You want to see the world a better place, right?

It starts...

WITH YOU.

Also... If you don't have time to read this whole post, I have summarised it HERE.

But here goes (written in March 2012)...
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So... last week my wife and I started a new diet which we've been researching for quite some time.  As per normal Christmas is filled with an over-abundance of chocolate, drinks, desserts, sweets and chips.  Then there's New Years, another great excuse to eat like a glutton.  My birthday then follows a month later in February (thanks for all the wishes); which means additional indulgences.

With all this in mind, somewhere over the Christmas period, I made a decision that I was going to do the "Atkins Diet" in March.  Why March?  Because I knew February was my birthday month and I was quite happy to give myself one more month of indulgence.

I think I know what most of you are thinking... "But James doesn't need a diet."  Thank you for the compliment.  I don't want to delve too deep into the reasons for why I want to diet.  But it has a lot to do with taking pride in my own body and feeling good about myself.  This is entirely different to the revelatory belief of one's Identity in Christ, I am not insecure about myself, instead, this is like a personal goal I aim to achieve.  (Remember what I've said before, goals are essential for a positive mindset!)

Why did I choose the Atkins Diet?
Three words:  Professor Tim Noakes.  I have followed his opinions since he almost singlehandedly won the Springboks the Rugby World Cup in 2007.  Along with a few of my friends (Lisa Haynes you legend) and nurse mother, he has convinced me of the evil of Carbohydrates.  It was also his promotion of LCHF that sparked my interest.

By 2011 or so I had started to believe that Carbohydrates truly were the primary problem affecting most of our health today.  The blood-sugar spikes & crashes, the ravenous hunger so soon after a carb-filled meal, the excess of insulin in the blood.  I knew most of the science, and hence understood why cutting down on Carbs could only be a good thing.

Like the majority of mankind today, my staple diet is Carbs and Sugar.  The result of millions of dollars of industry marketing has made it that way.

Many of you may remember my 30-day experiment of gymming everyday, in mid 2012.  I did that based on a theory that more energy burned than consumed should reduce body fat.  I bumped into a friend in the gym in Week 4 who said the only way to see success with such a programme was to cut Carbs and Sugar.  I didn't want to believe him.  But he was right, I stalled on weight and inches loss by Week 2.  By Week's 3 and 4 my body had adjusted to the extra physical activity.

It was after that 30-day experiment, my conversation with my friend, and some posts by Prof. Tim Noakes; that I decided the only way to successfully lose this body fat was to cut Carbs and Sugar.

The most common diet that suited such an ideology?  The Atkins Diet.  Hence.

LCHF - Move over Atkins, LCHF is the new revolution!
Atkins' primary theory is more protein.  Careful not to have too much saturated fat in one's diet, and cut Carbohydrate intake down to 20 grams a day (30gms in first 2 weeks).  The diet requires a fairly well planned menu and eating plan.

LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) on the other hand is very fat friendly.  (Immediately my brain-washed mind said "that can't be healthy!")  LCHF prefers you to cut down on Carbs and Sugars significantly, cut them out entirely if possible.  Replace the carbs with fat as your energy source.  This theory is backed up by new science that proves our body burns fat as energy far more efficiently than carbs, and it is a whole lot healthier for our body when it does.

This theory means...  Eat as much fat as you want!  Obviously you need to have a healthy balance of protein and veg, but do not be afraid of fat!  Your body needs it.

The primary reason for the fat intake is because it makes you fuller for longer, and thus you end up eating less.  The research shows that people on LCHF eat 1000 calories less a day!  Without calorie counting or an eating plan!

No Eating Plan
I don't know which part of this diet is my favourite...
- the fact that I can have as much fat as I want, or...
- the fact that I don't have to plan what I am going to eat when.
Both are such paradigm shifts from all the other diets I have tried.

That's right people.  You don't have to count your calories, watch how much you're eating of a certain food, limit your fat intake.  Nothing.

THE BASIC RULES ARE:
1. Cut out as much Carbs & Sugars as possible.  (Sweetened yoghurts, starchy veg like Potatoes, Butternut & Carrots)
2. Have adequate portions of protein.
3. Have adequate portions of veg (Peppers, Lettuce, Broccoli, Cauliflower, etc.)

The Science
It is common scientific knowledge that insulin is a hormone that causes your body to store fat.  Unfortunately, this is not common public knowledge.

The more insulin you have in your body the more fat will be stored.  Of course if fat is being stored, it isn't going to be burned.

So the logic would be:  Stop insulin getting released into your body!  How does this happen?  By cutting Carbs & Sugar.  Carbs & Sugar cause the body to release insulin, and the body then burns the Carbs as energy.  Thereby storing any fat in your food, but also preventing current body fat from being burned.

