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Fayant receives a new lease on life from weight loss

Shedding that inner person on the verge of dying brings dramatic change
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The difference in Darren Fayant’s appearance following a few short months on the Ideal Protein protocol has been dramatic. (Photos submitted)

(This is the third in a series of articles on local people who’ve attained a substantial weight loss).

Darren Fayant is a big-time loser. And that suits him just fine.

Winning the war on weight has the Chemainus resident feeling like a new man.

Fayant, who’s coming up to 52 years of age in February, said he weighed 508.6 pounds on Sept. 6, 2018 and it “scared the crap out of me.

“That was the day I started. The catalyst for all this was I was really down at work. I didn’t want to do anything. My thought at that stage of my life was I was two months away from death.”

After talking to his doctor, Fayant decided to check into the Ideal Protein program at Pharmasave in Chemainus. He met coach Bev Robinson there and later Marilyn Mons, who was in the process of taking over at the Chemainus location while Robinson concentrates on Ladysmith.

“That man walked in here and I never saw someone so defeated, ever,” said Robinson.

“When he was telling his story and I always ask ‘what is your goal and what is your intention’? He told me he was going to die if he didn’t do something.”

Robinson has since observed a dramatic change in attitude and perception, with Fayant surpassing a 100-pound weight loss in such a short time.

“He took all the tools and the education and he applied it. He’s very inspiring. We’ve taken a lot from him as far as inspiration goes.”

“Darren was my inspiration,” said Mons.

“Hopefully this will help others to feel inspired. Health is so important.”

Fayant has a mutual admiration for Robinson and Mons.

“The two of them are fantastic,” he said. “When I reached the official 100-pound mark, they put a banner on the wall and set off a popgun with confetti in it.”

The change in public perception has been huge for Fayant. “People I don’t even know will say you look great,” he noted. “It’s good to hear.”

As of this interview on Jan. 17, Fayant had lost 116 pounds. He said he dropped 31 in the first week and has averaged almost a pound a day since then.

“I feel fantastic,” Fayant enthused.

Genetics and habits from childhood both contributed to Fayant’s issue with weight.

“As children, we always learned to finish everything on your plate,” he recalled. “You were lucky to have food.

“Through school I knew I was heavy. I always struggled with weight. Even though I knew what I was supposed to do - I knew how to lose weight - I never did.

“My whole family was large. It was the way to be. I just lived my life, enjoyed what I did - food and everything else.”

All of a sudden, you realize how the years have passed and what a strain excessive weight becomes with age. That was certainly true in Fayant’s case.

He also smoked for about 20 years and conquered that habit in December of 2007.

Now Fayant’s conquering his longtime weight problem head-on. He’s still in Phase One of Ideal Protein’s four phases, but entrenching himself in the program.

“I’ve already learned so much from it,” he said. “It’s the education. Ideal Protein isn’t just the products.”

Fayant remembers all too well that person who went to see Robinson and wondered how much longer he might live.

“I think that person did die,” reasoned Fayant. “I’m not that person anymore.”

For example, “I’m way more friendly at work,” he cited.

It’s translated into other facets of life and he’s much more active with wife Gwynne doing hikes or walks.

Fayant was also a borderline diabetic and took medication for high blood pressure. He’s off one of the medications now.

“All around my whole body inside and out is completely changed,” Fayant indicated.

“The hardest part was getting out of the house - if you can get out of your house and move. I never understood that before.”

Fayant, who’s six-foot-two, has set his weight loss goal for 200 pounds that should happen by late April. He figures a weight in the 270-300 range will be right for his stabilization point.

Fayant is happy to recommend Ideal Protein and hopes his accomplishment will continue to provide inspiration for others.

“Just talk to them,” he urged. “You don’t have to sign up for the program. If you like what they say and you think it’s going to work for you, do it.”



Don Bodger

About the Author: Don Bodger

I've been a part of the newspaper industry since 1980 when I began on a part-time basis covering sports for the Ladysmith-Chemainus Chronicle.
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