Frank has struggled with weight his entire life, experiencing temporary success with various diets, but always regaining the weight afterward. His motivation to join Harvey Brooker stemmed from fear of his own mortality and a desire to improve his health.
Initially, he didn’t set specific goals, but after repeated attempts and setbacks, he realized that staying connected to the program was crucial to maintaining his weight loss. His new goal is to continue attending meetings indefinitely.
1. Can you tell us about your weight loss journey before joining our program?
I have struggled with weight all my life, from childhood onwards. I have had a few successes with various diets and weight-loss methods before, but always gained the weight back afterwards.
Many of my previous weight-loss attempts were to look good for specific events, or for particular milestones. After the milestones passed, the desire to maintain left me, and I reverted to old, familiar behaviors.
2. What was your biggest motivation for wanting to lose weight?
I was scared of my own mortality. So I’d say for health-related reasons.
3. What specific goals did you set for yourself when you started our program?
The first time I came to Harvey Brooker, I had no specific goal. The idea of being under 200 pounds seemed impossible to me. I did achieve that, but did not maintain.
The second time I came to Harvey Brooker, I wanted to get back to the weight I achieved in the first attempt. I failed in this attempt.
This third and final time, I finally got “IT” as Harvey used to say. I have to keep coming to the Harvey Brooker meetings for the rest of my life. I have noticed a direct relation between me not being at the meetings and me gaining weight.
My goal this time is to keep coming to Harvey Brooker meetings forever.
4. How did our program help you achieve your weight loss goals?
The eating plan is portable and works for picky diets like my own. I’m vegan.
It allows me to buy food anywhere, and eat anywhere, by following the plan. No powders, shots, or other supplements required.
The group dynamic provides accountability, inspiration and support. Other plans leave you on your own.
5. What was the most valuable aspect of the community support?
The in-person meetings are the most valuable to me. I get a weekly reminder of why I am doing this.
6. Were there any tools or resources from the program that made a big difference for you?
I really enjoyed the nutritionist visits when she could come. Having a professional, scientific opinion on food was very helpful to me.
On a weekly basis, the presenters, the maintainers, and the go-to coaches are all very inspirational and comforting.
7. How did you find the diet/exercise plan? Was there anything you found challenging?
I’m glad the weight loss is addressed as a “food” issue rather than an “exercise” issue. As Harvey said, you lose the weight the same way you gained it: with a knife and fork.
The diet plan is not challenging if you give in to it 100%, write down your food intake, weigh and measure your food, drink the effing water, and attend meetings.
8. How did you stay motivated throughout the process?
The weekly meetings motivated me the most.
I also keep a detailed spreadsheet of my results, and I ticked off every 10% towards my goal along the way, to celebrate small victories. Things like: no longer being “obese” or “losing as much as I weigh” also helped motivate me.
9. What physical or emotional changes have you experienced since joining the program?
This is a big one. This third time at Brooker I realized something I hadn’t realized before. My weight is not the problem. My weight is a SYMPTOM of my problem. I am working with other healthcare professionals on my real problem, which is deeper and more far-reaching than just extra weight.
Since I’ve heard all of Harvey’s speeches many times now, I pick up more and more from each speech that I missed on previous rounds. He was a wise and caring man, and there is so much in there that I failed to see and unpack on previous visits.
10. How has your weight loss affected other areas of your life (e.g., energy levels, confidence, relationships)?
It really has made me “Younger Next Year” as per the book. My physiological metrics are 10 years younger than my real age.
My problems with confidence and relationships remain, and are not the results of my weight. I have to address these separately.
11. What are you most proud of in your weight loss journey?
To be honest, I am not particularly proud of myself. I’ve done the math, and in the last 10 years I have gained and lost more than 900 pounds on my body. This will have a negative affect on my health, no matter what my current weight is.
12. What advice would you give to other men who are thinking about starting their weight loss journey?
Start now. Ten years will pass before you know it, and you want to have the best health possible. Harvey said “there is no health condition improved by obesity.” Get the weight off to make it easier to deal with the real problems in your life.
13. What’s one thing you wish you had known when you started the program?
In 2013 I wish I had known that the weight isn’t my real problem. I thought that after I lost the weight then my problems would disappear. They didn’t.
This is only my personal experience. It will be different for every man.
14. How do you plan to maintain your results moving forward?
Come to class religiously. Stay on the plan. Write down my food. Weigh and measure my food. Drink the effing water.
15. What future goals are you working toward now that you’ve achieved your weight loss goal?
My ultimate physical fitness goal is to complete an Ironman.
Smaller goals until then are a series of 5k, 10k, 21.2k and 42.2k races to keep my body in shape. I will continue seeing my personal trainer and doing spin classes.
I need to sign up for a permanent Pilates course. Probably some yoga.