David Davy let things slide. He’s the first to say it.
“I was going through an interesting period in my life. Complacency about my health is a good way to put it. My blood sugar was going in the wrong direction, my blood pressure was way too high, and my cholesterol has always been high for as long as I can remember, as long as I’ve been tested.”
He’s a type 2 diabetic. Four Metformin tablets a day. And a sweet tooth he doesn’t bother hiding.
“I’ve got a bead of honey. A very sweet tooth. I loved everything that was wrong for me. Sweets, ice cream, lots of packaged food. Carbohydrates galore.”
The turn came in a doctor’s office, with his wife sitting next to him and the results on the desk.
“Tony’s message was: do something, David, or your body’s going to do something for you that you won’t like. That was a wake-up call for me.”
David had been thinking about calling me for a long time – we knew each other professionally, and through mutual friends. The doctor’s warning made the decision for him.
“You can’t get any more direction than your doctor saying do something. That was my driver to pick up the phone. And I’m so glad I did.”
I gave him the fundamentals to stop that day. No cushioning, no easing in.
“Andre said, here are some fundamental things you should stop today, Dave. Don’t have any alcohol for at least three months. And when you get through this, if you decide to have a drink, just have one. That really resonated with me. And it was easier than I thought.”
Then the carbs. Anything in a packet. Then the sugar – the bourbon and cokes went with it.
The sleep came back first.
“I started sleeping well. I’d been waking up in the night with my heart thumping through my chest, not sleeping well, despite the fact that I’m a very good sleeper.”
Halfway through, we ran a blood test.
“I was blown away by the results. My doctor was impressed as well. The blood sugar is in the normal range now. I’ve gone from four tablets to one a day. And when I can naturally keep the sugar under control, there’ll be no more tablets.”
Getting David off the diabetes medication was the plan from the first call, not a happy accident.
“That was always the strategy for you and I. To get me off the diabetes. And that plan’s coming together really well.”
The rest of his numbers moved with it.
“My cholesterol was always high, in the high sixes, sevens. Last blood test, 3.4. Triglycerides, everything well aligned. And the blood pressure is perfect.”
The weight came off almost as a side effect.
“I got down eight kilos. It’s the easiest weight loss I’ve ever done. And the energy levels I got back were even greater than what I had before. It’s a complete tune-up, both psychologically and internally, physically.”
Here’s the part that matters. David was told exactly what every type 2 diabetic gets told.
“I was told I’m a type 2 diabetic. And that if you don’t do something about it, you’re on this forever. There’s no reversing it.”
He’s nearly off the medication with normal blood sugar. Draw your own conclusion about “no reversing it.”
And notice what’s missing from his story — a gym.
“It’s interesting, you use the word exercise. No exercise for me, other than what I do normally. This was controlled by what you eat and what you drink. So my message is: don’t go on a diet and start exercising, because it’s not going to work.”
Ask David what he’d say to a bloke his age who’s carrying a gut, likes his beers, and tells himself it’s just what getting older looks like:
“Don’t procrastinate like I did. Don’t wait until the doctor tells you very seriously that you’ve got to do something or something bad is going to happen. Pick up the phone and call Andre. You will have a completely different experience, and it will change your health and your life.”
Because for David, it was never really about the scale.
“It’s not just about losing weight. For me it was reducing the sugar, getting the blood pressure down. I did have a little pot belly. I’ve got a flat gut now, and I love it.”
And what it bought him:
“I’m going to have a longer life. I’m going to enjoy the grandkids and the wife and life generally. I’m still actively working in a sales role, a lot of pressure in that business, and I’m well equipped for it. Prepared for battle.”
Still telling yourself diabetes is a one-way street?
David did this with what he ate and what he drank. No gym, no restrictive misery, no waiting for the doctor to make the decision for him. If your blood work is heading the wrong way, the time to move is before your body moves first.
