Joseph was a size 3XL at 28 years old. This is how he shed the stubborn fat in just nine months – and the one popular ingredient he cut from his diet forever

A high school teacher whose weight escalated after leading a ‘reckless’ lifestyle has detailed how he went from wearing a size 3XL shirt to a small in just nine months.

Joseph Zia, from NSW, weighed 114kg at his heaviest after ‘ignoring’ his health for most of his life.

‘My lifestyle was reckless. I ate anything, slept at whatever time and didn’t prioritise my health at all,’ the 30-year-old told Daily Mail Australia. 

‘I felt too comfortable to realise how badly in shape I was. I wore 2XL and 3XL shirts but it didn’t hit me how big I really was. That was the problem of being comfortable with yourself, it doesn’t ignite change or discipline.’

Joseph, who wore size 36-inch pants, was determined to become a sprinter but knew he needed to overcome his unhealthy habits to lose weight.

‘I was about to turn 29, I felt like I was ignoring one of the most important things in life – my health. I had no discipline in my life and I was just going through the motions,’ he explained. 

‘Weight loss wasn’t my main goal. I dreamt of being a sprinter my whole life. I knew the next best time to start chasing that dream was now. I knew I needed to change my life before I turned 30.’

In less than a year, Joseph lost 38 kilos after he overhauled his diet.

‘I completely cut out sugar altogether, including natural sugar, which may sound crazy, but it was necessary,’ he explained. 

‘It took me about nine months and I’ve kept it off. I cut out processed foods too and didn’t eat it if I didn’t absolutely need to. 

On top of his diet change, Joseph started exercising and incorporating sprinting and strength training into his fitness regime. 

‘If you add sprinting and strength training to your workouts, you’ll see results. Isometrics are severely underrated; they yield amazing results. I mix them in with my strength training and big compound lifts,’ he explained.

‘I haven’t done a bicep curl or small exercise this entire time.’

Joseph embarked on his weight loss journey in August 2023.

The high school teacher explained how he went from wearing a size 3XL shirt to a size small

By June 2024, he slimmed down to just 76 kilos in an astonishing body transformation.

‘I’m really proud of myself,’ Joseph said.

‘Not going to lie, it’s been a long road, and many times I didn’t want to exercise or go to training. 

‘Tracks aren’t very close to where I live, so it’s been a sacrifice. I sacrificed so much time travelling to the track, and not giving up. 

‘I don’t feel like I’m at the end of the road… I feel very far from it. I’m just getting started.’

Before his weight loss, Joseph would eat ‘whatever was available’ – and he enjoyed regularly snacking on chocolate and chips.  

But he now has a healthy diet, only eating food that he knows will ‘fuel’ his body. 

The 30-year-old with his wife, who has been his biggest supporter during his transformation

He starts every morning with a cup of coffee with collagen protein powder. 

For breakfast, he enjoys oats with almonds, honey and peanut butter powder.

His lunch usually consists of brown rice with tuna. 

Every night, he would cook homemade meals with his wife, which includes lasagna, gnocchi or Thai chicken noodles.

‘Cooking certain meals with my wife has definitely helped; my wife has been a big support,’ he said.

The young man said he led a ‘reckless’ lifestyle where he never prioritised his health. In less than a year, Joseph lost 38 kilos after he overhauled his diet

Despite his strict diet, he was ‘still able to enjoy life and food’. 

‘I didn’t track calories during my weight loss and I would eat out at least twice a week,’ he explained. 

Joseph said he enjoys dining at restaurants, but he always makes ‘smart choices’ when eating out.

‘I don’t treat myself in the sense of I feel like “cheating”. I don’t see eating as a matter of “dieting” and “cheating”,’ he explained. 

‘I eat out regularly but I’ll never opt for a cheesecake; I know it doesn’t fuel my body. I mainly eat for fuel as a sprinter.’

Joseph, who currently wears a size small shirt and 28-inch pants, now trains up to two times a day.

After nine months of eating healthy and exercising, Joseph slimmed down to just 76 kilos

For those looking to slim down, he said self-discipline was key to losing weight.

‘Discipline is powerful and discipline is not caring about what others think especially if you’re doing what’s best for you,’ Joseph explained.

He found losing weight on his own helped him get through the transformation. 

‘Losing weight is best done alone. It doesn’t have to be in a group, you don’t have to pay someone money to achieve it. It’s an exceptional achievement, and doing it alone requires an exceptional person, a person of exception,’ he said. 

‘It’s like a single clap at the beginning, only you know how much hard work you’re putting in and the support and the “good on you” comments all come when you don’t need them, so it’s best not to depend on anyone. 

‘It’s also important not to be comfortable in your body, like wearing “comfortable” clothes, because once you do that comfort won’t give you the discipline to change.’