These 44 and 53-year-old men have radically transformed their physiques and lives by following these simple rules
A few weeks ago, I mentioned how Dana White has my dream physique. I even sent her a prank message asking her to give me her training plan. People are surprised, but we get along well and there is mutual respect between us.
He told me that he would introduce me to Gary Brecka, who is the guy who did the blood tests and changed his life completely. Brecka has a business that tells you how long you have to live. He said Dana had a life expectancy of 10.4 years, but they’ve completely changed around her insulin, her glucose, her cholesterol, everything.
I love all this. I find it fascinating, and the same thing happens to me as to Dana. If I see numbers that I have to lower, I will work very hard for months to lower them. If we can do it, we have won. I also know that Dana went through a difficult time, but now her resilience is extraordinary. She says that she used to wake up coughing at night and that she couldn’t tie her shoelaces in the morning. I wasn’t that bad, but I remember when she put my pants on she felt like shit. And I don’t feel like shit anymore.
I’m 44, Dana 53. We both almost yelled at people how important it is to be in shape and that you have to put in the time for it. I neglected it for years and so did Dana, but believe me when I tell you we won’t make that mistake again.
In my case, my emotional levels rise and fall when I participate in shows, because I am preparing for this exciting event. It ends on Saturday and then, on Sunday and Monday, I wouldn’t say that you go into a depression, but you do go down. Now training gives me a high similar to that of a show.
Dana has a different reason for training, so I talked to him about his transformation and what a difference it has made in his life. This is what he told me.
Eddie Hearn: I’ve explained that my fitness journey began when I got to the point where I felt terrible about myself, what was it that inspired you to do something about your health and fitness?
Dana White: I felt the exact same way. I got to a point where I knew I wasn’t healthy, and I knew I wasn’t well, but I started to think that this is what it feels like to be 50 years old. Then I met Gary Brecka and realized that this was all a lie. No, that’s not what being 50 feels like. I’ve been consistent, solid, hardcore for a little over a year. Halfway through I said I feel like I’m 30 again, but now I feel like I’m in my twenties. I’m telling you, all my inflammation markers are at zero, my organs are all healthy, my blood work has never been better and I’m off all meds from the doctors.
EH: What was the hardest part of the transformation for you? Diet, workouts or something else?
DW: Nothing was difficult for me. Once I met Gary and he walked me through my blood work, the guy told me things that made me believe him. I saw a bunch of stuff on the internet that said, “Oh, you’re being ripped off.” All you have to do is look at me. I’m not the same person he was a year ago. So none of this was difficult.
It’s funny, because everyone is focused on food: ‘Oh my gosh, the food you can’t eat.’ The thing is, once you eliminate those foods from your diet, you feel so good that you don’t want to eat them again because you remember how you felt when you ate them. So everything was very easy for me.
