I Lost 45 Pounds and Transformed My Dad Bod by Walking More and Lifting

James Riedel, better known to his YouTube audience as JDL, recently opened up about his inspiring weight loss journey. In a candid video, he shared how he went from tipping the scales at 230 pounds to reaching his current weight of 185 pounds. But this wasn't about a quick fix or fad diet—James' transformation is a testament to the power of sustainable, long-term changes that anyone can adopt.

Through a combination of weight training, increased daily activity, and mindful eating, James developed a plan that didn’t just help him lose 45 pounds but also gave him the tools to maintain a healthier lifestyle. His story is one of discipline and determination, offering a refreshingly honest take on the reality of shedding pounds without gimmicks. Read on about his go-to weight loss strategies, and discover how you can achieve your fitness goals by focusing on the right habits and mindset.

Focusing on Weight Training

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For Riedel, weight training was a key component of his success. He emphasizes the importance of building muscle to increase daily calorie expenditure.

“You have to do weight training above all else,” says Riedel. “The more muscle you build through weight training, the more your calorie budget goes up every single day.”

He acknowledges that there are different styles of lifting but encourages people to focus on progress:

“You just want to progress. You want to raise your calorie budget… that alone, over almost anything else I help tell you in this video, is going to help you lose weight.”

Increasing Daily Step Count

Aside from weight training, James recommends increasing daily activity by walking more. He suggests setting realistic step goals:

“Your goal should be to up it by 2,000,” he says. “If you’re above 6,000, just try to up your step count by a thousand.”

James admits that walking can sometimes be boring, so he recommends giving it a purpose, whether it’s walking the dog or heading to a nearby coffee shop.

“Walking my dog gives a purpose to walking… If you're someone who struggles walking, definitely bring headphones, listen to a podcast, listen to music,” he suggests.

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Mindful Eating and Cutting Sugary Drinks

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When it comes to diet, Riedel stresses the importance of cutting out sugary drinks and processed foods.

“Cut sugary drinks all that out of the way. No soda. You don’t need soda,” he advises. He also highlights the benefits of eating whole, unprocessed foods: “The less processed food is, the more energy it takes for your body to break it down, and the more full you feel.”

One of his biggest tips is to incorporate protein into every meal to feel fuller longer. “Try to avoid meals that don’t have protein,” he says, adding that protein also helps build muscle, which works hand-in-hand with weight training.

Managing Cheat Meals

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James believes that dieting doesn’t have to be all or nothing. He advises indulging occasionally but only in social settings.

“If you're going to cheat, don't do it alone,” he says. “Make having a cheat meal always be part of a social thing… It’s just a lot easier than if you are diligent if you are strict about your habits when you're alone, you've opened up the opportunity to be freer when you're with your friends.”

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The Power of Protein and Yogurt

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A big fan of yogurt, James refers to it as his “superfood” for its balance of low calories and high protein, which helps him stay full while maintaining his weight.

“Yogurt is a true superfood because you can always stay under that ratio of one protein to 10 calories with your other macronutrients,” he says. He also praises its probiotic benefits and how it helps with gut health.

Final Thoughts on Long-Term Success

Riedel emphasizes that weight loss is not about quick fixes but about adopting a lifestyle that will keep you healthy in the long term.

“There’s so many cascading benefits to it that you’ll be shocked at how much weight you lose, how much better you feel, how much more mentally strong you feel,” he says. “It’s amazing.”

James concludes with a motivational note: “This is what worked for me to lose weight. This is how I lost weight. It was going consistently to the gym, eating healthy, and staying focused.” And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money on a fancy gym membership or a personal trainer if you want to get into shape and lose weight. According to one weight loss warrior, all you really need is a pair of good walking shoes. Carlo, a home assistant expert and social media influencer, lost a whopping 50 pounds in 8 months with the help of daily walks. In a viral video he explains exactly how he did it. “I lost around 50 pounds basically walking an hour every day. I decided to make a video showing the progress so I could look back at it and keep myself both motivated and accountable,” he writes in the caption.

He Wants to Help Inspire Others with His Story

Carlo explains that he took a break from social media, “a step back and I started focusing on my health. I was about 250 pounds at the beginning of this year. And I've always enjoyed watching these transformation videos of people who, you know, they've done things, they've done some weight loss. I find it very inspiring. So I've had some success with my journey. So I thought I'd make this video just to add my voice to the mix out there,” he says.

He Tipped the Scales at 250

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He explains that he started his weight loss journey in January, 2020, tipping the scales at 250 pounds. “This was by far the highest I've been. I've always struggled with weight loss. I've definitely lost some weight here and there. It's always been like, sort of attached to something else. So the kids had sports, and maybe during their practices, I would walk and I would begin to lose some weight. I'd find some success, but when the season ended and the practices stopped, I would stop and the weight would come back.

He Set a Goal to Walk 3 Miles Every Day

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“This time around, I decided to do walking again. So I definitely wanted my journey to be something that I could do for the long haul. Something that I could sustain, just keep moving the whole time. So I tried to walk every single day, three miles. It was basically the goal I had,” he says.

He Was Inspired by Someone Who Did a 5K Daily

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He says that he was “inspired” by someone he saw on Twitter “who was doing a 5K every day for a hundred days,” he says. “I said, you know what, I'm gonna try to do this. I'm gonna try to walk, not really run, but just walk 5K every day for a hundred days and see where it gets me.”

