Fat Cops In Turkmenistan Told 'Lose Weight Or Lose Job'

"Lose weight or lose your job," police across Turkmenistan have been told as law-enforcement employees in the tightly controlled Central Asian nation undergo mandatory requalification tests.

The Interior Ministry has ordered officers to get in shape by December 25 if they want to keep their jobs, several police officers have told RFE/RL correspondents in Turkmenistan.

Some police say they've also been told to encourage relatives who live abroad to return to Turkmenistan by the end of 2019.

The officers spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisals from a government that doesn't tolerate criticism or allow free speech.

They said the Interior Ministry has told them police must not weigh more than 100 kilograms because the country's newly appointed Interior Minister Mammedkhan Chakyev "doesn't like fat cops."

Those who fail to meet the weight-loss requirement must resign -- regardless of their rank, years of service, or other q ualifications.

Similar measures have previously been taken in neighboring Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, where authorities often criticize police about their fitness but rarely address allegations of widespread police corruption.

Turkmenistan's tight deadline for weight loss has led many officers to take up jogging or to start working out in stadiums, gyms, and public parks.

Police officers running and playing sports have suddenly become a common sight in the southeastern city of Mary, local RFE/RL correspondents report.

"In the stadium on Mary's Ashgabat Street, police officers can be seen running nowadays," our correspondents reported.

"They also play soccer and volleyball in a sports center located behind the prosecutors' office and work out in a gym at the Ylham Palace."

The requalification tests for Turkmen police also include background checks to determine if any of their close relatives have criminal records or live abroad.

Police in Lebap Province say they were told to convince relatives who live in other countries to return home by the end of the year, a local RFE/RL correspondent reported.

That's because Turkmen authorities are said to be concerned that many citizens are trying to flee the country to escape financial hardships and the lack of basic freedoms.

Superficial Changes

Turkmenistan is not the first country in Central Asia to order cops to shape up or ship out.

In 2017, Tajikistan's Interior Ministry announced that 10 officers were dismissed for failing to lose excess weight within a six-month deadline.

About 100 hefty Tajik police officers were given official warnings.

Tajikistan also has instructed police to attend theater performances at least once a month to "help boost their spiritual and moral awareness and to unwind after a difficult working day."

In Uzbekistan, President Shavkat Mirziyoev has said the country has "no need for an overweight police officer."

"We are giving them a deadline: three to six months," Mirziyoev said in March. "During this time, they should get in shape and shed that extra weight."

But chubby officers are the least concern for most ordinary citizens when it comes to fighting crime in Central Asia.

Police are notoriously corrupt in the region, with widespread allegations of police taking bribes and engaging in extortion, as well as being incompetent and mistreating detainees.

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WATCH: Think Turkmenistan Is Funny? Think Again

Turkmenistan's new interior minister reportedly has been taking measures to tackle corruption since he was appointed on October 1.

Our correspondents in Mary report that cameras have been installed to control traffic police officers, a move some residents have welcomed as bringing change.

"Instead of getting bribes as they usually did before, police are now writing penalty tickets to traffic offenders," RFE/RL's correspondent quoted local residents as saying.

Several officers were reportedly arrested in Mary after being caught in October trying to extort bribes.

Low police wages are often cited as an explanation for bribe-taking cops.

According to several law-enforcement agency employees who spoke to RFE/RL in Lebap Province, police salaries in the area range from $80 to $140 a month.

In the capital, Ashgabat, residents say the number of police on duty has increased significantly since Chakyev became interior minister.

"In my neigh borhood, they mostly catch people who cross the highway instead of using the underpass," one Ashgabat resident told RFE/RL, adding that people want real reforms not "superficial" changes.

14 celebrities who say they've been pressured to lose weight in order to succeed in Hollywood

Jennifer Lawrence said she was once told to lose 15 pounds in two weeks.

She said the experience made her feel "trapped." Cindy Ord/Getty Images

In 2017 at Elle's Women in Hollywood event, Jennifer Lawrence spoke out about the "humiliating" and "degrading" ways the film industry approaches body image.

"When I was much younger and starting out, I was told by producers of a film to lose 15 pounds in two weeks," she said. "During this time a female producer had me do a nude line-up with about five women who were much, much thinner than me."

"We all stood side-by-side with only tape on covering our privates … the female producer told me I should use the naked photos of myself as inspiration for my diet," she added. 

She went on to say that the experience made her feel "trapped" and that she now continuously reminds herself that she deserves to be treated with respect. 

