A sales manager from Parkland, Florida successfully lost 22 pounds and dropped eight percent of his body fat by eating at Chipotle every day for 12 weeks.
Tyler Marinelli, 26, detailed a program including intermittent fasting and macronutrient tracking combined with exercise in a reddit post published on Tuesday that has gone viral.
The slimmed down stud wasn’t always overweight, but over the last year he had started to let indulgence get the best of him.
‘I would eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, and however much of it I wanted,’ Marinelli told Men’s Health in an email. ‘I’m talking two Domino’s pizzas in one sitting.’
Now that’s all changed, and the muscle-man didn’t have to give up his most beloved chain restaurant to do it.
Tyler Marinelli, 26, a sales manager from Parkland, Florida successfully lost 22 pounds and dropped eight percent of his body fat by eating at Chipotle every day for 12 weeks
In an Instagram post featuring Marinelli’s ‘after’ photo, shared on March 26, Marinelli shared that he utilized the Leangains Macro Calculator to arrive at would be his ‘new (and highly aggressive) diet’ to round out the last month of his diet and workout plan.
‘I am down to 150 pounds. I am happier, healthier, and have way more energy,’ he wrote with the photo.
‘I have a long way to go, but every morning I wake up leaner and determined to continue. If I did it, you can do it too. Just f***ing do it.’
His overeating used to include all of the fixings that Chipotle had to offer, many of which are notoriously high in fat and carbohydrates, like sour cream, cheese and tortilla chips.
Marinelli realized after researching how to meet his goals, he’d have to make a shift but wouldn’t necessarily have to completely cut out his most-frequented restaurant.
This photo shows Marinelli’s body on January 1, at 172 pounds and just after a time when he would eat two Domino’s pizzas in one sitting; The slimmed down stud wasn’t always overweight, but over the last year he had started to let indulgence get the best of him.
Marinelli detailed a program including intermittent fasting and macronutrient tracking combined with exercise in a reddit post published on Tuesday that has gone viral
Marinelli wrote that he spent about $100 per week on food while on his diet
‘My love for Chipotle inspired the diet,’ he told Fox News on Thursday. ‘It has been and always will be one of my favorite places to eat.’
Marinelli’s ‘holy-trifecta,’ as he called it, consisted of an order of triple chicken alone, or sometimes triple chicken with white rice, which he would take home to add to black beans for what became his favorite meal of the day, every day, for months.
‘I told myself if I could eat something I truly enjoy every single day, that it wouldn’t be a diet as much as it was a lifestyle, and that’s exactly what I was looking for. Eating 250 grams of egg whites followed by 350 grams of non-fat Greek yogurt is way more bearable when you know that Chipotle chicken and white rice are in your future,’ he said.
Marinelli told Men’s Health magazine that he’s now convinced ‘that diet is the major factor in changing your physical appearance,’,explaining that he went from working out five days a week to just three days a week, but still dropped the fat.
‘I am always surprised to see what anyone’s body is capable of when you really watch what you eat.’
To say that Marinelli watched what he ate is the understatement of the year.
He used a macronutrient calculator after getting a body fat scan to help him reach his goals
‘Reminder, every streak starts with one day. If I can do this, so can you. Happy gains,’ Marinelli wrote with the post on reddit on April 10
Marinelli is shown here posing with a dog in a photo posted on March 23, 2017
Marinelli credited getting a body fat scan at the end of February as the ‘huge eye-opening experience’ that led him to make the changes that ultimately helped him transform his body.
‘In my before picture, I was still working out four to five days a week, but eating whatever/whenever,’ Marinelli said.
At the time he shared what he called a ‘completely unflattering picture’ of himself, he called out his favorite fast food staples that didn’t make the cut for his new, strict diet regimen.
‘The last few months my diet has consisted of Chic Fil-A, Moes, Fuddruckers, and Dominos,’ he wrote on January 1, with the photo showcasing his less-than-tight tummy.
Marinelli’s weight loss results from January 1 to March 25 equated to losing just under two pounds per week, which is the generally recommended guideline for what’s safe to lose for the average person who isn’t obese.
Taking your time to drop weight is important to avoid risking muscle loss, nutritional deficiencies, loose skin, gallstones and, in a worst case scenario, potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmias, obesity expert Yoni Freedhoff, MD, told Men’s Health.
But while successful for Marinelli, his Chipotle diet may not be for everyone, and may not be sustainable in the long run.
‘This diet is extremely high in protein, with no mention of any fruits or vegetables,” Susan Berkman, RD, told Mens Health.
‘While eating this way is technically calorie-controlled for weight loss, it is not a balanced eating plan and could lead to long-term complications and nutrient deficiencies.’
Marinelli shared this photo with his mom on May 14, 2017
Whether Marinelli has consulted a nutritionist about carrying on with this meal plan isn’t clear, but it seems as long as he’s feeling OK he plans to stick to it.
‘I have not ever gotten sick of eating Chipotle and truthfully don’t think I ever will. If I need a flavor change, I simply add some Tabasco to it or maybe some other spice,’ he said.
‘But in three months, I’ve never not looked forward to eating it.’
Marinelli’s advice for others considering embarking on their own weight loss journey is to not get too caught up in the planning phase.
‘I can’t tell you how many hours I spent researching diets and workouts and planning for big changes thinking it would lead to flawless execution,’ he said.
‘All it did was leave me completely frustrated, confused, and in the same place I was before.’
In all things, the fitness success story said getting out of your own head and taking action is key.
‘When it comes to wanting to make positive changes in your life, don’t think about it,’ he said. ‘Just do it.’
Marinelli shared this photo on March 30, making a joke about being a ‘full time GQ model’