Everyone gives in to food cravings once in a while, or perhaps more frequently for some, for a variety of reasons. As a result, there are numerous reasons and motivations to lose weight. Dustin Silas Brown of Chicago wanted to make his father proud and regain his health. But, as someone who had always struggled with weight issues and had always been the “fat kid,” Dustin knew it would be a long, difficult, and painful journey.
He weighed as much as 475 pounds at one point. He ate whenever he needed to escape his anxiety and depression. Dustin’s escape was food, despite his awareness of his unhealthy relationship with food. Dustin finally decided to lose weight because of a promise he made to his father before he died. Dustin lost a total of 250 pounds between 2006 and 2009. Dustin lost 217 pounds as a result of this weight loss transformation. He used his father’s death in 2004 to motivate him to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle.
Despite this massive weight loss, he gradually gained the pounds back over time. Dustin claims that he became so overweight that he had difficulty walking. His legs could no longer support him. It got so bad that he had to ride a scooter to get around. He knew that over-exercising and over-restricting his diet weren’t a healthy or sustainable way to lose weight.
Dustin went to the doctor in December 2016 for a sleep study. When it came time to weigh himself, something he never did at home, his weight did not register on the scale. The staff had to bring in another scale to determine his weight. That’s when Dustin discovered he weighed 415 pounds. In January 2017, he embarked on a new weight-loss journey. He promised to “do it right and in a sustainable way” this time.
Dustin realized that weight loss is just a math equation, and that the real struggle will be mental, after learning all the lessons from his previous weight loss transformation and forgiving himself for getting back to that position. Dustin miraculously lost weight on his own. There were no diet or weight loss medications or surgeries. But this time was different because he tried things he’d never done before.
Dustin, for example, began boxing. Although it was difficult at first, the more pounds he lost, the easier it became. It was difficult to get started. Dustin was able to stand up, sit down, and hit more for longer periods of time as time went on. He also began walking, running, kayaking, and other previously impossible activities. Dustin realized that these activities didn’t have to feel like exercise.
He frequently danced in his kitchen, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Dustin believes that it’s critical to enjoy what you’re doing because you can’t keep doing it if you don’t enjoy it. More importantly, Dustin had no desire to lose weight. Another important lesson he learned was that if you lose weight gradually, it is more likely that the weight will stay off. Every day, Dustin forgives himself as part of his weight loss transformation. You can’t move forward if you keep dwelling on your past mistakes.
Dustin has lost 285 pounds since 2017. His amazing weight loss transformation has also gone viral on social media. His @losetogain3 TikTok account has over 440,000 followers and 12.5 million likes. He hopes to inspire and uplift others in this supportive online community who are struggling to live healthier lives and are facing the same challenges he did at the time. Dustin is now 190 pounds. He no longer has high cholesterol, blood pressure, sleep apnea, or diabetes. Dustin’s inspiring video is embedded below, and you can follow him on TikTok.