I didn’t realize my weight crept up when I ate whatever was available. I didn’t pay attention to how my physical activity was very inconsistent. I didn’t focus on managing my stress. I was miserable, even though I didn’t fully admit it at the time. And soon enough, it all caught up with me.

For two to three years I hovered around 285 pounds. During that period, I dealt with frequent panic attacks, anxiety, and heart palpitations. At the time, I was also dealing with major life changes. I had just lost my mother, and I had a newborn daughter. My emotions were all over the place. I was grieving, exhausted, but still trying to show up as a husband, a father, and a leader at work. I had really convinced myself I could handle it all.

Day-to-day activities became uncomfortable in ways I tried hard to normalize. Traveling was getting more difficult. Airplane seats felt tight and restrictive. My clothes stopped fitting. I was buying new clothes all the time and telling myself they had shrunk in the dryer. I wasn’t willing to admit that I was getting bigger.

It was hard being in denial. I saw the big guy staring back in the mirror. I heard the comments from friends or family. Still, somehow I kept telling myself it wasn’t that bad. Then came my New Year’s Day reality check.

I Couldn’t Believe the Number on the Scale

The real turning point came on New Year’s Eve 2023. We had friends and business partners over, which meant a full night of food, drinks, and staying up late. I woke up the next morning feeling awful: Hungover with a pounding headache. When I went into the bathroom, I impulsively stepped on the scale. I told myself I was maintaining my weight at around 285 to 290 pounds. For some reason those numbers felt acceptable to me. Except that’s not what I saw. The scale read 303 pounds.

I remember the moment. I looked down at the number, then up at myself in the mirror, then back down at the scale. I felt embarrassed and disappointed, and for the first time the thought hit me very clearly. I was slowly killing myself. That thought had never crossed my mind before, but it was loud and it was undeniable.

Photo of Ray Bertka before his weight loss transformation

I thought about my daughter, my wife, my business, and the people who depended on me. I asked myself how I was supposed to take care of them if I couldn’t take care of myself. It was the moment I knew something had to change.

I went downstairs and told my wife that I was ready to do something about my health and my weight. She has loved me at my worst and my heaviest. She never pressured me or judged me, She gave me the support I needed with seven simple words. “Okay, where do you want to start?” And that’s when things finally shifted.

I Focused on Macros, Not Portion Size

I wanted a plan sustainable to my lifestyle and one that would help me truly understand how my body responded to food.

Now I honestly didn’t know where to begin. As a registered and licensed dietitian, my wife recommended Whole30. Whole30 is a 30-day nutrition reset that focuses on eating real, whole foods while temporarily removing things like added sugar, alcohol, grains, dairy, and heavily processed foods.

The goal wasn’t weight loss at first. It was about learning how food actually affects your body. That said, weight loss is a common side effect of Whole30 since you’re eating nutrient-dense meals. It’s genuinely hard to overeat when those meals are built around protein, vegetables, and other whole foods.

I learned about macros, or the three main macronutrients your body needs to function and perform. Protein supports muscle repair, recovery, and satiety. Carbohydrates are your body’s primary energy source and fuel both workouts and daily activity. Fats support hormones, brain function, and overall health. The understanding helped me to balance my meals better.

As I progressed with Whole30, my approach became much more macro-focused rather than portion size focused. Instead of thinking in terms of how big my plate was, I focused on making sure I was hitting my macros and spreading them out evenly throughout the day. I usually ate between 1,850 and 2,100 calories a day.

The results paid off. In 11 months, I lost 100 pounds—all without ever stepping foot in a gym! I maintained that weight loss for about six to seven months.

I Dealt With Another Health Challenge

Despite the weight loss, I continued to feel off. I still dealt with what I thought were anxiety and panic episodes, and continued to write them off as stress. So I went to get bloodwork done at my next doctor visit.

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune condition which affects the thyroid and blood sugar levels. My doctor walked me through my options, explaining that even though my thyroid antibodies were elevated, I didn’t necessarily need medication immediately. Instead, I could first try to improve my health through exercise, probiotics, and targeted vitamins and minerals. The diagnosis was a big motivator to start exercising.

I Eventually Forced Myself to Go Into a Gym

I started off simple. I focused on walking and being more active throughout the day. I also played a lot of golf and made a point to walk the course whenever I could. This gave me steady movement without it feeling like formal exercise.

