The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, you may have heard of him, once said: “What a disgrace it is for a man to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable”. It’s a quote that resonates with Ferdi Krumm, 54. There was a point where that potential might’ve been traded for a six pack of beer and hours on the couch. But a moment of reckoning intervened, a nagging feeling that he couldn’t shake, and now the Bellville-based gym hero stands tall at 28kg lighter (that’s some serious weight loss!), certain he’s finally in the philosopher’s good books.
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When Did He Get His Wake-Up Call?
“I’m too old to be in great shape” was a mantra Krumm repeated to himself as he indulged in a lifestyle of laziness, braais and booze. He’d been steadily picking up weight, and now in his fifties, he felt zero motivation to change course. But when his wife took on a new fitness challenge, he saw her change in just three weeks. “When I compared my habits to hers, I realised the state of my unhealthy living,” he says. He’d be winded after just a short stint of physical activity, he had very little muscle mass and he was in denial: “[Us] fat guys always believe we are just big okes,” he says. “We are such idiots actually.”
How Did He Engineer His Weight Loss?
Galvanised by his wife’s impressive strides, he quit drinking immediately. He didn’t want to starve himself, so he subbed out his usual meals for dishes heavy on protein and veggies. “Remarkably, I started losing weight,” he says. To keep up the momentum, he put together a home gym and eased himself into weight training, squeezing in two 30-minute walks every week to rev up his cardio engine. Krumm eventually signed up at his local Virgin Active where he met a group of guys who helped take his weight training “up a notch or two”. “I never knew that strength training could actually help me burn belly fat very quickly,” he says.
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It wasn’t all smooth sailing. His age was a mental barrier: “I kept thinking I’m an old guy,” he adds. “But once the changes start happening and the strength kicks in, you realise you still have a lot you can achieve at any age.”
What Were the Results of His Weight-Loss Journey?
After dropping down to 78kg, Krumm has been steadily packing on muscle. “I feel amazing,” he says. “It’s so amazing to be shirtless in summer and feel proud. It’s a lot of hard work, but you only have one life and one body.” For other guys pushing 50 (and up), Krumm’s advice is simple: “Pick your ass up and get started. You’re really not too old, and you can still make serious lean muscle gains.” The proof? This guy right here.
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