I’ve known Rick Honeyford close to 20 years. He is a weekend warrior and weight loss phenom. He is also the Founder and President of Honey Financial. Rick has been working in the financial industry since 2001. He is a Certified Financial Planner and a Registered Retirement Consultant.
Rick’s sports history dates back to university years when he played rugby for the Balmy Beach Club. Extra weight was a major benefit in those days since being heavier provides added leverage on the field of battle.
The challenge for Rick was after his playing day ended. He continued gaining weight – his fast pace and growing career didn’t help as it negatively impacted his eating habits. He rarely cooked for himself or exercised, and often ate at fast food restaurants which provided less than optional food choices.
Rick had an epiphany when he went for a sleep apnea test. He stepped on the scale, and was shocked when it read 385 pounds. His condition was so severe that he required a sleep apnea machine. He was 42 at the time and this was his turning point in his life.
Although he still ate at fast food outlets, he cut his calories and reduced his soda intake. It was a relatively easy way to lose the first 50 pounds but additional progress would require additional changes to his lifestyle. That is when Rick started hitting the gym at the Balmy Beach Club.
He started by working out twice a week and he was so encouraged by his transformation that he soon began working out daily. The new trimmed and chiseled Rick, required an entirely new wardrobe as can be seen by attached picture.
Today Rick is an active volunteer at the Balmy Beach Club. His community is very proud of him and his accomplishments and supports him wholeheartedly.
Below are a series of questions we asked Rick to further highlight his weight loss journey:
What type of sports did you participate in as a kid?
I played a lot of hockey, as well as rugby (from about 17 to my early 30s).
How much weight did you drop and over what period of time?
I lost 175 over the course of a year and a half.
What does a typical day look like in terms of diet, before and after your weight loss?
High protein and no simple carbs. Lots of eggs, protein shakes, and chili.
What was your biggest motivating factor?
I required a sleep apnea machine.
What tips do you have for people who know they should go to the gym but cannot find the motivation to do so?
It can be quite difficult to motivate those who don’t want to go to the gym, in all honesty. A good method is to treat the gym like you would your job. Input it into your schedule and make it mandatory, like going to work. This will allow you to make the time so you will eventually develop a good routine and a desire to head to the gym.
What does a typical week look like in terms of your workout schedule?
It has been pretty crazy lately as I am doing a ton of physio for criss-cross/head forward syndrome (too much time on my cellphone). I am doing about 2 hours of physio, 2 hours of lifting, 1.5 hours of hiking or rugby practice. I try to do this regime daily. After I lose a few more pounds, I am going to switch to a 3 day a week workout schedule and focus on trying to put on some pounds of muscle. I will be eliminating the hiking and my rugby season is ending this Saturday.
Lorne’s Take
I recently Rick at a Blue Jays game and I didn’t recognize him. Losing that amount of weight is a huge accomplishment. To me, the most important part of tackling a huge goal is to break it down into manageable bite-size actions. I also really like Rick’s point about treating your workouts like a business appointment. I have been applying this principle for years and I think it is what has allowed staying on track.
