After a shock visit to the doctor and alarming results, Pieter La Grange realized he needed to make changes to his diet and lifestyle and lose the weight that was putting his life at risk.
Related: 61 Small Habits You Can Change To Lose Weight
Vitals
Name: Pieter La Grange
Occupation: Educator
Age: 26
From: Mandini, Kwa-Zulu Natal
Height: 1,73m
Weight Before: 145kg
Weight After: 90kg
Time to goal: 19 Months
Related: How To Lose That First Kilogram
The Gain
Throughout my school career, I was always the overweight kid in class. I used to play rugby for the school’s team – but three months of rugby season was pretty much the only exercise I’d do year in and year out. After not exercising, continuously eating junk food and drinking heavily my weight sky rocketed up from about 110Kg to 145Kg.
The Change
At the end of 2010 I started to realise that I had a problem. I went for an EKG and cholesterol test, and the results were terrible. I couldn’t buy clothes from normal retailers – I always had to go to the stores that had “up size” sections for the big guys. I realised had to do something drastic to improve my health.
Related: Start Your Weight Loss Journey With The Exclusive Men’s Health Meal Plan
The Strategy
In the beginning I decided to just cut back on bread. Breakfast and lunch now consisted of oats, fruit and a salad and in the evening I would have a some protein and vegetables. Within a couple weeks I started feeling the difference. And more importantly: seeing it too! I pretty much stayed on this meal plan for a couple of months. Then I incorporated weight training into my schedule for five days a week. Eventually, I decided to count kilojoules and do more cardio with my weight training. I sort of started a routine bodybuilders would use to diet down for competitions, even though I don’t want to go to that extreme.
The Reward
My overall strength has increased and my love handles are starting to disappear. I am able to do a 10km jog in just over an hour and my energy levels are much better in the mornings. For the first time in my life, I can do pull-ups and chin-ups in the gym and my deadlift max is 180kg. I am still working towards my goal of having a six-pack one day, but it seems a reality now.
Related: Lose Belly Fat With Just Tow Exercises
The result
I lost 55kg in 19 months: my pants size dropped from a 46 to a 36 and my shirt sizes dropped from an XXXXL to a large.
