A common weight loss excuse is that you don’t have time, or that you can’t see results in a short enough amount of time. But, Neil Pillay managed to shed all these kilos in just a few months with the help of a Men’s Health guide.
Related: How To Lose The First Kilogram
Vitals
Name: Niel Pillay, 28
Location: Durban
Occupation: Foods Department Manager
Weight Before: 134kg
Weight After: 104kg
Time To Goal: 18 Weeks
Related: Cooking At Home Can Help You Lose Weight And Drop Body Fat
The Gain
I’ve always been unhappy about my weight and I kept telling myself that I looked healthy and felt fit. Coming from an Indian background, curries, biryani, fried food and bunny chows were a daily norm. My constant dining out with friends at the all you can eat buffets didn’t help either. Working at a food store, where pastries and fast foods were quick and convenient, made eating healthy extremely difficult.
The Change
In 2010, I started having serious chest pains and was admitted to hospital, my doctor and cardiologist said that tests came back negative for a swelling of the arteries near my heart but if I didn’t lose the weight, I wouldn’t be so lucky in future. I was stubborn and continued to eat unhealthy, until I started having chest problems again, I was admitted again and that was my wake up call. I had weighed a hefty 134kgs with a size 48 waist, I didn’t want to take a third chance with my life and having just married the most amazing woman, that alone was something worth fighting for.
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The Strategy
I started my training in the first week of January 2014, the only training material I had was an old copy of Men’s Health Fitness Manual from 2002 and the Belly Off Guide from 2012, I then bought the January edition and used the calendar as my training guide. I didn’t want to join a gym as I was not confident with the way I looked. I read each article in the magazines to organize an eating routine and training plan. I incorporated swimming at the local pool and running on the beach as my cardio workout and slowly started doing weights every second day, borrowing dumb bells from my folks. I cut out on all junk food and fizzy drinks, including my favorite curries and traded them for chicken and lots of greens. My wife motivated me every week without fail on my weigh-ins, even when I didn’t lose weight.
The Reward
After the first month, I lost an amazing 8kgs and people started seeing a difference in the way I looked. This began to cause a ripple effect, they wanted to know my secret and change their own lifestyle. You don’t need a gym to lose weight. You just need motivation, hard work and correct eating habits. I don’t have chest pains anymore, I’m not tired and I can honestly say I’m healthy and fit.
Related: 21 Ways To Melt Your Gut
The Result
I’ve lost a total 30 kgs in 18 weeks and still going strong… My friends tell me I went from Big Show to Batista.
