From the archives: This story was last updated in December 2019.
An obese IT manager lost an incredible 215 pounds (approx. 97 kg) in just two years and now boasts the kind of abs and all-body muscle tone typically reserved for professional athletes.Adam Harris, 38, of Spencer, Iowa, tipped the scales at 430 pounds (approx. 195 kg) but now weighs just 215 pounds (approx. 97 kg) of ripped muscle and swanks a toned six-pack.
The self-confessed fast foodie admits that his pre-weight-loss eating habits were extreme.
He said: “My typical workday lunch would either be a pizza buffet, or a large burger and fries combo.
“Dinner was always meat and carbs. I’m a picky eater, so veggies were never on plates.”
He further continued: “The typical dinner would be [over one pound] of meat and an enormous amount of a side like potatoes or pasta. Portions were the big thing.
“For example if I made tacos, I probably ate 6 tacos and then sides. I ate with no constraint and every meal was over the top.”
Adam decided to get in shape in September of 2017 following surgery for stenosis, a form of spinal arthritis. He then suffered complications following the surgery and had to undergo a full lumbar laminectomy, where a portion of the spine is removed to alleviate pressure on the nerves and spinal cord.
“The inside of my spine closed around the nerve. They had to cut into bone,“ Adam said. ”At one point in the hospital I was super angry that the world had put me in this situation.”
He added: “Something snapped, and I realized that I had been a passenger in life, waiting for the world to unfold around me. Weight did not contribute to the initial back problems.
“My surgeon did have some words that stuck though: ‘I fixed the frame, now you have to take the snow off the roof.’”
Adam left the hospital a week later with the necessary motivation and then began his journey towards a healthier life. His first step was to employ a combination of the low-carb Keto diet and intermittent fasting.
However, due to his picky eating habits, his meals were a bit monotonous at first.
He said: “It was night after night of man food, barbecued steak, and cauliflower. My Keto Calculator got me my macros. It was a bit repetitive to hit the numbers.
“Typically would not eat before 7 PM. After a while it wasn’t a big push. By January of 2019, I’d already lost 100lbs.
“I was looking for 100 grams of fat a day and under 25 grams of carbs.”
However, the real transformation began after doctors put a neural stimulator into his spine that “cut his pain in half.” This, combined with CBD oil Adam received from Iowa’s “very limited Cannabis program,” allowed him to begin exercising.
From there, Adam created a vigorous workout routine that led him to shed another 115 pounds (approx. 52 kg) in the following year.
Despite all the weight-loss success, Adam’s commitment to healthy living hasn’t come without its challenges. He broke his spinal stimulator and will have it replaced before Christmas.
For this, he had to stay in the hospital for a week. Adam also had his own apprehensions regarding the replacement of the spinal stimulator. He said, “I’m worried they’re going to say I can’t work out as hard as I want.”
Regardless of what the doctors say, he’s committed to staying in the gym. “Stopping at this point isn’t an option,” he said.
In addition to all this, not everyone in his life has been accepting of his newfound passion for fitness and clean eating. He added: “It’s weird when you make a lifestyle change. I lost a lot of friends. I found that some of my friendships were unhealthy. Sometimes being positive will drive negative people away.”
However, regardless of all the adversity he dealt with, Adam claims the most difficult thing for him to come to terms with is the way he sees himself.
Adam said: “The biggest change is perception. A man asked me if I was a marine the other day because the only other person he knew that took such good care of his body was a marine.
“You can drop 215lbs and still feel like you’re 430lbs.”
Regarding his love life, Adam sounded optimistic. “There’s a lot of interest coming in that I didn’t expect. It’s surprising. You don’t take it all in for a while.”
“It’s our responsibility to take ourselves where we want to be,” Adam added, hoping to inspire others.
