Why FatBlokeThin?

My name is Nigel Betts and in April 2007 I found myself at a crossroads, spiritually and physically.

I could have bought a Harley Davidson or traded the wife in for a newer model (or indeed traded my wife for a Harley Davidson for that matter…) – that is, if I ever intended to conform to the classic male mid-life crisis pattern.

I chose none of these options but instead decided to embark on a journey, a journey inside myself - a journey through cyberspace to find happiness and enlightenment.

The FatBlokeThin blog was born out of a desire to record and document this journey both in terms of weight loss achieved and the approach to spititual enlightenment.

Being thin makes you happy?

I soon realised that my physical condition was preventing me from fulfilling many of the things I wanted to do and as a consequence I needed to tackle my obesity before considering anything else.

A Christian by upbringing, I wanted to look beyond my received religious and moral framework to help me fill the spiritual void I was experiencing and hopefully to help me to find happiness. I turned to Buddhism, and the pluralist, compassionate nature of their doctrine immediately struck a cord with me. I had at last found the tools to build my spiritual world….

At the same time as discovering Buddhism and after considerable contemplation, I came to the stark conclusion that losing weight would not make me happy but I felt strongly that finding happiness would help me to lose weight. You may want to read that again....

This simple belief forms the core of my weight-loss philosophy, what I have dubbed the DharmaDiet.

Buddha can make you thin?

One of these days, as I cfinally conclude my weight loss journey I will write and publish a DharmaDiet e-book that will be made available to download free, It will contain my complete philospohy of weightloss, fitness and spiritual enlightenment.

Once my weight is under control I will travel to Dharamsala to meet the Dalai Lama - it is my hope that I will be able to offer a copy of my DharmaDiet book to his holiness as a gift.

Please feel free to look around and please don't walk on the grass without shouting through the letter-box!