Man Loses 64kg in 18 Months Without Training or Going to the Gym: How He Did It

A man has shared three things that helped him lose 64 kg in 18 months. Newsweek reveals secrets of losing weight without training or a gym membership.

On August 20, 29-year-old Noah Harned shared his transformation on Reddit under the nickname /u/DankyStankerHis post has garnered 15 likes and has received a lot of praise from users.

Harned, who lives in Waukesha, shared how he went from 18 pounds to 150 pounds in 86 months.

"I didn't do any special exercises or go to the gym at all," he said. "I just counted calories, did intermittent fasting, and did light exercise."

Interval fasting

A survey of 1022 American adults found that the most common models Power or diets are:

• high protein diet (18%);
• mindful eating (17%);
• calorie counting (12%);
• healthy eating (12%);
• intermittent fasting (12%).

Harned, a delivery driver, began fasting in 2020.

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"I started doing this to avoid gaining more weight when I was at my heaviest," he explained.

For two years, he followed a 16-hour fasting regimen. His first meal was at 15:00 PM and his last meal was at 23:99 PM, followed by 16 hours of fasting. During this period, he continued to eat junk food without paying attention to his calorie intake.

“It took me years to come to terms with the need to start a diet,” he said. “I was using food as a dopamine trigger to ease my dissatisfaction with my life and body. Knowing the problem and coming to terms with it are two very different things.”

"I knew what I had to do, but I didn't have the time. Eventually, I convinced myself that I'd rather enjoy my gluttony than 'suffer' from dieting," he concluded.

Dave Asprey, who is best known as the “father of biohacking,” shared his thoughts on the method. The Austin, Texas-based health entrepreneur explained what happens when you switch from fasting to nutrition according to the usual schedule.

“Your brain loves fasting,” the New York Times bestselling author said. “When you fast, your body switches from burning glucose to burning fat. Those fats are converted into ketones. Ketones are powerful anti-inflammatory compounds.”

“Your neurons (brain cells), which require a lot of energy to function, prefer to use ketones for fuel rather than glucose,” Asprey explained. “This is because ketones provide more energy than glucose. When you fast, you may notice greater mental clarity and better focus. This is a result of the increased brain power that comes from ketones.”

Calorie counting

Eventually, Harned realized the importance of eating healthy to achieve his goals. According to the American Psychological Association, men ages 26 to 30 should consume between 2400 and 3000 calories per day, depending on their activity level. Using a calorie-tracking app, Harned initially set his calorie intake at 2600 calories per day, gradually reducing it to 1500 by the beginning of this year.

"I finally found something that worked. It was calorie counting," he admitted. He was initially reluctant to try the method. When Harned was a child, he saw a family member struggling to count calories.

“In January 2023, inflation was in full swing. In a strange twist of fate, this helped me because I was mostly eating fast food, and it was getting too expensive for me,” Harned shared. This led to a “drastic” reduction in calorie intake, and he “inadvertently” dropped to 136 kg by the end of February 2023.

“I decided to stop being lazy and get back to cooking,” he said. His main dish to this day is fried chicken or beef with white rice and various vegetables.

Harned learned to cook his favorite foods, including pizza, without going over his calorie limit. He swapped potato chips for popcorn and sugary coffee for a pre-workout drink. He occasionally drank sugar-free soda as a treat.

He rarely slipped, although maintaining discipline was difficult. Food was his addiction. Despite the occasional “breakdown” and cheat days that caused temporary weight gain, he refused to punish himself. Instead, he focused on returning to his disciplined routine.

"As the weight started to drop, people started to notice, which was motivating and inspiring. The most memorable moment was when I fit into my old clothes again," said Harned, who now wears a size L rather than XXXL.

The Benefits of Walking

Lindsay Bottoms, a lecturer in exercise physiology and health at the University of Hertfordshire in England, noted that walking has many benefits.

“Increasing physical activity, such as the number of steps you take when walking, can improve cardiovascular health, weight control, and mood, sleep, and cognitive function,” she said. “Walking can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as dementia and some cancers. In some cases, it can improve health conditions such as type 2 diabetes.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends walking at least 10 steps a day, but Harned regularly exceeded that by at least 000 steps.

“I walked between 16 and 000 steps a day,” he said.

The Impact of Weight Loss on Overall Health and Well-Being

In February, Harned reached his goal weight of 86 kg and now weighs less than he did in high school. He has always struggled with his weight, which has led to health issues such as pain and shortness of breath, as well as poor mental health.

“I didn’t like myself because of my body. I was ashamed to go out in public… It was like I was some kind of ghoul in broad daylight, everyone watching and judging me,” he admitted. “I was never clinically assessed, but I felt like I had a little depression. It fueled my weight problem. Food was one of the few things that made me feel good and temporarily forget about my problems.”

Along with his physical fitness, Harned's confidence and social skills have improved since losing weight. He now works with a therapist to help manage his social anxiety. He hopes to join a gym in the future.

"I have more energy. I can run again!" he rejoiced. "My high blood pressure has returned to normal. I don't get tired so easily anymore."

"It was a new feeling to look in the mirror and be happy with what I see. The way I see myself is much more positive. My mental state is much better than before. I am more positive about the future now," Harned concluded.