Sep 15 2016 I returned from a 3 week holiday in Thailand and was 85% percentile covered in psoriasis and depressed from work environment and weighing in at 185kg. My Dermatologist prescribed Humira Injections and suggested bariatric surgery as my only option.
When in Thailand I had a chat with a friend that recommended LFHC (Low Carb High Fat) that has worked for him. I started to research and look into it myself and reject the surgery option and give myself 6mths. I started cold turkey LCHF on the 1st of Jan 2017 and started to see results straight away.
I went to the local thermal pool and was doing 1/2 hour sessions thinking the exercise was what was going to work. The focus was on the great food and me as the priority that hadn’t happened in a long time. I started to see results in a quick period 6kg in the 1st month eating great food and 9.5kg in month 2.
The only exercise I was doing was thermal pool mild exercise due to my health and constant pain and inflammation from psoriatic arthritis and still weighing 170kg. I started doing some walking 1-2 times a week.
I was consuming 1 bottle of bourbon a week of alcohol this had stopped I haven’t consumed any alcohol since Oct 2015. The feeling of sugar cravings stopped within 3 weeks and I was feeling full-on meals I loved.
I found recipes that I could adapt. Steak, bacon, hamburger, pizza was on the menu. The dishes were modified as NO bread, pasta, rice, soft drink, potatoes, were accompanied with it so my insulin wasn’t competing with my body to process the different types of food. So after 3 months, my mood was changing and my outlook on life was turning around I was getting mental clarity. I started to do part-time work from home and was no craving anything.
In June I went back to work 3 days per week and when walking in I had lost 39kg from when I left and the reaction was incredible and the support I received was uplifting. The questions started “How did you do it?”
I was hesitant at first and just said just eating healthier as I still didn’t have the answers. I started to ride my bike to work 5.5km each way from the main city train station and was going to Hash House Harriers once a week (walking 4-5km on Tuesdays). So my confidence was growing as quick as my weight dropped.
I started to read everything and learn about insulin resistance and discovered the great Dr. Jason Fung via the podcast of 2KetoDudes and ruled.me.
So my IMF started and I was still losing about 4-5kg a month. Now I was getting noticed and had some ask for the magic pill as if there was one. I gave them the structure and places to find it and it was up to them to do their own research and figure out are they ready? I went to Thailand again for 3 weeks in Dec 16 this time I was armed with the knowledge and confidence of my new lifestyle.
Well, I lost 4kg in 3 weeks on holiday – who does that? I have helped over ten people change to LCHF/Ketogenic lifestyle from people at work to someone on the train going home. I have done 3/5 day fasts. Eating nothing for 5 days is so empowering to be in full control of your body like that is incredible.
To go from $90 medication a month my cost so what was it costing the government to just $30 of Humira injection for psoriasis a month. I haven’t had a pain killer tablet in any form for 10mths. I haven’t had rice, pasta, soft drink, bread, milk, alcohol since 1st Jan 16th. My mental state is fantastic no sugar brain fog, no depression. I am planning a 1/2 marathon in October and a 65km charity bike ride.
I ride up to 80km a week and run ~20km a week. NO GYM just everyday moderate exercise. NO CHEAT DAYS.
I don’t track macros, calories I eat from a green list I have and if hungry I eat no matter what time of day it is if I’m not hungry I don’t eat. IR (Insulin resistance) is the main cause of inflammation and taking grain and carbohydrates out of my lifestyle has reduced my inflammation markers and has given me a pain-free life even though I have arthritis throughout many parts of my body.
I want to pay it forward and tell my story of beating depression losing close to 80kg in 18mths and show how it can be done helping people take control back of their lives.
I always advise anybody I’m not a doctor and please seek any medical advice, but with no medication suggested and only pointing out how reducing sugar intake can help improve your health this is general knowledge and some people just need a living case study in front of them to take the plunge.
1. What tactics did you employ to help you get to your goal? What did you find helped you get your goals best?
My biggest tactic was breathing each day, I was so broken I couldn’t go the same way. It was suggested to get bariatric surgery by my dermatologist. It all just clicked I said no and started from there
2. What is the most impactful change you’ve made to your diet and why do you feel it’s been the most important?
The most impactful thing was I didn’t call it a diet and realized this is the way I will live for the rest of my life. I treated it as I was diagnosed with a disease IR (Insulin Resistance) and need to be on medication (Keto food) for the rest of my life.
3. What is the best single piece of advice you can give to someone that is just starting out?
I help over 20 people and the simple thing I say to them is “You have to fix what’s above the mouth to control what goes in the mouth”. We eat to fuel feed our emotional state not to feed our bodies. What got us here in the first place has to be fixed along with the food and they work in tandem.
4. How do you feel your life is now you’re at your goal?
It’s funny, starting this I wanted to lose weight. I didn’t know how much but anything was great. 80kg (170lbs) later, I don’t have a goal anymore. I want to keep feeling great and if that means I stay at what I am or lose another 20kg my body will tell me and control that.
5. What do you consider the biggest change in your day-to-day life?
I’m not depressed and suicidal anymore, I feel empowered to control my health and emotional feelings. I don’t give in to pressure trying to please anyone else it’s me first and if that offends someone then that’s how it has to be.
6. What did you do to find support throughout your journey?
My wife and daughter are supportive during the journey, but my biggest support network has been me – if I can’t be my support then when I’m hungry at night and want something to cheat when no one else will help. Be your own inspiration and take control of your own life. No one will do it for you.
7. What do you currently do to manage your day-to-day diet?
The biggest thing is to know the science and then you can work around most occasions and places.
I plan a day or two in advance so I know where I am. I also take enough food to work for a few days to be prepared. If I’m going to social occasions as I do two times a week. I check menus ahead of time so I know what I can have. If I go to a friend for dinner, I take my food or they know what I can have or not.
8. What is your favorite keto recipe from www.ruled.me that’s become a staple?
I love the Keto Kung Pao Chicken it’s spicy and tasty.
9. If there is one thing you could do during your journey, what would it be and why?
If anything when I plateaued for a few months I should have changed a few things, I went dairy-free for a month and lost 5kg. So you have to evolve when you lose so much weight and fat, things that got you there are not the same to keep you losing.
