r/tech_weightloss

With permission from u/ishliss, I’m sharing another interview from someone who successfully lost 75 pounds over 38 months and kept pushing through setbacks, plateaus, cheat meals, and regain.

His story is a great reminder that long-term weight loss usually looks a lot less glamorous than people expect.

Q: What was your wake-up call?

A:

Honestly, it was a photo of me in a red Chiefs shirt.

That picture was my “oh shit” moment.

I had never been in amazing shape, but seeing that photo made me realize how much I had let myself go.

I’d always wanted to be jacked, and that was the moment I decided to change.

Q: What did you try before finding success?

A:

At first I just tried reducing portion sizes.

That helped for a little while, but after a few months I completely stalled.

Then I tried fasting, but I would end up so hungry that I couldn’t sustain it.

Eventually I realized I needed to start tracking calories and actually understand what I was eating.

Q: How did you figure out your calories/deficit?

A:

I used calorie tracking apps to estimate my target calories.

After tracking everything for a few weeks, it became pretty obvious what my actual expenditure was.

Without tracking, I had no idea how much I was really eating—I constantly fluctuated between overeating and under-eating.

Q: Did you drastically change your diet?

A:

Yeah—compared to what I was eating before, it was pretty drastic.

I cut out most unhealthy foods:

- Soda

- Candy

- Sweet treats

- Alcohol

- Ice cream (the hardest one)

Technically you can fit those foods into a deficit, but for me they weren’t sustainable because they made it too easy to overeat and stay hungry.

Q: Were the first weeks hard?

A:

Honestly?

They were easier at first than later on.

It got harder as time went on, which is why I don’t personally think staying in a deficit for super long periods is sustainable for everyone.

Some people can do it.

I’m not one of them.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach.

Q: What mistakes did you make along the way?

A:

The weight came off fast at first, but I stayed in a deficit too long.

My energy dropped.

I plateaued.

Eventually I burned out and regained almost half the weight I had lost.

That taught me an important lesson:

Weight loss isn’t temporary.

If you want to keep it off, it has to become a lifestyle.

You can’t just lose the weight and expect everything to stay the same.

Q: How did you handle setbacks / cheat meals?

A:

I had—and still have—a LOT of cheat meals.

Because I still want to enjoy life.

Yes, it slows progress a little.

But if I’m miserable the whole time, what’s the point?

Small goals matter.

Keep hitting those and eventually you’ll get where you want to go.

Q: What kept you from quitting?

A:

Honestly?

I just really wanted it.

There’s no secret.

It’s hard work and dedication.

Burn more calories than you consume = lose weight.

But more than anything:

You have to truly want it.

Q: What advice would you give someone once the honeymoon phase ends?

A:

Don’t give up.

Take lots of progress photos and look back at where you started.

Sometimes it feels like nothing is changing until you compare yourself to the old you.

That perspective can keep you pushing when motivation fades.

The biggest lessons from his story:

- Tracking creates awareness

- Weight loss is simple, but not easy

- Burnout is real if you push too hard too long

- Cheat meals don’t ruin progress—quitting does

- Progress photos matter more than people think

75 pounds in 38 months isn’t flashy.

It’s not “shredded in 90 days.”

It’s not a transformation challenge.

It’s what real, sustainable long-term progress often looks like.

take a look at his profile and see his insane before and after photos.

Ok so i've been eating cleaner for a few weeks and i'm proud of the progress but i'm slowly losing my mind with the same rotation of food

chicken, rice, salad, repeat. i can't do it anymore lmaooo

someone told me about mixing vanilla protein powder into coffee and it actually changed my mornings. now i'm obsessed with finding more hacks like that

what do you guys actually add to food or drinks to make this sustainable? sauces, spices, coffee additions, whatever, i'll try anything at this point

genuinely open to anything that isn't "just eat grilled chicken and green tea"

so i've been mixing this powder into my morning coffee for 4 days now

not gonna oversell it but genuinely my appetite in the morning has been different. usually i'm hungry again like 2 hours after breakfast, today i went until noon without thinking about food

could be placebo, could be the coffee itself, could be the powder. honestly don't care which one it is lol

anyone else tried adding anything to their coffee for appetite control?

https://preview.redd.it/x29m8rkoy0vg1.jpg?width=1800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1f096f1f73e5a3f6df715a5f0e1c842b013687e4

04/16/2026 - Thursday

Accountability check-in

🏋️‍♀️ Weightlifting - ❌ (i went around 6:40pm, the gym floor was being painted so they closed it for the night 😭 should be good tomorrow though acc. to the staff)

🚴‍♀️ Cardio - ✅ (stationary bike in the morning + russian flashcards)

Calorie deficit + logging - ✅ (1485/1500 calories)

Notes: will buy fruit and low cal snacks tomorrow with some saved up money, to help alleviate sugary cravings after meals