What My Doctor Learned from Me

Name:  Joe C.
Age: 65
Location: Van Nuys, CA
Reboot: 60 Days

What Health Issues apply to you?
High Blood Pressure, Obesity

How did you learn about Reboot with Joe?
My weight has been creeping upward for the last 12 years. I kept buying larger and larger clothing and making small changes in my diet not following any particular weight loss program. Then about two years ago my blood pressure began to spike so high the walls were moving. Paramedics were called and my doctor put me on 50mg of Losatan, then 100mg. My doctor assured me my condition was weight driven but for every doughnut I would pass up, I would eat a pint of Ben & Jerry’s.

Last Fall we went to a reunion in West Virginia and my friend Yasmin (who came all the way from Belgium) came up to me and pointing at my wheat belly said, ”When I saw you two years ago you were big but you’ve gotten much, much worse!” (If you’ve never had much experience with Europeans I can tell you, if they love you whatever they’re thinking comes out of their mouths!).

When I got home she started sending me information on various weight loss programs to help me find something I could live with. I was doing one of these plans when my wife’s hair dresser told her and her sister about Joe’s documentary. He and his wife did a Reboot and were very happy with the results. We got FSND on Netflix and by the time Joe got to that truck stop in Arizona, I made up my mind to do it!

What inspired you to do a Reboot?
The true inspiration came from the documentary. When Joe returned to Arizona to rescue the Phil the film became very powerful. When Phil gave up his career to become an advocate for better health along with the stories of the other people featured in the story…….how could you not want to follow them!

How did the experience go for you?
Well it started out pretty much like Joe’s. I went cold turkey that Thursday evening. The next day I went to the store and bought veggie and fruit blended juices in bottles and started out like that. I got sick (just like Joe did) on Saturday and Sunday but by Monday I was back at work and surprised how much easier it was. I also decided to check to see if Joe had written a book and I found it on Amazon.com for under $15. When I got the book I realized I was doing it wrong. My juice blends were 20 % veggies/80 % fruit instead of 80/20 and I was also using bottled (pasteurized) juices…no-no’s!

Because I did not want to buy a juicer and deal with all the produce and the added work necessary, I started going to Robek’s (juice bar) and Whole Foods Markets to get fresh juice.

The next thing I did was get everyone involved, the family, my friends, my co-workers, my doctor of course, the girls at Robek’s, the neighbors, people at church, my Tai Chi instructor…everyone!

I went to every food related gathering you could think of and never budged…Easter dinner, a beautiful birthday party at a country club, club luncheons, club dinners, I took my wife to restaurants and joined my co-workers as they ate bagels, donuts and birthday cakes! On top of all that…at home I do all the cooking! I roasted chickens, made pork chops, soups, cooked bacon and made bread! And it never bothered me because inside I knew this stuff would all be there if and when I decide to eat it, but for now, I was on a path to wellness.

How much weight did you lose (even if that wasn’t your goal!)?
Seventy pounds/Thirty-two kilos in 60 days….374 lbs/170 kg to 304 lbs/138 kg.

52 inch/132 cm waist to a 44 inch/112 cm. My doctor took my blood pressure medication from 100mg to 50mg to 25mg and today, nothing! He was so happy with me he brought me into the front office and told everyone there what I had done! He also told me he brought the idea of juicing home to his family!

Did you have any notable health or physical improvements?
Well obviously, the spiking blood pressure is no longer an issue. Then on top of that I’m walking faster, climbing steps that were once a problem, and got real active and ambitious with things like planting an apple tree, tomatoes, basil, grape vines, strawberries, watermelons, and I plan to plant more! I also have the energy to get some major construction done on my G-gauge garden railroad (as soon as I get some money aside).

What was the toughest part about the Reboot experience?
I missed chewing. I know that sound odd but I really did. Being around food while others ate was never a problem, I even prepared it for them! One day while at an event at Santa Anita Race Track with my wife and members of the Grandsons of Italy, I gave away my salad to one guy, my entree to another and my dessert to a third! I’ll bet that will make it into next month’s newsletter!

What habits have you maintained and kept a part of your everyday life?
Juicing will always be an important part of my life.  I saw my Robek’s girls at lunch today and I had previously told them that I would not use the tip jar until I finished the 60 days and depending on my loss, that would be their gain, so on Thursday (my payday), they get $70.

Education…I am reading about food (like the Wheat Belly, The Paleo Answer, etc.) to keep me aware of the foods that will be me the most harm in the future.

What is your lasting impression of the Reboot experience?
How fast and how (with planning) easy it is.

Like Phil, I want to be an advocate too. One day at Robek’s, one of the girls leaned over and said, ”You see that woman, you should talk to her about juicing” and I did. I told her about FSND and Joe and the and the whole Reboot program.

My friend Alex asked me to help him loose weight (Alex has lots of medical issues aggravated by his weight) so this weekend we will watch FSND together and get his reboot started……..Thank You Joe for giving me back my life!