OK, Oliver has always been thick (as he puts it), and has never proclaimed to have been shooting for thin. But he has always dreamed of being athletic.
“Amita, you stood by me. Thank you,” says Oliver.
But the messages don’t end there, Oliver also has one for Nami.
“One of my best mates who also stood by me through feasting and fasting.”
Nami is 30 kilograms. A big boy, but Oliver lost the weight of Nami off his body! Now he no longer has to wonder why they both used to walk around with their tongues hanging out.
Believe it or not, Oliver actually used to go wakeboarding at 125kg and always wonders why it was such an effort. He used to cruise to the beach and dream about surfing. The problem was, it was a challenge for him to just squeeze out of his car.
At that time, life for Oliver was a bitch man.
Oliver admits that he’s always been chubby, yet after moving to Thailand, the pounds piled on.
“I was like a massive Sumo wrestler, but obviously without the nappy they wear. I was fat, unfit and miserable. Eventually I manned up and got my mind, body and spirit back on track.
‘Quick results’ suck – they never last
Oliver explained to me that he’s done all sorts of diets over the past 20 years; shakes, pills, extreme things like not eating for 24 hours then binge feasts.
“You name it; they all promised quick results, but I got ripped on all of them. Not like, ‘six- pack’ ripped, I’m talking ripped off, lower confidence, demotivated, and to make it worse, typically fatter.
“Talk about being in a bad place!” he said.
Surfing body, why now?
“My uncle passed away last year from a stroke and it shocked the hell out of me, I was scared like a little boy,” explains Oliver.
“That, combined with the fact that my body was in constant pain; lower back, knees, groin, hips… and I could no longer enjoy my passion for wakeboarding.
“I wasn’t feeling good any more. I decided to change all that, for my life and also for my wife,” he added.
What did you do?
“I started to change my diet with health and also started performance coaching with you at RPM Health Club.
“Eating tasty healthy food helped a lot in losing weight effortlessly. Step two was understanding my mind and body, and you helped me establish a weekly program encompassing healthy rituals that we constantly fine-tuned on a weekly basis.
“It was not about exercise at all, that part came way later,” Oliver said.
“The third step was to re-align my body, so I started yoga and pilates with a private instructor. Oh my God that was painful… like… I cried, painful! … So glad I did it though, I now understand that posture is important. You teach that physical, mental and emotional awareness and alignment are the base of all health, performance and happiness,” he added
How long have you been busy?
“I started after my birthday at the end of March, In six months I have lost more than the equivalent weight of my dog (30kg). It was not easy and going it alone would have been near impossible. Self commitment and a good coach help tremendously.
“I now see a big light at the end of the tunnel and can start to train a little harder to become more athletic for wakeboarding and surfing.
“My goal is to be lean and athletic by Christmas.”
What is the hard part of making sacrifices?
You teach that it’s not about sacrifice it’s about focusing on what you truly want and learning to treat yourself with goodness rather than crap. I personally don’t use the word ‘sacrifice’ and prefer the word ‘choice’ instead. For example, in the long-term you will feel better to choose a fresh young coconut every day, rather than a pancake or ice cream.
“The mind games are tough, 90% is the mind. The old thoughts and behaviours, your own mind trying to beat yourself up all the time. That’s why mind-full practices are vital and why mediation is important.
“Temptations are everywhere, and available almost 24/7. Also, friends who want to lead you astray and want to hang out with you and do the same old – same old; that can be challenging too. You need to make serious choices and stay focused for the greater good,” says Oliver.
What is your routine?
“Well I can’t tell you all my secrets,” said Oliver with a laugh, “but major points are;
– Sleep early and well, in a dark room for at least eight0150nine hours
– Move or exercise for 60-90 min daily
– Meditate, a bit challenging in the beginning but it helps with mind-body recovery
– Be consistent – mind set is crucial
– Learn to listen and respect your body – a coach comes in very handy!
What is the best part?
“Compliments! Yet it’s true. When I was overweight, it wasn’t just my physical well-being that was poor, I had low self esteem, I was shy, emotions went up and down. Now people come up to me and tell me I am a different guy – and I am.
“I look much better when I ride – and feel so light! Oh my God, wakeboarding is so much more fun now,” says Oliver.
“Shopping for smaller size clothes is one of the best ways to lift the spirit and gives an extra boost to hit the gym. I now enjoy being healthy – it’s an amazing feeling – just being healthy.”
Will you go on?
“Of course! I feel great and wakeboarding is so much easier and smoother, plus I promised myself that I would land air tricks before Christmas. I’ve even started new sports such as surfing and rock climbing.”
Any last tips?
“Nothing is impossible with the right help, motivation and commitment.
“This is key though – straight from 40+ years of experience. DO NOT GO ON A DIET.
“DO CHANGE YOUR WAY OF LIFE and create a lifestyle you can do for the rest of your life. If I can do this – anyone can!
Hayden Rhodes (Club Manager of Phukets Finest Health Club) is the creator of Surf Training Secrets. If you love surfing or snowboarding and want to get surf fit fast and build a body to last, go visit SurfTrainingSecrets.com
Read original story here.