How I Lost 60 Pounds and Started Giving A F*ck About My Health 

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It's been an honor working with you on this for the past few years. You made your health a priority and took it seriously. Great job Mark!

Ive been obese all my life and I’ll say without a doubt that choosing to get in shape is the best decision I ever made. I’ve been going strong since January and have lost 50 lbs. I’m still a fat fuck though lol. If I can loose another 100lbs I’ll be right where I want to be.

Giving up alcohol fixes a lot of things.

Thanks, Mark, for your story. Many people need to hear this story. I live in Texas, have lost over 110 lbs. I'm 5'6" tall. Waist 33", hips 41", size 12. 12 lbs till hi-normal bmi range (150). 33 lbs till mid-normal bmi range (129). BMI isn't the best measure of physical health, as we know. Walking 45k steps a week now, working toward 84k. Resistance training twice a week. Gradual increase in activity helps avoid injury and downtime. Start by eating whole foods, plenty of water, plain coffee, tea. I personally stopped eating all sweeteners, foods containing sweeteners or high sodium or seed or vegetable oils or flours. Intermittent fast between meals, and nothing 3 hours before bedtime. After getting that far, I eat up to 100g of carbs a day (all higher fiber, lower starch and fructose, always have legumes & berries a few times a week). I eat 100-120g protein because of age (72), mainly grass-fed, pasture-raised, leaner fat protein without resorting to protein powder, since that isn't whole food. If it sounds like a lot, it's because I too had to research what foods and exercise are best to tweak without sacrificing health. Congratulations on the success you've had! 👏💛Keep it going!😂 Gave up alcohol 30 years ago. My roots are Scots-Irish & Dutch. 🍀🌹

On a 2 year long fitness journey, myself. I'm down 145lbs since the start, but those last 20lbs have been stubbornly hanging on for months now. I'm lucky I was able to do most of my weight loss simply by eating clean without tracking and working out daily, but I do think it's going to take BIG changes to shed those last few pounds. I WILL reach my goal before the end of the year! Thank you Mark for the pointers and for sharing! As always, your content is awesome!

I went from 183 pounds down my current 167 pounds in about 4 months after many years of relative inactivity. I am 49, 6’1”, and was very concerned about losing my strength as I age. Anyway what finally worked for me was hiring a personal trainer for 2 hours every week (I know not everyone can do this but I have zero motivation to workout on my own so this is the price I pay), walking with purpose at least an hour a day (30 minutes after breakfast and 30 minutes after dinner), and finally removing most processed food from my diet. I have replaced all of my junk food snacks with trail mix and fruit, I never eat fast food anymore, and I try to avoid too many carbs. This is my everyday routine, but when I go out on weekends I eat whatever I want. I don’t feel like I’m sacrificing anything AT ALL and I’m probably in the best shape I’ve been since high school. It feels good to feel good.

Love that you mentioned how your parents basically inform your habits from a young age. It's so difficult to be healthy as an adult when you had no guidance on what a healthy lifestyle really was as a child, and when you are working your way back from years of eating TV dinners or sugary cereals as full meals.

It's so interesting how men can say, with no shame or stigma, "I was fat and unhealthy and needed to lose weight." But when women say this, they get accused (by other women) of "not loving themselves" or having an "unhealthy body image" or being "fatphobic." Why can't we all just be honest?! 😫

After I had my 2 kids and got down to below my pre-pregnancy weight, people would asked me what I did. My answer was much the same as Mark's, a lot of things, half of which didn't work, while the other half worked together to make me a healthier person. No one wanted to hear that answer. They wanted to hear one thing that would change their whole life. But I would say that if I had to pick one thing that has the most benefit, it's not drinking alcohol. EDIT: I don't know what effect my genes have, but I cannot discount that they play a big part. I "take after" the side of the family that is not prone to holding weight. But I would weigh more if not for the lifestyle changes I've made.

