Sometimes I meet with a person months or even years before they are ready to make a lifestyle change and commitment.
Michael Crystal is that person. He is 63 years old, a coach and facilitator/trainer to many of the foremost leaders and organizations in the world, an avid traveler, and wine lover. Even with his very hectic schedule, he knew it was finally time for a change. Here’s a bit about his experiences with the 28-Day Cleanse & Detox program.
Q: What struggles have you had with your health and your weight in the past? A: I went from not being able to gain much-needed weight in my teens and twenties, to fluctuating in my thirties, forties and fifties, to gaining too much weight in my sixties. Most recently, I was cautioned by my internist that my blood pressure and risk of diabetes were both increasing. Sleep-related problems were also an issue.
Q: How did you learn about my programs? A: I was having lunch with a business associate and she was telling me about the benefits she had derived from a detox and cleanse program. It reminded me of a very pleasant exploratory discussion I had with you after winning one of your gift certificates in a silent auction at a library event. So I thought I’d reconnect and lo and behold, you were about ready to start up a 28-Day Cleanse & Detox program. I saw the pieces of the mosaic coming together for me so I signed up.
Q: Perfect timing! What was your motivation and what was your goal? A: My motivation and goals were to lose weight and generally feel better as a result.
Q: Did you have any fears/trepidation going into the program? A: My only trepidation was my travel schedule, and whether I’d be able to stay true to the program while gallivanting around the globe.
Q: What challenges did you face once you began? A: The biggest challenge was making certain that I had everything I needed to take the program on the road with me when I needed to, and not compromise my chances of achieving my goals.
Q: You planned so well and made sure that your location never impeded your progress. Amazing! How did you feel during the month that we worked together? A: The program seemed to produce benefits almost immediately. I chose not to weigh myself during the first two weeks yet I literally felt better in my clothes. My wife said I had all but stopped snoring. My exercise routine increased in duration and intensity. My cravings were nonexistent, and that, quite honestly, shocked me. I mean no sugar, no caffeine, no alcohol, no starches. I thought for sure I’d be climbing a wall, and I wasn’t because I was really feeling great!
Q: That’s dedication for sure! What happened once you finished the 28 days? A: Finishing the 28 days was easy physically and psychologically awesome. I had weighed myself at the halfway mark and had lost 11 pounds; when I weighed myself on day 28 I was down another 10. Twenty-one pounds in 28 days! I was ecstatic, and not just because of the weight loss. I was noticeably more energetic, I was really elated, and I was really enjoying telling everyone how great I was feeling.
Q: You are certainly a living, breathing billboard for great health. It’s been a few months since you began. What do you do now to keep your focus on health and weight loss while balancing other aspects of your life such as work, socializing, travel, etc.? A: I still travel as much, domestically and internationally, and still eat out virtually every night when I am in town, yet I’ve not suffered any diminishment whatsoever in enjoying what I consume.
The program really changed the way I live. My exercise regimen has made a quantum leap (my Krav Maga trainer marvels at how much quicker and more agile I’ve become, and how I’ve increased my core strength and stamina). My eating habits have been completely revamped with caffeine, processed sugars, starches, and gluten totally removed from my diet.
I’ve since dropped another 14 pounds and now weigh what I weighed when I was a senior in high school (a time in my life when my lacrosse teammates were trying to fatten me up to keep those awfully big defensemen from beating on me).
Q: Fantastic! What about treats? Where do they fit in for you? A: Well, I now consciously eat more fish and vegetables in lieu of red meat and pasta, and I snack on carrots, celery, and nuts rather than salty snacks, and I drink decaf green tea in place of three Starbucks venti bolds, but I do enjoy two glasses of wine per day. Those are my treats of choice but I proudly say it’s easy and enjoyable!
Q: What did you learn from doing the Cleanse? A: The 28-Day Cleanse & Detox program dramatically changed my life. People who see me now can’t stop telling me how great and young I look (and I love hearing it). I’m actually writing this while in Vail, Colorado, and I realize the effects of high altitude here, which I never felt in my first 25 years but really struggled with in the last 10, are a thing of the past, thanks to what I learned and now practice.
UPDATE: After one year of continuing my new, healthy lifestyle, I’m completely off cholesterol medication. UPDATE: I had my annual 2017 physical today: in 2015 (before the program) I weighed 202 lbs. In 2016 I weighed 162 lbs. Today I weigh 164 and all of my vitals are great!