Dean Found His Inspiration & Dropped 16kgs

Hi, my name is Dean. I’m 31 years old and this is my Man Shake story.

The Meds Don't Help
My weight gain started during COVID lockdowns in 2020. I was struggling with depression at the time and decided to start taking medication. With the anti-depressants, I started gaining weight quite quickly. My clothes had to go up three sizes!
So, I was already depressed, and now I had an expanding waistline. Living the dream…
It's safe to say the medication was a big factor in my weight gain but it isn’t the sole culprit. My habits of eating Pringles, waffles, fast food and not exercising surely didn’t help.
I was doing shift work at a data centre and sugar was my go-to to keep me going on the night shift. I would also take in some snacks. Maybe some chocolate, chips, and an Ice Break. These food choices alongside my anti-depressants were a fattening combination.

By 2023 I decided to try a different anti-depressant. Luckily, this one didn’t have any side effects. Also, I stopped gaining weight. See? I knew the medication was fattening me up. 
But now I was 95KG, the biggest I’d ever been.
While I wasn’t gaining any more weight, I wasn’t losing anything either. I still had the same eating habits and would choose Netflix instead of exercising. I wasn’t happy with how I looked or felt. I knew I wanted to lose weight but didn’t want to start some rigorous exercise routine. I didn’t have the motivation for that. Also, dieting seemed daunting to me. I didn’t know where to begin, or what a healthy diet even looked like. Then I thought that the Man Shake might be the solution I was looking for.
I saw the amazing transformation my friend, Ryan, had undertaken and I thought “Hey, why not? What have I got to lose?”. Well, it turned out that I had plenty to lose, as you’ll soon find out.

I started my Man Shake in January of 2024.
In less than a month, I could tell I had lost weight as my clothes became loose. This increased my motivation because I knew it was working for me. So, I felt encouraged to stick to it. The Man Shake helped me to change my mindset and cut back on sugar.
With the Man Shake guide, I started to make better choices. I swapped chocolate for Man Bars and ice cream for YoPro yogurt. Also, I started eating dinner slower to stop myself from overeating. As I was starting to feel better physically, I started to feel better mentally. I was taking action and making the changes that I knew I needed to make.

A Day In The Life
My Man Shake routine is
- Breakfast: Man Shake
- Morning snack: Banana and coffee
- Lunch: Man Shake
- Afternoon snack: A Man Bar and some nuts
- Dinner: I’d have whatever the family is having.
- Desert: Usually, YoPro.

My go-to bundle was the “Fast Weight Loss Pack”. I usually choose 4 different flavours each time to mix it up. But my favourite shake flavours are Coffee, Chocolate, Vanilla, and Banana. Also, I find that Coffee and Vanilla make a nice mix.

After 7 months on the Man Shake, I lost 16kg. I now weigh 79kg and feel better than ever. I feel much better about my reflection in the mirror and I have more energy.  I can fit back into some of my old clothes and I’m in good shape for my wedding next year. I’m still sticking with my new routine. But I’m now having one shake each day instead of two. I usually have a shake for breakfast. Then I might have a chicken sandwich or a salad for lunch.

"Reward yourself for doing the good work"
If I can offer any advice to new Man Shakers, I’d say to find a routine that works for you and stick to it. Of course, a Man Shake routine can be different for everyone. I spent some time reading The Before and After Testimonials on the Man Shake website when I was just getting started to see how others were doing it. So, you might find some inspiration there as well.
Also, remember to reward yourself for doing the good work. I rewarded myself with one treat meal every weekend. Whether it was Chinese, Pizza or KFC, I would look forward to that treat. It also kept me motivated to continue with my routine week after week.

The Man Shake has taught me to make permanent changes to how I eat and I plan to stick with a healthy diet from now on. I’d like to thank my fiancé and my family for being incredibly supportive. I’d like to thank Ryan (who is also The Man Shake Community Manager) for allowing me to share my story and for inspiring me to try the Man Shake. Also, thank you to the Man Shake for being a life changer.