This Father of 4 Lost 62kg After Sticking with One Simple Form of Cardio

Andrew Merritt, 36, is a mortgage banker in Jacksonville, Florida. His first step came after weighing in at 395lb (179kg). He’s now at 258lb (117kg) and loves his healthier lifestyle. Here, Merritt tells us in his own words how he got to where he is now.

I have been the ‘big guy’ my whole life. I was a classic childhood overeater turned gluttonous party guy at university, then suddenly an adult who never considered reasonable portions for anything.

I dabbled with some distance running in my 20s and lost a good amount of weight, but the moment I stopped, I regained it all. I was fearful of most chairs, terrified I’d be kicked off a plane for not fitting and thought I’d never be able to ride rollercoasters with my kids.

Most of the health issues I had directly resulted from the excessive weight I was carrying. I would be out of breath climbing stairs. I couldn’t chase after my kids. And I would break a sweat walking the short distance from my office to my car. I probably had sleep apnoea, but was undiagnosed. My wife always complained about my snoring, which has since resolved.

My turning point came on 15 July 2021. I was 34 at the time, and my wife and kids were returning from a holiday to see family – I had flown back early for work.

I was eating one last hurrah meal with my best mate, Mat – a huge portion of fish and chips and a Tito’s to wash it down. I had weighed myself that morning and was nearly 400lb (181kg). It was a milestone that I hated being that close to.

With a mouthful of fried fish, I told Mat that it didn't matter what it took, or how uncomfortable I had to make myself, I was going to finally lose the weight properly.

That July, I started a three-day-a-week cardio regimen. My long-unused gym membership got dusted off and I found my way to the Arc Trainer.

I remember begging and compromising with myself to just hit 17 minutes. I was way too intimidated to touch the weights or make eye contact with anyone, so I just found my machine and then battled to add a minute every other session.

I researched and started some light intermittent fasting. Skipping breakfast for some might not be much, but for me that immediately removed 600 to 800 calories from my day.

I remember changing lanes on the motorway so I would be further away from where I used to turn off for fast-food breakfasts. I got a better understanding of my true appetite and started developing enough endurance to eventually look into a variety of exercise opportunities.

In May 2022, one of my closest friends, Shea Peck, insisted I come to her 100th CycleBar ride.

I had lost some weight and was dabbling in any type of exercise people were hyping up. At first I just thought it would be funny for a guy my size to be strapped into a thin stationary bike trying to keep some semblance of rhythm.

But friendship prevailed, and I just tried not to embarrass her or myself.

The heavy breathing and sweat were expected, but the experience was unlike anything I’d done before. Dark room, heavy beat-focused music. And just when any negative or limiting thoughts could creep in, an instructor shouting affirmations.

I wanted to laugh it off and pretend like me spinning was ridiculous, but I felt challenged. I wanted to get better, to become proficient in something athletic that no one would really expect from a guy like me.

So I sought out a few more classes, a themed ride here, a milestone for a fellow rider there. Then Shea became an instructor.

I think it’s hard for anyone to leave their comfort zone, but being a hype man for a friend is always a great reason to venture out. Plus, I had plenty of friends hyping me up on my journey.

I developed the best cardiovascular endurance I’d ever had, my core became stronger than it was in high school and my lower body became much stronger.

But more than that, I’ve got cardio brain. My mind is sharper earlier in the day without over-caffeinating. I fall asleep easier at night, and my stress response is so much more stable.

I’ve been married for 13 years and am a father of four. Part of what I love about CycleBar is being off the grid for 45 minutes – no phone, just completely focused on your body.

But with responsibilities outside of that room, I had to find a schedule that worked for me as a family man.

My studio, Gateway Village in Jacksonville, offers a very early class and an opportunity to double up with an express class, all before the sun comes up. With plenty of weekend options, I was able to make it work.

As a family of six, there’s a lot of chaos in my household, and starting a few days with exercise and positive affirmations has had a tremendous impact on how I approach the daily grind. Plus, now I can chase my kids around and have even done some 5k training with my older kids.