Hi Mark! This was a great episode, and I'm so glad you published this. Although I've not had a problem with being obese, I have had to lose some weight over the past few years. And one of the emotional pieces I needed to deal with was growing up not having enough food, as well as my mom keeping food from me as punishment. I would easily get anxious when I was hungry and realized that I was eating out of fear. You first have to be aware that you have an emotional issue tied to food then be aware when it's happening. After that, it comes to figuring out what you can do differently. I've found that I need to ask myself questions surrounding my behavior then ask myself 'why'. Then I can reframe my thinking and approach the situation differently. I also agree with you on the functional medicine piece. However, you don't have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to have this service. There are some FDs that are covered by insurance, and you can go twice a year instead of monthly, so there are ways to keep the costs down so middle class Americans can afford to use these services. On the flip side, some people don't want to spend money and invest in themself and I feel that is one of the biggest mistakes people can make, especially working in the senior care space. Not taking care of yourself leads to a crap quality of life as you age and that is something that is much more costly than being proactive about your health.

Thank you for this, perfect timing for me. I've been following you for a long time.. I'm in my 40 just now as well, and I really struggle to make a change.. But for me, when I was 37 (also stared caring more about the health), my fiancé died in my arms then, 3 months before our wedding and it killed me completely. Now it's been 3, almost 4 years, and it is only now I feel I can do something about my health, and it is extremely hard. Food was our connection, so whenever I am sad, I eat, which is often 😔..... But I'll get there so... This helps so much you have no idea.

I realized I had an ordering problem, mixed with a strong need to finish all my food. Now I eat half my food, wait 10 minutes while drinking water, then consciously decide what to do next. Waiting slows me down, gives my body more time to get full, and helps me focus on my goal. If I’m full, I can save the rest for later. If Im hungry, I divide it in half again, repeating the process, eating more mindfully. I remind myself that any food I don’t eat is a sunk cost, as I’ve already paid for it and eating it just to finish only has negative consequences.

I love this episode. It’s a bit more vulnerable and grounded than usual. Thanks for this.

Congratulations, Mark! Good to see you healthier and happier. I too was raised in the 80s on the exact same diet! I never knew what kale or most vegetables were (besides potatoes, peas and carrots) until I was 20 years old. Strangely I was always skinny, but now I’m muscular/fit and have an unbeatable diet and exercise routine. Here’s to 40 more years!

Damn bro, at the end of 2023 I remember you had less than 1 million subscribe and now you are over 2 million, congrats my man! :)

This is really informative. Love how honest Mark is ❤

Thanks for adding the part around accessibility. Most coaches, influencers, personalities- dont talk about access and cost. They make it a "you" problem, not doing enough problem, and not talking about the cost in getting the types of supports you might need. And unfortunately many don't have it. So thanks for at least broaching that as many don't. It's not the only barrier of course, but a big one.

Best advice i've seen on the internet in a long time. honest. i've been an active cyclist/hiker my whole life, i got lucky that way. But his comment of getting hooked on the feelings after exercise is dead on accurate. I'm addicted to that feeling after completing long rides, which others might see as torture. But that's how i've been able to maintain it my whole life. I'm 42.

I am 62. I have the same weight I had in college. (127lb). My metabolic age is 38. My advice: 1) Cook from scrach every single food you eat. 2) Avoid restaurants. 3) Exercise 5/6 times a week. 4) Avoid refined carbohidrates and alcohol. 5)Weight yourself every morning. It is a lot easier to lose 2 pounds than 15. 6) Do not eat after 6:00pm

Stop drinking is NO.1 fitness rule for a heavy drinker. That’s our dirty little secret. I used to train after work or during weekends and eat really healthy in order to legitimize my drinking habit. So I have strong body type but never looks jack. Once I stop drinking for only one month. I lost 5 kg⋯⋯and looks very healthy and skinny. Also have clear mind and I start to workout in the morning cause I don’t need to deal with hangovers. Mark you didn’t say enough the how alcohol impacts your journey

Just began my own health journey a month ago after having let it go for seven years following a mental breakdown. I got up to 244lbs, got back blood work that showed me as borderline pre-diabetic, and this is what shocked me into deciding "fuck this, I want the 190lb body I used to have back, I want to be able to keep up with people at martial arts classes again". So I've been eating better, same thing every day, and exercising at least 30 min a day as best I can. So far I've lost about 14 lbs, and I'm just pushing forward.

