Sometimes, it’s the smallest changes that can make the biggest impact. This is what John Glaude realized when he successfully cut weight by incorporating “small changes” into his lifestyle.
John’s weight loss journey began after a series of events changed his perception of weight.
First, he was invited to a wedding a few years after graduating high school. Of course, he needed to find clothes for the event. And at 360 pounds—wearing size 56 pants and a 5XL shirt—finding the right outfit wasn’t so easy.
Then, he had to ride in a car for 13 hours. He was 20 years old at the time, and when he got out of the car, he felt like he was going to faint. So, he fell back into the vehicle.
“That really really scared me … I was very aware of my own mortality. I was very very afraid of dying,” John, now 28, told TODAY. “I genuinely didn’t like to be alone because I thought if I have a heart attack no one would be around to call the cops or call an ambulance.”
During the wedding, he downplayed what happened and even joked about it. But deep inside, his anxiety was building up. He enjoyed the wedding and thought he looked good, but he was disappointed after seeing a picture of himself.
“I thought I looked great. I was stoked about my outfit,” John recalled. “Looking at the photos, I was not super stoked about it anymore.”
These events helped him realized that he needed to change, but what really pushed him to cut weight was when he heard someone on a reality show say that he lost weight after making different choices.
So John did exactly that.
Throughout his life, he had an unhealthy relationship with food. He grew up overweight and was accustomed to eating too quickly – something he learned at home.
He also didn’t move around much, and that contributed to his weight gain. Being the biggest kid in high school, John was nicknamed “husky” and “cupcake” by his peers.
And to cope with the bullying, he made jokes at his own expense.
“I was the funny fat guy, so if you knew me as cupcake in class, I was very obnoxious, loud and over the top,” he said. “It definitely helped me feel like I could get out of my shell a bit, but a lot of what I did was constantly make fun of myself.”
When John decided it was time to cut weight, he didn’t know what foods were healthy. So, he went to the store and grabbed water and ingredients to make a sandwich.
He then started tracking what he ate and learned about nutrition with the help of MyFitnessPal. Soon, his diet turned into what he now calls the “the common sense diet.”
This involved taking out soda, junk food, and fast food—which were a large part of his diet—and replacing them with healthier alternatives.
He was close to 400 pounds at the time and avoiding those foods expedited his weight loss.
After over a year and a half, John lost most of his weight, and he’s been able to keep it off for the past six years. Today, he weighs about 210 pounds – 150 pounds less than his highest weight.
Now, John doesn’t follow a specific diet; he just tries to make smart choices when it comes to food. He says he was able to successfully cut weight because he changed his eating habits. Initially, he didn’t exercise for a while because he was afraid of going to the gym.
“This is something I say a lot: Weight loss happens in the kitchen. Fitness happens in the gym,” John explained. “I lost most of my weight without going to the gym.”
But he also believes that exercise helps him maintain a consistent weight.
Accomplishing this feat has helped John become healthier both on the inside and the outside. His weight loss—and the fact that he’s able to maintain his physique—has significantly boosted his confidence.
“I always felt inadequate. I always felt like I’m not capable of doing a lot of the other things that the other kids were capable of doing,” he said. “With losing the weight and actually being successful in that, it showed me that I just can’t make excuses. If I want to do something, I truly can do it.”
John is now a content creator helping other people who want to lose weight achieve their goals.
You can follow him on Instagram and YouTube for your daily dose of “fitspiration.”
Please share this story to inspire friends and family who are struggling with their weight.
I think his mother should be brought to task. How horrible to do this to your own child!