I aim for four to five classes a week. That’s usually two early-morning double classes – one being an express ride – and a weekend ride.

I also mix in some weight training three to four times a week if I can, and I've done a few 5ks with friends just for fun.

I like to believe the Covid era got to all of us, but I really took it to the extreme. Fast-food breakfasts and late-night snacking sandwiched an already calorie-dense day. Friday and Saturday happy hours became more of a Tuesday-through-Sunday thing, with the occasional Monday sneaking in if the mood struck.

After that fish and chips on 15 July 2021, I knew I had to rewire my appetite, but I also knew that if I felt like I was suffering, I’d backslide.

After some trial and error, I wound up with a system that nourishes me but can still fuel pretty intense workouts. Water, flavoured and unflavoured, replaced the calories I had been drinking.

I made a portioned meal plan and made sure snacks like hard-boiled eggs, tuna and almonds were always available. I strictly counted calories for a few weeks at a time and really increased my protein consumption.

My alcohol intake was dramatically reduced because recovery and hydration became priorities. I was pretty well motivated after a few hungover workouts.

I still enjoy some chips every so often, especially after a heavy cardio week, but it turns out most places can easily substitute them with vegetables if you ask.

In Jacksonville, fresh fish is always available, and grilled or blackened fish tacos are always on my menu. My love for sushi now includes more sashimi. Turkey burger patties thrown on top of a salad and sweet potatoes are staples.

I was told I could lose the weight but I’d be the same-shaped guy, just a smaller version.

I wanted to look masculine. I wanted to wear the shirt I thought I would look great in. I wanted to be able to keep up with my kids.

Non-scale victories were the real motivations. Fall in love with a number on the scales if that’s your thing, but for me, I wanted to build a look that was intentional and an undeniable reflection of the work I was willing to do.

Tip 1: Make Recovery Just as Important as the Workout

I really had to focus on hydration before my workouts. A full night’s sleep became more crucial, too.

CycleBar is an intense 45 minutes, and weight training can really break you down. If I wasn’t properly hydrated and fully charged with a good night’s sleep, my workouts suffered.

Tip 2: Have Fun with Your Workouts

It's not always easy to get up early for a workout or sneak one in before the end of the day. I had to find motivation to make it happen at first.

CycleBar is very much about community. You make friends because they’re doing what you’re doing. You get excited to see familiar faces or find out how your favourite instructor is going to mix things up in that class.

Whether you prefer cardio or weights, you have to fall in love with the process. Challenge yourself and stay consistent. Take the progress pictures, cringe or be proud, and just keep trudging along laughing all the way.

I’ve learned that you can’t hate yourself into a better body.

I’ve tried it – a lot of negative self-talk and treating every workout like a penance for the sins of my appetite. I’ve lost weight through sheer brute force of starvation and self-loathing, but of course gained it back.

It wasn’t until I decided I was going to do it and have fun with it that I was able to stop the dramatic weight swings. Then I started building a body.

Tip 3: Fine-Tune Your Thinking

Your body is dictated by what you’re conditioning it to do. I was sedentary for so long, I lost a lot of mobility and functional strength.

I really have to focus on form and range of motion so I can truly benefit from my workouts. Outside of that, I like to really push myself for those 45 minutes of cycling or the hour and a half weight-training session.

I had to learn that a hard workout requires recovery, and my soreness and energy levels were affected by my protein intake, hydration and whether I was getting enough sleep.

If I wanted to do athletic things, I had to live a more athletic lifestyle.

Early on, I thought I was punishing myself because my body hurt, but I quickly learned to pay more attention to what my body needed. My negative thoughts had to be trumped by optimism for any progress, regardless of how little.

As I learned to fine-tune my thinking and recovery, the progress became more evident and worth the sacrifices.

If there’s one thing Kori Sampson knows, it’s how to optimise your body composition for performance. To tap into his knowledge as an elite athlete and coach, we asked him to create a 4-week plan to help you move faster, recover quicker and keep pushing when the fatigue sets in – all while improving your muscle-to-fat ratio.

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