Thanks for inspiring me to get healthy. Appreciate you, Mark

Mad respect for you for sharing this journey. I really love that you are open and honest about these things. You are already of my favorite authors/podcasters, but after today even more! I love also how you just share great information and learnings only in the pursuit of making great content. You're not trying to sell anything. Props to you Mark! Congratulations on getting in shape. I admire your integrity and authenticity.

I’m genuinely happy for you Mark! Like this was the one thing that was messing you, and I have noticed it when watching your videos. Keep going!

So good that you provide subtitles I'm learning English that helps when I don't understand. I enjoy your videos

This was really good. Thanks Mark. I'm also mid 40s and on a similar journey (down the Attia rabbit hole). Can relate to a lot of this. Great work and honesty

Can't like this enough. This is a way more realistic breakdown of the reality of the average person & the lies they tell themselves that keep them trapped in an unhealthy lifestyle. Well worth watching.

Mark you look awesome! An episode i’ve been waiting for!!

Went through the same thing. Wasn't raised with good eating habits. I was chronically underweight and a smoker until I was 24. Quit smoking and started lifting. went from 120lbs to 165lbs in a year. Got strong and fit. Then started drinking more and more. Weight started to creep up. Worked out enough to maintain my muscle. A couple months ago my GF called me out for gaining weight. I was at 190Lbs still in shapish but definitely on the wrong track. Did a deep dive into positive habits and true fitness. Optimized my sleep 8 hours per night. Started Intermittent fasting 16:8. Drinking 2-3L of water per day with some lemon and salt in it for hydration. Started taking good supplements. Cut out all processed food and kept the basics. Chicken, steak, eggs and fish. A ton of veggies and fruit. Since May of this year I'm down 17LBS. My lifts have all increased, My physical stamina has increased and keeps getting better I surprise myself every day. Good video very relatable. You unfucked yourself. 1)Optimize and prioritize sleep every night. Same time, 8 hours, No caffeine 8 hours before sleep, Keep the room cool, No screens 1 hour before. No fluids 2 hours before bed 2)Water intake Drink 2-3L with some salt in it. Cut out soda, juice and coffee as much as possible. Increase intake based on activity. 2-3L is minimum 3) Eat good. Healthy protein sources, Veggies, fruits, nuts. Cut out processed garbage. 4) Intermittent fasting is the key. Its now just about what you eat and how much its also about when. The more often you eat the more your Glycogen levels are elevated especially with sugar. Causing your body to store food as fat. Find an 8 hour window for eating and eat within it. 5) Cut out alcohol as much as possible if not completely. Empty calories that wreak havoc on your body 6) Get good supplements. Omega 3, Creatine and a good multivitamin. Doesn't have to be expensive. 7) Workout and sweat. Lift, Run, bike, Jump and stretch. Workout for longevity and athleticism. Find a sport or activity you enjoy and double down on it. For me that is kick boxing. I go 4 times a week and it has increased my confidence and gotten me in great shape. Take your health seriously. Invest in yourself. Physically, emotionally, intellectually, financially and professionally.

You can see it on his face , less tired not bag under the eyes.. so much better. USA life can be hard. Good for that guy. Take care of yourself. A big part of hapiness is just good health. Jumping out of bed in the morning and Tap Dancing to Work

Thank you Mark and Drew for this great podcast. I struggle with emotional eating due to anxiety and depression - it’s a vicious cycle ☹️ I’m trying to break bad habits and work on positive habits.

It’s great to see 2 healthy men, sharing grounded guidance! Thank you!

Thanks mark for creating this video. I am 40 and trying and see a lot of your story in my life. I will look into a functional medicine doctor. This is something I learned about from this video. Thank you.

I am proud of you, Mark. Cheers from Spain.

I appreciated hearing all of the struggles through this process. It feels very genuine, very relatable. Thank you for recognizing the privilege

Thanks for the upload, I enjoyed listening to the convo.

It’s funny that the one who say they are delusional to themselves are the ones who are most honest and provide great advices to others! Thanks for sharing your experience Mark!

