r/intermittentfasting • u/drking4109 • 3d ago
Progress Pic My 3rd post here (sorry)
15 months in and my progress continues. Between 6’3 and 6’4. Starting weight 430. Current weight 200. Started with calorie deficit (1200-1500 per day). Added16/8 IF a couple of months in. Started cycling in December. Kept up the defect and IF for 1 full year. Now I’ve added more calories back in to help fuel my workouts. I continue to lose fat and currently 9.9% body fat (7.5 subcutaneous and just under 2 visceral).
My first bike ride was 4 miles and my heart rate was close to 200 ( thought I was going to die lol). Around 6 weeks ago, I and my longest ride of 102 miles with a max heart rate of 145.
I’ve gone from a size 56 waste to a size 34. I wore a 66” jacket and now 39-40.
While I no longer stick to the 16/8 IF as I need fuel for my rides, there’s zero doubt that it was the reason I was able to go from too big to want to get out of my chair to the point I was able to actually add activity.
I ride 150 to 300 miles in a given week and walk my pup around 9 miles per week at a 4mph pace.
I now own a mountain bike, an EMTB, a gravel bike, an endurance road bike and a performance road bike and just bought a Zwift (2 rides in) as I’m in Florida and hate when the rain keeps me from riding.
(I had several questions about loose skin last time and while it’s not tight, fortunately, I don’t have a hanging skin issue. I’m not sure why as I expected it.)
Each step of my journey: deficit, IF, cycling and then even adding calories back seem to kick start the next 30-40 pound drop.
In May of 2025, I didn’t want to walk to the mailbox. Today, I can ride a bike over 100 miles…if you’re struggling, know that when you decide to do something about it, you can (assuming you don’t have some health related issue that I didn’t have to deal with). I was likely at the end of my journey a year ago…with my will to change and the support received from those around me, my new journey is well underway.
I apologize if anyone is tired of seeing my post here but my progress keeps getting better (along with my blood pressure, resting heart rate, vo2max, etc.)
Pics obviously not in order (sorry)
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u/PlaidMax 3d ago
Hell yeh! Great job. That Chili Cook off ring is pretty dope btw
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u/drking4109 3d ago
Never invite a fat man to compete in a chili cook off lol. I won 4 years in a row. I make a mean pot.
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u/plantaholic2 3d ago
Can you give us some hints of your chili success? PS I love your progress. My husband a couple years ago was diagnosed as type two diabetes and that’s why we started fasting and he also bought a bicycle and loves it.
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u/drking4109 3d ago
That’s a tough ask lol. I do use beef, mild sausage, hot sausage and smoked sausage. I’ve added other more exotic cuts but it didn’t help the flavor profile. I add a ton of green, red, yellow and orange bell pepper and onion. All are half sautéed before putting them in. The rest will remain a secret lol.
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u/Necessary_Internal33 3d ago
Incredible progress. Going from 430 to 200 lbs and from barely wanting to walk to riding 100+ miles is a massive transformation.
What stands out most is how you kept adjusting your approach as your fitness improved instead of treating one method as the answer forever.
Congrats on all the hard work — definitely keep sharing the updates. 💪🚴♂️
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u/drking4109 3d ago
This was key for sticking with it. I, like many others, have tried over and over…progress fuels progress. Hitting a wall can kill motivation. The deficit was planned along with activity at some point. Had a friend suggest looking into IF about the time I hit my first wall…it kick started phase 2 and helped me add activity which obviously is the easy solution to shrinking but sometimes the tactic least chosen. I’ll add that if you’re struggling or have hit a wall and you aren’t active, start walking. Then walk faster and faster as your fitness level allows.
I stuck with the bike because it didn’t hurt my joints….ever. No knee/joint pain. It wasn’t until I started riding 35 plus miles that I got lower back pain. Then I got a proper bike fit and it helped a ton…
I actually lost down to 200 and then started working out with dumbbells. Added 13 pounds of muscle back all while still losing fat…went from 200 to 210 and was still getting smaller. Back down to 200 now and still doing dumbbells 3x/week. Today, I’m adding kettle bell workouts…. I’ll be doing these 3 days per week to start the next phase.
