<strong><span style="color: #008080;">In March 2012</span></strong> John Hetherington timidly made contact with me via his close friend, Steve Watkins. Steve had used my services for his marathon running interests – and still does.

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John however, had zero interest in running. In fact, he had well and truly confirmed that during his 48 years, all forms of athletic interests were far from his radar!
This is a brief account, with his permission, of the process that finally led John to lose just under 40% of his body weight. <span style="color: #008080;"><strong>It took John 18 months to lose 60kgs, reaching and holding 95kg (5’11”) now 2 years on.</strong></span>
Maintaining his 95kg frame is largely stress-free, however there are times he has to re-educate himself on why he now eats what he eats (see below). His job, family interests, and social environment have NOT changed in this time.
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<span style="color: #008080;"><strong>Equally he has never said to himself he MUST never drink alcohol, eat Easter Eggs, hot-cross buns, a meat pie, OR eat exactly as Brad Pamp dictates.</strong></span></blockquote>
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<strong><span style="color: #008080;">Early 2012 – At 47 years,</span></strong> I predicted if he didn’t make behavioural changes now - <a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/obes.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-2104 size-medium" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/obes-300x150.jpg" alt="obes" width="300" height="150" /></a>statistics clearly show his route would be premature (and usually irreversible) illness. Life was simply becoming increasingly awkward. His behaviour or emotional habits were self-sabotaging his health and therefore affecting his lifestyle.
<span style="color: #008080;"><strong>Let me briefly outline what had failed to date and I suspect you’ve all seen these chestnuts before.</strong></span>
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<strong><span style="color: #008080;">Around 19 ‘premium’ labelled diets, boot camp, skimping on calories, gym membership, home exercise equipment (3 x Ab Roller machine), fat blaster (All-Natural) supplement program, Anthony Robbins weekend workshop, dance classes (not Hip–Hop), meals delivered to his door, salad city, Fat &amp; Calorie free drinks, food, and pills etc etc.</span></strong></blockquote>
<strong>Almost everything temporarily worked and John mis-took anything that produced scale weight loss as working.</strong>
John now accepts he is among the 30% of the population who are metabolically challenged. More so, as I’ve written before, he is insulin (carbohydrate) intolerant. Basically, his brain is hard wired to seek frequent sugar (carb) hits (or worse still sugar &amp; fat in combination). This interest in carbs is usually heightened when he’s placed under both lifestyle (emotional) stress and/or boredom. With this default mind set, reaching hunger satiation will always be a life-long challenge. Once carbs (sugar) hits his system his ability to store excessive energy in the form of stored fat is ace. Basically he craves (and ultimately surrenders)to what harms him most.
More info on metabolism - http://www.bp28dayprogram.com.au/

So what ultimately worked?
Well, for starters we worked well against the common dogma that dietary fat is BAD.
He certainly still consumed carbs in the form of veggies, selected fruits (when appropriate and aligned with relative exercise), root veg and brown rice. He also consumed a variety of protein options, and still enjoyed alcohol.
By far, the biggest influence on his psyche towards food choices, which led towards healthy sustained fat loss, was consuming 30-40% of total calories from real FAT. 10-20% of these calories were in the form of saturated fat.
Here’s a quick break down of dietary fat.
<strong>1. SATURATED FAT</strong> - animal fat, dairy, seafood, red palm oil, coconut oil, butter.
<strong>2. MONOUNSATURATED FAT</strong> – olive oil, avocado, nuts &amp; seeds, olive, most unrefined/ unheated vegetable oils.
<strong>3. POLYUNSATURATED</strong> – omega fatty acids found in fish, green leafy veg, chia &amp; flax seeds.
<strong>4. TRANS FATS</strong> – hydrogenated vegetable oils such as corn oils, sunflower oil, peanut oil, canola or margarine.
Here’s why the first 3 or the 4 played a significant role in John’s sustained weight loss.
<strong>The Physical Benefits</strong>
• <strong>Decreased risk for breast cancer.</strong> A study of women in Sweden found that those with diets higher in real fats (as opposed to trans fats) resulted in less frequent incidence of breast cancer – and breast cancer is NOT limited to men.
• <strong>Reduced cholesterol levels.</strong> The World Heart Association now recommends the consumption of real fats to improve your blood lipid profile.
• <strong>Lower risk for heart disease and stroke.</strong> Diets with real fats correlate with healthy hearts and fewer strokes.
• <strong>Weight loss.</strong> Studies have found that switching to real fat from diets with trans fats and polyunsaturated fats results in weight loss.
• <strong>Less severe pain and stiffness for sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis.</strong> Diet plays a role in improving the pain and stiffness of those who already have rheumatoid arthritis.
•<strong> Improved nerve health</strong> – protect and insulate nerves.
•<strong> Skin health</strong> – moisturise and beautify skin.
• <strong>Help with Vitamin D absorption</strong> – to increase bone density and joint strength.
• <strong>Fat soluble vitamins</strong> – a plethora of fat soluble vitamins for improved immune strength.
• <strong>Sustained energy</strong> – physically &amp; mentally.
• <strong>Easily digested</strong> – less GIT inflammation.

<strong>But from my POV it’s these Psychological Benefits that lead to ultimate success.</strong>
• <strong>Significantly reduces cravings for refined sugar</strong> – takes away the fight.
• <strong>Leaves lasting satiation post meals</strong> – no longer thinking of “gee I’m hungry”.
• <strong>A lasting feeling of fullness</strong>
•<strong> Tastes good</strong> – adds necessary flavour.
• <strong>Forgot he liked “junk”</strong>- (usually unreal food that spikes insulin).
• <strong>Encourages improved sleep patterns</strong> – brain no longer challenged with “I feel like sugar”.
• <strong>Allows for the natural “I’m done” full feeling</strong>– reduces unnecessary over-eating.
<strong>The following options made up 30-40% of his total calorie intake:</strong>

All things coconut, olive oil, avocado’s, nuts &amp; seeds, butter, animal fat (eg bacon – leaving the fat ON), full fat cream, &amp; egg yolks.
Yep, the beauty being, the brain gave him a swift “you’re done”, so really, his meal servings became smaller and smaller – particularly as he wasn’t exercising heavily. Fat regulates food options, interest, volume and timing.
Above all he lost the interest in processed foods – namely; anything made with refined sugar. He forgot to splatter commercial tomato sauce on meals. He only realised he’d walked past the cake shop once he got in his car. Nothing triggered his hunger bell at 11am, 3pm &amp; 9pm…..
Thanks John again for your permission to share your story. We’ll touch base same time next year.
BP