Billy Harrison

“I was tired of being big.” Eight and a half months later, he was down 102 pounds.

Written By Jim Stoppani, PhD

Updated July 19, 2024

When asked what his goals were at the outset of his fitness journey, Billy Harrison had a very tangible response:

“I was tired of being big,” he says. “I wanted to feel comfortable with my shirt off. Every time I went to the lake or the beach with my family, I left my shirt on. I felt bad that I let myself go.”

At the time, Billy weighed 276 pounds at 38% body fat, and little did he know how quickly the weight would come off—a mere eight and a half months later, he was down to 174 pounds and an estimated 8% body fat, while also having gained significant muscle mass. Whoa, that was fast!

Coming so far in such a short period of time, Billy decided to make a major career change. “I felt like the new physical abilities that I had obtained [from getting in such great shape] were going to be used for nothing, so I enlisted in the United States Army to put my results to use. Once my weight loss goal was finished, I began a new one.”

How Billy Got Results

You’re probably wondering how Billy lost so much weight in such a short period of time. It was a combination of intense training and a dedicated nutritional approach, pulling workouts and meal plans from JimStoppani.com.

“One program I used was Shortcut to Shred ,” he says. “It took several months to achieve my results, so I would finish the 6-week program, take a week off for recovery (maintaining discipline during the week off with cardio and a good diet), then start another six weeks. I experimented with different styles of dieting, and intermittent fasting was the one that stuck the best for me. I did a 16/8 protocol on workout days and 20/4 [20-hour fast, 4-hour feeding window] on the one active rest day.”

Aside from training and diet, Billy also made major lifestyle changes.

“Video games were a big thing for me,” he says. “I used to play all the time until I realized it was part of the problem. During my transformation, I sold everything that involved video games to focus on losing weight. I play some now, but nowhere near the amount of time I used to. Getting up early to work out was another major change I made. I used to sleep in all the time, but I now wake up at 3:45 am to get to the gym by 04:00.”

Such drastic lifestyle adjustments aren’t easy, but Billy had plenty of motivation in the form of his family and friends. “ I wanted to show them that with a goal, anything is possible, and there’s no such thing as ‘can’t,’” he says. “I wanted to be able to play with my children without having to take a break because I was tired. Friends also talked about doing various things like playing basketball, football, or going to the lake and having fun with water sports. I always declined to go because my fitness level was so embarrassing.”

Now, all of those activities are fair game.

Q&A With Billy

Below, Billy answers our questions about his impressive transformation results.

What were the biggest keys to your success aside from simply following a particular program and meal plan?

Billy Harrison: Influences from others go a long way. Once people start noticing a change in you, they’ll compliment you or ask for your help on getting started, and that to me is worth every obstacle and sacrifice I had to make. That’s only the people you know about. Some may notice and never say a word to you, yet see you as inspiration to begin their journey. You also get the opportunity to meet new people and listen to their ‘why’ story.

What were the toughest obstacles you had to overcome in your transformation journey?

BH: At first, I had a particularly hard time following a good nutritional diet, as I was not used to eating well. Also, going in full force was a factor, as I didn’t understand proper exercise form at first. YouTube as well as articles published on Dr. Stoppani’s website helped me get up to par.

What feedback have you received from friends, family, and acquaintances regarding your improved physique and fitness levels?

BH: Friends, family, and co-workers saw a major difference. Now, they assume that I eat, breathe, and sleep fitness. They tell me I look great and make comments like, “You must feel better,” or “I bet you can eat anything and not gain an ounce.” The best part was during the transformation process—the constant positive feedback was motivating to achieve more. I used it also as fuel to continue on.

What advice would you offer others looking to achieve similar health and fitness results?

BH: Stay motivated in everything you do. Consistency is key in reaching the results you want. I gave myself what I call ‘mini-goals.’ When I achieved them, I would reward myself. For example: ‘The next time I lose 10 pounds, I’m going to buy myself a new pair of shoes.’ Then I would work towards those shoes I wanted.

How do you plan to continue your health and fitness progress going forward?

BH: Find new goals and work toward them. I educate myself on something new every week to keep myself up to date. I also want to help others reach their goals. I know the struggle and have felt the judgment from others, and I want to be that person that others can lean on to ask questions so that they can see the same results if they wish.

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