- Struggle with obesity since childhood : Leo was overweight since third grade, leading to numerous limiting beliefs about his weight. He believed his weight was genetic, and despite various attempts at dieting and exercise, his weight remained a constant issue.
- Impact on confidence and self-image : Being overweight caused Leo to struggle with self-confidence, specifically around his appearance. This affected his social interactions and his ability to form intimate relationships.
- Inspiration leading to weight loss : Leo recalls an interaction with a girl in his college class. From this interaction, he began visualizing himself being in shape, confident, and in a potential relationship with her. Although initially a fantasy, this visualization sparked a surge of motivation and self-belief.
- Combating limiting beliefs and taking action : Leo was able to overcome his limiting beliefs about his weight being out of his control, and his resulting self-confidence issues. With newfound motivation, he began to visualize himself as fit and determined to make changes to achieve this image.
- Power of visualization and self-belief : Leo describes the powerful experience of his weight loss journey starting with visualization. His subconscious mind absorbed the visualization of him being fit, and he woke up with a strong sense of motivation and confidence. This profound experience ignited a self-belief that he could achieve his fitness goals.
- Adopting new habits for weight loss : In order to achieve his goals, Leo made a resolution to go to the gym five times a week. He also decided to cut out junk food from his diet, focusing on reducing caloric intake and cutting out food types that were contributing to his weight gain.
- Mental strength in resisting food cravings : Leo talks about the importance of mental strength and willpower in resisting the temptation of junk food. He emphasizes that satisfaction from achieving goals and seeing results far outweighs the temporary pleasure from eating junk food.
- Mindset towards food and willpower : Leo changed his mindset towards food—from indulgence to seeing it as necessary for survival. He built his mental strength to resist food cravings, and found satisfaction in his willpower and the results he was achieving.
- Approach to fitness and weight loss : Leo focused on long-term commitments and changes, choosing not to count calories but to focus on his feelings of hunger and fullness as an eating guide. He also began working out, starting off slow and not caring about how he looked at the gym.
- Ending the habit of overeating : Leo worked to overcome his habit of overeating by intentionally leaving small portions of his meals uneaten. He aimed to eat until he was moderately full but not stuffed, challenging his belief that wasting food was bad.
- Rapid weight loss : Leo lost 65 pounds in five months by committing to a structured approach to fitness and creating a calorie deficit through reduced food intake. He saw consistent weight loss which surprised others around him.
- Reactions from others to weight loss : Despite achieving his weight loss goals, Leo faced negative reactions from those around him, who were shocked at his drastic transformation and believed he was too skinny.
- Making changes in your life may upset others : Leo discusses the common occurrence of jealousy or resentment from others when one makes drastic positive changes in their life. They may feel threatened by your progress or inadequate due to their lack of similar changes.
- Permanent mindset and lifestyle changes : Leo emphasizes the importance of motivation and willpower in making big changes. His weight loss transformation involved permanent shifts in his beliefs and mindsets about weight, nutrition, and exercise.
- Focus shifted to overall health and wellness : Leo initially focused on weight loss, but his focus eventually shifted towards overall health. He began prioritizing his performance at work and in bed, realizing the potential for a healthier and longer life. His diet also evolved significantly, cutting out carbs, sugars, desserts, bread, and other unhealthy food options.
- Commitment to a New Lifestyle : Leo set himself two resolutions. He committed to going to the gym five days a week for the rest of his life, acknowledging that staying fit for the long-term would require consistent gym time. He viewed the gym as his means to control his weight, overcoming his prior belief that it was impractical for him.
- Cutting Out Junk Food : Leo decided to cut unhealthy foods out of his diet, intending to stop overeating. He gave up sodas, transitioning to iced tea with sugar substitutes. He quit eating sweets and desserts and even emptied his kitchen of all food to avoid temptation to snack.
- Starting Point : Leo admitted to having limited understanding of fitness, nutrition, and weight loss strategies. He initially focused on cutting calorie intake and avoiding overeating, rather than restricting specific types of food.
- Seeking Knowledge : Leo researched for guidance on weight loss and found an informative article about food cravings. The article emphasized the mental game of resisting cravings and established a thought process that helped Leo make lasting changes in his approach to weight loss and nutrition.
- Maintaining Change : Leo pointed out the importance of lasting change over quick fixes. The mental shifts in his attitudes and beliefs about weight loss, fitness, and nutrition were critical for his success. Not only did the changes lead to weight loss but they also allowed him to maintain his weight loss for eight years with relative ease.
- Resistance to Food Cravings : Responding to an audience question about resisting junk food cravings, Leo stressed the importance of mental strength and willpower in rejecting these temptations. He suggested prioritizing the long-term satisfaction of a fit body over short-lived pleasure of eating junk food. For Leo, his fitness goal and the results he achieved were more important than yielding to cravings.
