life. Since childhood I have abused food, and my
body as well.
I ceased eating a regular breakfast in my early teens, and in an
effort to control my weight generally starved myself everyday until
dinnertime. Then I would consume the most extraordinary amount of
calories to make up for it. All of my meals had to be loaded up with
either pasta, rice or potato for me to (hopefully) feel full. High in
saturated or trans fats was my preference. A snack would be a whole
packet of crisps to myself. I would finish my meal and go back for
seconds or thirds. I used to suck on tubes of sweetened condensed milk
for a sweet treat...or knock off a block of chocolate in an evening.
These were patterns that began in childhood, and only got worse with
age.
Early in 2004 my weight peaked at 255 pounds. I was facing the onset
of a host of chronic diseases, or even worse. I had never been more
miserable. I find it relatively easy to build muscle, so I bought a
home gym and some free weights from a friend, and begun lifting around
3 times a week. Most sessions were pushed to complete failure, and it
was a real grind most of the time. Over the next 8 months I lost some
weight and built some good muscle...all of it buried under a lot of
body fat though. After a few nasty shoulder strains (due to a lack of
rest and recovery), I took a break. My weight of course began climbing
again, almost back to 255 pounds.
In December '04, and in utter desperation, I decided I would start
cycling to work. I live 15.5 miles away from my place of employment,
and really had no idea how taxing that would be for someone in my
condition. I got myself a hybrid bike anyway, and took on the
challenge. For nearly two years I kept this up, riding as much as 155
miles during the week. It was a real grind most of the time, but I was
committed to it rain, hail or shine. Over the next 18 months, I managed
to bring my weight down to around 195 pounds. I enjoyed people noticing
all the weight I had lost, but was even more thrilled that I didn't
have to change my diet to do this. That's right - I still ate and drank
absolutely anything I liked, and the amount of riding I did kept all
that weight off. I thought I was in heaven!
That was, until I stopped cycling. I could no longer face the regime
of another 6am rise to get on my bike and ride the 90 minute journey to
work anymore, let alone the trip home at the end of a busy day! I
couldn't give up my eating habits either. By the end of '06 my weight
had ballooned out to 228 pounds again.
At the beginning of this year, inspired by the weight loss of a
collegue, I gave a something called the CSIRO diet a go (you may have
heard of it). Developed by Australian nutritional scientists, it was
given a fairly positive press response, though there were some who say
it contains 'too much protein' - a charge that seems to be laid against
anyone who minimises grains in their diet. In retrospect, it is very
similar to 'The Palolithic Prescription' with it's focus on lean meats,
fresh fruit and vegetables - with a smattering of grain & dairy. I
lost around 33 pounds in the first 5 months, and felt great for it.
But the highlight of the year has definitely been finding your blog
Art, and reading your essay. I have been an advocate of the EF way
since the first day I begun reading through your site. The truth and
logic that is inherent in EF has struck a chord in me. I stumbled
across you after Googling paleolithic eating, something that I had
heard about, but knew little of. I immediately progressed from CSIRO,
dropping pasta, cereal, bread and rice from my diet. I also minimised
my dairy, and cut out refined sugars. Breakfast now might be raw nuts
and seeds...some fresh fruit for lunch...and some kangaroo
(exceptionally lean) with fresh salad for tea. I no longer worry about
measuring amounts, counting calories, etc. Food intake is now governed
by a natural metabolic flow that I have never been in touch with
before. I have also embraced intermittent fasting, and have tried to
replicate a hunter gatherer way of times of lean and times of plenty. I
now allow myself to feel hungry - something that filled me with dread
when I was overweight. I have never felt better! EF helped me to lose
even more weight, and I am now 183 pounds. I believe I will drop a few
more pounds and % body fat, as I have only just begun exercising again.
I am sprinting for the first time since I was a kid, and have embraced
your style of gym workouts with brief, intense sessions. I don't work
to a regime anymore, but by the laws of spontaneity, intensity and
brevity. My best friend has embraced EF wholeheartedly as well, and
together we try to come up with workouts that mimic paleolithic
activity in their variety. Even my dad, who's 54 this year is taking an
interest. I have shown him the pictures of Super Mike, and I think this
has inspired him (as it would inspire anyone!).
Again, many thanks for all that you share of yourself, your
intellect, your years of accumulated knowledge and wisdom Art. I hope
that I am able to undo some of the damage I have done to my body, and
look forward to reaching 70 with at least some of that same vitality,
strength and essence that you possess!"
