Transformation Tuesday | The Importance of Positivity

I was born a larger than usual kid, and my whole life I was always seen as “big”. Coming into the world at around 5.3kg (11.7lbs), I proceeded to get bigger as time passed. I had an appetite that rivalled most fully grown adults by the time I was 8 and by the time I was 14, I weighed around 200lbs.

But it didn’t bother me, I enjoyed being the big loud guy. I played 1st team rugby and was a pretty decent cricketer too. The problem was: I was borderline type 2 diabetes, my cholesterol and blood pressure were high and my body fat % was nestled at a ripe 33%.

In April 2012, my father, brother and I travelled to Zambia on holiday to visit Victoria Falls. During a walk down to the boiling pot, a famous viewing site, I was plagued by nausea and struggle with the distance and the heat. Upon reaching the hotel, I decided enough was enough, it was time to make a change.

So for the following two months I enjoyed as much as I could of my favorite foods whilst researching what the best path to take to lose this weight would be. I stumbled across calorie tracking and figured that by utilizing this I would be able to accurately keep tracking of what I was eating as well as my exercise.

So with a combination of HIIT and weight training 7 days a week, I began to shed the pounds, and after about 6 months of solid work, I had gone from weighing over 200lbs to weighing a measly 140lbs (this at a height of just under 6ft). My body fat was so low that I had to wears jerseys everyday, which is quite an achievement considering I live in Durban in South Africa – a place where the temperature seldom drops below 75 degrees.

So over the next year, I began to eat again. I progressively increased my calories and focused more on weight training and faded out cardio completely. As of last month, I weighed in at 191lbs and feeling stronger than ever. I’ve kept my training split relatively simple, a day for back, a day for chest and a day for legs, with shoulders falling in with back and chest being coupled with arms. I’ve trained for roughly an hour a day for the past two years, juggling my training with school work, sport such as rugby and extra curricular activities such as debating, public speaking, film academy and a few more.

I’ve found that for me, the key has always been to stay positive, if you have a bad day or you overeat or whatever, you can always fix it tomorrow.  My advice to anyone looking to lose weight is:

1. Research – follow and watch YouTubers (Tony Do, Michael Kory or Matt Ogus for example), read articles by people like Alberto Nunez or Layne Norton.

2. Find joy in your training! Look forward to going to the gym, don’t make it a chore.

3. Family comes first. Never be afraid to take an off day to be there for the people who matter most in your life.

4. Nutrition is key. Abs are made in the kitchen. It’s an old saying, but it still rings true. Eat filthy and track those macros.

5. Cheat Clean with Quest! It’s the only way.

Team Quest – We are here for you! Share your transformations and triumphs with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or email them to us at [email protected]. Remember that these transformations took hard work, discipline and a plan. Quest products are a delicious component of, and not a substitute for, an exercise regimen and effective diet. The Quest Community is always there for you if you need help, inspiration or motivation!