Man, 22, who would eat eight-egg omelettes every day and feared he was 'going to die' is unrecognisable after losing 273lbs without using fat jabs

A man who once believed he was 'dying' while weighing just over 460lbs has revealed how he shifted a remarkable 273lbs in just three years - and has since gained the confidence to approach anyone he wants. David John Castañeda, 22, from Texas, US, weighed 464lbs at his heaviest, aged just 19. During what was meant to be the best years of his life, he spent most of his days lying in bed and eating until it 'physically hurt'. On a typical day, David would consume an eight-egg omelette with cheese, ham and bacon for breakfast, followed by an entire packet of pasta with beef or chicken and 'countless' slices of bread, as well as large quantities of tortillas with each meal.As for dinner, he would eat extra portions of meat and enough rice to 'feed a village', while snacks would usually consist of crisps, popcorn, ice cream and bowls of cereal. David found himself trapped in a never-ending cycle that he struggled to break free from - until he discovered his habits were proving lethal. A man who once believed he was 'dying' while weighing just over 460lbs has revealed how he shifted a remarkable 19st 7lbs in just three years - and has since gained the confidence to approach anyone he wants David John Castañeda, 22, from Texas , US, weighed 464lbs at his heaviest, aged just 19 (pictured) At his heaviest, David found himself trapped in a never-ending cycle that he struggled to break free from - until he discovered his habits were proving lethal He told creatorzine.com: 'The constant battle with hunger consumed my thoughts and wore me down.'I didn’t exercise and my eating was out of control. I wasn’t doing it because I was hungry – it was because it had become a habit. I had lost the ability to recognise when enough was enough.'My body was also covered in bedsores; I had discolouring in my neck and insulin resistance.'Even the scales stopped registering how much I weighed after a while, as it didn’t have enough figures.'Despite previous efforts to slim down, David consistently regained more weight than he had shed.But in October 2023, his mindset suddenly shifted: it was time to shift the excess weight for good - although the journey wasn't without its hurdles. He said: 'I spent a lot of time asking myself why I could never stick with it. Eventually, I realised it wasn’t the diet that intimidated me; it was how long it would take.'The thought of having to fight the urge to quit my habits every single day for years felt overwhelming.'Then I changed my perspective completely: time waits for no one. Whether I chose to change or not, the months and years were going to pass anyway.'I could either stay where I was and have nothing to show for that time. Or I could use that time to become the person I wanted to be.' On a typical day aged 19, David would consume an eight-egg omelette with cheese, ham and bacon for breakfast, followed by an entire packet of pasta with beef or chicken and 'countless' slices of bread, as well as large quantities of tortillas with each meal Now, he carefully tracks his daily macros, targeting roughly 200g of protein, 250g of carbs, and 60g of fat Despite battling the urge to quit when progress stalled, David pushed through. In just under three years, he achieved a staggering weight loss of 273lbs Before and after: In a viral side-by-side transformation video posted to his social media, David is unrecognisable next to three of his friends in a throwback versus present-day comparison David, now a weight loss coach, began his fitness journey by tackling his biggest hurdle: controlling his appetite. He experimented with the keto diet and water fasting before establishing better self-control and sustainable habits. To maintain his progress, he eventually transitioned into a standard calorie deficit. And, although he initially dreaded the gym, he forced himself to show up every single day. He said: 'I was embarrassed because I was extremely overweight and wasn’t very strong.'I constantly worried about people watching or judging me. Over time, though, the gym became a place where I challenged myself, instead of somewhere I feared.' Despite battling the urge to quit when progress stalled, David pushed through. In just under three years, he achieved a staggering weight loss of 272lbs. Today, his diet revolves around clean, lean fuel: chicken breasts, ground beef, eggs, potatoes, and plenty of vegetables. He carefully tracks his daily macros, targeting roughly 200g of protein, 250g of carbs, and 60g of fat.Despite previous efforts to slim down, David consistently regained more weight than he had shed - three years on, he looks almost unrecognisable This incredible physical transformation has completely revolutionised his social and romantic life - and with his newfound self-assurance, David now has the confidence to approach anyone. In a viral side-by-side transformation video posted to his social media, David is unrecognisable next to three of his friends in a throwback versus present-day comparison. Commenting on the clip, which has since racked up 15.6m views and 2.3m likes, one user said: 'The type of glow up I’m trying to have fr.'Another commented, 'You guys I’m still swiping in disbelief,' while a third, agreeing, said: 'LMAO literally a new person.' A fourth added: 'The kind of guy you reject in college and then you meet him in a random bar in the future.' David further added: 'I tell everyone that losing weight naturally, as opposed to using weight loss drugs, is very different.'It gives you a mindset that cannot simply be injected. Every battle is just that much harder.'Now, physically, I’m able to do things I never thought were possible. There were times I couldn’t run a mile; now I can do 5K in under 30 minutes.'My confidence doesn’t come from the way I look – it’s come from what I’ve proven to myself.'Before, I spent a lot of time imagining the life I wanted. If there’s something I want to do now, I get up and do it.'I feel like I’m truly living instead of existing for the first time in my life.'