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Renee & Gaetano Go off Blood Pressure Meds & Lose a Combined 158 Lbs.

Name: Gaetano and Renee
Location: Flint, Michigan
Reboot:
90 Days

What inspired you to do a Reboot?
Gaetano: After carrying extra weight for nearly 20 years, I was heaviest just prior to our Reboot.  Due to my size, I broke items in our home and was almost too big for my mid-size car.  I shattered buttons on my pants and needed to ask co-workers for safety pins.  I couldn’t fit my belly through the row to get to the back seats in the commuter van I ride.  And so on.  We had tried many dietary things over the years and none seemed to show any solid results in any reasonable timeframe or how to maintain afterwards. There was prejudice and insults about my size and even peer pressure for exercise programs.  With my work schedule and personal responsibilities, I couldn’t find appropriate time for consistent exercise as often sleep itself seems a luxury.  Other than my faith and hope, I really felt there was no way out.  I had been praying for years “Can I” get rid of this burden and felt led to pray “Will I”.  Will I find something I can connect with that will provide long lasting results?  I knew something needed to change. 

 

  • Feb 26 (Baseline Size): I visited our doctor for a physical, expecting to be down in weight, but was higher.  Doc said there were no meds he could suggest because of my Hypertension and because I don’t consume caffeine.  We discussed Weight Control Surgeries, planning to discuss potential at a future visit.
  • Feb 27: Renee & I watched “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead” and were very impressed and inspired.  As the credits rolled, we sat there quietly in awe staring at each other.  Hollywood couldn’t write a more inspiring ending.  We contemplated trying juicing for health and weight loss. 

Renee: I didn’t realize at the time, but I had some repressed anxiety having lost my father to a heart attack less than 6 months prior.  The thought of my husband going under the knife terrified me.  I was really open to finding a way that he could get healthier and no longer be at risk for a heart attack or worse.  On top of that, I was carrying extra weight and consuming too many medications myself.  I knew something needed to change.

How did the experience go for you?
Feb 28 / Mar 1: We didn’t know there was “prep” before beginning, yet made dietary changes (i.e. stop red meat, dairy milk, etc).  As an engineer, Gaetano knew we needed to ramp down our old habits. 

Mar 4 / Mar 5: Renee gets the green light from Doc to do a Reboot and we purchased a Breville JE98XL. 

Mar 12: Gaetano returns to Doc 10 lbs. lighter from the dietary changes & gets green light for a Reboot. We began experimenting with juices and the juicer replacing maybe a meal every few days.

Mar 29: Started Reboot (-30 lbs. combined drop).  We approached this as a team effort; therefore we look at our combined totals as well as our individuals.

Gaetano’s mother always said the term weight loss is not good.  Anything you lose you will eventually find or replace.  Therefore we approach this as a shedding, elimination, or destroying.  Keeping it positive, we “drop” lbs. not lose them.

 

How much weight did you lose (even if that wasn’t your goal!)?
Day 30 (-87 lbs./39 kg).  Day 46 (-100 lbs./45 kg) met Joe Cross in Detroit at an event sponsored by Drought (a local Organic Juicing company).  Day 57 (-113 lbs./51 kg) date of our original progress photo.  Between Days 30 & 45, we realized the only thing we could control was the number of days and what we did on those days, not a particular drop.  We had to let our bodies do what they are designed to do.  After receiving Doc’s approval, we committed to continue until we reached a total of 90 days. 

June 28: Day 92 (-148 lbs./67 kg) Date of our after photo taken during a party celebrating our family and friends who encouraged us on our Journey.  For our first solid meal, we ate an Apple with them and reminded them to never forget the power of their words when speaking into someone else’s life. 

Gaetano: My elderly father hugged me and told me he was happy he got to see me get my weight under control.  At first, I thought he meant at the party.  Then I realized, having lost my mother a year earlier, he was actually saying he was glad he got to see this while he was alive.  This brought tears to my eyes.

