A father and son have shared their incredible weight loss journey that has racked up over 41 million views on TikTok.
Lleyton, 21, and his dad Corey Hind, 50, started their fitness journey around one year ago and have since dropped a combined total of 125lbs.
They credit three lifestyle changes for their success, which they shared in an interview with Newsweek.
Lleyton, a warehouse worker, weighed 264.55 lbs at his heaviest, and he is now 185 lbs. His dad started at 209.44 lbs and is now 163.14 lbs.
Motivation to Change
“We were both sick and tired of being overweight,” Lleyton told Newsweek, adding that they lived off takeaways, and regularly snacked on sugary foods like chocolate and ice cream.
Initially, the pair from Brisbane, Australia, started going to the gym in 2023, but Lleyton quit and Corey continued to train for a year. Then, he talked his son into joining again, and the rest is history.
“I didn’t really care the first time we joined the gym,” told Lleyton, adding that his mindset changed and he was serious last year.
“At my heaviest weight I became most aware that I needed to change my lifestyle, not because of the way that I looked, but because of the way I was feeling,” Corey told Newsweek. “Mentally I was lacking motivation to do, well, most things day in, day out, and physically I felt rather lethargic.”
Their Weight Loss Plan
The pair started tracking their calories – staying in a deficit to initially lose weight – going to the gym six days per week, and quitting alcohol.
Lleyton told Newsweek: “I had a lot of unhealthy habits; drinking, partying, and smoking.
“Physically, I didn’t feel good. I would lose my breath simply walking up the stairs.
“It was depressing. I felt rubbish because of the food and my appearance was getting me down.”
Lleyton dropped his calories to 1,400 per day to lose weight and now consumes 3,000 per day to build muscle. Alongside transforming his lifestyle, Lleyton has been sober for two years, and his dad six months more.
The pair now focus on strength training six days a week, with a 45-minute cardio session every Sunday. Lleyton, however, takes it a step further by incorporating cardio into his daily routine.
Ditching Alcohol for Good
“We realized we are better people when we aren’t drinking, we feel much better,” Lleyton said, adding that they can also stay on plan without alcoholic calories and hangover comfort food.
They both explained how training together has helped immensely, as they are able to keep each other accountable.
Building a Stronger Bond
Corey told Newsweek: “Training with my son has provided us both the opportunity to be closer, the results achieved relating to physical appearance are a nice byproduct of building a stronger relationship through spending that time together.
“It does provide motivation having someone to have on that journey, you don’t always feel up to the task on certain days, so having that person there to keep you on track helps.”
Lleyton told Newsweek that he used to argue with his dad, he said: “But now we have the best bond we have ever had.”
The Science Behind Working Out Together
Indeed, a study, which involved over 7,700 adults, found that while any form of exercise is better than none, working out with others has added benefits.
A 2019 research study, published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, found that people who exercised with others were more likely to be physically active and report better mental health.
Online Support
On April 4, Lleyton shared two images capturing their remarkable transformation. The first image, showing the pair at their heaviest while eating a takeaway, is overlaid with the text: “you and dad decided to lock [the f**] in.”*
The second slide reveals a striking contrast—Lleyton and Corey standing in a lift, noticeably leaner and more muscular, proudly showcasing the results of their hard work.
The post, shared to @llayandceefa, quickly went viral, amassing 41.4 million views and 8.5 million likes.
They’ve received a sea of support online, with many users stating it’s the best gym post they’ve seen this year.
“He created a life, you extended his,” said one comment with 888,000 likes.
Another user highlighted how they’ve managed to share this experience together.
“I usually am jealous when I see posts about dads, I miss him [so much] but this made me smile so much I’m proud of you both well done brother,” said one user.
Corey told Newsweek: “I do also appreciate that I have the opportunity to do this with my son, there were a lot of people commenting that either their father is no longer around, or that they wish they had the opportunity to do the same as us.”
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