About Obesity Foundation and its founder

Who started Obesity Foundation?

I'm Geert Jan Brugman, I'm 46 and I come from Almere in the Netherlands. At my heaviest I weighed 145 kg. Today I weigh 95 kg.

I lost those 50 kg in 12 months, without surgery, medication or injections. My sister Michelle joined me and went from 130 to 61 kg.

What made me decide to change?

I was in a clothes shop with my girlfriend and my daughter when I was told my size was no longer sold in ordinary shops. I felt so humiliated.

Buying clothes in a special 5XL shop was a step too far for me. That day I decided to really do something about it.

Why did my first attempt fail?

First I had my BMI and calories checked, got an eating plan and hired a personal trainer. He had me doing push-ups and pull-ups while I could barely walk.

When a goal is out of reach from day one, you feel even worse, and then you eat more. That is exactly why this foundation exists: people with obesity deserve eating and exercise plans they can actually manage.

What worked for me instead?

I stopped going to the gym. I started walking and keeping track of my calories, never extreme, but a little more and a little less each week.

• Walking: I started with 15 minutes in the morning and 15 in the evening. Every week I added 5 minutes to each walk.
• Steps: after a month my goal was 10,000 steps a day, after three months 12,500. Today I walk about 15,000 steps a day.
• Calories: I ate 500 calories less than before, so I never went hungry. Each week I took off another 50, until I reached about 2,000 a day.

That works out at roughly 1 kg a week. It is my own experience, not a rule for everyone: your doctor can tell you what is safe for you.

What did I change in my food?

Looking back, bread was my biggest problem. I used to eat six bread rolls a day with peanut butter or chocolate spread, and I drank 2 to 3 litres of regular cola.

I switched to protein. Chicken became my go-to, potatoes became sweet potatoes and the bread went. Breakfast is low-fat quark with fruit, dinner is rice with chicken, and between meals I eat protein biscuits we bake ourselves. I now drink mostly water and two cans of zero-sugar cola a day.

What did I do after a setback?

I had setbacks too. Alcohol, a lot of stress or a week out of my routine meant a week of walking less and eating badly, and that cost me one or two weeks.

What helped me start again was praying, watching motivation videos on YouTube and simply eating better again the next day.

What has losing 50 kg given me?

All my test results at the doctor's are now in the green. I can run with my daughter again and I no longer get out of breath on the stairs. My trousers are a size M and my T-shirts an L.

Every day I walk past the shop that sold those large sizes. And every time I think: thank goodness I did something about it.

Why does Obesity Foundation exist?

This site and everything we offer are here to show people who feel stuck in a dark place that there is a way out. It can be done, and I am living proof.

My tips will not make you slim overnight. They give you a safe, calm way to lose weight that you can keep up. Please talk to your doctor first before you start any plan.

How do we make our information?

My own story is experience, not medical advice. Everything else on this site is based on international guidelines and peer-reviewed research, and every page lists its sources at the bottom.

We do not sell products or supplements, and we do not promote weight-loss medication. If you spot a mistake, please let us know.

Want to help others on the same path? See how you can get involved, for example as a volunteer.

New to the topic? Our FAQ is a good place to start.