I Lost 160 Pounds and Here Are 4 Ways I Took the Weight Off

If you are struggling with your weight and feel like it’s a helpless situation, you're not alone. However, all you need is a little motivation and a few healthy habits to transform into the best and healthiest version of yourself, according to Jason Henriques, an instructor at Row House Monroe who lost a whopping 160 pounds. In a recent interview with Body Network, the father-of-three tells his story and reveals a few of the simple but effective habits that helped him lose over half his body weight without getting weight loss surgery.

1. Jason’s Weight Struggle Started as a Child

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According to Jason, his weight became an issue at the age of six when he had to start shopping in the “husky” section, and he struggled with it for many years. “I kind of battled with my weight my entire life. There were times where I was up, where I was down, there was always kind of that yo-yo effect,” he says. He also suffered health issues as a result, including herniated discs in my back.

2. The Breaking Point at 360 Pounds-Plus

The pinnacle moment of his life was after he first became a dad. His son was around 3 at the time that Jason was at his heaviest weight of all time. “My scale stopped at 360, so I know I was over 360 pounds and I had a 56-inch waist,” he confesses, adding that he still has a pair of those pants “to always remind me of where I was.” He adds that “had to lie” to himself every day that he was happy, “but knew deep down” that he wasn’t. Jason spent a month in the hospital with stomach issues. “I had gallstones and had to have my gallbladder removed,” he said, attributing it to the poor nutrition choices he made and his lack of physical activity. “One day I'm sitting on the floor in my dining room in our house with my son looks up at me and says, ‘Daddy, when I get big, I want a big tummy like you.’ And right then and there, that broke me. That was a serious wake up call.”

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3. Habit 1: He Started Walking

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The next day after his son’s comments, “I decided I was going to change everything about my life,” says Jason. “I got up and I started walking. I couldn't do a whole lot. I knew the things that I had to do, but I started with walking and every single day I got up and put him in a stroller. We lived close by the beach, so I would push him down to the beach and we would walk between three and 12 miles a day.” Little by little, the weight started coming off.

4. He Opted Against Gastric Sleeve Surgery

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Around that time a gastroenterologist friend of his suggested that he undergo a gastric sleeve surgery to help him lose weight. Jason started going through the process, which included six months of counseling. After four months, he was already down 60 pounds on his own. When he walked into the doctor’s office he was informed that if he wanted insurance to cover the procedure, he would need to gain weight. “At that moment I looked them right in their eyes, I shook their hand, I got up and I walked out of the office and never went back,” he reveals. “I was proud of the progress I made, and they were more worried about the insurance company than how they could help me progress with my journey without a surgery.” It was that incident “that put me into hyperdrive,” Jason explains.

5. Habit 2: He Discovered Rowing

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Jason joined a gym and attempted to get in shape by himself, but “did it in all the wrong ways,” he says. “At first, I wasn't eating properly, I was barely eating, and I was doing lots of cardio.” His wife suggested that he use the free personal training session that came with his membership. He didn’t think he needed it, but signed up anyway. “One of the first things that trainer did was put me on a rowing machine and he said, ‘I want you to row a thousand meters.’ So I did and it was absolutely terrible, but at the same time, absolutely amazing.” Despite his three herniated discs in his back, a torn MCL in his right knee, “zero cartilage left” in his left knee, and “a bad rotator cuff” in his right shoulder,” he “didn't have any of the joint pain” he experienced with jogging, running, or biking. “So I fell in love with rowing right then and there.” He now rows marathons – over 42,000 meters – which he calls a “big deal” because of the endurance and mindset, “a lot more mindset than the physical.”

Related: Top 10 Superfoods Every Woman Should Eat for the Best Body

6. Habit 3: He Learned About Nutrition

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He also started “diving even further into nutrition” to find out what his body needed to build muscle and grow stronger. In addition to tracking his macros, he pays attention to protein intake, which is crucial, he says. “Protein will help keep me fuller longer, and it helps me maintain the muscle that I have,” he explains. He loves cooking his own food, and prepares nutritious meals the whole family can enjoy, sourcing local meat, eggs, dairy, and vegetables from local farms as much as possible. “I know for me especially, I know if I put a more quality product in my body, I feel better. But if I try to be on a budget and cheap out, I can definitely tell the difference,” he says. He loves making burritos for every meal, using low-carb wraps. For breakfast he will scramble six eggs with a cup of spinach, wrap it up, and sear on both sides for added crunch. They can be eaten immediately with a little salsa, or even frozen so you can meal prep ahead of time. “If I don't have the time to prep, I will just go get a rotisserie chicken from the store and shred it apart and make it into a wrap with some vegetables,” he says. He also makes sure to drink enough water – about a gallon per day.

7. Habit 4: He Changed His Mindset

The fourth and final habit, which is also the most important, according to Jason? Changing your mindset. “We have to be willing to change and we have to have something that we're willing to change for because like I said, that pinnacle moment of my son telling me he wanted a big tummy like me, that changed everything about my mindset. It made me look at everything that I do in a different light.”