Hi Mark, I’m a doctor. There are some inaccuracies in some of your explanations. For example, insulin resistance isn’t about the production of insulin but the resistance of tissue to insulin and reduce glucose transport. It’s really important that these things are explained correctly because there are subtle but important differences. In this case, insulin resistance can be improved with increasing insulin sensitive tissue (muscle) which wouldn’t work if the issue was insulin production.

Thank you for sharing a very "normal" weight loss/health journey story. So often we are bombarded by "quick fixes" and "lose 40lbs in one month" insanity that it's truly refreshing to hear someone sharing the peaks, the valleys, the plateaus that exist in a lifestyle overhaul. Kudos to you and @danfounder, excellent teamwork and progress.

I cannot stress how much of a gamechanger tracking your calories is. Even if its only in the short term, you will learn so much about proper portion sizes and how much (or more accurately in the modern first world, how little) food you actually need. This is also the critical missing link in terms of keeping the weight off. Lots of people find ways to lose weight but then have no way of accurately figuring out what a sustainable 'maintenance' eating pattern is (aka not gaining or losing weight) after that. You don't have to do it forever or obsess over every single gram but its truly the master key to accomplishing your body weight goals. It is a bit of a learning curve and you will have to experiment with different ways of making the numbers work for you but you'd be surprised how sustainable some strategies might be (for example, I can largely eat similar meals each day and not get easily bored, some other people enjoy 1-2 big meals a day, there are dozens of variants to test).

Great to hear your story. Going Keto has fixed everything for me. I don't count calories. The food I eat is amazing and very nutritious. I'm now eating pretty much like a hunter gatherer and I'm putting in what my body has evolved to eat

Thank you for sharing your story.

The first vid I watched of yours was the summary of SAONGAF and I remember thinking "that dude looks like S" on seeing the thumbnail. It also made me not want to read your book because I thought "WTF does that guy know about a good life." Anyway, happy that I did read the book & listen to your podcasts and very happy that you are healthier. Good for you, Mark. 👍🏼

This is such a great conversation to watch. Thank you for your honesty and for sharing this experience. Excellent video.

Glad to hear you are doing better with your health! It is important and you discovered what works for you! I know I am selfish when it comes to my own health.....I believe that we owe it to our physical being to do what we can whilst here in our physical self. Awesome!

Very good health talk. Cutting out bad food is a huge part of the process. For me, it meant stopping eating so much bread. And getting more protein.

Thank you so much for this video! I've learned a lot from the conversation. The notion of genetics is mind-bending. I think I need to work on tracking my nutritions and maintaining a clean, balanced diet. And also getting to move more in the gym. Thank you! I really enjoy this episode! Have a great day, Mark!

This,was very interesting to me. I recently lost 88 lbs. And I personally found that if I consintrating on feel good and eating to be healthy rather than my weight, it made a huge difference. When asked how I did it I always say, I went to a therapist and was treated to an eating disorder. I think everyone needs to explore why they overeat and then try everything knowing that things will be a life time change, and also, if you slip up, start over.

Fantastic and compassionate insights. I enjoyed this.

Love this!!! Tracking my food helped me lose 15 lbs too, game changing

Very generous of you to share what worked and the genetic aspect of your journey. ❤

i can listen to this guy all day long, like a 25 hours podcast. I knew about him when i found his documentary about happiness

Metabolism doesn't slow down, we do. Real slow down isn't until 50+. Be real and say you are less active at 35 at your desk than at 21 in college walking to class

Love this and have loved everything you do since I first read your first book a while back. Thank you for all of it

The first thing we have to take care of is our mental health. That sounds like a stretch. But for a person with ADHD and who suffers from some low self-esteem, it’ll be almost impossible to be consistent without first fixing what is happening in their mind. Cheers. Im really glad you achieved your goal, that your healthy and happy with where you are. You inspire, which I guess was your goal with this video.

