Gary Biser, 40, a corporate executive chef from St. Petersburg, Florida, used food as an unhealthy coping mechanism to deal with his parents’ divorce and later to cope with self-image issues. At his heaviest, his weight reached approximately 500 pounds, and he developed a number of health issues including a prediabetes diagnosis. When his doctor warned him his health was in serious danger, Gary made some huge changes that helped him lose 315 pounds [143kg]. Most importantly, he’s learned to love the man staring back at him in the mirror.

I struggled with weight most of my life. Looking back, I feel like my weight gain was caused by a combination of issues. I definitely had some unhealthy eating habits, but it was much more about the deep struggles I had with my self-esteem.

When I was young, my parents went through a very difficult divorce. As a young kid, I didn’t have the tools to process the emotions that this brought up. I didn’t realise it at the time, but I began turning to food as a way to cope with the anxiety and uncertainty I felt. The kitchen table was the one calming place in the house. It was the only spot where there was no fighting, arguing, or name-calling. That kitchen table – and the food on top of it – became my safe place.

I did a great job at convincing the world I was happy and confident. I laughed and joked like everything was fine. But on the inside, I hated myself. It reflected in my weight. The numbers didn’t just creep up – they spiralled. When I looked in the mirror, I no longer recognised or respected the person I saw. In many ways, I was repulsed by the person I had become.

At 35, I weighed approximately 500 pounds [226.8kg]. That was in 2021, by which point I had a wife and children.

Before photo of Gary Biser

The worst part of my weight was the embarrassment I felt, not just for me, but on behalf of my family too. As a father, I want to be someone who is strong and present. Someone my boys look up to as a role model. How could I do that when I couldn’t even say no to a cheeseburger?

I Had a Shocking Health Scare

Physically, my body was breaking down. My feet were always in pain and my back hurt. I was constantly exhausted, no matter how much rest I got the night before. I was also losing control of my bladder.

I finally made an appointment to see a doctor, who told me I had prediabetes. It was likely the reason behind my bladder problems. That wasn’t the scariest part, though. I had a sleep study, and over the course of eight hours’ rest, I stopped breathing 118 times every hour. My doctor told me I was basically dying every time I went to sleep. He said to go home and hug and kiss my kids more than usual, because that could be the last night I ever would.

That hit me hard. My kids are my everything. I worried about who would be there to protect them if I was gone. I knew I had to beat this – I was ready to lose weight.

My doctor recommended minimally invasive bariatric surgery called a duodenal switch, which combines a sleeve with an intestinal bypass. The last step before I had the operation was to go on a strict, two-week pre-op diet. On 30 November 2022, I gave up my unhealthy eating habits cold turkey.

On 14 December 2022, I had the surgery. I was still naive, though. I thought that an operation alone would fix everything. As I lost weight, I realised that my way of thinking was the real problem.

I’d always been able to eat $30 worth of fast food by myself, and after the surgery, I still wanted to eat like that. But I resisted. I started measuring out every portion, and sticking to the program I had to follow food-wise. I followed my doctors’ nutritional instructions, which was pureed food at first. I then adopted a simple low-carb, high-protein diet. I’ve kept up this healthy way of eating and three years later, I’ve still not had one morsel of refined sugar or any carbonated drinks. My motto now is, ‘No cheeseburger tastes as good as I look and feel!’

I Learned the Power of Discipline

As a corporate chef, food is literally my life. It’s the way I make my money, and cooking for my family is how I create memories for them. Right after the surgery, I would still cook whatever my family wanted to eat, even when all I could have was pureed protein (it’s gross, by the way). I used to sit in my car outside while they ate delicious food like pizza and cry. In the beginning, I wanted to indulge so badly. Still, I’m glad I powered through that. It helped me create discipline moving forward.

I started setting my alarm for 3am every morning. I’d drive to the gym, sleep a bit longer in my car, wake up, and… go back home. That’s right, I wouldn’t go in – at first.

After a while, I felt ready to go inside the gym. I started slow with treadmill walks. Then I added weights. Nowadays I’m in the gym by 4am where I train for an hour and a half a day, six days a week. I do a five-minute warm-up on the treadmill, then switch to weights. I divide my exercises between chest and triceps, back and biceps, legs, shoulders and abs. I also alternate between upper- and lower-body pump days each week.

In total, I’ve lost 315 pounds [143kg]. The weight came off pretty quickly, because I was active and stuck to the program. I didn’t end up with a ton of extra skin and didn’t feel drained because I built muscle.

The process helped me realise I can do anything I commit my mind to. The truth is, we all can. My biggest battle was never with my body – it was with my mind.

I believe that once we train our minds, our body will follow, and discipline becomes our freedom. All of the bad habits, cravings, and excuses I’d always had became powerless over me once my mindset changed.

What I Look Like Now

My health is in a good place, my sleep has got better and my love life with my wife has improved because, simply, I feel healthier. My biggest change hasn’t been physical at all. It’s the way I view myself. I not only recognise the man in the mirror, I respect him. I love him.

After photo of Gary Biser

I would tell anyone who’s struggling with their weight that change is scary. It’s uncomfortable, and it’s easier to make excuses than it is to do the hard things. I know this, because I lived this reality for a long time. On the other side of that fear, though, is a version of yourself you may have never met before. Someone who is confident, strong, and capable of more than you may ever have believed possible.

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