We’ve covered a lot of weight loss journeys here at DMARGE — from Daniel Radcliffe getting ripped to the ‘World’s Fattest Man’ turning everything around, we’ve reported on them all. None of these body transformations, however, have so profoundly highlighted one of the most common side effects of life-changing body transformations.
The thirty-one-year-old Redditor — who goes by the username u/Just_Confection1782 — posted progress pictures to the site’s dedicated subreddit, revealing an immense 300lb (c. 140kg) weight loss that he achieved — somewhat miraculously — in only two years. How did he do it? Let’s find out…
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Cut, Cut, Cut
When it comes to shedding those pounds, nailing your nutritional game is always the most important and usually most punishing step. You need to partake in a ‘cut’ by maintaining a strict calorie deficit over an extended period of time, just like Zac Efron did before filming Baywatch. Here are some general nutritional guidelines to follow, but bear in mind that nutrition varies from person to person:
- Calculate your calories: To lose body fat, you must create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than your body burns. Calculate your daily calorie needs and subtract 250-500 calories per day to create a gradual calorie deficit.
- Consume enough protein: Protein is essential for preserving muscle mass during a cut. Aim for 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day.
- Limit carbohydrate and fat intake: To create a calorie deficit, you will likely need to reduce your carbohydrate and fat intake. However, it’s important not to eliminate these macronutrients entirely, as they are still essential for optimal health and energy levels.
- Eat plenty of fibre: Fibre-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help keep you feeling full and satisfied during a cut.
- Stay hydrated: Adequate hydration is essential for optimal health and can also help curb hunger and cravings.
It’s important to note that a successful cut requires patience and consistency. It’s not advisable to try to lose too much body fat too quickly, as this can lead to muscle loss and other health problems. Aim for a gradual, sustainable rate of fat loss, and be sure to listen to your body and adjust your nutrition plan as needed.
The poster took the latter part of this suggestion especially seriously, surrounding himself with dedicated professionals to ensure that the weight loss was as considerate of his mental health as his physical health…
“Throughout my journey, I was in constant communication with doctors, a nutritionist and a psychologist. Because a lot of my obesity problems consisted of psychological problems like childhood trauma, self-doubt, emotional eating.”
u/Just_Confection1782
The Unexpected Side Effect
However, as with so many people who lose such a massive amount of weight, they often encounter an unexpected and unpleasant side effect — just as this man who lost a comparable amount of weight last year also did — loose skin.
While many commenters were quick to congratulate the poster on his enormous weight loss, many also came with questions about how the loose skin was making him feel and what his plans for managing it moving forward were.
M/31/6’0 [480 lbs > 180 lbs = 300lbs] minus 300 lbs!!!! Progress!!! 2 years!!!
byu/Just_Confection1782 inprogresspics
The poster responded to these questions amicably and in great detail. Especially interesting was his frankness about putting a price tag on the required surgery to fix the loose skin, which comes with a pretty eye-watering and, for many, inaccessible price tag:
“[Regarding] surgery for excess skin: I had a consultation with a plastic surgeon… The weight [has to be] stable for half a year [before I can get the surgey]; it’s [only] just stopped falling for me… and you still need about 6,000 euros, which I don’t have now.”
u/Just_Confection1782
It’s an incredibly frank statement about an often sensitive topic that shows how, for some, even after years of dedication and discipline required to lose the weight, sometimes the battle is much further from being over than it seems. We wish this Redditor the very best of luck.