Written by Finlay Mead

In a remarkable body transformation, one American man has defied the odds and shed an astonishing 80 kilograms (approximately 170 pounds) in less than a year.

We’ve covered a shedload 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, however, have ever honed in on what you’d think was an essential skill that’s actually surprisingly rare…

A middle-aged American man and Redditor who goes by the name of ‘Rob’ has defied the odds and shed an astonishing 80 kilograms in only a matter of months. His secret weapon in this incredible weight loss journey? Learning how to cook.

WATCH: Here’s how Post Malone kickstarted his body transformation…

Turning the Tide with ‘CICO’

However, cooking was the final step in Rob’s long journey to reconfiguring his relationship with food. First, he had to learn all about ‘CICO’. For those unfamiliar with the term, CICO refers to the ‘Calories In, Calories Out’ approach to weight loss. It’s a simple yet effective concept that involves closely monitoring calorie intake and expenditure.

However, there’s a lot more to this kind of weight loss than calorie counting alone; mindful choices regarding food are everything. That’s why Rob also adopted a quality-over-quantity approach, championing a high-protein diet with no processed food.

He also focused on avoiding excessive sugar and steering clear of popular diet trends like keto. There were no “shortcuts” like weight loss surgery and no reliance on increasingly popular pharmaceutical aids like Ozempic. Instead, Rob adopted a holistic approach to his health.

A Healthier Tomorrow

As a result of his efforts, not only did Rob manage to shed excess weight but he also enjoyed a comprehensive turnaround in his health. Conditions like prediabetes and high cholesterol which once plagued him endlessly became a thing of the past.

As part of his transformation, Rob has also embraced physical fitness with vigour. Running, something he never thought possible, has become a regular part of his routine:

“I’ve never been a runner and when I started I couldn’t run more than 2 minutes. I’ve always been a terrible runner and that makes me want it even more. Now I can run over 3.6 miles without slowing to a walk.”

Rob (u/M6150)

The Culinary Renaissance

One of the most profound lessons he learned on this journey was the power of the mind. Inspired by the wisdom of David Goggins, he realized that mental strength is the key to pushing past self-imposed limits. However, the most surprising twist in his journey was his newfound passion for cooking…

After a divorce, Rob embraced cooking out of necessity but it quickly became far more than that. Now, it’s a source of joy and creativity: By preparing high-quality, flavorful meals, he found that eating well didn’t have to be synonymous with blandness and that homemade dishes could surpass restaurant fare and pre-made “health” foods.

As he continues his journey, the focus is now on fat reduction, cardiovascular fitness, and strength training. But Rob acknowledges the need for patience and not pushing himself too hard, realizing that sustainable progress is the key to long-term success, a lesson we could all do well to ponder.