Category: Fat Loss

Fat Loss: information on diet and exercise regimens that will help you lose weight and get lean.

Rock Hard Grandfather Robert Durbin, Age 64 (Body Transformation)

Robert Durbin has a physique much younger men would envy.  But this wasn’t always so: as you can see by the before/after picture, Robert was in terrible shape a few years ago.  He wore braces and couldn’t walk without using a cane.  He decided to transform his body and life so he could enjoy his family.  The video (posted below) has made him an internet sensation.  He was kind enough to do this interview for me.

Robert Durbin, "Rock Hard Paw Paw"
Robert Durbin, “Rock Hard Paw Paw”

MuscleReview: Robert, I’d first like to thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Why don’t you tell my readers a little bit about yourself (education, family, work, etc.)?

Robert: I graduated from Fairdale High School in 1968. I’ve been married 34 years as of this month. We have five kids, five grandkids, and two great-grandkids. I’m retired.

MuscleReview: Let’s talk about your younger years. Were you in pretty good shape as a young man?

Robert: I was involved in several sports in high school: football, track, and cross-country running. I was pretty healthy until I reached my late 30’s.

MuscleReview: What was the turning point for you? What motivated you to transform your body?

Robert: I wasn’t able to do anything with my children and grandchildren, and I was always sick.

MuscleReview: What do you consider to be the most difficult part of this process?

Learning how to eat properly was definitely the hardest thing for me.

MuscleReview: Please tell my readers (in general terms) about your diet and training.

Robert: I don’t eat fried foods or white bread and I also never eat out. I eat lean meats like chicken, turkey breasts, and tuna. I also eat a lot of green vegetables. I believe in pushing myself to my physical/mental limits every day in the gym. I train 2.5-3 hours a day, and I also train abs every morning and night.

MuscleReview: One of the topics I’m interested in (as I age) is training into later years. What adaptations (if any) have you made to your training as an older athlete ?

I do the same workouts younger guys do but I use a little less weight. I also try to add a lot of variety: kickboxing, kettlebell training, Crossfit, yoga, etc.

MuscleReview: What advice would you give to people who want to get in better shape?

Robert: Just put your mind to it and do it! Set your goals and when you reach them raise them higher. Age is just a number—it’s never to late, get out there and do something.

MuscleReview: Please talk about the differences in quality of life you are experiencing now that you are in better shape.

I’m able to get around and I’m not afraid to try anything. My mindset is very positive.

MuscleReview: What does your family think of your new physique and notoriety?

Oh man, my kids brag about me all the time. It’s an incredible feeling and it makes all my hard work worth it.

MuscleReview: What’s next for you?

Robert: I’d like to make another video with Barstarzz. I’m also thinking about entering a physique competition like the Kentucky Derby Muscle Show.

MuscleReview: Thanks again for taking the time to do this interview!

Thank you!

Here’s the youtube video featuring Robert:

 

The Pants Don’t Lie

pantsJuly and August were great months for me, but not as far as diet and exercise go.

My wife and I moved from Asia to the USA and immediately did some traveling after arriving here.  We went about a month with no training and my diet was hit or miss (mostly miss).

The wake-up call to get my diet back in order came when I tried on an old pair of slacks.  They were tight in the waist.  I couldn’t wear them for fear of reenacting this Subway commercial:

These before-mentioned pants were probably a bit snug on previous (leaner) versions of me.   Regardless, I couldn’t ignore the obvious:  weeks of no exercise and bad eating has taken it’s toll.  I’m not obsessed with wearing those slacks again, but I definitely need to drop a few pounds of fat.

There’s a point to my story:  it’s helpful to have objective ways to measure your progress.  Stepping on the scale is the most common way, but probably not the best–it doesn’t give you much useful information on change in body composition.

Brad Pilon recommends having a DEXA/DXA scan or Bod Pod measurement done once a year to measure body fat–this is probably the best way for those who want precise feedback.  You can get a general idea of how things are going just by measuring your waist every once in a while.  Another option is to take pictures of yourself for comparison (not really objective, but you can usually see improvements and/or needed improvements by comparing photos of yourself).

Don’t forget to include some form of measurements in your fitness journey.  This will help you celebrate your accomplishments and warn you when you are moving in the wrong direction.