A formerly obese man has revealed how he finally became motivated to lose 160lbs from his 354lbs frame over the course of 20 months , after nearly a lifetime of emotional eating and self-loathing . Atlanta-based writer Alex Gray , 27 , admitted that he once made excuses for his gluttonous habits , which included trips to drive-through restaurants up to four times a day , but it was n't until an obese friend 'unveiled a shockingly svelte silhouette ' that he was inspired to make changes in his own life . 'There are a lot of platitudes about weight , ' he wrote in an essay for Salon . 'One of them is that you should love yourself no matter your size . I ’ m here to say that ’ s bullsh** . Being fat sucks . I love myself way more now than I ever have . Scroll down for video . Inner turmoil : Alex aid that he had 'missed out on a lot ' when he was clocking in at 354lbs ( pictured ) New man : The writer was pictured at a Miami Dolphins football game after he lost nearly half of his body weight in 20 months . Alex explained that there are people who are unable to lose weight because of genetics or other factors - but he was not one of them . 'For those who can do something about their size , and simply refuse to , trust me : Life is so much better on the other side , ' he explained . Alex said that he could n't think of a 'specific catalyst ' that prompted him to gain weight , but he recalled that he had an insatiable appetite 'as an only child with unabated access to nearly everything ' . As he got older , he grew bigger , and by the time he was in college , he found himself struggling with physical intimacy because of his size . Alex recalled one woman who called him out for breathing heavily during one of their sexual encounters . He confessed that the panting was because he was winded - not because he was caught up in the heat of the moment . But the worse he felt about himself , the more he ate . ' I ’ ve never tried drugs , but I empathize with those addicted to the needle , or the pipe , ' he wrote . ' I know what it feels like to be acutely aware your vice is killing you , or at the very least , keeping you from living your best life . Alex explained attempted to lose weight a few times , but neither the promise of an extended football career or a new car could motivate him to stick with it because he was unable to 'escape food 's gravitational pull ' . It was n't until he saw his friend Joubert , who once had a similar frame to his , show off his fit new body at a Cinco De Mayo reunion that he became motivated to start making changes in his own life . Days later , Alex went walking , and eventually his walks turned into runs . He made dietary changes too , including swapping burgers for lean rotisserie chicken . It took a little less than two years to reach his 'physical ideal ' , and Alex explained that his whole world has changed . His only regret is not doing it sooner . Alex noted that not only is he now comfortable with the opposite sex , but for the first time in his life , he is the one who is being pursued . He is thrilled that he can finally buy clothes off the rack at stores such as H & M , adding that he finally feels like he physically fits in . Alex ended his story by saying that he finally started his life at 25-years-old , and to remind others struggling with their weight , that if he can do it , they can do it too .
It took Atlanta-based writer Alex Gray 20 months to lose the weight from his 354lbs frame . The 27-year-old said he used to visit the drive-through to get fast food four or three times a day .