Mens Health

by Men's Health Jan 2011

 

Alan Borain discovered that getting older doesn't mean getting out of shape...

WEIGHT BEFORE 94 WEIGHT AFTER 79

OCCUPATION Manager
HEIGHT 1.83m
TIME TO GOAL Five months

THE GAIN In the beginning, thanks to a pretty hectic sports schedule, it didn’t matter what I ate, I just burnt it off. Through my twenties and thirties, I gradually gained weight. I was able to maintain my weight at about 80kg by running marathons, but my legs finally gave up the ghost after my sixth Comrades. From that point I started to “blossom”. I tried cycling and swimming, but I didn’t get quite the same kick as running. Unfortunately, I didn’t change my eating habits much so the consequences where inevitable. Plus,a great thirst for South African beer and wine didn’t help much either.

THE CHANGE As I approached 50 my health gradually declined. I’d developed high blood pressure, my asthma was getting worse and none of my clothes fitted anymore. Some friends and family suggested that this was natural. But what ultimately made me change my lifestyle was when I considered stretch waist pants at 94kg – an all-time high – and I was unable to do the most mundane tasks without getting breathless.

THE STRATEGY The following day I joined Weigh-Less. I took the weekly weigh-ins seriously and this kept me focused. I established a varied exercise routine that kept me away from injury. Employing the services of a personal trainer helped enormously.

THE RESULT I’ve lost 15kg in total and reduced my belt size by four notches.

THE REWARD I’ve maintained my new weight for over a year now and my body fat is below 15 percent. My blood pressure is back to normal and my asthma has all but disappeared. Because of exercise, I’m still able to enjoy a beer or glass of wine. To ensure I didn’t put the tyre back on, I replaced all the “fat” clothes in my wardrobe with ones that didn’t leave room for growth. Bottom line: I’m in better shape now than I was at 30 and I’ve realised that being out of shape is a choice, no matter what your age.