PA lost 18.7kg

“For the first time in my life I have learned the true meaning of a healthy, balanced diet.”

 

Even though he has been heavy all of his life, Perfecto Arturo B. Dillera (PA for short) never let it stop him enjoying life. The Team Manager for a technical support company was very active as a youngster and loved all sorts of sports. Three years ago at the age of just 30, PA developed hypertension and gout and realised that he needed to address his health issues – fast. Here he talks about life, his aspirations and his time with The Biggest Loser Club Asia so far.

What do you hope for in your life and what do you fear?

“I would love to start a family with my wife Sabrina. My own parents are still fairly healthy; dad is 86 and mum is 73 and they are surrounded by family. I would love to enjoy time with my wife and with our children (that’s a work in progress by the way!) and with our future grandchildren.

“My fears are all about ill health. I am not one to go to my doctor, but when I went for an appointment about three years ago, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and raised uric acid, which is the first step in the development of painful gout.

“I began to dread going to see my doctor after that. I knew it would mean a lecture about the reason for my health problems. I know that they were all down to my weight problem. Being so heavy meant that I began to feel lethargic about life in general and I even developed anxiety attacks; I worried that I would have a heart attack or stroke.”

What was your exercise and diet like before The Club?

“During my younger years, I enjoyed playing basketball a lot. As the years went by and I became heavier, I felt the wear and tear on my knees and ankles because of my increasing weight and so my passion shifted to mountain biking. That was around 2002. Still, I really enjoyed it and I would cycle for about 4-5 hours at a time. Afterwards though, I would feast to reward myself for all that exercise and it didn’t do me any good at all.”

“Food has always been the place that I have taken refuge in times of stress and in times of happiness, relaxation and celebration. This, combined with my poor self-control, is what got me to where I was before The Club.

“I regularly used to eat three main meals including rice, meat or fish and vegetables. My mid-morning and afternoon snack would usually be junk food; I could easily demolish a large pack of potato chips in one sitting and burgers and chips were high on the list of regular favourites.

“The timing of my meals was also erratic. Because I work night shifts, I got used to having a big meal on waking. My job is very busy so I wouldn’t eat through my working day, but then I would put away a huge meal before going to bed. 

Tell us about your exercise and diet today

“Now I am exercising six days a week; I combine cardio with circuit training with my personal trainer and sometimes I go back and do a group class in the gym later in the day.

“Food wise, I knew that I needed to tackle what and how much I was eating. My Biggest Loser Club Asia plan has taught me that it is essential to eat smaller meals and to eat them regularly throughout the day to prevent excessive hunger and cravings. I use the online diary to ensure that I stick closely within the calories that are recommended to me.

“My diet has changed hugely since starting with The Biggest Loser Club Asia plan. I have given up chips, fast food, cola and chocolate and I am controlling my portion sizes. In fact, for the first time in my life I have learned portion control and about the true meaning of a healthy, balanced diet. I am so much more conscious of what I eat now.

“The most important thing that I have learned is that you don’t have to starve yourself to lose weight. You just have to be wise in selecting the food you put into your mouth. I have also learned that there isn’t any specific food group that will make you put on weight if you eat it in the right proportions.”

And what about the future?

“When started, I weighed 158.2kg. I currently weigh 139.5kg and I have lost 18.7kg so far. I already I feel so much lighter and I have much more stamina. I want to weigh less than 90kg and the way things are progressing, I hope that won’t be too far away. I’ll keep you posted!”