I just started the same journey 2 weeks ago, after some serious soul searching that included reading TSAONGAF - so hearing this is perfect timing, and great motivations! Thank you

I've been into this being healthy thing and I'm consistently working out (3 consecutive days ain't that much I know) but yeah I'm pretty determined to be healthy for the rest years of my life (I'm 15) I'm just glad that you had given us a great episode. I don't have people who's into this that I can surround myself with but the content creators so thank you

Thanks for sharing your health journey with us Mark. Your journey reminds me a lot of my own, and it’s great that you provided some genuine insight into some of the less sexy realities of a transformation like this, as opposed to the ra ra you get from a lot of the experts in this space. Actually, I have found mastering these lesser documented barriers such as your mindset, changing deeply ingrained habits or beliefs and being honest with yourself are as important as any changes you might make to your diet or exercise program.

Thank you for the meaningful content, both of you guys!

You’re amazing, ty for sharing your journey ❤

Great episode, saw myself in so many points you talked about.

i always look forward to your videos! im at 40 percent body fat right now due to my truck driving. i am currently fighting too to lose this gyat daym weight!!!

Thank you for sharing! What did you have to do to overcome the last plateau? Was it even more tweaks in lifestyle (food, exercise, sleep, stress ect?)? Thank you

I can see the next book now, "how to give a f^&k".

Fuck, for a good bit of this I was enjoying how much I can relate to the food, drinking and exercising journey, but was feeling nice and smug about the fact that I've only ever been a bit overweight and got started in my late 20ies on getting healthier. Then they started talking about how people bullshit themselves. I needed to hear that. I'm currently back to slightly overweight. That is not the only measurement that matters for sure, but it's probably a decent indicator I'm gonna benefit from thinking about in what ways I am right now bullshitting myself.

Dr. Attia is great. I hope you can have him on some day!

Well done Mark, keep it up! 💪

you look great, man! Love your work and all you do!

Thanks I think I need this episode rn lol my habits and depression have been spiraling out of control

Thanks for sharing your story, I am in middle of it now in my 50’s. Only thing I disagree with is avoiding soreness, I don’t think there will be any hypertrophy without having some soreness. It probably depends on individual goals but more muscle mass is generally a good thing. Best wishes

Love how transparent this is

I left corporate and became a Dietitian because of adopting alot of the philosophies you teach, and now as a dietitian I'm proud to see these changes that you've made! Your coach did a great job :)

A lot can be gained by quitting alcohol entirely. I got a lot of energy doing this, which made me work out more and walk 15k steps almost daily. The result? I lost over 15 pounds in 10 months and have a body fat of 14% now. Life is good.

Wonderful episode. I saw myself on the plateau concept. Drew is revealing himself to be a great interviewer. Great job guys!

I’ve lost 45 lbs from taking in a stray dog impulsively 😂 and I love him! But I’ve lost friends (and family) for so many reasons that I’m still searching for what “joy” is as a childless 30 year old. I’m here to ask, what did you consider “joy” at the different levels and stages of your life? How and what shaped that definition as time went on or as your perspective and experience with reality grew? You mentioned you and your friends go Hiking, and surfing, and all these things besides drinking, Night Clubs, and family planning. It seems that now my new four legged friend is man’s only friend right now 😅 of course children, and other changes can have major effects on everyone as well. Not just physical health requirements. Would you mind talking a bit more on having fun in your 30s? Either alone, or with a new found friend group (whom I’m sure did not pop out of thin air either)? I’m not totally set weather or not “fun” is redefined every decade or so of your life, but it surely feels like it 😅 any advise would be LIFE ❤

This is the video I’ve always been curious about

If you can afford it a body composition scale is really motivational. When I hit plateaus or I loose 0.5lb it helps as often I have gained muscle in thoose weeks or I'm holding onto water.. The other thing I've noticed is the weeks I am less stressed and sleep better the weight comes off even if I eat and exercise the same.

Great work taking accountability and getting it done!

It’s was basically my life story. I will try to find what is wrong with my genetics. Thank you Mark

Mark's starting line was my finish line. Geez I've got work to do

Tysvm for this one! I literally started my health journey today!!My nickname was skinny minny as a kid. At 59yo I’ve been up to 185lb (5’4”) & down to 130-140lb 2x in the almost 30ys (post 3 kiddos). Rn I’m 170lb & post Dr checkup/bloodwork (6 mo ago now, but honestly it hit me last night!) I’m on the wrong side of the cusp of some health markers. My 6yr relationship just ended and there was much about that partnership (or lack thereof) that was unhealthy. Here’s to renewed healthy choices & finding daily ways to integrate this habit for all the days that remain 🥰😍😘

I gym and climb, but I'm a steady 200 pounds (90 kg). I stopped caring about losing weight. It became a distraction for my other fitness goals. Just hit the holy three: cardio, strength, and mobility.