June 30: Day 2 Post Reboot (-152 lbs./69 kg).  We consider this our official Reboot Statistics. Gaetano 345->249 lbs.  Renee 202->146 lbs.  Gaetano has a ways to go on BMI.  Renee finished Normal.

August 16: Day 49 Post Reboot (-158 lbs./71 kg).  Gaetano -100 lbs./45 kg and Renee -58 lbs./26 kg dropped. 

Did you have any notable health or physical improvements?
By Day 57, we were both down 2 pant sizes & 1 shirt size.  By day 92, Gaetano dropped 48/50 to 38 pants & 4XLT to XLT shirt and Renee dropped 16/18 to 8 pants & XL to S shirt, removing 34.25 inches from her body. 

 

Gaetano’s Blood Work improved.  Hemoglobin A1c Percentage dropped to almost Normal.  Chol/HDLC

 

Ratio dropped to better than Normal.  Triglycerides dropped 258->128 getting below the target of 150.

 

We’ve taken long walks without breaking a sweat or shortness of breath.  Stairs are easier to climb. Basic energy levels are very high.  Renee no longer uses caffeine to stay awake.  Sleeping is better.  Gas mileage is better in our cars (ha!). 

 

Renee:  July 16 Day 18 Post Reboot.  Doc takes me off Blood Pressure meds as well as 3 other prescriptions. 

 

Gaetano: August 13 Day 46 Post Reboot.  After my 1 month trial without Blood Pressure meds, Doc gives official word to stay off.  As our lifestyle change becomes permanent, barring any other unforeseen life issues; I am free from the pills I have been consuming daily for the last 10 years. 

 

We can’t wait to see the full results of this lifestyle change and look forward to great health for the rest of our lives.  We never perceived this as just a quick fix, but a way to be healthy and smaller. 

 

What was the toughest part about the Reboot experience?
Having courage to start, but once started, only the first 3 or 4 days during the detox.  I insanely craved cheese.  (Even jokingly asked Renee if we could “juice” cheese – or at least put some on my tongue and let it melt).  Unrelated, Renee found the tabbouleh juice recipe (which isn’t for everyone).  The added olive oil and salt cured the craving. As we started over Spring Break, we were unsure how to handle it once back to work.  We got into a routine preparing the day’s dinner and next day’s breakfast and lunch each night.  First day back to work (Day 10), we knew we would go 60+ days.

 

What habits have you maintained and kept a part of your everyday life?
We anticipated our Reboot enabling us to return to better health & size, providing a pathway to healthy eating habits.  We linked something our Pastor often says to our Reboot philosophy.  “You need to go into something when you come out of something.  When you are busy doing the do’s, you don’t have time for the don’ts.”  While his comments are of a Spiritual nature, we look at the change a Reboot encourages in the same way.  It is great to have a healthy lifestyle to go into, beyond coming out unhealthy eating habits.

 

We entered Phase 2 of our Reboot and drink fresh juice daily.  We consider this installing a New Operation System.  We are following our plan to eat only fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, & seeds and are really enjoying the great food choices available.  We have verified our systems healed via our Reboot.  Renee is able to eat red onions and I can eat bananas and cucumbers without discomfort or issues, which we couldn’t before.  I also have no discomfort from my previously diagnosed diverticulitis.

We are amazed at how much our taste buds and desires changed. 

 

We plan to continue our Phase 2 until I reach an appropriate weight drop.  Then move to a “balanced” diet re-introducing only some animal products (Chicken, Turkey, Fish), and very little to no processed foods.  We will drink fresh juice daily as a complement to our balance and plan to do a 10 day Juice only or 5-5-5 a few times a year (5 days eat, 5 days juice, 5 days eat only fruits & veggies). 

 

Renee is presently involved in a popular High Intensity workout to tone her new size.  I plan to do another 30-90 day Reboot next year to get down below normal BMI and Renee will join me for much of that journey.

 

What is your lasting impression of the Reboot experience?
Thank you Jesus for placing the work of Joe Cross & Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead into our lives. Be encouraged.