By Jo Kennett (Printed October 11)
FAT ALBERT frontman and popular local identity Matt Buggy has completed his first week of Ocsober and told The Weekly he is feeling great.
“I had heaps of beers on footy grand-final day and was a bit dusty on Monday, October 1, but I’ve been exercising every day, pushbike riding and running,” he said.
“I’ve got all this extra energy and I feel great. I don’t need to wear my sunnies all the time because I’m not hungover.
“Everything is clearer and there is no anxiety and stress that I used to get, thinking of all the things I had to do.”
Matt said he had his liver checked before starting Ocsober and the results were alarming.
“Your GGT (gamma-glutamyl transferase) levels are supposed to be around 70 and mine were 550,” Matt said.
“That’s super high.
“I’m going to get it tested before I finish and see where it is.”
Matt is encouraging others to give the grog a break too.
“Even if people just try having Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday without a drink you will be amazed at how good you feel when you jump out of bed,” he said.
“I’ve got a soda stream and so I’ve replaced beer bubbles with soda water bubbles.
“I also went to a wedding and took some zero alcohol beers which were great – they taste just like full strength beer with no alcohol.”
Matt said that although there has been “a few naysayers” it was more of an inspiration to keep going.
“The reaction has mostly been really positive,” he said.
“My brother Lockie has slowed right up as well, though he reckons I’m not as funny at gigs, but that’s bad luck.
“I’ve had a few people saying they are considering cutting down and saying I look really good and it must be working.”
Pottsville General Store owners Rick and Donna Moore have even come up with a juice made up of all Matt’s favourite healthy ingredients.
“It’s in honour of Buggy because he was always coming in ordering that juice so we named it the Buggy Boost.
“We have the tin here for donations to Life Education which Matt is raising money for through Ocsober.
“We are also donating 50 cents from each Buggy Boost juice ordered to the fund because we think it’s wonderful what he’s doing.”
Matt said he has been raising money at gigs for Life Education and a nurse took a tin around at the Cabarita Beach Bowls and Sports Club when he and Lockie were performing and there were lots of people putting money in the tin.
“I tell them all I’m doing it and invite them to donate and everyone has been really generous,” he said.
“I want to thank everyone who has donated so far, the support has been amazing – I’ll have to get a new tin.”
To donate to Matt’s fund visit: ocsober.com.au, hit the donate link and type in Matt Buggy.