Progress, not perfection
A better way to think about it.
I liked seeing that on the wall that day. I was learning that a routine did not have to be flawless to be worth keeping.
My journey · November 2025 to now
Ten months.
34 pounds.
A lot of conversations with ChatGPT.
I did not start because I wanted an app to tell me what to eat. I started because I was tired of feeling uncomfortable in my own body and wanted to change the direction I was heading.
See how I used AI ↗Before I started to today
I began tracking at 281 pounds in December 2025. Today I’m about 247—34 pounds down. These are life photos, not a controlled before-and-after; my weight records are where the number comes from.
Before I started
Here I am today
The tuxedo moment
It was hard to bend down and put on my shoes.
That night, I was dressed up and supposed to feel good. Instead, I was struggling to breathe while trying to put on my shoes. I remember thinking that I did not want to keep feeling this way.
By December, I was 281 pounds. I began logging food and weight with ChatGPT. Nothing changed overnight. I just began paying attention.
Hudson changed the meaning of it
I wanted to be healthy and active for the life ahead.
This photo is Pat and Morgan at Christmas 2025, holding one of Hudson’s first gifts. Becoming a dad made the goal more personal: I wanted the energy to be present for him, keep up with him, and feel like I was taking care of my future self too.
Moments along the way
It was never a straight line.
These are the parts I want to remember: showing up, becoming a dad, making room for real life, and gradually feeling more like myself.
Preparing for Hudson
The goal became more personal.
There was more going on than food logs and gym days. Taking care of my health felt less abstract with our family about to change.
Summer, still moving
Life kept happening.
Hudson was here, the gym was less consistent, and I was learning that a real routine has to make room for all of it.
I started seeing myself differently
A good kind of surprise.
At the beach, I caught myself feeling surprised—in a good way—by how I looked. It was the first time I felt comfortable and attractive in my body.
Where I am now
I care more about the life I am building than a number on the scale.
I still want to lose body fat, get stronger, and build a V-taper. I want to feel confident and attractive in my body. I also want a routine that works with fatherhood, family dinners, restaurants, travel, and ordinary imperfect days.
My January 2027 wedding is a useful milestone. My waist, strength, health, and habits matter more than forcing myself to hit one exact number.
Try the free tracker I built from this process ↗If you are at the beginning
You do not need to recreate my journey.
You only need an honest starting point and a way to check in. I made the free prompt and Excel tracker for that first step.