A man has shown off an incredible weight loss transformation losing 75lbs (34kg) after his wife left him for another man.
29-year-old Dean Smith, from Michigan, lost the astonishing amount of weight after putting in two years of hard work and making changes to his lifestyle.
Although he started his journey while still with his wife, when she left him – moving in with a man named Steve – Dean was encouraged even more to achieve his aim of 220lbs which he reached last month dropping from 295lbs.
When Dean was nearing the 300lbs mark, he decided something needed to change because not only did he want to lose weight but felt his wife ‘deserved to be with a man that took better care of himself’.
He explained to UNILAD:
I wanted her to point to me and tell others that she ‘getting’ with that. I truly wanted her to be proud to say she was my wife. That was my original motivation and that got me from 295lbs to 270 in the first six months of 2017.
For most of my puberty years I felt like I was fat, awkward and unattractive. Which is why when I started dating the girl who would end up being my wife I felt amazing. I felt compelled to dedicate my life to her.
I had always truly believed that we were going to be together forever. I truly though we were going to die together.
However, when Dean’s wife walked out on him in July 2017 he was left in ‘shock’ as she ‘almost immediately moved in with another man’.
It was during this period Dean lost most of his weight as this had a negative impact on his health:
This blindsided me and for those months I shut down. I was only eating maybe one or two days a week.
I spent my days with the kids and being hyper focused on them. My thought process was I was less likely to be sad about myself if I only thought of my two kids.
I fell into a deep depression that was intermittently interrupted when I had to fake being the happiest dad in the world.
During those last six months of 2017 I went from around 270lbs to 230lbs. And it was largely thanks to the fact that I was an emotional wreck. That may not be the inspirational story everyone wants to here but it is how I lost most of my weight.
However, as Dean adds he also made changes to his diet and lifestyle to continue on his weight loss journey.
Admitting at first this was ‘a vain attempt to try and win [his wife] back’, soon he found himself exercising for ‘no other reason than to fill the void while the kids are with her’.
He told UNILAD:
The biggest change to my diet I made was portions. I probably eat half of what I used to eat. I still eat some junk food and the occasional soda. I just eat less compared to how I ate before 2016.
As far as exercise goes I signed up for a gym membership in October of 2016 and I still go to the gym between two and four times a week.
When I do have my kids I make it a point that we do something physical – riding bikes, going to parks, hiking in the woods etc. I want to be seen as the dad and the man who wants an adventure and will bear the stress of my world with a smile.
Now Dean’s main motivation to lose weight is his children so he can keep up with them while they play.
He explained:
Now when we go to the park I am the dad that is climbing on the playscape alongside my kids, running after them and having just as much energy as them. Which feels amazing.
I feel so empowered being the parent that can keep up with my kids.
I don’t want my kids to have memories of me feeling sorry for myself over the lost of my wife/their mother but as someone who always pushes forward, especially when it comes to the benefit of our family.
Good for you, Dean!
Dean is continually working to lose more weight with 215lbs his new goal which he will then lower and lower.
Although his weight loss journey has had its ups and downs, Dean is remaining positive saying:
Some days I still feel unattractive and huge, like I haven’t made any progress whatsoever. While other days I have an Adonis complex. I have noticed looks from women, which feels good but I am largely still too awkward to approach anyone.
I think I am getting close to trying my hand at loving again but I have been choosing work life and father life over my romantic life.
I do enjoy the way I look most of the time. I want to keep going down and getting rid of my problem areas. I do know someday I will love again and it will be to someone who deserves me and I want to be the best version of myself when that woman enters my life.
I still weigh myself every morning and I still have the occasional episode that causes me too fast out of emotional stress. But it has gotten a lot better.
Posting about his transformation on Reddit, Dean received plenty of support from people as they applauded his revenge body:
Keep working hard, Dean!
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