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8. Jason’s Full Circle Moment

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Jason enjoys rowing so much he is now an instructor at Row House Monroe. And, when he is at home, that very same son who once wanted to be “big” like him is now 10, and his workout buddy who will row with him at home. “That part just makes me so happy to see that now I went from him wanting to have a big tummy like me to now wanting to work out and keep up with me,” he remarks. He has since welcomed two more children, including a daughter who declared that she was “proud” of him at the age of four. “You always do what you say you're going to do and you take care of yourself so that you can take care of all of us,” he recalls about what she says. “So it's like my son at three says, ‘I want a big tummy like you,’ and now my daughter at almost the same age four years ago was saying she's proud of me for setting a better example and proud of me for that. And that part right there was probably one of the best moments of my life to hear that.”

💪🔥Body Booster: According to AFPA Fitness, a rowing machine exercises your upper body as well as your lower body. “The rowing stroke when using an indoor rower is composed of 65-75% leg work and 25-35% upper body work,” they say.

When I tell people I lost 30 pounds by changing my mindset, they stare back at me as if to say, it can't be that easy. No, it's not that easy. But it really does work.

I am a Mindset and Movement Coach and a Certified Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Professional with a B.A. in Psychology, as well as a certified fitness coach in mat pilates and barre. I like to say that I was my first client—when I gained a considerable amount of weight in college, I remember not recognizing my own reflection both physically and mentally. I tried a TON of yoyo dieting and followed an inconsistent routine.

In my senior year of college, my life changed when I was given a one-year membership to a gym. This was the start of my true passion for movement and mental strength. I learned so much about myself that continued to unfold over the years bringing us to the present day where I have married the two to become a mindset and movement coach.

Throughout my fitness career, I have met so many people that were physically fit but lacked that same health in their mindset and mental health. Everything is all connected and they truly work hand in hand in order to cultivate sustainable well-being. Being able to tap into your body's needs, staying consistent, and recognizing when your mind and body needs me more is the act of being your own health advocate and activating the power of being the author of your own story.

And every story needs a good beginning.

I remember the exact day I decided to lose weight. I was in New York City with a friend and there was this huge staircase in the subway station on 5th Avenue and 53rd Street. The escalator was not working so my friend and I had to climb the stairs. I remember how difficult it was, and saying to myself I can do this. Eventually, when I got to the top I also remember saying to myself I will climb these stairs one day without a problem. Fast forward about 2 years. I remember the feeling of accomplishment when I did just that with a yoga mat and backpack on my back.

There are two things that have gotten me through the hardest times in my life: Being able to tap into my internal strength while seeing my physical strength develop is profound. It didn’t stop there—these realizations spilled into other areas of my life creating a full transformation. Read on to learn how I lost weight and how you can, too.

1. How I Lost the Weight

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After years of yo-yo dieting and deprivation, I struggled to lose the weight I gained freshman year of college. I was given a one-year gym membership by my brother, my senior year in college. I was also introduced to Weight Watchers by my best friend's sister who recently had a baby and was using Weight Watchers to get back into shape. The combination of the two changed my life. I tried every class imaginable until I found a workout routine that worked for me. Through this I was also able to connect with like minded individuals that helped to support me in my weight-loss journey. When it came to nutrition, my curiosity was sparked! I learned the importance of hydration, having a colorful and balanced plate and eating foods that served me and my new active lifestyle. Over time this became a part of me, it became a lifestyle.

Related: 7 Best and Most Delicious Fast Food Meals Under 400 Calories for Weight Loss

2. My Advice for People Who Struggle With Maintaining a Positive Mindset While Working Toward Health and Fitness Goals

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The biggest thing in my coaching that I advise all my clients to do is write down their accomplishments! Often people are focusing on what they haven’t done vs. what you have. Having a working document or journal for you to reflect on regularly will help keep you motivated and remind you of what you are capable of.

3. Common Weight Loss Mistakes to Avoid

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They don’t do things they enjoy! They tend to hop on trends and do what other people are doing which causes them to quit. Another thing that gets in the way is the desire for a quick fix! Sustainable change takes time and consistency. Most importantly they aren’t tapping into their WHY! This is what is going to get you out of bed when you don’t feel like doing it. If you can vividly paint a picture of why you are setting yourself up for success.

Related: Best Exercises For Ozempic, Wegovy and Other GLP-1 Medicine

4. Conquer Your Fears

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I recall when I started taking classes I would always go to the back of the class in fear of doing the moves wrong. I also wore baggy clothes for fear of being judged. As my physical body got stronger so did my mental strength and mindset. I started to care less about what people thought and moved from the back of the class to the front. I was less concerned about what people thought and more concerned about showing up for myself.

💪🔥Body Booster: Write down your accomplishments! Having a journal will help keep you motivated and remind you of what you are capable of.

Nadia Murdock is a Certified Fitness Instructor at Garage Gym Reviews.