By cutting out Carbs & Sugar, your insulin levels slowly decrease (it takes a few days to weeks).  This will increase a process called Ketosis, which is a process in the body that burns fat.  When your body goes into Ketosis, you're in the sweet spot.

Heaps of research shows that consuming fat (even saturated fat!) does not increase your risk of heart disease!  So why don't we ever hear about these scientific conclusions?

Because the food industry is dominated by Sugar & Carb manufacturers.  Their science will always be funded to make public circles.  And their science says "eat less fat".
Guess what?  If you eat less fat you have to supplement your energy with something else... Carbs and Sugar.
Low-fat yoghurts, milk, meat, you name it, are the order of the day.

If they can make you afraid of fat, they can make you buy more of their products.

It's really quite simple.

My Experience Thus Far
So for me...  I'm loving it.  A common day looks like this:
- Coffee with heavy cream in the morning (no sugar, cream over milk because there is less lactose and carbs and the fat helps make me feel fuller. My wife has full-cream milk though.)
- Bacon & Eggs for breakfast, no toast.
- I only start getting hungry at 1pm, which is a salad packed with chicken, bacon, gouda, mozarella.
- A snack of Brazil & Macademian Nuts in between lunch & dinner, or some Greek Yoghurt (high fat, no sugar!) and Cream.
- Some beef/fish/chicken/pork and veg for dinner.  (Steak is my fave!)  All fat remain firmly on the cut!
- About 1,5 - 2 litres of water a day.  I'm not strict.

You may say that you should rather eat smaller portions more regularly, but that is based on the theory that Carbs should be our main source of energy.  It's also practically impossible in today's busy lifestyle.

I feel much less hungry than before.  And I know I am eating less in total.  I don't have drops of energy (so common after lunch!) and I actually feel more focussed.

This all after 8 days!  Oh, and I lost 2.1kgs in my first week!
(JUNE UPDATE:  I have now lost 7kgs after 13 weeks!)

This is by far the easiest diet I have ever been on.  I can eat most of my favourite foods (except bread rolls) without having to worry about how much is too much etc.  I can eat till my heart's content!

My plan is to be on it strictly for a month, and after that consider my results and be a bit more liberal.

Until then, I encourage you to consider the health benefits of cutting out Sugar & Carbs.  And consider the science.

Start with this guy here, DR Andreas Eenfeldt, who has the most comprehensive collection of science proving the benefits of the LCHF diet.

Also, check out this video he did with an American GP here.

Am I against Carbs & Sugar?  No.  I will go back to the odd Steak Roll, chocolate & cold-drink.  But I'm now keenly aware of what they will do to my blood systems.  I want to get to a place where "all things in moderation".

FOR AN UPDATED SUMMARY OF THIS POST, CLICK HERE.

What about you?  

Have heard of the LCHF?  Would you consider trying it out?

Does this information differ from your understanding?
Follow James on Twitter for daily updates and encouragements:
Follow @jamesprestonza

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Just before this post.... I have been nominated for an SA Blog Award 2014! I would really appreciate your support, just by taking literally 90 seconds to click below and vote for me in the 2 nominated categories. Thanks so much!
Now back to this Post...

This week it is my honour to introduce to you Phil Drysdale. A scottish revivalist who is preaching the Gospel with Radical Clarity! Phil spent 4 years serving at Bethel Church in Redding, California, and he and his wife now live in Aberdeen, Scotland. Phil travels full-time ministering into communities declaring and demonstrating God's goodness and Love.

I believe Phil is part of a radical generation rising up in the world today who aren't afraid of differences and divides, but instead are willing to work together no matter the differences to see the Kingdom of God come on earth as it is in Heaven. In this interview I wanted to tap into some of what makes Phil tick, and hopefully bring a different perspective on what you may believe.

Phil was in the air between London and Dallas on his way to Birmingham while responding to the interview, so I really appreciate him making the time for being part of the blog this week.  

This week's post is the first time I am experimenting with a new feature, "Click to Tweet". So if you have a Twitter account, you can post some quotes from the interview onto your Twitter page and encourage your followers with some great inspiration. Whenever you see this (tweet) after a paragraph, it means the sentence before it is quoted and you simply click the word "tweet" in brackets, and you will go to a page that will send the tweet for you! Give it a go!

Let's get started... Enjoy!

Phil, could please give us a little overview of who you are, your growing up years, school & after-school life, and your background as a Christian?

What a huge question, I'll give you the abridged version!

