Weight Loss & Motivational Speaker and Author of “If I Can, You Can!”, published by New Holland Publishers. In 2003 I weighed 144 kilos, and didn’t exercise. One day I made a decision that changed my life for the better. I embarked on an incredible journey of losing 70 kilos. I Endured two successful operations to remove my excess skin. I have appeared in Channel 9’s program ”Bodywork” and TV ads for Lite n’ Easy as well as Woman’s Day, Who and Ultra Fit Magazines and local newspapers.
I have helped many people to lose weight. What I have learnt in this time is that dealing with body image through diet and exercise alone is only a small piece of the puzzle.
IF I CAN, YOU CAN
How I Lost Half My Body Weight
By Silvestro Musumeci
with Donna Jones
Success is a process, not an event. Believe within yourself and you shall reach your goals like I did and turn a dream into reality. If I can, you can! - Silvestro
Silvestro Musumeci’s story digs deep beyond the physical aspects of losing weight. It shows you how emotional and cultural aspects can have a deep impact on your transformation.
Silvestro was the fat kid at school. Coming from an Italian family that was and is proud of the delicious food they serve, as well as the large quantities they offer, Silvestro grew up eating huge portions of classic Italian food, his mother nagging him to ‘eat, eat!’. The result of this was an overweight, bullied and unhappy 9-year-old seeking solace in food - his friend. Uncommon for the 80’s, not so uncommon now with the growing rate of childhood obesity.
As an adult he tried every fad diet there was, soup diets, detox-es, water diets, and even went so far as starvation in an attempt to shed the weight he’d been piling on. The only real guarantee with these diets was that he piled on double of what he lost afterwards.
Easter 2003 was one of his darkest times, he caught sight of himself on a home video and realised there was no hiding from the truth. He was fat, and really unhappy. A couple of days later he made the brave step to join a gym. Ignoring the desire to be put off by the stares of others, he got up at 5.30am and went to the gym. Ironically, Silvestro left his job in real estate to become a gym instructor.
Mind, Mouth and Movement is what Silvestro says are the keys to losing weight. He says it’s more than a physical transformation. He talks about how it will change different dynamics within your life, such as dealing with suddenly being attractive or changes in lifestyle that can affect others.
Losing over half his body size, meant that Silvestro was left with a lot of excess skin. He went through the excruciating procedure of removing it with plastic surgery, a painful process that left him with 500 stitches in his body and a hole in his wallet.
Eating regular foods have become part of his life again. In If I Can, You Can! Silvestro takes you shopping to learn how to stock your pantry and fridge. The recipes he offers are delicious and healthy.
Silvestro is terrific talent, it seems losing weight also unleashed an enthusiastic personality. Many people will identify with his story, and it’s a perfect tie to th
