This Gear (and Lifestyle Change) Helped me Lose 100 Pounds On the Road

When I arrived back in the US after a multi-year journey across Europe, West, and Southern Africa, I stepped on a scale outside a Publix supermarket in Florida. I was amazed to find that I weighed almost exactly 300 pounds. The pandemic lockdown in South Africa had obviously not been good for my waistline, and I had put on all the weight I had lost in West Africa. I am a tall man, which helps to carry all that weight, but I am also approaching 50; I was experiencing back and neck pain from long days in the driver’s seat, and I began to fear that with age, the weight would no longer be merely inconvenient, but also potentially deadly. I have children, a wife, and still so much of the world to explore; it was time for an intervention, a lifestyle change. Having tried many times before to lose weight, I decided to go all in on various methods of weight loss, and within six months of starting my weight loss journey, I managed to lose 100 pounds while becoming fitter and healthier than I have been since my mid-twenties.

So, how did I do it? If you are hoping for a simple answer such as Ozempic or miracle fat-blocking pills, you will be disappointed. I began by establishing a routine, which is difficult to maintain when living on the road but possible if you are dedicated. When we moved into a temporary home in Mexico, I saw the opportunity to make the initial changes necessary to get the bulk of the weight off, following which a change of lifestyle would keep the weight off. The first change was to my exercise regime, and the following gear made the seemingly impossible possible (I have also hidden gems of weight loss advice in the chapters below).

Danner Boots

I woke up at 7am every day and walked with my wife and her little ankle biter to the bottom of the hill our home was perched on and then back up, increasing the speed of the climb daily and turning it into a competition. At 5 pm, we would repeat the walk. My trusty Danner boots have been with me to the Arctic in winter and down to Central America and are the most comfortable boots I have ever worn. Rain or shine, these boots just keep on performing, and the supple leather uppers are both stylish and supportive. Surprisingly, these old boots still have a lot of life in them.

$210  |  danner.com

Elastic Stretch Bands

After returning from my morning walk, I would gulp a glass of water and then sit on the patio and enjoy a cup of tea with honey (a month after starting my new lifestyle, I cut out processed sugar completely, a huge factor in my success. I also fast from 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m. daily). I would then strip down to my boxer shorts, stretch, and work through a series of 30 reps with the stretch bands, focusing on my upper body to build strength and definition and to correct my posture. The stretch bands are perfect for travel as they are lightweight, take up very little space, and are affordable. 

From $25  |  amazon.com

Yoga Mat

After the reps with the stretch band, I would lay out the yoga mat and do core exercises, my least favorite other than cardio. I learned that a good workout regime should not be about suffering but instead about finding exercises that suit you and your body type. I loathe sit-ups but can plank for ages, so I found plank variations that suited me. In a plank position, with elbows resting on the folded yoga mat, I discovered through trial and error that a side-to-side plank worked best for me, which was soon modified to begin with 10 Hindu push-ups (starting in a push-up position, lowering the hips to the ground while keeping the arms straight, and then raising the buttocks into the air before repeating the movement). I then finished off with a conventional plank with a 30 count. The yoga mat costs a few bucks and has multiple uses, like all great gear. Luisa uses the mat under her stiff mattress in the Landy, and I have used the mat while doing repairs under the Land Rover.

From $9 |  walmart.com

Yeti Rambler 18-ounce Water Bottle

I challenged myself to drink as much water as possible while cutting out processed sugar and, therefore, fizzy drinks and fruit juices. I picked up this Yeti water bottle at a Land Rover event in Texas, and it has become my constant companion. The Rambler bottle is not voluminous, but I prefer my water cool and fresh, so 18 ounces was enough to keep me hydrated. Ice will stay frozen overnight in the Rambler, so I always have a cool drink to start the day.

$30  |  yeti.com

Kuhl Resistor Belt and Pants

Mexicans don’t generally wear shorts, and I live up in the mountains in Mexico, where it is hardly ever hot enough to wear shorts. For my daily hikes, I wore my Kuhl pants, which are stretchy, light, and breathable. I used the elastic Resistor belt to keep the pants up on my ever-decreasing waist, which allows freedom of movement and can be tightened and loosened quickly with one hand. When I started losing weight, I wore a size 44 trouser, and I now wear a size 34, so the Kuhl pants no longer fit, unfortunately, but the Resistor belt does as it is infinitely resizeable, albeit now with a long tongue.

$42/Kuhl resistor belt, $120/Kuhl  resistor pants  |  kuhl.com

I specifically kept my gear simple, portable, and everyday useable as I knew I would be on the road again sooner or later, and I did not want to rely on heavy or complicated exercise gear. After losing the bulk of the weight, I traveled back to the US and South Africa and ate like a king while continuing to fast daily. I ate steak, burgers, fries, and endless BBQ, and I drove many thousands of miles but did not gain any weight at all. The secret? It’s all about lifestyle change. I continued to fast, exercise when possible, and drink as much water as possible. But the most important change is that I avoid sugar like the plague, and no, there are no cheat days (Okay, maybe one a month). 

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