Where they started
I really thought I was pretty healthy. Over the years, I started to eat purposely "more healthy." I started to eat more salad for lunch. I ate less junk food. I walked my dog couple miles daily. I had quit smoking for many years. At the start of this year, I went for a comprehensive health exam that included extensive blood screening, MRI, the complete works. So I was surprised by some of the results from my health exam and knew that I need to make big changes to make sure that I have healthy years ahead. G.L., 51
For me, I was lacking mental focus, I would say is the main challenge. Feeling a bit overweight. So this is the motivation for me to want to start with this programme. D.M.
One of the big things was trying to gain weight and fix some issues with my gut. I'd feel uneasy after eating, and I had real trouble putting on weight. I'd also done quite a few different blood tests over time, and the information was often confusing. I wanted a clearer breakdown of what each part of the bloodwork actually related to. J.C.
Why they almost didn't
I was not sure coaching would really work for me. Now I am very glad that I did join the Foundation program. It has really given me the tools to improve my well-being and my latest blood work confirmed it. G.L., 51
I almost didn't join because I'm very much an autodidact, so I like to do things by myself, at my own pace, and explore on my own. But I thought it wouldn't hurt to get some help. D.M.
I almost didn't join because I wasn't sure how it would actually work. I'd already done a lot of reading and research on my own, and none of it really moved the needle. I'd managed to fix a lot of other things, but there were some fundamental issues I just couldn't get past. J.C.
Why the approach held up
My doubts were, was it anything unique about this programme that you couldn't get off by just reading or just general browsing or talking to people. I'm a very widely read person. But what this programme gave me was something that I've not come across. A.Y.
The key difference of the foundation program from my past effort was that it is a personalized program that fits me and monitors my individual progress in areas that I need to address. The program looks at my health holistically. I never knew that by improving my gut and exercising that my sleep would get better. The specialized coaching really helped me to get break through results. G.L.,51
I didn't expect the level of detail, or the system and processes he already had in place. I assumed it would just be one-on-one coaching, but he went well beyond bloodwork, into a full 360-degree, holistic approach. Looking at other things too, like psychology, character, and value systems. I found that really interesting, and it gave a lot of insight. J.C.
What they'd tried before
I read books on Health. I went through YouTube videos on what is healthy. I tried taking all the various supplements. It's not that they failed but I often saw limited progress. The foundation program really does what is in the name, builds you the foundation step-by-step to focus on certain areas whether it's your gut, stress or getting enough rest and once you address each component, it builds on top of that. That's the key difference. G.L., 51
I've done various kind of diet before, but it's never really been customised for my challenge. And I think that's the difference, you know, really looking at what the individual needs and customising it, and I think that makes all the difference. A.Y.
I was missing some fundamentals. Like something as simple as chewing my food properly. I wasn't giving my gut the chance to actually absorb the nutrition. J.C.
When it turned
Around week 7 of the program, I went in to take new blood test. All my cholesterol and inflammation markers improved drastically. My testosterone levels went from 150 to 700. Thing that surprised me the most was how much my sleep improved. Sleep has always been an issue especially due to the nature of my work. For years, I would wake up at 3 am almost nightly. Now I sleep well with almost no interruptions. The foundation program really transformed how I live my daily life. G.L., 51
One advice that I was following was to reduce how much red meat is in my diet. I did all of that for years, yet before I started the foundation program, my cholesterol levels are still high. As I adjusted my diet with the help of foundation program, I did incorporate more red meat into my diet and yet my cholesterol did not go higher. They went down. That was a big surprise. G.L., 51
My best result was really discovering about my histamine issues, and how it relates to food, and how I can actually deal with it. A.Y.
Going in, I did wonder if it would actually work for me. That started to shift once I saw a concrete early sign. Feeling less bloated after eating. J.C.
What stuck
How I eat and how I think about food has changed dramatically. Very hesitant about eating so much protein, so many eggs, but seeing the blood work after I've been eating over five eggs a day, sometimes two servings of sardines and ground beef, it didn't impact my cholesterol negatively. The other thing is just exercise, simple things really build habits. It's not about going to the gym and bench pressing as much, but it's about just getting smart exercise in, some walks in. G.L., 51
With protein, during the course, I've really focused on upping my protein. It's been really great, because I do resistance training, a lot of kettlebell work, and I've found myself having a bit more stamina. Also, my recovery time was quicker. D.M.
The weekly check-in's were extremely valuable. We built a plan to address a certain area, record the progress and make course corrections when needed. G.L., 51
To someone on the fence
I hope it's not a spiky fence. Just give it a go. There is the kind of known knowns and the known unknowns, to quote, and there's a lot that I think people don't know about their body and their health. So, I think it's worthwhile exploring. And especially if you're not moving forward with what you're currently understanding and currently doing. I think it's good to be held accountable by someone else, and to work with someone, and go through the process together. D.M.
It was more about just being open to getting help, basically, and I think especially for guys, sometimes it's hard to ask for help. So I think, you know, nothing to lose, by engaging in this situation. D.M.
The knowledge you receive is excellent and if you're committed, you're going to have great results. I strongly recommend a foundation program to anyone that knows they want to get healthy have tried different things but haven't gotten the results that they wanted. G.L., 51
Initials only. Individual results vary.