Sixty-Five Years Old and 60 Pounds Lighter. How David Did It

As a truck driver, David Degelman, 65, is used to sitting for long periods and eating fast food — often the only food conveniently available on the road. 

He didn’t see much wrong with his habits until 10 years ago. He tried to overhaul his diet but never added exercise beyond walking. When David didn’t see the results he hoped for, he had no motivation to try again… until recently.

“I wasn’t worried about my weight until my daughter Sara, a Kickoff trainer, mentioned it would help to personalize my food and exercise routine,” recalls David. “I joined the Kickoff program mainly to help my daughter get more clients, but she ended up helping me way more than I was able to help her.”

Sara gave him practical tools and guidance to lose 60 pounds and drop six pant sizes — plus stay motivated with a personalized plan that continues to work for him. Check out how it works.

Portions and Pictures Were Game Changers 

“Taking pictures of all three meals and sending them to Sara helps,” says David. When he sends Sara pictures of his meals, she breaks them down for him in ways that are easy to understand. She gives him feedback on how much he should eat, when he can have a free or cheat day, and ways he can manage his portions better. 

Messaging Sara every day helps him stay motivated to eat better and move.

One tool that helped David manage his portions was switching from a large to a medium-sized plate. Staying accountable with food pictures helped him stop other unhealthful habits as well. “I used to sneak more junk food in before I started with Sara, but I haven’t done that in a while now.” 

A few other tips that helped David minimize his portions: 

• Adding more vegetables and salads for nutrition and fiber to help him stay fuller for longer. 

• Drinking black coffee, which he learned to love. 

• Splitting a meal with his wife if he craves a burger and fries when dining out. 

Changing things up has helped him make huge strides. 

“The great thing about it is I don’t feel restricted. I just learned to cut back, and I have a lot more get up and go,” says David. 

Exercise That’s Easy to Repeat

Everyone needs an exercise routine that they feel comfortable with, and David feels like his is realistic. Sara set him up to move in ways that feel good, like riding a stationary bike while watching TV to pass the time fast. 

David also adds resistance band exercises, stretches, and weighted strength training exercises with personalized guidance from Sara. His routine works well because he also has free days. For free days, he enjoys riding a bike or taking a break. When he started, he was excited about his free days, but has since realized that movement is more routine for him now. He tends to stay active on free days, even if it’s just doing chores around the house, walking, or biking.

He used to sit eight to nine hours a day with no breaks for work, but now when he gets in his truck, he takes breaks to stretch or walk, thanks to Sara’s advice and accountability texts. 

Benefits Outside the Scale 

A few things keep David tied to his plan to keep the weight off. David reports snoring less, so he sleeps better, has more energy, and still eats what he wants in moderation. That helps him satisfy cravings without diminishing his goals. 

Having the support of a trainer and his family has been particularly helpful.

“Signing up with Kickoff helped make my routine unique for me. It does work; the setup of online training is amazing, and the regimen has made a big difference.”