- Leo's Resilience Against Cravings : Leo highlights that giving in to food cravings hinders maintaining a healthy body. He asserts that no food tastes as good as the satisfaction of having a fit body and achieving fitness goals. Leo boldly shares that he does not give into cravings or consume junk food. He suggests this is not about physical ability, but about mental strength and prioritizing goals over temporary satisfaction. He positions eating as a necessity and a means of achieving fitness, not a hobby or something to be indulged in for pleasure.
- Influence of IntenseWorkout.com article : Leo appreciates an article from intenseworkout.com that challenged him and set his mindset for weight loss. The confrontational nature of the article inspired him and sparked his motivation. Its core message was about having the mental strengths and willpower to achieve goals.
- Crucial Decision Point - The Klondike Bar : Leo had a defining moment when he fiercely resisted the temptation to eat a Klondike bar. Battling this craving was compared to overcoming an addiction. Succumbing to this desire could jeopardize his commitment to fitness and give way to other temptations. However, he resisted successfully, thereby setting a precedent for his willpower and the journey becoming easier from that point.
- Initial Workout Routine : Leo started going to the gym five times a week following a mixed routine of weightlifting and cardio workouts. He started slowly, with less intensity, not caring about how he looked and just focused on improving his physical fitness.
- Long-Term Commitment to Lifestyle Shift : Leo emphasizes his weight loss goal as a long-term commitment rather than a short-term diet routine. He didn't count calories and relied on his feelings of hunger and fullness to guide his intake. He also decided to challenge his habit of overeating by leaving small portions of food uneaten. His goal was to maintain a consistent exercise schedule and eating habits, making it a total shift in his lifestyle rather than a temporary change.
- Using the feeling of hunger to manage eating habits : Leo shares how he abandoned calorie counting or strict dietary rules in favor of using his internal feelings of hunger and fullness to guide his eating habits.
- Starting to leave food on the plate : He began by ensuring he left a small amount of food on his plate, breaking his habit of always finishing everything. This began with leaving one fry, and gradually escalated to larger portions of food being left uneaten.
- Breaking limiting beliefs around wasting food and hunger : He had to come to terms with the false beliefs that wasting food was bad and that hunger was an intolerable feeling. By leaving food on his plate and purposefully maintaining mild feelings of hunger, he was able to challenge these previously held notions.
- Adjustment to portion sizes and accepting slight hunger : Leo noted that restaurant portions are often too large, and he had been overeating as a result. By leaving food on his plate, he got used to feeling less stuffed and accepted a degree of lingering hunger.
- Purposefully remaining hungry to create a calorie deficit : On top of his gym activities, Leo worked on creating a calorie deficit by purposefully maintaining a state of mild hunger. This sometimes involved skipping meals or replacing large meals with lighter options.
- Loss of 65 pounds in five months : Combining his gym workouts and conscious under-eating, Leo managed to lose about 2-3 pounds every week for five months, resulting in a total loss of 65 pounds. This rapid and drastic change in his physical appearance attracted numerous comments from his friends, parents and family.
- The unexpected reactions from friends and family : Leo's extreme weight loss elicited reactions that were not only of shock and disbelief but also expressions of worry that he was too thin. This negative feedback made him realize how his environment and the eating habits ingrained during his upbringing contributed to his weight gain.
- Changing Dietary Habits : Leo Gura realized that he and his family used to have unhealthy eating habits, consuming large amounts of food and placing no value on moderation or healthy eating.
- Impact of Personal Improvement on Relationships : When a person makes drastic improvements, like losing weight, it can cause insecurity or resentment among friends and family members who have not made similar changes. This can sometimes lead to them holding the person back from making these changes, possibly due to their own ego or fear of change in relationship dynamics.
- Resisting the Influence of Others : Those who want to make significant changes in their lives may sometimes have to adjust their relationships or find new friends who support their goals, dealing with phenomena likened to crabs in a bucket where one trying to escape gets pulled back in.
- The Power of Willpower and Motivation : In Leo's weight loss story, a key learning was the role of willpower and motivation. Initially, much willpower was required to make the changes, but over time, his mindsets and habits shifted, meaning less willpower was needed to maintain healthy habits. If he misses gym sessions, his body naturally urges him to exercise again.
- Ongoing Commitment to Health : Leo now sees going to the gym and maintaining a healthy diet as a lifelong commitment rather than a short-term goal. His tastes have evolved over time, and he has adopted more health-conscious diets such as the paleo diet while reducing sugar and carbs intake.
- Expanded Goals for Fitness : Fitness goals evolved from simply looking good to improving energy, performance in various areas of life and long-term health. A proper understanding of weightlifting techniques and other aspects of physical fitness also became important as part of his wellness journey.