When many men want to lose weight, they set on a crash diet, severely restricting what they eat. But true health and fitness go beyond dieting.
As you’ve probably heard or even experienced yourself, crash dieting is not a healthy or sustainable way to lose weight.
Fit Father Bryon, a Navy Vet, father of two, and a man who struggled with his weight his entire life, found that out the hard way.
The military kept him active, but his eating habits were terrible.
When he had to weigh in every six months, he found himself turning to unsafe and unhealthy crash diets.
Once he was out of the military and working for the Department of Defense, he stopped caring about his weight, and for the first time in his life, he went over 300 pounds.
It was an eye-opening experience for him, and when his doctor told him he was morbidly obese, he knew he had to do something.
He knew another “diet” wasn’t the answer.
He needed something sustainable that worked for him.
He needed a true lifestyle change.
That’s when he found the Fit Father Project.
Listen to Bryon's Story on the Fit Father Project Podcast:
A History of Bad Habits
Bryon was always active, but he struggled with weight his entire life.
“I don't think I've weighed under 200 pounds since I was 12.”
In the military, Bryon had to get himself measured every six weeks.
However, his eating habits weren't the best at that time.
As a result, he would stress a lot and do unhealthy things before getting measured.
He would starve himself, take laxatives, and do things that were just horrible for his body.
“I was eating antacids every night as my GERD and acid reflux were bad because my diet was horrible. I ate so much during the day that the acid came out of my stomach and into my esophagus when I had to go to sleep. My stomach was so full and hurting. I always had cramps. My bathroom habits were horrendous.”
Bryon wasn't just suffering physically, but emotionally and mentally as well.
“I hated how I felt and looked in the mirror. I also suffered from a mental illness.”
Over the years, Bryon became indifferent to maintaining his weight.
Then, in 2021, he stepped on the scale and found that he was 311 pounds.
It was the first time he weighed over 300 pounds, and it was an eye-opener.
During his annual health checkup, his doctor informed him that he was ‘morbidly obese.'
“I get my checkups every year, but my reports are usually good. I had my annual physical in March 2021, and the doctor said my numbers were great. My cholesterol and blood pressure were great. I'm not pre-diabetic, but he said I’m just morbidly obese. He added that when my unhealthy lifestyle dam finally opens up, it will hit me hard.”
That’s when he decided to start making small changes by changing the things he could control.
On his doctor's advice, Bryon tried the keto diet, which worked initially but wasn't sustainable.
He also tried cutting out carbs from his diet, but he couldn’t sustain that either.
“I need to do something that I know isn't a diet in my mind but a lifestyle change. Something that I can sustain and continue without feeling like I'm restricted.”
Going Beyond Dieting
Bryon began searching for a fitness routine and found the Fit Father Project.
He was drawn in by the meal plan's flexibility.
“I loved that the plan includes free and cheat meals because it's important to know that you got a chance to let loose.”
But going beyond dieting, Bryon began looking at all he had to live for.
“My kids are becoming teenagers, and I realized that a lot of what I do and my habits rub off on them. My family didn't have good eating habits. We'd be mainstays at fast food restaurants, and I am instilling unhealthy eating habits in my kids from a young age. I wanted to reverse it because I didn't want them to deal with the same stuff I did. My mission statement was along the lines of showing the kids the right path.”
With a sustainable plan in place, Bryon began losing weight, feeling better, and getting healthier.
Now, his whole family is on the right path.
“I dropped 40 pounds and feel healthier. I feel great, and I'm more active than before. I'm enjoying myself, what I'm eating and doing, and most importantly, how I'm feeling. I've been able to set my kids up for a healthier future, and they are also picking up on my healthy habits. We're growing as a family.”
So what would Bryon say to someone looking to join the Fit Father Project?
“You have a choice. You can either continue down the path that you're on and hope that things get better, or you can make a change to improve things. There's no magic pill or an on-and-off switch when it comes to being healthy. This isn't going to be easy, and I'm not sugarcoating it. So you have to keep pushing in the right direction. You need to be willing to make a change. If you're willing to do so, you will see positive results. Be mentally ready. You can start with just the meal plan like I did. There's 100% flexibility. You can do what I did because things worked out fantastically for me. If you are not ready, then there's no point in it. It'd be great to be able to eat whatever we want and not have to feel terrible all the time, but that only comes with hard work.”
3 Key Takeaways From Bryon's Journey
To summarize, here are three key lessons you can learn from Bryon’s successful health and fitness journey:
Lesson 1: Don't Restrict Yourself Too Much
More often than not, the more you restrict yourself regarding food, the more you want it.
Don't restrict yourself so much that you're only eating the food that food you love eats.
Practice conscious, clean eating.
A balanced diet can be filled with good-tasting food that you love, and it's OK to have a free meal or treat yourself now and then.
Lesson 2: Your Habits (Good and Bad) Rub Off on Your Kids
Bryon wanted to change his habits primarily because he wanted to teach his kids better habits.
Children learn best by observing people around them, especially their parents.
Habits learned in childhood relatively endure through adulthood.
Thus, you can set your children up for a healthier future by being a good role model and teaching them young.
Lesson 3: There's No Magic Pill
When it comes to fitness, your results depend on the efforts you put in and the choices you make regarding your lifestyle.
The best things don't come easy.
You have to work hard to attain your fitness goals.
All the effort will be worth it when you feel better and are healthier than you've ever been!
What is FF30X?
FF30X is a simple, sustainable, and specific weight loss program that is designed especially for busy men over 40.
With short metabolic training workouts, an easy-to-follow meal plan, and an accountability team that is there for you at every step, FF30X can help you lose 30, 40, or even 50+ lbs — even if you’ve never picked up a weight in your life.
Click here to see what you get when you join the FF30X program today!
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*Please know that weight loss results and health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on going beyond dieting.
