You’re bound to take Donal O’Neill’s message seriously, because he’s taken the effort to water-paint it on himself for a photo shoot. “Don’t fear fat” - three simple words, but its bound to raise a few eyebrows.
A South Africa-based documentary filmmaker and global thought leader, Donal was in the country to collaborate with Stepathlon, a year-round employee wellness programme, and promote healthy food habits and holistic well-being.
A former athlete, Donal got interested in health after his extremely-disciplined and fit uncle, who was a footballer, developed type 2 diabetes. “I started looking at research and statistics. Some were incongruous with what I saw in the medical industry. I thought why not make a movie with my findings,” he says. That’s how his first documentary Cereal Killers came about in 2013. As part of the the film, for 28 days, his diet consisted of 70 per cent fat, 20 per cent protein and 10 per cent carbohydrates. He had cut out sugar and wheat entirely. Each week, he consumed 21 eggs, a kg of macadamia nuts, 2 two kg of red meat, lots of green vegetables, bacon and coconut and olive oil. Additionally, he exercised for eight minutes in an entire week. “Under strict medical supervision, I did high-intensity interval training, which included sprints, burpees and chin-ups. I also followed the Tabata Protocol, which is a four-minute exercise regimen. You go hard for 20 seconds and take a break for 10 seconds and repeat that every day,” he explains.
Donal also emphasises on the importance of mobility. “Today’s sedentary lifestyle is detrimental. Diabetes is India’s biggest challenge. If all Type 2 diabetics are put on a high-fat no-sugar diet, it will be beneficial for them and six pharmaceutical companies will go out of business,” he adds.
Donal’s suggestions include walking for two minutes every 45 minutes, and incorporating simple changes like taking the steps instead of elevators.
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