Original video address: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf9Ae-oj-Vw

From 180 Kilos to 138: A Personal Transformation Story

First of all, I am not a doctor or an expert. Nothing I explain, say, or write here should ever be tried without the supervision of a qualified professional.

Our weight sits at the center of our lives, whether we like it or not. Even someone who has known you for years will mention it first thing when they see you: "You have gained weight" or "You have lost weight." It determines, to a surprising degree, whether we feel happy or unhappy. Thin people want to be heavier. Heavy people want to be thinner. It has always been this way.

This article looks at the weight loss side of that equation.

The Beginning: Comfortably Heavy

For years, I had no aesthetic goals. I do strength sports, and being heavy was actually useful. Gaining fat in a controlled way while increasing my strength was something I did consciously. Being in the 170‑kilogram range, benching 200 kilos, deadlifting 400 – looking aesthetic simply did not make me as happy as those numbers did.

Because of the food content I produced, my audience had never seen the "unhealthy" side of me. Comments like "this isn't right" and "you won't live long like this" came in constantly. I never took my shirt off on social media because I had no aim for an aesthetic look.

Then, during a live stream, I suddenly took my shirt off. Everyone who saw me at that size started commenting: "He has become a bag of fat." "His form is ruined." "This is very unhealthy."

They had a point. But the situation had nothing to do with food videos. We never stopped filming those. The real problem was what I ate when the camera was off: junk food in daily life, liters of ice cream while watching a series, just because I felt like it.

Right or wrong, I was not unhappy. I continued my daily life quite comfortably. At least, I thought so.

Only after losing weight did I realize how difficult and heavy living that way actually was.

A New Challenge

Those comments did not demoralize me. Instead, they gave me a new idea. A new challenge. A new goal.

You see, my audience did not know how well I could diet. The surprised reactions actually excited me. This transformation idea had been in my mind for years. I was waiting for the right time. After all those comments, the time had finally come.

It was not going to be easy. I wanted a lot in a very short time. I had big goals.

Planning the Process

I called one of the people I trust most: Doctor Güray Aydın. He is both a doctor and a bodybuilder. In my eyes, he is the person who does his job best.

When he sent me the plan, I was quite surprised. An Excel file arrived with detailed movements, sets, wake‑up times, training times – everything written down by the hour.

He explained it simply: "A normal person could lose weight over two years just by eating healthy. But when the time drops to one year, six months, three months, or two months, you must mind every detail. Getting in shape in such a short time is hard."

For someone at 180 kilos, dieting over six months is more logical. But my case was different. I had muscle mass built over years, which gave me a very high basal metabolism. I would be hungrier, but the amount I ate would not be that low.

We planned everything that night: training, diet, supplements. And I started immediately. Not two days later, not next week. The next day.

The Method: What I Actually Did

Please remember: I am only explaining what I did. These are not recommendations for others.

Daily intake: 270g carbohydrates, 320g protein, 70g fat
Training split: Push‑pull‑legs, push‑pull, five days a week
Training style: Hypertrophy methods with higher reps and controlled movements. I avoided heavy loads to not overstrain my nervous system. The soreness was in my muscles, not in my nervous system.
Cardio: Twice a day – 45 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes after training. Moderate tempo: speed 4.5, incline 3 to 5. Focus was on duration rather than heart rate.

The first days were torture. My lower back and feet hurt from carrying all that weight. High reps caused cramps everywhere. I had to increase salt and magnesium to stop them. My heart rate stayed at 140 even at low speeds. I was sweating abnormally.

At times, the fatigue made it hard to even digest my meals. I vomited occasionally. Living like this while creating content was mentally draining. I brought my own food everywhere. If I had to film a food video, I would double my cardio that week to compensate.

The Struggles No One Sees

One morning, the first thing I did after throwing up was call Güray. The moment I smelled chicken, my stomach turned. The first bite made me vomit everything. I was supposed to eat a kilo of chicken, so we switched to 600 grams of red meat instead – expensive, but lean as chicken. I looked at it as an investment in the process.

What saved me before workouts was coffee. I also started feeling aches in my joints because of the diet and workouts. Studies have shown that collagen helps protect joint and tendon health for those who train regularly, so I added that as well.

I never shared anything about the process publicly. I did not want to spoil the surprise. People could see I was losing weight from videos and photos, but I tried not to let on what was happening. Traveling, filming food videos, and living in a camp like this was truly difficult.

But I am a consistent person. Most people set transformation goals and quit halfway. That was never an option for me.

One Month In

By the fifth week, you could already see I had thinned out quite a bit. Nearly 20 kilos were gone in exactly one month. Most of it was fat.

I had originally planned this process for six weeks. With four weeks finished, I had two weeks left. But everything was going well. I caught momentum, so I decided to extend.

As the weight came off, I felt more vigorous and comfortable. My snoring decreased. My constant sleepiness disappeared. I stopped getting out of breath climbing stairs at home. My skin improved. I had a lot of acne before, but most of it cleared.

Why I Kept It Private

I did not do this for health, happiness, or content. I did it because I enjoyed it. It was hard but fun.

If I had done it for the comments, different comments would have kept coming anyway. People always find something to say. You cannot make everyone happy no matter what you do. Even people you think love you look for your weak points.

That is why I did not share this process publicly. People cannot destroy what they do not know. They cannot break your motivation. We have all experienced it: share your possessions, things go bad. Tell someone you are going to do something, it gets canceled. It is usually like that. Keeping these things secret is sometimes best.

The Final Result

After all the weeks of consistency, the time came to step on the scale one last time.

138 kilograms.

A total loss of 42 kilos.

A Conversation at the End

When I finally saw Güray again, he said: "I genuinely congratulate you. I did not expect you to progress with such willpower at the start. I knew you would follow the plan, but you were excellent. Usually, when someone starts something very excitedly, they quit halfway. It is not easy to change your entire life routine."

He reminded me that I had been eating too much junk food. "Quitting junk food is very hard," he said.

I started walking to places when it was within walking distance. I tried to be as active as possible beyond just the planned cardio. Being active in normal life made the process even better.

Güray added: "The advantage was your high muscle mass, which helped you burn fat very quickly. But your effort was great too. You never complained. If I said 'don't eat this,' you said okay. If I said 'do this,' you said okay. Those who progress with this willpower succeed."

I started this process knowing I would not quit. I would not waste anyone's time otherwise.

Reflecting on the Change

My face changed so much. I looked younger. My skin improved significantly.

When asked about powerlifting versus bodybuilding training, I realized something: Powerlifting satisfies the ego and gives instant pleasure when you lift heavy. You feel happy right after the lift and maybe for a couple more days. But then stress starts because you have to lift even heavier.

In bodybuilding, you enjoy the moment and the aftermath. You wake up to thinner skin, a better form. You are happy in the mirror. Clothes look good.

If you do sports as a hobby, fitness makes you happier.

Where I Am Now

The documentary‑style process ended, but I continued. I liked being active. I liked this life.

I hope this story serves as motivation for anyone working toward their own goals – not because you need to lose 40 kilos, but because consistency works. It is not about never struggling. It is about continuing anyway.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The author is not a doctor or medical professional. Nothing in this article should be tried without the supervision of a qualified expert or physician. Individual results vary significantly based on health status, genetics, and many other factors. Always consult a healthcare provider before beginning any diet or exercise program.