Editor’s note: The article originally stated that Zach Munchy started losing weight on Mar. 22, 2021. it has been updated to say that he began losing weight mid-July of 2020. The Daily regrets this error.

A well-known TikTok creator began his weight loss journey in mid-July of 2020 and has never turned back. Zach Munchy started his journey at 700 pounds and weighed 295 pounds on Mar. 22, 2021 — 405 pounds down.

“I started my journey when I went to a doctor’s appointment, and the doctor had a talk with me, and he mentioned that if I do not get my stuff together by 30 that I would not be here anymore,” Munchy said.

After that appointment, he realized he needed to change for the better, which sparked his weight loss and mental health journey.

According to Munchy, he struggled with binge eating and bad mental struggles; therefore, he started with addiction and binge eating therapies, which helped him gain a healthy relationship with food and triggered his start to weight loss.

Doctors had told him to get surgery to remove the excess skin, but what he really needed was to fix his mental health and watch what he was putting into his body.

“My mom 100 percent helped me the most,” Munchy said. “Beginning at 700 pounds, I was wheelchair-bound; I could not walk, let alone cook for myself. Therefore, I researched and set out my own diet plan.”

People have asked him about his diet and the products he uses, but he reiterates that being on a calorie deficit and working out is the key. 

Munchy said he looked at the bare bones of a deficit and made sure to hit his macros, get the correct vitamins and be nutritious. 

“It doesn’t matter what diet you do; every diet’s main goal is to be in a deficit,” Munchy said.

Although eating cleaner and healthier is a huge help in losing weight, you should not cut what you love to eat but eat those foods in moderation.

“If you cut out the foods you enjoy, like pizza and cookies, you will 100 percent fail,” Munchy said.

According to Munchy, COVID-19 never really inhibited him from losing weight because he did at-home workouts, and at 700 pounds, he started walking from his living room to his kitchen and has now progressed to jogging through the park. 

“I already had a fire under my butt from my doctor saying I may not be here by 30, but when COVID-19 hit, the fire doubled, and that’s what really kept me going,” Munchy said.

Munchy continually pointed out that social media can have a positive but also a negative effect on motivation and weight loss. He found his photos being taken and used on sites that promote weight loss through their drinks and foods, which were falsely advertised.

Munchy recommends not looking at social media for inspiration or motivation but to find a healthy social media outlet and communicate with others that are losing weight as well. 

“Join family-friendly weight loss groups on Facebook and Instagram communities,” Munchy said.

According to Munchy, there are tons of TikTok weight loss creators to communicate with, and he creates content that appeals to a variety of people who struggle with obesity looking to lose weight.

“My entire point of TikTok was to motivate people that were 700 to 800 pounds like me and show how it can be done,” Munchy said.

He also mentioned that on his TikTok, he posts videos that touch on the mental capacity of the journey, the emotional struggles that he has and social interactions with others. 

“If you have someone you can consistently talk to and hold accountable, that is one of the best things you can do because if you have nobody in your corner while going through it, a bad week or month could cause you could fall off or quit,” Munchy said.

Munchy said being more raw and open about his experiences may be the most terrifying thing he has ever done, but he is forever thankful for his social media outlets. 

“TikTok has been nothing but a giant light to me; it has been such a huge realm of positivity and has opened up doors to share my story with millions and millions of people,” Munchy said.

Munchy’s most important message was to never give up and always push hard and make sure your body is getting the right amount of nutrients it needs to be sustainable in the future.

“If you put in the work, you will see results,” Munchy said.