Only four years ago, Cole Prochaska “weighed as much as three men.” After trading his 5,000-calorie a day diet for a pair of sneakers, the 41-year-old man walked his way to a dramatic weight loss, proudly revealing he is now the size of “one person.”
In 2021, Florida’s Cole Prochaska didn’t know exactly how much he weighed, only that he tipped the scales at more than 585 pounds, the highest number the scale would measure.
The man, now 41, explains he’s been heavy since he was only six, and has lived a sedentary lifestyle with lots of overeating.
According to Today, his “overeating” included gorging on several bags of chips and a 12-pack of soda cans in one day. And, when he went out for fast food, he’d eat five cheeseburgers or a whole pizza “easy.”
He estimates he was consuming about 5,000 calories a day.
“I felt pretty bad,” Prochaska said. “I would always put on a happy exterior because that’s what a lot of big people do. But I was a pretty lonely person. You don’t want to go to anywhere because you don’t want to have to worry about fitting in the chairs and worry about having to walk very far, what you’re going to wear.”
He also couldn’t exercise as he was short of breath.
When his relationship of seven years was nearing its end, Prochaska finally realized it was time to make some changes.
“I knew she had lost respect for me because I was just a really big person and didn’t do anything, and I wasn’t going anywhere in life where I needed to go,” Prochaska says.
“I was trying to save the relationship. I didn’t save the relationship, but I saved myself.”
Step by step
His journey began with one simple step – literally. At first, he could only manage a couple of blocks, but he made a promise to himself: just keep moving. Each day, he pushed a little harder, and before he knew it, those short walks turned into a daily routine that kept him motivated.
“I hold myself accountable! It’s the only way to take control of your life,” he tweets in a post about refusing to back out of a walk due to inclement weather.
Every day, no matter what, he gets in at least 10,000 steps.
But walking was just the start. Determined to fuel his body the right way, he completely overhauled his diet. He cut out sweets, snacks, and chips, ditched sugary drinks in favor of water, and started counting calories to stay on track. Instead of empty carbs, he focused on a high-protein diet that gave him energy and helped build muscle.
“It was just me making up my mind that this is it, it’s going to be a life change,” he says, adding that he then leveled up with workouts at the gym. “I feel so great.”
‘Still trapped’
By 2023, Prochaska had lost about 360 pounds but admitted that he was still ashamed to share images of his new physique.
“Three to One. I once weighed as much as 3 men and now, I am one person…It’s very hard to share a shirtless picture but I’ve come so far! I know it is hard for some of you to look at,” Prochaska writes on the GoFundMe campaign organized to support his pricey skin removal surgeries in California.
“My weight goal has been reached but my life is not complete, and it will not be complete until I can get rid of this excess skin. I must tuck extra skin in my pants and still wear loose clothing to conceal the flab…I have never walked on a beach without a shirt on and always avoided pool parties. I’m still trapped. Due to this extra skin,” he explains.
Despite being self-conscious, Prochaska knew he had to share his full journey with fans and that included posting images of his sagging skin on the crowdfunding page, that so far has raised $81,226 of his $100,000 goal.
‘Inspiring’ weight loss
Celebrating his unbelievable transformation and the dedication it took to get there, the internet is buzzing with praise for the man, who hopes to inspire others with their goals.
“Absolutely inspiring! Good luck on your journey and thank you for this kind of inspiration. I pray for your safe recovering,” writes one generous donor.
A second online user shares, “You’re a great inspiration to many, Cole. I admire the impressive amount of dedication and sheer perseverance that you employed to get you to this place and then to keep going. Looking forward to seeing you meet your goal here.”
Another adds, “Cole, the weight loss is awesome…I don’t know how much all that skin weighs…but it has to be a lot. Your knees will love you even more if you lose it, so I hope this little bit helps you meet your goal!”
‘Keep walking’
According to Prochaska social media, he hasn’t yet had the surgery, however, he did get on a plane, for the first time ever, and flew to California to meet with a plastic surgeon to discuss the skin removal surgery. He hopes that in “three to six months,” he’ll have his first surgery.
“Keep going, keep walking… You can do it. I’m living proof. Let’s go,” he tweets from California where he’s talking to his followers while strolling the streets.
And if you’re wondering, he insists he lost the pounds naturally. “Sure ozempic might work, same with gastric bypass or any other surgeries (no hate). I can guarantee that you won’t be as healthy and happy as when you just put your head down and grind,” he shared on X in July 2024.
What do you think of Prochaska’s insane weight loss? Please share your thoughts with us and then share this story with others so we can hear from them!