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The following is a guest post from Arthur Gooch, who has completed his own Spud Fit Academy. Watch the video interview we did above and read on below.

Spud up!

Andrew

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December 2016 was a momentous month for me….

I was then a 71 year old fairly active guy who was slowly and insidiously packing on those extra kilos. It was timely that I stumbled across Andrew and his TV acclamation approaching the completion of his yearlong “Spud Fit Academy” Being a logical type of bloke, I admired what Andrew had achieved, and the added fact that I quite like potato, I decided to take up the spuds only challenge for two weeks! Let’s go for it! This will be easy! Surprisingly it was really easy and really fun, and two weeks of spuds showed up very positively on my bathroom scales!

So despite the scepticism of some of my circle of friends, I announced I was going to continue for a month and as they say, the rest is history! I decided to extend my Spud Fit Academy for a whole year! To be precise Dec 29th 2016 to Dec 29th 2017…and I did it!

For those of you reading that like statistics my starting weight of 96.5kgs and finishing weight one year later 73kg… shows a 23.5kg loss or… 31% loss of my current body weight!! … or FOURTY SEVEN X 500gm packs of BUTTER!!

There are two sides to my story, Physical/medical data and also Emotional data.

Medically

I am amazed by my new level of fitness! I should advise that I have kept my MD in the picture (although initially he was sceptical, he soon changed his stance and was professionally very interested in my physical improvements). For the first time in many, many years I am totally free from any prescribed medication! I have ceased taking statin drugs as cholesterol has reduced dramatically. I have ceased taking Nexium, prescribed for Hiatus hernia issues that have totally disappeared! I have even ceased taking the evil Methotrexate to control lifelong Psoriasis issues (that has totally cleared up!).

Although not essential, I have undergone DEXA body/bone composition scans (Feb 17 July 17 Jan 18) ($70 each) my BMI reduced from an initial 31.7 to current 24.9!) and all associated results were excellent, gives me great medical based incentive! I should also point out that along with my Spuds alone diet, I have invested in a delightful new walking regime with regular 1hr15min walks with my lovely wife Jenny each morning at 5am! I often go on to walk later in the day with my current average being about 20 to 25kms daily, yes I realise I am lucky to be retired and live in such a delightful area (Gold Coast), but the main “lucky “ ingredient is the desire to walk !

Emotionally

When I focus on Emotional data, this excites me more than I thought possible, let me explain. The most valuable element of this programme of eating, the most exciting realisation of the last year, the most essential ingredient is that YOU HAVE OWNERSHIP! This is something that I/you decide to take on and boy the results are truly life changing! Trying to stifle self-pride and self-centred praise, it has been a huge buzz for me to trawl through our local K Mart sports section and buy super cheap sports shirts and shorts in “small size.” I have proudly bagged up many, many of my now redundant XL clothing items and donated them to Vinnies and the Sallies!!

Andrew shared with me similar realisations that I experienced during the year regarding “bad food” – seeing tables groaning under the weight of cake and sandwiches and nibbles and delicacies and realising you no longer have to resist the urge to indulge. You simply do not have any desire to try, indeed the paramount feeling is usually a feeling of concern for those who are inhaling the junk food! So there you have it, what will this year bring? Well essentially I am still on my spud diet and currently reading a fabulous book called The Starch Solution (written by Dr John and Mary McDougall) I thoroughly recommend this publication. I am excited by the prospect of the future , and feel quite sure that the humble spud is, hopefully, going to remain a huge part of my healthy way of life for a long time to come.

Spud up!!

Arthur