By Trevor Fullbright
These days, most people know me as the “fitness guy.” I’m that friend who never skips the gym, watches what he eats—even on nights out—and always seems laser-focused on health. But it wasn’t always like that.
Fourteen years ago (wow, has it really been that long?), I was 20 years old and weighed 350 pounds. Back then, I was the “funny fat guy” in my friend group. You know the type—the one cracking jokes, often at his own expense, brushing off comments about his weight with humor.
But here’s the truth: when I said my weight didn’t bother me, I was lying.
The Moment It Hit Me: 320 Pounds
The first time I stepped on a scale and saw it tip over 300 pounds—landing at 320—I was devastated. I remember breaking down and crying. How did I let myself get to this point? I had no idea what to do next.
I tried every fad diet under the sun: the blood type diet, keto, South Beach, even the old-school Master Cleanse. And yeah, I’d lose some weight, but it never lasted. The cycle was always the same—restrict, binge, and gain it all back.
Here’s a fun (and slightly painful) story…
If you’ve never heard of the Master Cleanse, it’s a so-called “detox” where you drink a mix of lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup twice a day—and that’s it. No food. I stuck with that nonsense for almost three weeks and dropped over 30 pounds.
On the last day of the cleanse, I rewarded myself with… nachos. Not just any nachos—loaded nachos. I followed those up with a double bacon cheeseburger (dipped in queso, naturally) and topped it all off with a chocolate shake and a slice of chocolate cake. And just like that, I gained 30 pounds back almost immediately.
The Wake-Up Call and a New Beginning
After a bad breakup and a couple of serious health scares, I realized I had to do something—anything—if I wanted to change my life. It was around the holidays, so I made the classic New Year’s resolution to lose weight. But, if I’m being honest, I did absolutely nothing until mid-February.
Thankfully, a friend stepped in and offered to go on walks with me a few times a week. That’s how it all started—just walking.
Everyone thinks you need to completely overhaul your life to lose weight, but that’s not how it worked for me. At first, I only changed one meal a day. Back then, my dinner often consisted of an entire frozen pizza, followed by a massive slice of cake or a pint of ice cream.
So, my first goal was simple: cut that habit down to once or twice a week and replace it with something healthier.
The small changes started to pay off. I felt better and saw the scale move down. Encouraged, that same friend suggested we start doing home workout videos together.
Getting Hooked and Almost Giving Up
After a few of months of walking and working out, I was down almost 50 pounds. But then came a critical moment: I almost gave up.
Even with the weight loss, I didn’t see much difference when I looked in the mirror. I still saw myself as the “fat guy.” Luckily, I had taken progress photos. When I compared my “Day 1” photos to where I was after a few months, the changes were undeniable.
THAT was the moment I got hooked. I was all in on transforming my life.
Burnout and Bouncing Back
Over the next year, I lost 110 pounds by sticking to those home workouts and focusing on healthy eating. But, driven by my desire to lose even more weight, I went to extremes. I added a second workout each day, started running up to 10 miles daily, and cut my carb intake to practically zero.
Sure, I lost another 40 pounds—but it wasn’t sustainable. Eventually, the burnout hit hard. I stopped working out, ate whatever I wanted for a couple of months, and gained some weight back. It was a low point, but it taught me a valuable lesson: extreme measures don’t lead to long-term success.
Discovering Powerlifting and a Game-Changing Approach
A few months later, a friend introduced me to powerlifting and offered to coach me. I got hooked on the sport and decided I wanted to compete. I started researching everything I could about powerlifting, which led me to an article by Dr. Mike Israetel on Juggernaut Training Systems.
Dr. Mike’s approach blew my mind. In his book, The RP Diet, he recommended having 100 grams of carbs in a single workout shake. I thought, This guy is insane—carbs make you fat! But I figured I’d give it a try—if only to prove him wrong.
Well, guess what? In three months, I dropped from 210 pounds to the low 190s, while eating more carbs than I ever had. Turns out, it wasn’t carbs making me fat—it was calories. That realization was a game-changer.
I followed the RP approach, including a maintenance phase, and when RP released their diet templates, I used them to get ready for my first powerlifting meet. Three months later, I weighed 180 pounds—and had abs. Abs! I couldn’t believe it.
Facing the Fear of Gaining Weight Again
After years of dieting, the idea of intentionally gaining weight was terrifying. But I decided to trust the process and follow RP’s recommendations for a muscle gain phase. Over three months, I gained 15 pounds—and for the first time, I didn’t feel bad about it.
When I did another cut, not only was it the easiest cut I’d ever done, but I ended up at 185 pounds looking better than ever. That’s when I became a full believer in phasic dieting—the intentional cycling of fat loss and muscle gain phases.
10 Years Later: Thriving at 220 Pounds
Fast forward to today, and I’m sitting at 220 pounds—leaner and stronger than I ever was at 180. If you’re struggling with weight loss and terrified of gaining weight after spending years trying to lose it, I’m here to tell you: There’s light at the end of the tunnel.
You don’t have to spend your entire life chasing fat loss. In fact, taking breaks from dieting makes the process so much easier—and more enjoyable.
Final Thoughts: You Can Do This
If you have a lot of weight to lose, I know how overwhelming it can feel. I’ve been there. But you don’t have to change everything overnight.
Start small. Focus on progress, not perfection. Be consistent, even if it’s imperfect. And one day, you’ll be able to look back and share your own story of transformation, inspiring others to believe in themselves.
You’ve got this!
Find Trevor Fullbright at...
Instagram: @trevorxgage