It Took Him an Hour to Walk 3 Miles or 7,000 Steps

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He explains that some days he walks at a slower pace, especially when he doesn’t feel like walking. “I don't wanna do this, but I'm gonna get it done. So even if you just walk at a slow pace, it's better than not doing it at all.” He ends up walking three miles in an hour, or 7,000 steps.

It Wasn’t “Too Taxing” On His Body

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“It was something that wasn't too taxing on my body. I did it every single day, getting to about 115 straight days.” He says the weight loss started, and “progressively came down every day.”

He Started Working Out with a Trainer

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He also started working out with a personal trainer and strength coach. “I wanted to walk, but I also wanted to do some strength and try to up my metabolism, up the muscle growth, in addition to cardio, just to lose weight,” he says. He learned how to do body weight exercises, like pushups, sit-ups, “just normal calisthenic things.” However, “the anchor to everything was the walking.”

He Walks No Matter What

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He reiterates that even when he gets home late, he makes sure to walk. “I'm gonna put that time in. I'm gonna trust that process, and I'm gonna just keep working at this.”

He Also Logged His Food

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Walking also helped him with his eating. “If you walk every day, then maybe you snack a little less. I was logging all my food.” He says that the daily habit helped him “stay on that right path.”

He Lost 55 Pounds in 7 Months

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Over 7 months he went from 250 down to 195, losing “a good 55 pounds with maybe one to two days a week of strength training, and then seven days a week of walking, just walking every single day.”

After 8 Months, His Weight Stabilized at 205

Now his weight has stabilized at 205. “It's a good 50 pound loss for me, which is great. My energy is super high. My cardiovascular is a lot better. I can run more. I've started jump roping. That's a new thing that I've added to my workout routine.”

He Hopes His Story Will Help Others

“I just wanted to share this story with others. I'm just a normal dude. I'm 47, so creeping up on 50, just trying to get back in shape, trying to change the chemistry of my body, the composition of my body to lead a healthier lifestyle, which I think is good for everyone.” And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss 12-3-30 Walking Method: 20 Proven Tips to Lose Weight Faster.

Weight loss can be a tricky equation. However, there are many people online sharing their success stories who have shared the healthy habits responsible for dropping weight. Online fitness coach Alexandra, who goes by the handle @alexx.fitt, revealed in a viral video that after struggling to lose weight for years she lost a whopping 40 pounds in five months.

1. She Started to Make Healthier Choices Every Single Day

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“Here's how long it's going to take you to lose weight. I lost 40 pounds and here's what I did and how long it took me,” she says in the video, revealing that her weight loss journey first started in 2020. “I think around that time for a whole year I did every single diet, every single workout, every single meal plan, and nothing worked. Nothing would actually help me lose weight.” However, in January 2021, she learned the secret to losing weight fast. “Instead of following a freaking diet, I basically started to make healthier choices every single day,” she said in the video. It “all started with walking and a schedule,” she continued. “I made a plan of what time I'm going to eat and what I will be eating. I stuck to that schedule,” she added.

Related: 10 Foods That Grow Muscle Fast

2. She Saw Results Within the First Month

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There is scientific evidence supporting the benefits of meal planning. Studies the more meals you eat prepared away from home, the higher your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and early death. And, one study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found meal planning was associated with a healthier diet and less obesity. Then, from January 2021 on “I literally walked every single day for six months straight,” she said. “There were like two days that I missed. Maybe it took me about five, six months to lose 35, 40ish pounds, but I saw results within the first month.”

3. She Lost 50 Pounds in 6 Months

In a recent Instagram video, she got specific about her steps (and also revealed that she lost 50 pounds in six months). “Hear me out walking seriously changes your life, I was able to lose 50lbs in less than 6 months by walking 10k steps a day!” she captioned the post. A 2018 study published in the journal Obesity found a link between walking 10,000 steps a day and weight loss and weight management. Other studies published by the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) in JAMA Neurology and in JAMA Internal Medicine also linked walking 10,000 steps a day to less dementia and less cardiovascular disease overall, with less heart disease, less heart failure and fewer strokes.

Related: 15-Minute Fat-Burning Workout to Tone Your Entire Body You Can Do Anywhere

4. Exercise Shouldn't Feel Like Punishment

Something else that was helpful for Alex was shifting her mindset. She explains that prior to losing weight, she viewed running as “a form of punishment,” but now she feels like exercise is something she is “so grateful for,” she wrote in another TikTok. “I'm grateful I get to go on a run and move my body, and I do that kind of stuff because it genuinely makes me feel good. I don't do it as a form of punishment. I'm like, I'm going to feel so good after I run. It's going to clear my mind,” she added.

Related: I Lost 160 Pounds and Here's 4 Ways I Took the Weight Off

5. Exercise Make Her Feel Good

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“I wake up anxious sometimes. So going on a run or even doing a morning workout, I'm like, oh my goodness, this helps me so much. So that's the kind of mindset shift you got to have when you're trying to lose weight. It's a lifestyle. You're doing this stuff because it feels good for you, not because you have to.” Alex is spot on about using exercise to quell anxiety. The American Psychological Association dubs it a “healthy stress reliever,” and several studies back up the claim.

💪🔥Body Booster: Walking 10,000 steps a day is not only an effective workout for weight loss, it can improve your cardiovascular health and ward off cancer, according to research.