Marty Stuber

This former "fat old man" turned his life around and has lost 110 pounds – so far.

Written By Jim Stoppani, PhD

Updated September 28, 2023

Written by Marty Stuber

I was the “fat kid” most of my life. Growing up, my parents would bribe me to lose weight, put me on Weight Watchers, etc. My weight was like a yo-yo: I would drop 20 to 30 pounds quickly and then put it all back on.

In 1999, I thought I had everything under control. I was working out and running five days a week. I hired a personal trainer. I looked and felt really good. Then unemployment hit. No more money for trainers, supplements, or health club memberships. Depression set in with a vengeance. I got another job where I had to travel across the country every week for a year.

Something happened to my body during that year; I put on over 100 pounds in a very short period of time. I felt like crap all the time, didn’t feel like getting off my ass, and would sleep for 10 to 12 hours at a time — and still be exhausted.

My doctor figured out that I had severe obstructive sleep apnea. After I got my CPAP [breathing machine], I felt much better – but I still didn’t have any energy. One day, my wife was watching a news segment on low testosterone. She pointed at the TV and said, “That’s you!”

After screwing around with the wrong doctor and getting a little improvement, I finally found someone who could actually help. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) was started in earnest at last, but I was still humongous!

In 2012, I weighed over 365 pounds. I watched as my father’s bad choices in health, diet, and exercise finally caused a health spiral that ended in his death at 73 years of age. I was devastated. Even more, I resolved that I was NOT going to go down the same road that he did.

I was 52 years old at the time, and 73 was too damned close. I stumbled across bodybuilding.com and Jim Stoppani. I was intrigued. I researched him thoroughly and what he said made sense, so I started his Shortcut to Shred program.

I found the JYM Army Facebook group and that felt like home. I kept reading and researching. Then, I finally decided to try Jim's supplements and his Dieting 101 program, and then moved on to Carb Cycling.

The combination of everything was the key. I have lost over 110 pounds so far. I am in the gym by 4 a.m. every Monday through Friday and don’t see any stopping now.

I have done Shortcut to Size, Down and Up Mass, Daily Grind, HIIT 100s, SS8, Power Pyramid and Giant Program, and I am about to start MED Training. I love Pre JYM, Post JYM Active Matrix, Pro JYM, Alpha JYM, and ZMA JYM. They have made a HUGE difference in my progress.

I’m not done by a long shot, but I look and feel so much better already! This is my lifestyle now and I’m never going back to the old, fat, unhealthy me. I may be 56 years old, have flat feet (think Fred Flintstone), and arthritis in my right big toe and the one next to it – but I am NOT giving up! And I am NOT slowing down!

I have been told by total strangers in the gym that I’m the hardest-working guy there. When you’re following a Jim Stoppani program, there’s no other choice!

My hashtag is #IfThisFatOldManCanDoItSoCanYou. I’ve been informed by some of the JYM Army members that I’m not allowed to call myself fat any more. So, I guess I have to find another hashtag! Regardless of that — if I can do it, you can, too!

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