Client Interview: Trevor

[Author's note: Trevor is a local friend with whom I have had the pleasure of working with off and on over the last year.  I asked him to answer a few questions after hearing him celebrating losing 30 pounds recently.  Without further ado, here's the interview.]

First question, what made you decide that you wanted to lose some weight?  Where there any special motivating factors?  I accidentally lost my first 10 pounds.  I was recently on a trip to Denmark and Sweden in which we walked and biked everywhere.  When 10 pounds dropped with basically zero effort, I realized how much nasty weight I must have been carrying and how weight I could lose with little more than zero effort.

What methods for weight loss have you tried in the past?  Light running and weight lifting with no diet change.  I saw frustratingly minimal results.

How much weight have you lost?  How long did it take?  Over the past 5 1/2 weeks, I've lost 30 pounds.

How difficult was it to lose the weight?  What kind of lifestyle changes were necessary?  Did it require a lot of sacrifice?  It wasn't difficult to lose weight, it was difficult to make the lifestyle changes and sacrifices that would result in immediate weight loss.  I drastically changed my diet - I only eat meats and veggies (with small amounts of fruit), no grain, no dairy, no sweets and no processed foods (which means very few trips to restaurants) and I drink only water and black coffee.  I permit myself one "cheat" day a week (usually Sunday) where I eat what I want.  Interestingly enough, however, what I want has evolved as well.  Knowing how poor junk food makes me feel, eating junk food has lost its luster.  Although it was a sacrifice initially, my body has grown to love leaner, cleaner food.

I also implemented regular exercise (4-5 days a week).  I alternate between lengthy runs or bike rides and short, intense body weight workouts.  Again, although it was difficult to overcome the inertia I'd developed over some time of inactivity, I've grown to enjoy exercise because of how it makes me feel.

What were the biggest challenges?  Breaking old habits and building new habits, particularly in skipping the drive-thru.

What lessons did you learn through the process?  Since beginning my leaner, cleaner eating and exercise, I've lost 30 pounds, my eczema has gone away, I sleep better at night, I'm not tired all day, I don't have daily headaches and stairs don't wind me - all this to say the lesson I've learned is junk food and a sedentary lifestyle aren't worth how awful I feel with it and how great I feel without it.

Any comments you would like to add.  I spent years playing organized sports and exercising so it took a good bit of humility in confessing I'd grown into a slob.  In addition, it took a great deal of humility to listen to a coach tell me how to exercise.  Fortunately, Brandon was gracious in easing me along, showing me the sorts of lifestyle changes and physical activity necessary to drop weight and exercise well.