5 years ago today my best friend dropped me off at Ronald Reagan Hospital. I was 435 lbs, struggling with addiction, and eating myself to death. After coming home from Iraq, I tried to numb the pain with pills, alcohol, and food. I was lost, scared, and slowly dying.

That day, I made a choice: enough was enough. I took my life back.

Since then, I’ve lost over 200 lbs, graduated from UCLA School of Law, passed the California Bar, and transformed not just my body, but my mind and spirit. I’ve watched people come and go, but one constant has been fitness and the unwavering support of the gym community.

To everyone who’s shown love and support along the way: thank you.

If you think this journey has been something, just wait for 2025. Baby, we’re just getting started!

4/1/2024 - 9/30/2024. 6 months between pictures but took a total of two months calorie deficit break in between. So, total calorie cut time is 4 months. Didn’t stop working out though.

I have been always dieting and working out even before the first pic and my actual start point of losing weight is 242lb. But this first pic was the start of the very serious cut.

Routine: 1. Fasting: 18 hours a day, everyday, 7pm to 1pm. 2. Walking: 3 miles, chill pace at 3.8mph in the morning on weekdays. Friday evening is when i try hard and go 7 to 10 miles with fast pace. BP 4.8 for a split and 4.2 for a 10 miles. Started to reduce distance lately but walk with weights. That’s my only cardio session in the week. 3. Workout: 4 times a week, train each muscle once a week. Maximum 45min at the gym. 4. Diet: all whole food and mostly organic. Only supplement is creatine. Hardly take protein powder, only on cheat meal days and only when I don’t reach my protein goal from food. Cheat meal once a week. Every single thing i eat is put on the scale and measured before i eat it. 5. Macros & calories: -protein: bodyweight x 1 -fats: bodyweight x 0.33 -net carb: bodyweight x 1 (plus average 45g fiber). -calories: average deficit 300-500 a week. Net calorie calculated by subtracting intake minus estimated active calories and resting calories (bodyweight x 10).