This Guy Lost 120 Pounds After His XXL Shirts Stopped Fitting

From Men's Health

Jaime Hathcock isn't afraid of a little homework - not just when it comes to academics, but also when it comes to losing weight. In the course of a year, the college student has achieved a stunning weight loss transformation, losing more than 100 pounds and then packing on some impressive muscle.

The 20-year-old from North Carolina had a typical Southern upbringing, spending plenty of time playing outside and participating in sports.

"I played football and wrestled, played soccer, all that good stuff," Hathcock told MensHealth.com. "As a kid, I didn't really think about what I ate."

As he entered high school, Hathcock suffered a series of injuries that he ignored for too long, including tendon tears in both knees, which sidelined him for good. But even though he stopped playing sports, he kept eating like an athlete.

"At first, it was 20 pounds, and I really didn’t think it was a big deal," he said. " didn't even really notice it, but what happened at that time was I was developing a terrible relationship with food."

After he was forced off the field, his social circle shrank - and he coped with the loneliness by eating. Over the next year, he continued to gain weight.

"In the ninth grade, I was 185," he said. "I started 11th grade at probably 300."

By the end of high school, Hathcock stopped weighing himself at all.

Though he wanted to do something about his weight, Hathcock just didn’t know how. He'd start and stop diets without giving them much thought - but then he had a "light bulb" moment. During the holidays, Hathcock ordered himself some new clothes in his regular sizing: XXL shirts and size 44 pants.

But when they arrived, they didn’t fit.

"That's when it really sank in. I jumped on the scale and I saw 320 pounds," he said. "I mean, 320 is big for anybody, but I am five-foot-seven. That's insane."

That was the moment everything "clicked" in his mind.

"I knew I was going to change something," he said. "I knew it was going to work this time."

Hathcock began to lose weight by tracking his calories in and calories out, making sure he stayed in a caloric deficit. It took him about six weeks to see weight come off.

He didn’t go to the gym at this time, and he wasn’t on what he called an "insane" diet - to achieve a calorie deficit, he simply cut out all soda and generally ate less food. Because he still allowed himself to eat what he wanted - just less of it - he was able to succeed.

In four months, Hathcock lost 40 pounds. Next, he started researching workout routines and went back to the gym, where he spent most of his time in the weight room and doing high-intensity interval training. (If you’ve been out of the gym for a while check out our guide to getting back in shape.)

"I just kind of fell in love with fitness," he explained, "and that made me want to research more. That's when I started researching macros - fats, carbs, protein." He incorporated that knowledge into his everyday life, using the MyFitnessPal app to ensure he hit his macros without going over his caloric deficit.

Exactly one year from starting his journey, Hathcock dropped down to 198 pounds. But he wanted to add some bulk to his frame, so with the help of a new gym routine and a higher-calorie diet, he made his way back up to a muscular 212 pounds.

"I can't explain what happened in my mind, but I wasn't worried about the number on the scale anymore," he said. "I was more so focused on how I looked, how I felt."

After his successful transformation, Hathcock wanted to share his methods with others - so he gained his personal training certification, and is hoping to help people find their light bulb moments, too.

"If I can do it, they definitely can do it - and it doesn't have to be some insane lifestyle change," he said.

"It's not about perfection," Hathcock added. "It's just about getting better every single day."

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