Eventually, I forced myself to show up at the gym. I used a fitness app to structure my workouts and track my progress. I started with light cardio and basic weight training for four days a week. As I became more consistent, I applied progressive overload over time.

I wanted to go through a body recomposition and rebuild the muscle I likely lost during the 100-pound weight loss journey. Most importantly, I wanted to support my thyroid health and feel confident in my body. I wanted to look fit for my wife and set a strong example for my daughter. It felt like taking everything I had already accomplished and applying it to a new goal.

Staying motivated came down to the same principles that helped me lose the weight in the first place: consistency, structure, and tracking. I avoided obsessing over the mirror or the scale. Instead, I focused on getting regular blood tests where I could see in real time how my training, nutrition, supplements, and recovery were improving my health.

To manage my Hashimoto’s, I made dietary tweaks. I started to follow a reverse diet—the process of slowly increasing calories over time after being in a deficit. The goal was to restore metabolism, improve hormone balance, and find true maintenance without rapid fat gain. For me, it allowed me to fuel workouts properly, support muscle growth, stabilize blood sugar, and align my nutrition with my new goals. Over time, my thyroid markers improved significantly. I was able to put my Hashimoto’s into a state of remission, and I gained better control over hypoglycemic episodes.

As a result of training consistently and applying a reverse diet, I lost another additional 21 pounds in roughly over about six months. As an added benefit, I saw improvements in my energy and performance.

How I Look Now

I went from 303 pounds to 181.8, which is a loss of 121.2 pounds. I feel fundamentally different.

After photo of Ray Bertka

Physically, I’m stronger and have more energy than ever before. My body fat dropped and my Hashimoto’s went into a state of remission. It completely changed how my body functions day to day.

Mentally, I’m stable and clear-headed. The anxiety and panic symptoms I once dealt with eased as my health improved. I no longer felt like my body was constantly in a stressed state. Overall, I felt more resilient and far more in control of my body than I ever was before.

I still eat very much in line with Whole30 principles. I prioritize whole foods and minimize processed ones. Though I still allow for flexibility. A typical meal now is built intentionally around protein, carbohydrates, and then fats. Breakfast might be egg whites with fruit and potatoes, or Greek yogurt with a banana and peanut butter. Lunch and dinner are usually lean protein like chicken, steak, or fish paired with a carb source such as rice, potatoes, and vegetables. I aim to spread my protein and carbs evenly across meals so my energy stays stable, and my recovery stays consistent.

I track everything with MyFitnessPal, and weigh my food so there’s no guesswork involved. I know how much my body needs, and that allows me to eat enough to perform and recover without feeling overly full or deprived. That structure has been key for sustainability and long term success.

My Next Challenge: Become the Best Version of Me

I’ve genuinely fallen in love with the gym and now I’m curious to see how far I can push myself to become the best version of me. I recently hired a trainer and physique coach, Calysta Fulcher, and I’m working with her to prepare for my first physique show.

My first physique show is planned for May 2026. I know I have a long way to go to get ready, but I’m excited for the challenge. Stepping on stage won’t be about perfection– it will be about showing how far I’ve come and seeing what’s possible.

My Advice to Other Guys

Through my weight loss transformation, I learned that real change doesn’t come from extremes or quick fixes. It comes from consistency and patience. This was a journey with different phases, and each phase taught me something new. My needs at the beginning weren’t the same as what I needed later. Being willing to adapt was critical.

Most importantly, I learned that taking care of yourself isn’t selfish. It’s foundational. When my health improved, everything else improved too. My mental clarity, leadership, relationships, and ability to show up for the people who depend on me all got better once I fully committed to that process.

In the beginning, it may feel like nothing is happening, but those small, boring efforts compound in ways you can’t see yet. Patience is part of the work.

Expect uncomfortable moments. Cravings, low-energy days, plateaus, and dips in motivation are normal. They don’t mean you’re failing. Most of the time, they mean your body is adapting. Learning to stay the course during those phases is what separates short-term change from results that actually last.

Lisa is an internationally established health writer whose credits include Good Housekeeping, Prevention, Men’s Health, Oprah Daily, Woman’s Day, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Esquire, Glamour, The Washington Post, WebMD, Medscape, The Los Angeles Times, Parade, Health, Self, Family Circle and Seventeen. She is the author of eight best-selling books, including The Essentials of Theater.

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