How this couple lost 145 pounds and transformed their lives with low carb

Theo and Annemarie and Real Meal-CEO and author Jonno Proudfoot, at a training day for Certified LCHF Real Meal Coaches 2016

Annemarie and her husband Theo have made a transformational low-carb journey together. Annemarie has lost 46 kg (101 lbs) and reversed type 2 diabetes, and Theo has dropped 20 kg (44 lbs).

Here they share their inspiring story, along with their top tips for anyone who wants to do the same thing:

This is about Annemarie and Theo.

Annemarie was born in Zandvoort, the Netherlands. At 19 years of age she moved to South Africa. She is married to the South African pilot/instructor, Theo. Thirty years ago she was diagnosed as being a type 2 diabetic. After medical and nutritional searches lasting many years, she discovered the book entitled The Real Meal Revolution. By applying the low-carb lifestyle, and changed their lives so much that both of them continued to train as Certified LCHF Coach, as they felt inspired to help other to become healthier, fitter and more energetic.

“No more sugar and you’ll be fine” said her doctor at that time. But it was not that simple, as speedily she gained weight and eventually was placed on the three times daily insulin injection regime. Every diet imaginable was tried without success.

By a stroke of luck she visited her daughter in Cape Town in 2014 and was given a copy of The Real Meal Revolution, which had just been published; it soon became a best-seller. “Read this Mom” her daughter stated. Initially Annemarie was sceptical as she thought “Here is another so-called revolutionary diet.”

After reading how sport-scientist the co-author related his own experiences as an athlete/Comrades Marathon runner, became a type 2 diabetic using the then regime of high intake of carbohydrates and low fats, she became convinced and happily took the book home. The book was quickly read from cover to cover and re-read again.

As a pilot/instructor, Theo was flying everywhere in Africa. His flights took him from Eritrea, Ethiopia, the DRC to Zanzibar, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland, Zambia, Namibia, Angola and Mozambique. However due to the incorrect diet, the kilo’s were surreptitiously added! In turn this affected his energy levels and climbing into small cockpits became more difficult. Thus in 2014 he too read the book The Real Meal Revolution. He stated “we must adapt to this lifestyle now”. What was there to lose?

Annemarie emptied her pantry and gave away all sugars, flours and anything with high-carbohydrate content. That’s when their real-meal adventure started in earnest. Annemarie related “Initially we were winning. For decades we were informed to not eat fats or eggs. Actually we did not realize how brain-washed we were. Theo quickly became an enthusiast. Our meals became far tastier. Now allowed were cheeses, butter, home-made mayonnaise.”

A typical daily menu

Breakfast: Annemarie and I start the day with two eggs; be they boiled, fried, scrambled or as an omelette* – all cooked in butter and coconut oil. Added to this could be four thin slices of cooled (reduced the carbs and becomes easier to digest) sweet-potato, three small cocktail tomatoes, a small slice of red-onion (Annemarie cuts out onion, tomato if she wants to lose more weight), a rasher of streaky bacon or maybe a few pieces of either grilled chicken skin or pork skin. With our black coffee we’ve acquired the taste of added butter or cream and MCT oil, which also adds the healthy fats/oils. Almost a bullet coffee!

Lunch: Because we’ve eaten such a nutritious breakfast, we’ve found that lunch is not required. If we’re very active, we maybe have a few pieces of grilled chicken or pork skin with more of our coffee. A little home-made seed rusk (a oven-dried biscuit which is typically South Africa) could also be added. Annemarie has her coffee mostly black, as we discovered that like most females, she is lactose intolerant.

Supper: We generally have two vegetables that are in season – green beans, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, but never any potato, rice or breads. This is from the “Green List” as contained in the book. Our meat could be pieces of chicken, pork, or homemade meatballs (know to as “fricadelles”), all cooked in ample coconut oil. Again if I’ve had a very active day, I enjoy a spoonful of full-fat yoghurt as my dessert.

Diabetes under control now!

What has The Real Meal Revolution meant for us? Since 2016 when this new lifestyle was adopted, Theo has lost 20 kg (44 lbs) and Annemarie lost 46 kg (101 lbs).

“We’re able to climb stairs, walk long distances, attend a gym, cycle and swim, without any trouble, sleep better with increased energy levels” Annemarie relates and Theo confirms. Of course Theo now boards his aircraft cockpit without any problems. The best result has been that Annemarie has totally given up the use of any insulin and by means of a light “Glucophage XR tablet, even that intake has slowly been reduced (under guidance from a diabetes-trained doctor). No other medications are required anymore.

Before and after

Certified real meal LCHF coaches

Theo and Annemarie became so enthusiastic over their positive experiences with the The Real Meal Revolution, that they both enrolled for the intensive 8-week online course. That was in 2014 – there was little support.

Theo and Annemarie have been active in their own online support groups. Annemarie also conducts a support group in The Netherlands. They have various English and Dutch Facebook pages, on which they share many new articles. Via e-mail, Skype, Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook members can make contact.

“The Real Meal Revolution” has changed the lives of Annemarie en Theo radically.

What tips would you give to people faced with the same choices?

Theo: “Read the book. Try to understand the contents as best as possible, as this is the basic foundation to which we all revert to. It is the first step and also the most difficult one as you need to change the way that you look at your eating patterns. Learn to eat like our fore-fathers ate, and that our bodies were built to eat the old way. Then proceed step-for-step and bite by bite”.

Annemarie: “Listen to your body and eat only when hungry, not when bored or according to habits. Try not to be make things complicated for yourself. For instance remember that eggs are very versatile and so simple to prepare and that they are full of nutrition.

In closing: Remember to listen to the sage advice that healthy fats are good for you. He states that when you consume sufficient healthy fats, your hunger is brought under control and that you’ll be healthier, more fit and have more energy.

Update 5 april 2017

Recently Annemarie and Theo, where he was told about Annemarie’s improvements and so he added the following autograpgh in the new The Banting Pocket Guide:

A Dutch version appeared in a Dutch Facebook page 2 years ago. Since then updates have been incorporated into this report.

Our Facebook groups: Waist away the LCHF way and Low carbs high fat by a LCHF coach.

Theo and Annemarie

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