How this Indian CEO used psychological tricks to lose 45 kgs: 4 tips for sustainable weight loss

Ram Prasad, co-founder and CEO of FinalMile Consulting, recently took to LinkedIn to detail his transformative weight loss journey, shedding nearly 45 kg by adopting what he terms as 'sustainable habits'. In his post, Prasad clarified that his intention wasn't to inspire others but rather to illustrate how he applied "behavioral interventions" to achieve personal goals, leveraging insights gained from tackling complex behavioral challenges in his professional career.

"I lost about 45 kg (100 lbs), and this isn't a motivational post. Instead, I write about building sustainable habits. As a co-founder of FinalMile Consulting (A Fractal Company), I had the opportunity to lead and participate in many projects, where we tackled complex behavioral challenges. I often pondered the value of these learnings in changing my own behavior. Initially, I was skeptical about using these behavioral interventions on myself, largely because we become too conscious about it. However, I decided to suspend my skepticism and gave it a try, and the results, at least in one area, have been incredible," he shared on LinkedIn.

Key Strategies For Weight Loss Success

Prasad outlined four key strategies that contributed significantly to his weight loss journey: "Habit Laddering Vs Motivation," "Traits vs. State," "Deferring Rewards vs. Willpower," and "Explore vs. Exploit." These concepts, he explained, played crucial roles in altering his lifestyle and achieving sustainable results.


Since sharing his post, Prasad's insights have resonated widely on social media platforms. Dr. Keith O'Brien, a consulting director, commented, "A great post on so many levels, Ram Prasad - not least because I am about to re-intervene on my own habits for a similar outcome. Useful to know what you did and that it took time. What do you think has helped you sustain /persist? Higher-order goals?"


Jafar Baig, a behavioral science researcher, added, "Thanks for sharing this, Ram. It comes at an important time for me - I have just started on my own health journey after some wake-up calls. You always had a no BS way of explaining things. Hope you’re doing fine. Tc."

Gavin Remedios, design director at IBM, praised Prasad's discipline, stating, "I know it wasn't your intention to motivate but rather to educate... however so so proud of you. The discipline is admirable!"

Ram Prasad's Career Journey

Reflecting on his career trajectory, Prasad began his professional journey as an account manager at Leo Burnett in 1999, later advancing to roles such as brand services director at Lowe Lintas and brand management at Hindustan Lever (now Hindustan Unilever). His entrepreneurial spirit led him to co-found FinalMile Consulting in 2008, marking a significant milestone in his career.