40 Times People Surprised Everyone By Losing So Much Weight They Looked Like A Different Person (New Pics)

Last year I set a goal of having visible abs, here’s where I got to. This year I would like visible obliques. It’s going to be a wonderfully tough year. I have successfully lost weight with every diet I stuck to in the past 20 years, but my goal was never more than that, lose weight. @rpdrmike opened my eyes to “maintenance periods,” and it’s really been within these that my goals have been refined and pinpointed. When I got bogged down with going to fast or too slow, @jared_feather took over programming for me, and I cannot sing his praises enough, thank you Jared.

This is kinda the other side of the coin. However things are finally, slowly starting to turn after a lot of hard work, and I'm hopeful for the future! 

I set a goal a year ago after a hospital visit for cellulitis and lympedema and decided NEVER again. I started at 425lbs. The goal I set was to lose 175lbs. It was high but I knew it was doable. After 52 weeks of watching what I eat and lifting, I've made it. I have so many people to thank on this journey.

If you would have told me 4 years ago that I would make it under 180 pounds then I would have laughed in your face while eating a box old fashion donuts. I can guarantee you that you have what it takes to take control of your life. Do it for you though. There’s a lot of good things to help motivate and push you through the pain of hard days/weeks/months/years but nothing is as good as doing it for you. I stand here (in my unicorn undies) to tell you to do it for you and only you. Anyone that tells you that you can’t do it can go run a marathon with legos in their shoes.

Working on bettering myself through weight loss. I've always been active, playing sports, but the last 10 years have been hard on me. Lost 107lbs so far. Got 33 to go before I get to start bulking.

I'm close to 6'5", on the left I was pushing 300 pounds. My entire family is obese, my father was huge. On the left I was about 32 y/o on the right almost 50 y/o.
This took years, a conscious decision to just freaking cut out bad food and start some exercising. I have a terrible metabolism, all my family does, the type that if you "stare at food" you will put on weight. I swear, I have to do twice the aerobics to lose the same weight as what any table shows you.
I have very few pictures of myself in my 20s and 30s as I was always so ashamed of my body. I feel like I lost a couple of decades of my life because back then I just never wanted to do anything, be out in public, I just shut down.
It is a daily struggle to this day, sure I have a period of a week to a month where I take steps backwards but then I just focus and get back to the hard work.
A mistake I made early on was as I put on weight I would buy larger clothes, that was a huge mistake, huge. If any clothes start to feel tight on me now that is the motivation to make sure I'm eating properly.
I don't know if this can help motivate anyone or not, I hope it can. All you have in life is your health and well being and, at least for me, so much of that hinges on my weight. Old me would gasp for air going up a few flights of stairs, would always have to find a place to sit down if I was out somewhere, never again do I want that.

This has taken me years, and isn’t over yet. But progress over perfection. Feelin’ good!

Last weight loss post as I can finally say I hit my goal weight. 220 lbs lost. I know these posts may be annoying, but I figured it was finally time to post my triumph. Years of fighting and I finally won!
How???: I had weight loss surgery may 2016. But basically my surgeon really fucked up my surgery and a year out I was left with a ton of scar tissue in my stomach. This basically left me in a position where I gain everything back by trying to eat "normal" foods in excess to try and absorb some nutrients or change my whole diet and exercise ways. I stuck to high nutrient low calorie foods and picked up running. I've done this for the last year and I've made it down from 264 to 144. If anyone is curious for specifics please feel free to message me!
Do I feel better?: Yes in a lot of ways and no in some ways. I deal with body dysmorphia to a large degree because of how quickly I dropped weight. So what I see in the mirror is drastically different from what others see. Its very hard to explain but it's common with fast weight loss. A lot of people with eating disorders experience this dysmorphia as well. Thankfully, I was pretty confident at 364 so it's not an I hate myself thing. More so a shock everytime someone takes an unexpected photo of me or when I buy clothing that's 2x too big on accident. It's like looking at a skeleton in comparison to my own self image. BUT I feel better. I lost aches I didn't know I had and I gained the opportunity to safely have kids again. So when the time comes I'm healthy enough to have a healthy kid. The only health thing that didn't get better was my joints. I have early arthritis from being that big for that long. Pain in my knees and back that will never go away, but thankfully won't be as bad as they would have been.
Am I single?: still no lol. I have been with the same person from 364 to 144. He has been an amazing support and has been the one person who has never looked at me as a different person. I'm forever grateful I didn't lose him through this whole process as a lot of people lose their partners during severe weightloss.

I bought a new shirt for work and it was the first time I’ve felt good about how I look since starting my weight loss.

Started weighing in at 262lbs. Now 200lbs. 1st 6 months keto / fasting. Last 6 months not keto. Still fasting. Ate more carbs. Body weight workouts/ resistance bands/ jump roping/ swimming.

234 lbs to 160 lbs. 5’3, 25. Loss over almost 2 years with keto, light cardio.

Excuse the loose boob and stomach skin. I'll get rid of that some day. But for now, 340lb to 190lb. Losing 150lb is crazy.

Since 2020 is here and most people want to work on their new year resolution, I thought I should post my journey that I started 3 years ago to motivate others to never give up on their goals.

Left is me in 2015. 325lbs, 56in chest. Right is me in 2017. 185lbs, 40in chest. I dropped about 100 in the first year of trying, another 45 or so over the next year, and I've since put back on about 15-20. Nowadays I hover around 200, but I still fit in that suit.

After losing 150lb, I finally did what I set out to do, a year ago. Excuse the droopy boob skin. That amount of weight leaves a permanent mark.

The before picture was taken at my cousins wedding, I was photographing the event. (Hence, my super sexy fanny pack for extra batteries) I love photography, plus it always kept me safely behind the camera instead of in front of it. The after picture only has global edits. If it was for a client, I’d photoshop it a bit. But, I wanted to show an honest after picture.
It’s had to find a full body shot at my heaviest. This one was taken almost 10 years ago at the start of some failed diet. You stop taking ‘before’ pictures after awhile. I know there is a lot of keto hate, but for me it’s been life changing. I’m pushing 40, and I feel younger than ever.

For the first time in almost 15 years I'm under 400 pounds (399,2 to be exact) the picture on the left I was 578 pounds I still have a 100 pounds to hit my goal but I'm still excited.

Left photo is summer 2016: 215lbs. Right photo is this morning before church: 185-ish lbs. Slow but steady progress.
Just a late-night post that might not get much attention but hopefully it helps someone. I only started going to the gym in the summer of 2017. It took me two years for this progress. I never really changed my diet but I worked hard and stayed dedicated. To anyone who is trying to lose weight/get in shape. It works different for everyone. Find what works for you and don't quit.
Seriously, two years under a trainer who kicks butt. I wasn't willing to give up cheeseburgers but I was willing to work hard and accept challenges.
I think I look pretty darn good in that dress... But honestly, I've only gone from a size 18 to a 14. I still have plenty of cellulite and stomach rolls. So ladies, don't be discouraged by what you see others posting. It's not always what it seems. We're all just trying to get it figured out. Keep pushing! It feels so good to feel yourself getting stronger! Don't quit! What you can't do today you'll be able to do 2 weeks from now and it is such an accomplished feeling!
Sorry if this post seems rambling, it's just past midnight and I'm tired and going to sleep. I just wanted to say this to anyone who needs it. Take it slow, do YOUR best.