Ethan Noblesala, 33, of New York City, was always slightly overweight. But during the pandemic, he found himself moving less than he usually would and ordering takeaways throughout the week. When he couldn’t bend down to tie his shoes, he knew his weight gain had gone too far. He started with a series of simple habits like drinking water first thing in the morning and scaling down his portion sizes. But it was discovering pickleball and social fitness that really helped him lose 100 pounds [45kg] in 18 months. Here’s how he turned his life around, one small step at a time.

I’ve been slightly overweight most of my life. I played sports, but never watched what I ate.

But it was during the pandemic that my weight really crept up on me. I didn’t move around much and I was ordering Uber Eats eight times a week. I love sushi and for a typical lunch, I’d eat almost 10 pieces in one sitting.

If you took a look at me, you wouldn’t notice the stress, fatigue and shame. People thought I was just another happy and enthusiastic guy.

Once restrictions were lifted, I buried my feelings and insecurities with materialistic purchases and extravagant experiences. I was spending money on Knicks suite basketball tickets and fancy dinners (I was a CFO in finance at the time). I also ate out all the time. At restaurants, I’d finish everything on my plate which was a problem, because sometimes I’d order two whole meals. By age 30, I was at my heaviest. I weighed around 235 pounds [106kg].

Two Key Events Inspired Me to Move

There were two moments that inspired me to lose weight. The first happened when I was walking down Fifth Avenue in New York City. I noticed my shoe was untied, and of course, I bent down to tie it. Except I couldn’t. My stomach was so large I couldn’t properly tie my shoe.

The second turning point happened when I went to the doctor. After my checkup, he sat me down and explained that I had prediabetes. My doctor stressed that if I didn’t lose weight, I would see a future of surgeries and other health problems.

I didn’t drastically change overnight. I knew most people try to change too much at once to get healthy, only to lose motivation and quit after a month. Instead, I decided to focus on small changes to build healthier habits.

First, the sushi. I scaled down from eating 10 pieces to eight pieces, and then to six pieces. Eventually, I stopped ordering out altogether and started cooking my own meals instead. I came across healthy recipes for buffalo chicken burritos and chicken tenders. My focus was on eating high-protein, low-calorie foods. One big swap I made was replacing any pasta I ate with shirataki noodles, which are very light on calories. I also started drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning. Simple, but the start of a brand-new healthy habit.

Pickleball Was the Secret to My Success

Everything changed when my uncle introduced me to pickleball. I got hooked instantly. I made so many friends playing pickleball. It was my main form of movement at first, and I found the sport an easy way to stay physically active.

I was looking for indoor courts where I could play in the winter, and came across a centre which had pickleball courts and a gym. I started strength training three times a week.

Pickleball became the gateway to other forms of exercise I’m now really into, like calisthenics and running. In fact, I ran the New York City Marathon in November 2025.

Initially, I lost 85 pounds [38kg] in eight months. After about a year and a half, I had lost 100 pounds [45kg]. At my lightest, I weighed 135 pounds [61kg]. Today I’m building more muscle mass, so I’m around 145 pounds [66kg] at 5’6″.

Exercise Helped Me Cope With Major Life Changes

Physically I feel great, and I’m no longer prediabetic. I’m confident in how I look and people have given me tons of compliments on how much younger and healthier I look. I’ve never been more attuned to my body. It’s an exhilarating feeling.

Improving my physical health has also helped my mental health. I dealt with some traumatic experiences during this period – the loss of my sister, breakups and business issues. Being more active helped me cope with those tough times. Instead of eating my feelings or spending money on extravagant purchases, I spent my time and energy on walks, runs, yoga and pickleball. The best part is that I don’t sit at home alone anymore.

One of the biggest surprises of my weight loss journey was realising what my body could do. I never thought I could run a marathon. Sometimes I still can’t believe that I did.

I’ve also learned how to set myself up for success. Staying active with friends is a great accountability tool. This is why my new company revolves around building fitness with friends. I’m the co-founder of WeFit Labs, a company that uses social connection as a motivational health technique. It allows users to play fitness games through community challenges with their friends.

In terms of fitness goals, I want to reach 10% body fat and do a calisthenics move called the human flag. Though I won’t ever be finished. Fitness, to me, doesn’t have a start and finish line; it’s a lifestyle.

To others struggling with weight, I say, start small. Don’t think about large goals, but small health changes you can make in your everyday life. Be proud of those small wins. Find a physical activity that you truly enjoy doing, and try to make healthier choices. There’s this quote that I love: ‘Don’t mess up the progress by rushing the process. If February didn’t – March, April, May.’

If there’s one thing Kori Sampson knows, it’s how to optimise your body composition for performance. To tap into his knowledge as an elite athlete and coach, we asked him to create a 4-week plan to help you move faster, recover quicker and keep pushing when the fatigue sets in – all while improving your muscle-to-fat ratio.

Ready to build muscle, burn fat and come out the other side looking, feeling and performing better? Click here to get 14 days of free access to the plan via the Men’s Health app.