Tallaght man’s new weight loss book aims to help shed those pounds

LIKE a lot of young people, Tallaght man Robert Wilson left secondary school not knowing what he wanted to do with his life.

However, after spotting an ad in the paper for a local training initiative, Robert’s life took a U-turn and he’s now the health director in Saudi Arabia’s largest university.

Now 31-years-of-age, Robert, who grew up in Old Bawn and is a former student of Firhouse Community College, has been helping people lose unwanted body-fat and embark on healthier lifestyles for the past ten years – experience he has used to shape his new book, The Shred Fat Program.

As his ‘no bullsh*t approach’ to fat lose is released, Robert took some time out to speak with The Echo.

You have been in the fitness industry since 2007, what drew you to this line of work?

When I finished school I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I just worked in security and trained in the local gym. Then I saw an ad in the paper about a fitness and sport training initiative in Tallaght called Spóirt teic.

It was right then I knew what I wanted to do, I signed up and haven’t looked back. It is a shame that Spóirt teic is no longer running for it took me from humble beginnings to now being the health director on the largest university in Saudi Arabia.

Why and when did you move to the Middle East?

An old manager of mine in Dublin contacted me in September 2009 for a personal training job in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. I was always good at what I did but, I was mixed up with the wrong crowd and knew I needed to change my environment to really excel in my field of work. I signed my offer letter and within a month I was on a plane to Saudi. I didn’t even google where I was going, I just knew I had to go all in.

Was it a culture shock moving so far away from home?

No, it wasn’t a culture shock for me. Of course living in Jeddah is different than Tallaght but, I like it. I find I can really focus on my work here for there are less distractions, and the people here have been very welcoming.

Do you get back to Dublin often?

I have a beautiful young daughter here in Jeddah with me, so we get back to Dublin at least twice a year to be with my family.

Tell us a little bit about your book, The Shred Fat Program?

The Shred Fat Program, was initially my fat loss course here in Jeddah. Saudi Arabia has one of the highest obesity rates in the world. Diabetes treatment centres are popping up everywhere, which is why I started my course. I have worked with some great nutritionists and trainers in the past and I knew I could make a difference.

I have got such good results with the course that people back home were asking me for the plan and for my help. Then one of my friends said why not write a book, so I did.

There are many different programmes out there which focus on different ways to lose weight. What do you believe your approach, which doesn’t just focus on the weighing scales, offers that other programmes may not?

There is no magic pill or quick fix. Its hard work each day, it’s eating non-processed healthy food and training smart. People already know this, but how many of them are doing it? My job is just to guide people in the right direction, my program is not just for 6 weeks; the information should make you make healthy choices for the rest of your life.

The results of any program are based on the individual who is accessing the programs/diets. What makes my program slightly different is that before starting the program I work on the person’s mind-set, for a person must develop a strong mind-set to achieve any goal, health or otherwise.

Why do you believe that in countries like Ireland we are experiencing high levels of obesity?

We have high levels of obesity in Ireland because we like things to be convenient. People like to eat sugary cereals for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and take-out for dinner. We are passing these habits onto our children, so the next generation’s obesity rates will increase if we stay on this current trend.

Preparation is the answer to address this problem. If you don’t prepare meals in advance you will end up getting a triple deluxe cheese melt in Starbucks to go with that coffee. If people would just take some time to do some food preparation at the start of the week, they would be much healthier.

Is there any health fad that drives you nuts?

I wouldn’t say any fads drive me nuts, but there are a lot of programs and diets out there I don’t recommend. Most people just need to get back to the basics by eating better and training smarter. The number one job of any trainer is the safety of their clients. In my book I only prescribed the safest exercises I possibly could, because I’m not there to correct their technique. I even incorporated specific soft tissue exercises and warm ups to help people’s movement quality.

What’s your top 3 health tips?

Write down your plan for the week ahead. Prepare your meals in advance. Find a program, sport or class that you enjoy.

Favourite food?

Sirloin steak with sweet potato fries and mixed vegetables.

Words of advice for somebody trying to lose weight or embark on a healthier lifestyle?

You need to create a positive and encouraging environment. You have to remove the energy vampires from your life. Which means disassociating yourself from certain friends or getting out of that toxic relationship. I have found this is one of the most challenging things for people to do. If you want to lead a healthier happy life, you need a healthy and happy environment. Read that last sentence again.

Where can people get their hands on your book?

The Shred Fat Program book is available on Amazon for £14.99 and on the Kindle store for £9.99.