June 05, 2021
When you feel motivated, it makes it much easier to create the habits and lifestyle you need to achieve your goals. Robert Glover, also known as “The X-Fat Boy Ambassador,” wanted to get healthy to be a good example for his kids. As he trained in the gym and ate more nutritious foods, he saw the pounds start to melt away. In total, he ended up losing around 150 pounds, transforming both his mind and body.
He knew he had to make some changes after dealing with mental and physical health problems. Motivated by his children as well, he started to incorporate healthier habits into his life.
“I was depressed. I was dealing with anxiety, and I really drastically needed to make a change in my life.”
Of course, making such a dramatic change in his life wasn’t easy, but he stuck with it. He started looking into a healthy lifestyle, and just kept learning more as he progressed. However, in the beginning, he said he encountered major challenges since he had no idea what he was doing.
I didn’t know anything about good nutrition; I didn’t know anything about exercise,” he said. “But, the more research I did, the more fit friends I acquired, I slowly started to build my confidence, and it was through erasing my ignorance about the weight loss process – specifically about nutrition.”
Robert said that it took about 2 or 3 months before he noticed any significant changes in his appearance. He felt excited and overjoyed at his results, though, which motivated him to keep going. His kids played a huge role in his desire to become better as well, he says.
His children motivated him to achieve his weight loss goals
“The idea of being a good example for my kids is what really kept me motivated. I wanted to lead by example. I want my kids to take care of their bodies and to live healthy lifestyles, and in order for them to do that, I had to practice what I preach. So this is the number one thing that kept me motivated throughout my entire journey.”
Even though he had the support and willpower to achieve his goals, however, he got frustrated at the slow process. It gets difficult sometimes to stick with a routine if you don’t see results right away. Through these setbacks, though, Robert learned the value and importance of consistency and patience.
“The biggest obstacle that stood between me and successful weight loss was my lack of patience,” he says. “I tried to do things to speed up the process, I would try to cut corners. I would try fad diets, I would overtrain and undereat because I thought that this is how you speed up the weight loss process.”
He learned the hard way, though, that he couldn’t cheat the system. Working out too hard or eating too little only depleted his energy and hurt his metabolism. So, he decided to focus more on the journey and not the destination, and let his hard work speak for itself. He learned a lot about nutrition and exercise along the way as well.
Robert’s diet and exercise advice
“So, the key to success for nutrition for me was not having such a restrictive diet. I ate a lot of veggies. I had a high protein diet. But I still consumed carbs. I still had snacks every once in a while. It wasn’t so restrictive. When it was restrictive, that didn’t work out for me. When I learned how to have a little bit more balance, that’s when I was able to stick to it.”
Regarding exercise, Robert said he tried to incorporate things that brought him joy. He wanted his workouts to feel fun, not just like a chore. For him, he found out that he didn’t like high intensity workouts, so he mostly avoided those. He focused more on staying consistent and truly immersing himself in the exercises.
He says he aimed for 5-6 workouts per week, and didn’t set strict rules on the intensity level. For example, some days he just felt like going on a 20 minute walk, so he listened to his intuition. Other days, though, he felt like upping the intensity, so he did weight training or cardio for those workouts. Overall, Robert prioritized consistency above anything else, finding that this mindset helped him achieve his goals.
Robert offers some words of wisdom for anyone out there, wanting to get motivated to start a weight loss program.
“If you’re trying to lose weight and you want to start living a healthier lifestyle, my advice to you is this: prioritize consistency, focus on being consistent. Try your best to be patient. It takes time. And thirdly, develop good habits. Habits are the keys to a successful weight loss transformation. Habits are the keys to a successful life in general.”
Also, remember what motivated you to lose weight in the first place. At some point, you may start to lose focus and determination when the journey gets tough. During those times, you have to remember your “why,” whether it’s to improve your health, give your kids a better life, or something else.
Above all else, though, make the journey about you and reaching your highest potential. By becoming your best self, you will inspire others to do the same as well.
Final thoughts: find what motivates you, and stay consistent
Robert’s incredible weight loss journey proves that you can achieve anything if you create good habits. No one likes working out or eating healthy at first, but if you stay consistent, it will become second nature. Also, remember to make your journey about self-love rather than just sheer discipline. You will have a hard time sticking with a workout routine that you don’t truly enjoy.
While you may grow impatient when you reach a plateau, keep in mind that you can’t build a fit body overnight. It takes time to achieve a goal, but all your hard work will pay off in the end.
