I discovered to my horror that I was obese.

Nutrition was the biggest area of learning for me.
Six months ago I wouldn’t have known a calorie from a centipede. Now I have 5-6 meals a day. I’ve learnt all about the caloric value of foods, the role of protein, low glycemic carbohydrates, and essential fats. Believe me, it is much easier to reduce your intake by 500 calories a day, than trying to “exercise it off.” The best training program in the world won’t make a difference to your body if you’re not monitoring your food intake.

I had regular fortnightly appointments with a nutrition coach at ‘Real Nutrition’, at my first appointment I discovered to my horror that I was obese. My fat to muscle ratio was the wrong way round. My poor dietary habits had starved my muscle and fed my fat. I had to get my head around not using the scales as a measure. As I improved my diet and reduced my training, my muscle mass returned to a healthy level and my body-fat reduced to a healthy level of 10-12%. The dangerous fat I was carrying around my tummy is gone. My nutritionist explained to me how excess abdominal fat could negatively affect my hormone levels. I was an oestrogen dominant male, no wonder I felt awful.

The biggest challenge to me was having to give up the instant gratification of a greasy burger or being able to stop at bakery and pick up some pies. Up until the beginning of the year I thought potatoes were my vegetables, so fries counted towards my 5+ a day. I have completely changed my eating habits for the better. It’s hard at the beginning, but the results are rewarding and people start to take notice. I rate my nutrition appointments as a priority, after a lifetime of eating randomly it takes some time for new habits to become sustainable. Regular coaching has educated me fully to be able to maintain a healthy weight without trying to keep to a rigid unrealistic regime.