Rick Overton

Dear Tosca,

In my teens and early twenties I was always labeled as the skinny kid, weighing in at about 150 pounds. It seemed like no matter how much I ate I stayed the same weight. In my late twenties my metabolism began to catch up with me. I found myself in a busy career eating fast food two or three times per day. Exercise was nonexistent in my life. By the age of 32, I was tipping the scales at 205 pounds. People would make jokes about my big belly, but I always laughed it off, not realizing I was in such bad shape.

In May of 2009 I finally realized it was time for some drastic changes in the way I took care of my body. I realized that I wasn’t just big; I was carrying around excess body fat and was out of shape. Although I knew I needed to change, I really didn’t know where to start. I was honestly clueless about nutrition.

I found myself at the bookstore looking for a motivational and informative diet and exercise book. I scanned through many titles, but The Eat-Clean Diet® stood out to me. The principles seemed simple and everything I read in the book made sense. I took my new book home and read it in two days. The next week I read it again.

After reading The Eat-Clean Diet I started fully and wholeheartedly living the Eat-Clean Diet Principles taught in the book. I started preparing all my meals in advance and packed a cooler for my 12-hour days at work. I cut out soda, white bread and sugary foods. At the same time, I joined the gym and started walking, then jogging, 20 minutes a day.
The results were almost immediate; in the first year I dropped 46 pounds. I had to purchase a whole new wardrobe. I began receiving compliments and questions of curiosity on an almost daily basis. Everyone wanted to know my secret.

All my life I have wanted muscles, but at 159 pounds I felt very skinny. At that point I picked up The Eat-Clean Diet® for Men. I continued to follow the Eat-Clean Diet Principles and added weight training to my fitness plan. Over the past year I’ve gone from a skinny 159 pounds to a lean but muscular 172 pounds. I get so many compliments about my toned body. I love it.

Recently, I decided to take a photo so that I could compare myself to where I was two years ago before I started following The Eat-Clean Diet. When I dug out a picture of the old me from May 2009 and compared it to my recent photo, I have to tell you I was blown away. I had no idea how far I had come. I still have a hard time believing it.

Eating Clean has affected me beyond just the weight loss, too. My skin is healthier, my teeth seem whiter and stronger, my mind is sharper, I’m full of energy and my immune system is much stronger – I haven’t had a sick day at work since I started Eating Clean. At a recent visit to my doctor, I discovered that my blood pressure is almost ideal, my cholesterol is low and my blood sugar is within normal range. I hope to avoid prescription medications for years to come.

My relationships and personal life have improved as well.  People tell me that I stand taller and appear more confident. I feel much more confident when talking to others or meeting new people.

I continue to fully follow The Eat-Clean Diet. I always tell people that Eating Clean is not a diet; it’s a lifestyle. This is the lifestyle I have fully embraced and I will follow it for many, many years to come. I still pack my meal bag and take it with me to work. I exercise five or six days per week. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I am very proud of the progress I have made in the past two years. My life will never be the same. I want to say thank you to The Eat-Clean Diet for helping me reach my goals. I never could have done it alone.

Thank you Tosca for changing my life.

Rick Overton
Oklahoma City, OK