I grew up in an incredible Christian home, my parents were really open to what God was doing in and through them as they pastored several Baptist churches throughout my childhood. As such I did the typical pastor's kid thing and got saved about 30-40 times up until the age of 16 when I really felt connected to God and got baptized. In hindsight, though; I really just got more religious and started reading my Bible, praying and going to church meetings more.

It wasn't until about 6 years later that I really had a profound encounter with God, when I was on a business trip to London. I started reading a book by Bill Johnson called, "When Heaven Invades Earth". In the space of a day I was completely turned upside-down and inside-out. I left my business that I had started with two partners which was doing relatively well. Everyone thought I was crazy, but I just packed my bags and moved to Bethel (in Redding, Cali) to do their School of Supernatural Ministry.

After 3yrs in their school, including a year interning for Steve Backlund at Global Legacy and a further year volunteering full-time with Global Legacy I am now ministering the Gospel in every which way I can think of. I have a website (www.phildrysdale.com) were I provide audio & video resources, daily devotionals, and articles explaining the Good News of the Gospel - all available for free. I also have a Facebook account and Twitter page where I post quotes I find inspiring and thoughts throughout the day.

Finally, I travel the world around 180days a year and get to minister publicly primarily through sermons, healing and prophecy. I am also married to the most wonderful woman I've ever met, Sarah. She is an absolute inspiration to me and believes in me more than I believe in myself!


Why the move back to Scotland?  And why Scotland over say somewhere like London or USA, where you could've been more central?

This is a great question. The truth is Aberdeen is one of the worst places to be in the world when traveling as much as I do! I have family in Aberdeen, it's where most of them have been the last 12 years or so and so in one sense it feels like home. The primary reason however is that Sarah is currently studying her final year English at Aberdeen University. Will we stay in Aberdeen? I don't know, but for now we have family, friends, a great home and a wonderful church we can call home, so I'm not desperate to leave.


What is your greatest passion? Or to use the cliche, "dream job"?

I often ask people when I meet them, "what would you do if you had unlimited resources, time, money, people and God was 100% behind you?" - The answer of course should be what all of us are working towards. I'm lucky enough that I'm doing my "dream job" - I'm sure there will be some tweaks here and there as we go but I'm right in the gooey centre of it!


It seems that there is fresh revelation around the world for people to step into their dreams and calling, and sometimes to take risks to do that. What advice would you give people who don't yet feel like they are doing their "dream job"? What steps can they take to get to their "dream job"?

I think for me the biggest obstacle was to actually start dreaming. I think as a society we are trained to squash dreams like bugs from an early age. When your kid comes to you and tells you he wants to be an astronaut or a footballer our typical response is "that's nice but not everyone can do that" we have to be "realistic". As Wendy Backlund says, "God has not called you to be realistic, He's called you to be supernatural." (tweet)

The biggest hurdle for me was security, I had a real wake-up call just after going out to Bethel when I realized that most of the decisions I had made in my life were to do with my comfort and security. Not only that, but most of those decisions were ones I didn't derive any joy from. Looking back: the best decisions in my life were decisions full of risk and were not made to make me more secure but to move me towards my dreams. From that day I decided a core value of mine was to never make a decision based on money again. That one has changed my life more than most other decisions combined!


There seems to be fresh revelation about the "end times" in many circles. Many people are moving away from a fear-based, tribulation and rapture theory. How important is one's eschatological beliefs in them fulfilling their calling?

How you believe things will end is always going to determine how you live today. We've taught for centuries a fear-based gospel. I've heard countless sermons stating "If you walk out that door today and get hit by a bus do you know where you will end up?" The problem we have in the church is that the people we are leading aren't getting hit by buses. The message should be "If you go out that door today and have to live 70 more years, what are you going to do?

Eschatology is under the same influence. It's fascinating that the modern, fear-based eschatological view is actually very recent, for example up until 160 years ago or so there was no concept of a rapture, nor the world getting worse before Jesus came back. 

If we think the world is supposed to get worse and that Jesus is coming back for a shining spotless bride hiding in the corner while the devil takes over the world we simply aren't going to change the world. In fact, the church can stay in a building and give themselves high-fives as the world gets worse because, "hey, that's what's supposed to happen, right? Jesus must be coming back soon."

A great resource on the end-times that is available completely free is Jonathan Welton's book "Raptureless" which is a very deep study of the end-times from a true Biblical scholar who knows the Scriptures and Church History regarding this topic better than most of us.


There is much controversy circling church organisations at the moment around "institutional church". What is your opinion on "institutional church" and what is the perfect setup (if there were one of course)?