Interested to know what you use to track food and also workouts?

This is great. Thanks Mark

Damn, didn't watch you in a few years. You look like a different person. Looking good bro

How I lost weight, I was a fat f**k. What a brilliant way to start a video. Love you both.

One of the things you should give a fuck about! Like you said in your book, it's not about not giving a fuck, but giving a fuck about the things that matter

You got the best titles

When I was in my 30’s to early 40’s all i did was run! Run races! I went down to. 160! I had to give up running! I needed hip t! I go walking now! I gained weight again ! Around 190! I’m trying to to get lean! I just turned 56! I started. Lifting when I turned 50! I’m struggling! I fast to try to help ! I just found your channel!

I love all of this. As someone who works from home though I look forward to challenging myself to leave the house and hit the gym. We do have a bike some weights and a VR headset with cardio app for if in case I don’t get to hit the outside gym but for my own social sanity I think having the gym membership was very helpful 23:33

So...how did you break the final plateau? Was it quitting drinking entirely that did it?

Mark at 235 was dope, especially with vocabulary related to F word 😂😂

Thank you for this video.

Let's make it clear: we are all good at lying to ourselves. That's why tracking is helpfull. I track any activity since 2018 (I mean 24/365). It's helpfull to convice yourself of the bullsh*t you are doing to yourself - and also to not oversee or forget the good things I did. And it helps in developing a sense for consistency. (consistency is king) -> that's why I wouldn't stop listening to your podcasts, Mark :D

anyone know where to find more information on this functional medicine stuff? How would one go about finding someone nearby? Thanks!

I've been losing some weight recently (maybe i will need a new phase soon/eventually). my tip is stop eating ultra-processed food & start eating more fiber & protein, think about how filling a meal is per calorie, it's not about eating less its about being full more . eat whole wheat grain products instead of white, make smoothies at home with only whole fruits for sweetness and with lots of leafy greens so you get those in, scan for potentially bad additives in processed food with a phone app (saying name will get youtube comment auto-deleted i think for spam). I also look at the food label for daily value percent of fiber, sat fat, sodium, etc, vs calories (200 calories is 10% on the scale there, most people need to eat >140% calories though btw). some stuff like fiber you want 2x the recommended percent to be good imo. I haven't been counting calories i just try to eat healthy food most often, and have some fear of processed foods with ingredients the app doesn't like or some other ingredients idk whether to be paranoid about namely seed oils. also love yourself and do marks definition of self care, don't cope via overeating, and learn from your mistakes when you make them, don't just give up or something. i also quit all deserts except fruit except when eating with other people, but i did that before the other diet stuff (as a sort of sacrifice challenge) and i didn't track my weight but i think it did not go down (started at the same weight as my last weight in my medical data when i started looking at it), still it probably helped with reducing "addiction" to food

Which functional medicine doctor did you go to in LA? Would love to explore as well.

I'm 44 and did a 180 on my lifestyle about 4 months ago. Never felt better. Simple things like cutting out booze, eating whole foods (I chose grass-fed beef and fruits), walking and just being consistent. Down 20+ lbs. I will say, the part about you talking about how expensive it is ... I get it, but I believe there's another way to think about it. When you change your lifestyle to cut out eating out and cutting out booze ... I spend less on quality meat and fruit than $200 a few times a month on eating out and booze. But yes, when you start getting into functional medicine docs, blood work (dexa scans are pricey, but not necessary) ... it does start to add up. So in a sense, it's not a privileged situation and doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. However, if there are major underlying problems that need massive change, functional medicine, extra work to get you back ... then yes, that can definitely be way pricier. So all you folks in your 20s and 30s, take note. Start working on your healthy habits now and save yourself a ton of $$ and pain later. :)

18:38 I have him beat. I got my car totaled, fell into a comfort food funk, and gained 32 pounds in two months. Still fighting the fight, tho.