I was where you are right now — overweight, alcoholic, no guidance, no plan, and no real direction. Just existing.

In April of 2025, everything came to a head. I lost my best friend — my drinking buddy. I was losing my kids because of my alcohol use. I felt completely drained, I was tipping the scale at 301 pounds, and my bloodwork was a mess. I knew something had to change. I just didn't know where to start.

With some guidance from a life coach, I made the decision to take my health seriously. I put the bottle down in May of 2025 and I never looked back.

I started simple. Walks — at least five days a week. Nothing extreme, just a loop around my neighborhood. Whenever the urge to drink crept in, I laced up my sneakers and walked instead. That was my outlet. That was my anchor.

For the first four months, walking was all I did. And it was enough. Those walks eventually turned into something I never thought possible — I ran my first 5K last September. Me. The guy who couldn't put the bottle down.

Around that same time, I started tracking what I was eating. It's eye-opening, to say the least. Once you actually see the numbers, you realize you've been eating enough for a family of four without even thinking about it. I learned the core principle behind weight loss: you have to be in a caloric deficit. I capped myself at 1,600 calories a day and started losing one to two pounds per week, consistently.

I made protein a priority — I recommend aiming for roughly one gram per pound of body weight. Get your carbohydrates from whole foods: fruits, vegetables, and things that actually came from the ground. It really does work.

One tool that helped me stay accountable is the MyFitnessPal app. It tracks your calories, exercise, water intake, and weight progress all in one place. There are other apps out there, but this one is simple, clean, and it keeps you honest.

Around month five, I added weight training to build muscle alongside the fat loss. Today, I train six days a week and give myself one full day of rest. That's what works for me. You'll find what works for you.

Through all of it, one thing kept growing in the back of my mind — the desire to give back. To be for someone else what others were for me. That's what led me here, to Jacked on Sobriety.

This is a place built for people in recovery. For those who are struggling, who need resources, who need real peer support, and who need to know they are not walking this road alone. A place to come as you are, share honestly, and build something worth being proud of.

No judgment. Just brotherhood.

Welcome home. Welcome to Jacked on Sobriety.