weight loss progression of a man
Julie Hambleton
Julie Hambleton
January 6, 2024 ·  6 min read

A Man Managed to Lose 126 Pounds in a Year and Told Us How He Did It (No Strict Diets Required)

Weighing 330 pounds, Francisco Sola of Argentina resolved to lose weight 20 times, never lasting more than a couple of weeks. Finally, he unlocked the secret and lost 126 pounds in one year. Now, he shares what he has learned on Twitter and YouTube to hopefully inspire and help other people struggling with their weight. (1)

Man Lost 126 Pounds Now Shares Weight Loss Tips

Francisco Sola struggled with his weight for a long time. At 330 pounds, he was unhealthy, tired, and wanted to make a change. He tried 20 different times to lose weight, trying specific diets and more, only to give up a couple of weeks later. (1)

Finally, he had a realization: He would never achieve weight loss through dieting. 

Image Credit: Francisco Sola / Twitter

The only way he was going to actually make a change was by educating himself about the importance of habits. He learned that incorporating daily healthy habits – like eating well and exercising – was the only way he would lose the weight and keep it off. (1)

“I did not diet, I did not use drugs or laboratory products, I did not have surgery.” he wrote on Twitter. “It was just a process to learn how to eat better, and I also created the habit of daily exercise.” (translated from Spanish) (1)

After receiving plenty of messages of people asking him how he lost 126 pounds in one year, he decided to upload his top 10 tips for weight loss to hopefully assist others in their journeys. (1)

Francisco’s Top 10 Weight Loss Tips

It was not easy for Francisco to share tips and images from his weight loss journey on Twitter. If they inspire even just one person, however, it will be worth it for him. (1)

Image Credit: Francisco Sola / Twitter

“There were no secrets or magic formulas,” he writes. “Only tiny little habits that were day by day carving the path of change.” (translated from Spanish) (1)

1. The achievable plan is better than the perfect plan

After all, it doesn’t matter how perfect or incredible a plan is unless you are able to actually stick to it. For Francisco, depriving himself of the things he enjoyed or creating some impossibly difficult workout regime would not work. Could his plan have been more “perfect” or followed more “rules”. Sure, but he would’ve lasted only two weeks on it, just like every other time. (1)

2. Focus on the present – this is where the actions happen

We often get caught up worrying about tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now, and so on. We focus so much on how far we have to go to meet our goals that we forget to focus on what we’re doing each day to get there. Francisco says to put your attention on your actions each day, as those are the ones that build to your success later on. (1)

3. Don’t worry, every day gets easier

In the beginning, reaching your goal seems impossible, eating healthy seems impossible, and exercising seems impossible. Francisco insists that over time, it actually does get easier. (1)

Image Credit: Francisco Sola / Twitter

One day you will suddenly realize that making the healthy choice wasn’t that hard, you actually are looking forward to your workout, and that you are genuinely enjoying the process. It takes time, but it does happen. (1)

4. Celebrate daily achievements

You won’t see success overnight, so focus on the small wins and take pride in them. (1)

“When I finish running, I celebrate like Messi.” Francisco writes. (translated from Spanish) (1)

5. Surround yourself with positivity

Francisco says surrounding yourself with positive influences that support you and your goal is critical to your success. This includes the friends you spend time with and who and what you follow on social media. He encourages everyone to talk about their process and their goals with people who love and support them. (1)

Read: How Being Angry Can Make You Gain Weight

6. Identify the type of person you want to be

This is a massively important step when attempting to reach any goal, including weight loss. Who do you want to be, the strong woman who sets boundaries for herself or continues to get walked all over by those around her? Do you want to be the man who can’t enjoy a game of pick-up with his friends because he is out of shape, or do you want to be the one who can play for hours? (1)

Having a vision of who you want to be and not just what you want to achieve is critical for long-term success. (1)

7. Drink water – lots of it

Up to 60% of the human adult body is made of water. If you break it down organ by organ, you’ll understand why achieving anything, in particular changing your health, is impossible if you’re dehydrated. (2)

8. Enjoy meal and snack times

Francisco loves food and eating. Just because you are choosing to make better choices doesn’t mean that these times still can’t be enjoyable. Take meal times to relax and enjoy your food and downtime. (1)

“It’s your time, enjoy it. Make it yours.” he writes. (translated from Spanish) (1)

9. Dieting is not being hungry

Losing weight does not mean you have to be hungry all the time, in fact, you shouldn’t feel hungry at all. He expresses again that the food you eat should be enjoyable, should satisfy you, and should give you the energy you need to feel good throughout all of your daily activities. (1)

10. Forgive yourself

Beating yourself up over how you let yourself get to where you are, or if you have any hiccups or bad days along the way, is completely futile. Forgive yourself and move on, breathe, and enjoy the process. (1)

Image Credit: Francisco Sola / Twitter

It’s you- now is better than yesterday and tomorrow will be better. You can [do it].” (translated from Spanish) (1)

Bonus Tip #11: Everything is perspective

“There are beliefs that limit you and others that empower you. You can, always.” (translated from Spanish) (1)

Francisco says that it is important to be realistic but to always be challenging yourself, pushing yourself just a bit further than you think you can. It is amazing how the body will follow what the mind manifests. (1)

Not Just Weight Loss Tips

This is how Francisco lost 126 pounds in one year, however, he insists that his tips don’t just apply to weight loss, but to anyone trying to make any sort of positive change in their life. Nearly all of his tips have to do with mindset and believing in yourself. (1) Use his advice to make that career change, have that hard conversation, quit that thing in your life that you know is holding you back or bringing you down. 

You have the power for positive change within you, so reach down deep and go after your dreams.

Keep Reading: 7 Simple Daytime Moves to Aid Weight Loss and Help You Look Younger