One of my favourite things about traveling full-time is that I get to see every flavor of church imaginable. I actually love that nobody can agree what way "church" should be done, I think we aren't supposed to have a model. We all love Jesus and should just focus on doing that together, whatever way is most natural to us. Does it really matter if we meet in a home, a school building or a football stadium? 

So long as we are getting together and enjoying each other, Father, Son and Holy Spirit in fellowship so that we are all being mutually encouraged and equipped I say that is a successful Church. 


How important is the Ephesians 4, Five Fold gift set within the leadership of a local church?

I think our understanding of this is evolving. Leadership is a big topic and is viewed very differently everywhere I go. What I am seeing is that the common denominator is that we are evolving towards understanding not just the gifts of Christ but their purpose… "the equipping of the saints". Everywhere I go more people are being equipped to have an apostolic mindset, to be prophetic, to evangelize everywhere they are, to be able to teach and equip others and to be able to pastor those in their lives. 

I think it's important that we have those who hold these offices not so that they can become superstars but so that they might equip others. The apostle is not there to be "Apostle Blah Blah" but rather to help create apostolic people. The prophet is not there so he can be the only person to give public prophecies but so that everyone would have the training required to hear God's voice and share that with His children. The evangelist is not supposed to be the one we bring all our unbeliever friends to hear, but rather the one who trains us all to reach out to those around us.

This journey looks very different for different ministries and churches but it's all evolving in the same direction in my opinion.


Religious mindsets and traditional lies seem to be crippling the growth of God's children. What are, in your opinion, some of the worst lies the church?

I'm well known for killing some sacred cows so I guess it wouldn't be an interview without me doing that!

The biggest lie in the church today is that we think God is smaller than sin. (tweet) We somehow believe that God can't look upon sin and that somehow sin separates us from God. This is ridiculous and hugely unbiblical but unfortunately it's pretty much evangelical doctrine. God's a big boy and not only can He look upon sin but He's had very little to look upon since The Fall :)  (James' note: I can hear a big "moo" there!)

I don't want to make light of sin, but it's important we don't lose focus of how huge Christ's victory over sin was.

It's important that we remember when considering sin that it was Adam and Eve who hid from God, not the other way around.

The second biggest lie is that we believe we are still sinners. Sinners saved by grace are not called sinners… they are called saints. 

Romans 5:17 says we have received the abundance of Grace and the gift of Righteousness. The church isn't ready to walk in an Abundance of Grace because we don't believe the Gospel. We don't believe we are Righteous, we think we are sinners. Until we recognize that we are New Creations and completely spotless, righteous and holy we will never walk in it and never really let an Abundance of Grace flow. 


Who are some of the most important leaders that have influenced your beliefs and ideologies that you suggest people to read / listen?

I've been on such a huge journey, I think Bill Johnson, Kris Vallotton, Joseph Prince and John Crowder really got me started on my journey and honestly without them I have no idea where I'd be today. Someone I have to add to the list who has profoundly influenced me has to be Andre Rabe who has such a beautiful spirit and articulates the Gospel like nobody else I know. 


What is the most important message "the church" (as a whole) needs to understand today?

I think if we tackled the two lies I mentioned above we'd be in a very healthy place as a body. 
(James' note: That was easy! Haha.)


What do you sense is happening in the earth today in terms of the church, politics, philosophy, etc?  Big question, but you're a big man.

If we look back 10-20 years there was such a huge question hanging over the church "Does God really still heal the sick? Can we as believers really walk in the supernatural?" It's funny to me because I'm seeing that these questions are being asked less and less. These days such a huge portion of the church simply isn't asking that question any more? Why? Because most have had the question answered, more people have been healed or seen healing today than ever before on the planet! Even the skeptics know one or two people who have been healed and so they just awkwardly avoid the topic.

I think in the next 10-20 years we are going to see two questions slowly die:
"Is God really good?"
"Am I really righteous?"


And finally, what advice would you give to people like me who want to change the world?

Look for the image and likeness of God in every man, woman and child and you'll find it. If you can show them Jesus as in a mirror they will be transformed. (tweet that!)


Phil, thank you so much for taking the time to write these answers for us. It is a real privilege having you post on JamesPreston.org, and we can't to hear from you again! Maybe in a video interview next time on the Sonic Substance Leadership Podcast. You're a mighty man and we together as an audience speak abundant blessings, provision, health and wealth to you, Sarah, and the coming family!  ;)

What would you, the reader, like to ask Phil? If you ask a question in the comments section, we will try and get him to answer as many as possible.

We would appreciate you sharing this amazing blog post, so please do so here. Thank you and bless you!