Man Loses Over 200 Pounds Without Exercise, Meds, or Surgery: How He Did It

A man who dropped more than 200 pounds in one year and stunned his loved ones has shared with Newsweek how he achieved the remarkable goal.

Gregory Galanis, a 42-year-old man who was born and raised in Canada, but now lives in North Carolina with his wife, told Newsweek in an interview last week that he lost the weight without surgery, weight loss medications or even exercising. Instead, he focused on battling his food addiction and making significant diet changes.

"I reached the point where I couldn't even walk from the pain," Galanis said. "I was a ticking time bomb, and I needed to make a change if I didn't want to die at the ripe old age of 40."

When he began his weight-loss journey on August 2, 2021, at 6 feet tall and 420 pounds, Galanis was more than 200 pounds over the "healthy" weight range, according to body mass index (BMI).

It took him a year to achieve his goal weight of 200 pounds through diet changes. Since then, Galanis said he's managed to keep the weight off, but noted that "it's a daily commitment."

To shed the pounds, Galanis said he "delved into the science and math" of how weight loss works.

"I taught myself about how many calories I needed to consume per day in order to lose the weight," he said. "I learned about my personal metabolic rate and how that changes over time. I learned what foods to eat that kept me full longer. At that point, I was too heavy to exercise. I lost 220 pounds just by changing my diet."

He stopped eating all beef, pork, and chicken. Galanis said he now only eats lean fish as part of his daily protein intake, adding that he has embraced becoming a pescatarian because he feels like he has vastly more energy.

"I also cut out all alcohol," he said. "I've learned how to cook vegetables in various ways, using all types of different spices, and cut out dressings and sauces. I eat fruit to satiate my sugar cravings. I still count my calories religiously and expect I always will."

What He Eats in a Day

Galanis told Newsweek in an email on Sunday that he enjoys starting his day with a bowl of oatmeal with a touch of cinnamon for flavor and a scoop of protein powder. He said his breakfast is usually around 250 calories and gives him a "good serving of protein to start my day."

"Before leaving the house for the day, I bring with me a small cooler with cut-up veggies and fruit," Galanis said. "Usually baby carrots, celery, apples, and bananas. That keeps me going in between actual meals."

For lunch, he'll typically have something such as homemade tuna salad, saying he'll eat it by itself or "over a bed of lettuce."

Between lunch and dinner, he usually has a cup of coffee, without sweetener, and a protein bar.

As for dinner, he said it's the meal that he looks forward to the most. Dinner usually consists of a vegetable stir fry with whatever fish or shrimp Galanis and his wife have at home. He said as long as the weather permits, he grills the veggies and fish.

"I have found that spices are the new spice of life, and my saving grace when it comes to preparing meals," Galanis said. "Not only can I mix up the flavors, but there are no additional calories to spices."

Galanis said when he's grocery shopping he avoids store-bought sauces, saying they're full of sugar.

"One thing that I've personally invented is what I call a Good Bowl," he told Newsweek. "I prepare it on a Sunday, and it lasts for the week. It's basically a chopped veggie bowl. I chop up whatever veggies I have like celery, cabbage, carrots, and cucumbers in small pieces and mix them all up in a large bowl. It stays sealed up in the fridge, and whenever I find myself in need of a snack, I help myself to a cup. There are very few calories in this, it's full of fiber and keeps me full, and I can add a little lemon juice or vinegar instead of dressing."

Galanis said he has also created several of his own low-calorie dips and dressings, which has made eating vegetables easier.

"I usually use zero sugar barbeque sauce, and add hot sauce to it," he said. "I also use whatever spices I have to add flavor."

He said he finishes eating any food for the day by 7 p.m.

'It's a Lifelong Challenge'

Galanis said the most challenging part of his journey has been battling his yearslong food addiction, referring to himself as a "reformed drive-through aficionado."

"I estimate that I would eat a minimum of 3,000-5,000 calories each day, just from my visits to fast food restaurants," he said. "My addiction to food and my psychological dependence on it was real and continues to be a challenge. If I were to say that I'm completely over it, I'd be lying to myself and everyone reading this. I've learned to live with my addiction, and every day is a battle of it's own."

He told Newsweek that anyone can achieve what he did if they want it bad enough, saying they must want to make the change "more than anything else they've ever wanted." However, he said reaching that weight-loss goal is "only the beginning."

"For me, I've realized that it's a lifelong challenge that I'll need to fight for the rest of my life," Galanis said. "My advice would be to acknowledge it and then to tackle it head-on. It's mind over matter."

Galanis said he utilized technology to assist with his journey, saying he uses the Samsung Health app to track everything he eats during the day. Before reaching his goal weight, he used Healthline to calculate his metabolic burn, based on his weight and activity level. Both resources are free, he added.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends losing weight steadily, at one or two pounds a week, to make the losses sustainable. It says those seeking to lose weight should set themselves specific, realistic goals—such as walking 15 minutes daily, three times a week—and monitor their progress. It advises those with concerns about their weight to contact their health care provider.

Update 11/27/23, 1:30 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.