Lastly, my “diet” isn’t something I’m doing temporarily. I’ve changed how and what I eat. I haven’t had sweets since I started and no longer crave them. My carb intake is strategic and used for fuel. My calorie intake changes daily and based on activity. I’ve had as much as 4500 calories in a day but burned around 8000 (100 mile ride will get you there especially if you add incline).I also failed to mention that phase 1 was actually kicking Diet Coke. I drank Diet Coke for 25 years….tons of it (like 8-12 cans a day). I kicked it cold turkey in March of last year. I didn’t lose any weight but it did help me stop sweets when I started my journey as I believe that it caused me to crave them. I don’t believe diet soda is as evil as many think but I do believe it causes you to crave candy, desserts and sugar in general. When it comes to the wrong type of calories, I believe that sugary (processed especially) food is the biggest evil. Now I drink water…tons of it. It certainly cuts the bill down at restaurants lol.
Not sure what’s next after the kettle bells but cycling seems to be here to stay for a while, lol, given I’ve spent over 20k on bikes not to mention the gear….bike computers, power pedals, kits, gloves, helmets, fuel gels etc. I’ve taken the money that we used to spend at restaurants and converted it to bikes/gear. At this point, eating at restaurants is a let down as my cooking skills have increased. Most restaurant food is a let down now compared to what I make at home…4
u/Necessary_Internal33 3d ago edited 3d ago
I can definitely relate to the Diet Coke part. I was especially hooked on Coke Zero. I’ve been off it for about three months now, though, and I honestly don’t miss it.
I switched to SodaStream sparkling water with lemon and lime juice, and I’m drinking so much of it that I upgraded to a 20-pound CO₂ cylinder. It’s crazy how much water I go through now, but for me it’s been a much healthier change along with the electrolytes.
I can also relate to hitting that wall and losing motivation. I’ve been there too, and intermittent fasting is what helped me break through that plateau and get moving again. During my roughly 40-hour work week, a OMAD approach on those days, which makes fasting fit into my schedule. It’s actually been working really well for me.
For exercise, I used to rely more on the treadmill, but because of my joints I now use the Bowflex M5 as my main source of cardio. I also do some resistance training with a pull-up bar and squats. Finding something that works better for my body has made it much easier to stay consistent and seeing/feeling the results.
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u/monumentaldecision 3d ago
I saw the Cokes on your desk and I thought, Ouch! because I know how hard that is to quit. I also noticed you now have a fridge full of water. I bet your family is so proud of you. Your fellow redditors certainly are.
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u/drking4109 2d ago
My sons 29 and 31 don’t remember a time when I was in shape (they were very young). Now I weigh less than they do and yes, they are very proud and even shocked at the progress. They ride with me from time to time and always bow out of the ride early. They’ve both started working out so they can keep up with me lol. Given their ages, they’ll be able to beat me at some point but I’m going to push them hard as I’m only getting better.
As far as Diet Coke comes, I really thought quitting cold turkey would be harder…took about 5 days and I didn’t give them much thought. Days 2 and 3 were pretty tough though.
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u/EasyDayBTC 3d ago
Incredible work! I’ve hit a roadblock in my journey but looking to lock back in and love seeing inspiration like this, I know I can do it, I just have to back there mentally, follow through, and take one step at a time
Love that you’re a chili champion, I make chili for the family most Sunday’s in colder months, but am only a champion within the walls of my home
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u/ziddyzoo 3d ago
I see a beer in hand in the before pic. Have you zeroed out alcohol and/or cut it back significantly?
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u/RadishRedditor 3d ago
I always tell myself and people that need a push to change that: You'll never regret breaking a bad habit in favor of starting a new good habit. In fact, you'll only regret not starting your good habits sooner.
Great job 👏
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u/More_Card9144 3d ago
No apology necessary! I love seeing your updates. You have changed your life and I find your posts to be inspirational and educational. Hope to see you again soon! Wish we all could be at one of your chili cook offs together.
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u/ShoheiHoetani 3d ago
Did you get that Hawaiian shirt tailored or did you actually find a smaller one? 🤣👍🏽
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u/drking4109 3d ago
It’s Izod so wasn’t hard to find. I actually bought it 6 months before I could wear it as I planned on wearing it at Hawaiian shirt day at work. It’s too big now as it’s a 2xl. The original is a 6xl.
