Watch: How this man lost almost half his body weight in two years

A man who once weighed over 500lbs has, incredibly, managed to shed almost half his body weight in just two years by using some of the best exercises for weight loss and changing his relationship with food.

Darnell Settles, 38, from Memphis, weighed an estimated 560lbs at his heaviest, but after losing an incredible 260lbs, he now weighs 309lbs. 

Darnell told Truly (opens in new tab): “I ate whatever I wanted to eat whenever I wanted to - I was addicted to food.”

One of Darnell's biggest takeaways was how he first started his transformation: he went through his fridge, looked at the nutrition labels of all of his foods, and began throwing out the foods that didn't fit his new low-carbohydrate diet. 

Tracking what you eat is a vital part of losing weight, and has proven to be incredibly effective. Research shows that your weight loss progress doubles by just keeping a physical log of your diet, and taking around 15 minutes a day to fill it in. 

Exercise is important, but nobody can outrun a bad diet. If you're taking in too many fried, high-carbohydrate foods with little nutritional value, you're unlikely to be able to lose weight. Darnell sorted out his diet first, then took the next step. 

Darnell also got a partner in crime, his girlfriend Ebony, who helped him along his weight loss journey. It doesn't have to be your significant other, but a friend or training partner can help you along the road.

One study (opens in new tab) shows trainees with a partner were more than twice as likely to lose a significant amount of weight within a year. Two heads really are better than one: with a partner or friend joining in, it will effectively double your chances of succeeding.

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