The Spirit of the Savage

Once a Savage, Always a Savage

Confession: I’m Lionel, and I’ve always had the spirit of a Wild Savage.

The problem is, for a long time, I was sedentary. I was the undisputed King of the Living Room—a professional-grade beer guzzler and a dedicated addict to anything in a crinkly, sugary wrapper.

Back then, I didn’t "charge" at anything. The only time I showed any real explosive speed was when the waiter announced the all-you-can-eat buffet was closing in ten minutes. That was my cardio.

I was 105kg of "slowing down” and I was aged 38. Society told me that at that age nearing 40 and beyond, this was my natural habitat. I was supposed to settle into my armchair, accept the belly, and let the fire go out.

Ok if you allow me, lets back track a little…

Back in the 80s, I was always moving. I was a regular in the pool as a primary school kid, spent my teens in the National Cadet Corps, and knocked around in Tae Kwon Do (made it to Blue Belt). Even through my 20s, I hit the gym, kept my head down, and cleared my IPPT obligations like any other NSman. I was fit, I was disciplined, and I was 73kg of lean potential.

Then, 2005 happened.

I met my wife, life got comfortable, and—I’ll be 100% honest—I let myself go. There’s no one to blame but the guy in the mirror. I didn't see the spiral coming, but man, did it hit fast.

I asked Gemini (AI) to generate what I looked like in my 20s before the slide started—take a look at this guy .

That was the baseline. Then the scales started creeping: 73kg became 77kg. 77kg became 80kg.

Eventually, I stopped looking at the scale altogether. I looked away for a second, and boom—I was over 100kg and wondering where that soldier went.

Ok lets fast forward years later to 2013.

The "Marshmallow Man" Moment

We all have that 'straw that broke the camel's back' moment. Mine was a bit more like a 'marshmallow that broke the scale' moment.

I’ll never forget it. I was hanging out with my friends—and let’s be real, we weren't exactly a group of Olympic athletes. We were a bunch of pudgy, middle-aged guys. But then, the unthinkable happened: The pudgy guys started making fun of me for being the fat one.

When the 'dad bod' crew thinks you’re the one who needs to hit the treadmill, you know you've hit a new low.

I looked in the mirror and realized I hadn’t just gained a bit of weight; I had become the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters. I was soft, round, and honestly, probably just as flammable with all the beer and sugar in my system. I wasn't just 'pudgy' anymore—I was the designated 'Big Guy' of the group.

That was the wakeup call. I realized I didn't want to be the guy people worried about when walking up a flight of stairs. I wanted to be the guy who could charge through the stairs and still have enough breath to make a joke at the top.

I decided it was time to flip the script.

It wasn’t a straight line. For years, I was lost in the noise—yo-yo dieting, chasing fad workouts, and hunting for the 'magic hack' that doesn't exist. I was spinning my wheels, looking for a back door to fitness that just wasn't there.

Everything changed in June 2023. After a pretty bad health scare and realising how brittle human lives can be….I told myself its now Or never to create the life that I want, be who I want to be…

I stopped looking for hacks and started looking in the mirror. I bit my lip, put my head down, and went to work. I stopped trying to 'lose weight' and started focused on creating the Savage. I created my own protocol and routine. No more 'blah blah.' Just the work. The result wasn't just a 30kg loss—it was a total system reboot.

Earning the Right to Binge

I haven’t turned into a salad-eating robot. I still love a binge. My inner boar still wants to eat everything in sight.

But there’s a new rule in the Savage Over 50 protocol:

You have to earn the right to eat.

Now, if I want that extra serving or that celebratory drink, I pay for it in sweat first. I pay for it at the race finish line. I pay for it under the barbell.

"Unleash the Savage" isn’t about becoming a saint. It’s about taking that same relentless "boar energy" that I used to use for binging on Netflix and cigarettes, and turning it toward a pursuit for greatness.

FROM BOAR TO WOLF

• At 105kg: I was charging toward a heart attack.

• At 75kg: I am charging toward the best decade of my life.

Let’s get real!

Look, I’m going to be straight with you. I’m not some fitness 'expert' with a 6-pack in a lab coat, and I’m definitely not your teacher. I’ve got nothing to sell you and I’m not here to preach.

I’m just a guy who got tired of feeling like a ghost in his own house.

If you’re stuck right now—feeling like your couch and you are going to morph into one organism —and you want to start leading your best savage life instead of just watching it go by, I hope the stuff in here helps. I’m just sharing what worked for me to turn 105kg of unhealthy habits into a second act I’m actually proud of.

Take what works for you, leave what doesn't. Let's just stop slowing down.

Head down. Eyes forward. CHARGE.