Young man reveals how he lost 20 kg in 6 months without avoiding calories: 'Have a carb-heavy meal...'

A young man recently shared his transformation journey, explaining how he managed to shed nearly 20 kilograms within a span of six months. He took to the Indian Fitness subreddit to break down his approach, detailing how he structured his routine around two distinct training phases — one focused on powerlifting and the other aimed at completing a half marathon in under two hours. According to him, the foundation of his weight loss was simple yet unavoidable: consuming fewer calories than his body burned.

For individuals training primarily for strength and powerlifting, he emphasized the importance of eating at maintenance levels or slightly above. Trying to build strength while reducing calories made progress extremely slow, but he accepted the challenge and stayed consistent. During intense lifting sessions, he found that consuming salt and sugar helped maintain energy levels and reduced mental fatigue midway through workouts. He also noted that around 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight was sufficient, and consuming more offered no additional benefits. Whey protein, he explained, worked well even over long periods, especially for vegetarians, as long as the product suited one’s digestion. He personally relied on a whey isolate that felt easy on his stomach even in higher daily quantities.

He cautioned against depending too much on multivitamin supplements, stating that most are poorly dosed and that whole foods provide superior nutrition. He also advised restraint with strong stimulants and pre-workout formulas, particularly during heavy lifting, as elevated heart rates combined with anxiety could become overwhelming and counterproductive.


When discussing running-focused training, he highlighted that gradual weight reduction significantly improves running efficiency and speed. However, he warned against extreme calorie restriction, stressing that adequate fuel is essential for performance. Consuming carbohydrate-rich meals roughly three hours before long runs helped sustain endurance. He also stressed the importance of proper hydration and electrolyte balance, adjusted according to individual sweat levels. Supplements like magnesium — and calcium if deficient — aided recovery and improved sleep quality, especially for those who ran in the evenings. Throughout both training styles, maintaining sufficient protein intake remained crucial, as effective recovery was just as important as training volume.