I Went On A Year-And-A-Half-Long Diet And Fitness Journey, And Here's What Happened

I would pass out 45 minutes after eating pasta.

Hey, I’m Zach, and for as long as I can remember, I’ve always struggled with my weight.

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As a kid I would fluctuate a lot, and I never committed myself to a healthier lifestyle. I either tried to keep weight off by playing sports or gained so much that I wouldn’t do anything about it.

Here I am the summer before I went off to college. Look at those defined cheekbones. I was playing soccer and feeling good!

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I went to college to play soccer but quickly discovered that I would be a backup goalkeeper, which hit my ego. I ended up transferring to another college and tried rowing but lost interest as partying, with a sprinkling of education, took priority. After college and for the majority of my adult life, I was always comfortable with myself and with my body even though I was on the heavier side.

I reached my heaviest weight — 295 pounds — when I was 32. At 34, my poor eating habits and the lack of exercise caught up with me, and I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

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My A1C level was ridiculously high (11.6!). It was a low point in my life, not because I had Type 2 diabetes but because of the way I was feeling. I would eat pasta or some heavy carb-loaded dinner, and within 45 minutes after eating, I would be passed out on the couch. I would have to pee multiple times throughout the day, even a few times in the same hour, and throughout the night like an 85-year-old man (sorry, Gramps).

As if that wasn’t bad enough, the worst part was that my body wouldn’t heal itself – every cut, scrape, or bruise would take forever to heal. For example, I was playing soccer in a men’s league and would get turf burn and scratches from diving, and even if I took three to four weeks off, they wouldn’t heal.

This was the summer before I decided to do something about it.

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People get motivated to lose weight for different reasons — being dumped is often at the top of the list. I became motivated the day my girlfriend of four years broke up with me out of nowhere. It ignited something inside me.

Two weeks later, a producer at BuzzFeed (hey, Evan Ghang) wanted to cast people for a weight loss video. This was the extra push I needed.

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I reached out, and the next day I was on my journey to a healthier and happier me. Evan put me in contact with Steve Zim, owner and trainer of A Tighter U. He trained me, Claire, and Ashly for the following six weeks.

Steve put me to fucking work, and I accepted the challenge. I was working out six days a week and doing cardio for seven. I know, pretty damn intense.

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The first two weeks were the hardest.

I had to change my sleeping habits and become a morning person. Waking up at 5:30 a.m. to get to the gym so that I could get my two-hour workout done (one hour of cardio and an hour of lifting) and be at work by 9 a.m. was absolutely the worst. You never know with LA traffic — even that early in the morning, it’s a goddamn nightmare. Don’t worry, I made time to shower, too.

After the third week, everything became easier, and I was finally starting to FEEL better.

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I was sleeping better, had more energy, and found that exercise elevated my mood. And I actually looked forward to going to the gym. I also lost 6 inches off my stomach area.

Seeing the physical change in my body continued to push and motivate me to work even harder.

I won't lie — changing what I ate was the hardest part, so I had to find ways to trick myself into enjoying what I was eating.

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I played a little mind game with myself and said that my dinner of lean chicken and Brussels sprouts was actually spaghetti and meatballs — may sound crazy, but it totally worked. Also, just in case you were wondering, I didn’t drink the entire time.

I found that meal prepping was extremely helpful. A typical day of meals would look like this:

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Morning: After the gym, I would have an apple and a protein shake with strawberries, blueberries, and quarter of a banana, ice and water, and egg white protein powder.

Lunch: Either leftovers from my dinner or a salad with 4 to 6 ounces of protein in it and a light dressing. Little bit of olive oil and balsamic was all I ever used.

Snacks: Handful of raw almonds or cashews or a small packet of carrots and hummus. If I had yogurt, it was Greek yogurt, but not the ones that have fruit already mixed in.

Dinner: Lean protein. Chicken, ground turkey, or salmon with some greens and veggies. I usually did roasted carrots, Brussels, broccoli, or cauliflower.

By the end of Week 5, I needed to buy some new clothes, especially pants. When you start buying new clothes, it’s a huge motivational tool to continue toward your goals.

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By Week 6, my routine had become, well, routine. The cardio was getting easier, so I decided to push myself harder and upped the amount of time I was completing. My meals were routine too; eating healthier had become easy for me. Don’t get me wrong, I still craved pizza, greasy cheeseburgers, big ol’ burritos, and mounds of ice cream — but now I see them as an indulgence from time to time instead of having them every day.

By the end of the challenge, I was blown away by my transformation. I couldn’t believe my side-by-side photos.

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After the completion of my video, I continued my workout routine of exercising five times a week, whether it be the gym, classes from Class Pass, or joining F45. I found that being consistent with my workout but switching up the activities kept me motivated and helped me not lose interest.

Five months after my weight loss challenge, I decided to return to my doctor to see if there was any change in my A1C levels. I knew that all of my hard work must have had some effect, but I wasn't positive it was enough to get it under 5.5.

About a week later, I got an email from my doctor…motherfuckin’ drumroll, please: 5.3! I was under! I couldn’t believe it.

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Those changes made me want to work that much more! I continued to maintain my workout routine for the remainder of the year until I suffered Achilles tendinitis for eight weeks, which limited my mobility.

This setback didn't stop me in my tracks completely. I was still able to work out, and even though I did notice some weight gain over the holidays, I realized that the numbers on the scale didn't translate to how I felt physically.

Once I was fully recovered, I was ready to go back and train with Steve. I was more motivated than ever to get me closer to MY ideal body type.

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In the end, I was thrilled with the results. I realize that I am a work in progress.

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I have been able to motivate and push myself physically and mentally. I am proud that I have been able to get closer to my goal weight and carve out more definition in my muscles — especially my legs and back.

My journey started a little over a year ago, and I am so excited to continue my path to a healthier way of living.

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The support and encouragement of family and friends is overwhelming. I am in shock at how far I have come, and sometimes look back on old BuzzFeed videos prior to this incredible journey and smile, blown away with what one can truly accomplish when dedicated and committed to one's goal.

I was a really happy guy back then, and I can continue being that happy guy — just healthier and with nicer calves. Sorry, Gronk!