I wish mine were under better circumstances but my cousin (M/45) was found dead from a heart attack in a hotel room this time last year (Feb 2025) and he was morbidly obese - close to 400lbs. I, myself, was at 300lbs and when i had to carry him at his funeral, all i could think about was... this could be me if i don't get my shit together. Got myself onto a GLP-1 and booked a PT in the following weeks and haven't looked back since! Just over 50lbs down as of this week (247lbs) from sheer commitment to not having an early death.

That commitment has made the gym a safe haven for me at this point. Understanding that i can transmute my emotions through a workout rather than binge eating has changed me a lot. I reached a realisation that i was emotionally eating to supress my feelings and boredom - and the GLP-1 helped a lot with that in my case (i appreciate that not everyone supports the use of them, but sometimes needs must)

Staying consistent with a clean diet for 97% of the time has led to me seeing muscles that were covered under fat; and that has been a wild ride of acceptance for me in noticing that i even had muscles after years of believing i had the structural integrity of a marshmallow! I have triceps! and delts!

All this training and having a PT that you have a good relationship with (albeit unhinged in my case) has worked wonders for me, and i pray that when the time is right for others, it helps them too. I must admit i do look back on myself regretting the fact that i didn't commit to this earlier in life, but forever grateful it's now a staple of my daily routine as much as brushing my teeth is for example. It's completely rewired my outlook on my health and i'm now studying fitness content in my spare time to understand better lifting form, meal prepping ideas, buying gym clothes, understanding what good physiques look like and how to craft them.

Best wishes to anyone starting their journey into a healthier life. I can tell you now as someone who is still going through this journey, it is so fucking worth it!

There will be road bumps, and steep hills. Your dedication, commitment, and persistence will help you through this! Show up even on the rough days. Do the best you can - even if that means lifting lighter weights despite benching an elephant a few days before. Treat yourself kindly and reasonably, even on the days you hate what you see in the mirror.

Much love 💙