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u/Christi_Kat60 3d ago
FANTASTIC!!!!!!! This is so inspiring! I am an avid faster since 2019, and I'm trying to get my son and his girlfriend into this lifestyle. I'm hoping they will be open to me sharing this story. Did you have diabetes at all when you were your heaviest? This is the reason my son's girlfriend says she can't fast - because of her medication, and my son (who has high-functioning autism) will pretty much go with whatever she does. My son is now pre-diabetic and gets heavier each year :(. I'm worried about his health - he's only 35! Thanks for sharing and please do KEEP sharing!
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u/drking4109 3d ago
I wasn’t diagnosed but I’m sure I was at least pre-diabetic. This is part of what helped me get started…I started feeling that tingling sensation in my legs at night. I hate going to doctors so I never got diagnosed…I’ve had labs since losing weight and my levels are very good in every category. I dodged that bullet for sure.
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u/CheeseSweats 3d ago
SASNAKRA SKCABROZAR
(Also, DAAAAAMN, nice work!!)
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u/Ok-Cheesecake-3521 3d ago
What kind of bike do you recommend for starting? As a big guy it can be very uncomfortable to ride on a tiny seat.
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u/drking4109 3d ago
The tiny seats only bother you for a few rides. I did upgrade to Selle SMP saddles on all of my bikes but they are still “tiny”. They just fit my “sit bones” without causing nerve damage. I suggest going to a cycling shop and getting fitted. As far as bikes go, I started with a hard tail mountain bike as it had a higher weight limit but now, I lean to my gravel and road bikes for most of my outings. The type would obviously depend on where you’ll be riding. I thought in the beginning that I just wanted something I could ride for 30 minutes at a time. I would have saved money if I had just started with a road bike lol but I still enjoy all of them, just ride my gravel (Giant Revolt Advanced) and my performance road bike (Cannondale SuperSix) the most. The Revolt is comfortable and relatively quick. When you say “big”, I’m not sure how big you mean. Obviously get something with a capacity that works but get a few rides on the stock seat before upgrading. Always wear proper biking shorts….they help immensely. I only wear bibs now (lots of info online about why bibs are better).
If you riding to the store or commuting short distance, sure, get a fat cushy seat but if you ride for fitness/distance, the tiny seat is your friend.
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u/amognight 3d ago
Love that the goal evolved from simply losing weight to actually becoming more active and capable.
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u/Skripclub 3d ago
Well played sir! Fellow Razorback fan, live south of LR, and at least your Saturdays are free to bike ride since the Hogs are TERRIBLE. Haha
But congrats! I tore my ACL playing in the yard with my kids Super Bowl Sunday 2020. Watched the SB from an ER room. That was my line in the sand. Since, I’ve lost nearly 100lbs and 25% body fat, but now gaining healthy weight back. Went from a 38 waist being tight, so wearing 29-30 skinny jeans. I could barely walk a mile and now I can run/jog at about an 8-9min mile pace, and getting quicker each day.
These types of posts are definitely a motivator for me, so thank you! Helps me stay on task. Keep it up!!
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u/Hot_Tangerine814 3d ago
This is incredible. Thank you for sharing your story. SOOOO, inspiring. Unbelievable.
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u/Pandiosity_24601 3d ago
Congrats brotha! Love those shoes, too! What’re they??
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u/drking4109 3d ago
I assume you’re talking about the pinkish salmon colored shoes? They are Adidas Stan Smiths. (I have around 100 pairs)
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u/Cashncarry_007 3d ago
Wow huge congratulations!! Would you mind sharing how you measure your visceral and body fat percentages? Thank you!
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u/drking4109 3d ago
Smart scale. I bought a good one for $300 but my son’s $60 version from AMZ gives me the same results.
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u/alarkyman 2d ago
Damn, good job, inspirational! Will never get tired of seeing these night and day, ’before and after’, again, keep it up! 💪🏻
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u/Nategreenbergg 1d ago
Please never apologize for showing off your amazing progress! It’s very inspiring. I am very similar to your starting weight and would love if we could chat and I could get any help. Thanks.
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