Amber Riley said that unrealistic body expectations have made Hollywood "a very hard place to be in."

She said the film industry is tough for someone of her size. Jesse Grant/Getty Images

On an emotional episode of the 2012 MTV series "This Is How I Made It," actress Amber Riley explained that many industry professionals have told her she needed to "lose a little weight."

She added that many of the roles she has been offered were based on harmful, negative stereotypes related to her size, like "the girl who wanted to commit suicide 'cause she was fat" or the girl who sits and eats all day.

And for the "Glee" star, these situations and expectations have made Hollywood "a very hard place to be in" and she has never understood why casting directors can't just accept her for who she is.

Richard Madden said women aren't the only ones who are told to lose weight in Hollywood.

He said trying to look so thin on television projects an "unrealistic body image." Jason Merritt/Getty Images

In an interview with British Vogue, "Game of Thrones" star Richard Madden said he has had his "fat rolls" pinched and has been put in corset-like costumes because studios wanted him to look slim.

"I've done numerous jobs where you're told to lose weight and get to the gym," Madden told the publication. "It doesn't just happen to women, it happens to men all the time as well."

He acknowledged that trying to look thin on TV and in films projects "a very unrealistic body image," but admitted that he and other actors continue to do it anyway. 

Amber Tamblyn said her agent didn't believe she'd become a star unless she lost weight.

She's shared her story to help demand more diverse roles for people of all sizes. Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Shortly after her success in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" series, actress Amber Tamblyn said her agent told her she could only be a star if she lost some weight. 

"I think at that point I was 128 pounds and I'm 5'7". I remember my agent saying to me ... 'You have a real choice here. You can either be Nicole Kidman or you can be a character actress,'" Tamblyn recalled in a conversation with the New York Times.

She said the experience shaped her sense of self-worth for years and made her feel "violated," like she had to look a specific way or she was doomed for failure.

Sam Claflin said male actors are put under a lot of pressure to lose weight but it is "never talked about."

He said sometimes he's "felt like a piece of meat" in the film industry. David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images

In 2017, actor Sam Claflin told The Sydney Morning Herald that he has really struggled with body image and self-confidence while working in the film industry. 

"I remember doing one job when they literally made me pull my shirt up and were grabbing my fat and going, 'You need to lose a bit of weight.' This other time they were slapping me. I felt like a piece of meat," Claflin said. 

"I'm not saying it's anywhere near as bad as what women go through but I, as an actor approaching each job, am insecure — especially when I have to take my top off in it ... I get really worked up to the point where I spend hours and hours in the gym and not eating for weeks to achieve what I think they're going for," he added. 

He went on to say that this pressure to be muscular and trim presents an unrealistic body image that's "anything but normal." 

Jennifer Lopez said people tried to pressure her early on in her career.

Jennifer Lopez said she embraced her body and wasn't really fazed by the negative comments. Jason Koerner/Getty Images for Billboard

In 2018, Jennifer Lopez told InStyle that, early in her career, a lot of people in the industry told her she should lose weight. But instead of trying to change her appearance, she embraced her body type.

"They didn't bother me at all but I got a lot of flak for it from people in the industry. They'd say, 'You should lose a few pounds,' or 'You should do this or do that.' It finally got to the point that I was like, 'This is who I am. I'm shaped like this,'" Lopez told the publication.

"Everybody I grew up with looked like that, and they were all beautiful to me. I didn't see anything wrong with it. I still don't," she added. 

Amy Schumer said she was once told to lose weight just to star in a film she had written.

Amy Schumer said she would never lose weight for a role again. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Although she had a lot of creative control over her 2015 film "Trainwreck," Amy Schumer still had to deal with people telling her to lose weight for the lead role. 

In an interview on "The Jonathan Ross Show," Schumer jokingly described the experience by saying, " ... It was explained to me before I did that movie that if you weigh over 140 pounds as a woman in Hollywood, if you're on the screen it will hurt people's eyes." 

"So I lost some weight to do that, but never again," she added.

Supermodel Tyra Banks said she was once called "too big" to be on the runway.

These comments didn't stop her from becoming one of the most famous models ever. Carlo Allegri/Getty Images

Tyra Banks previously told Business Insider that she's faced a lot of difficulties related to body image and unrealistic weight expectations while working in the modeling industry.

In an interview, she recalled that when she a young model at the height of her high-fashion career, designers at Milan Fashion Week called her "too big."

"'Her butt is getting too big and you need to go tell her to lose some weight,'" they told her mother Carolyn London, per Banks. She said she also got a list of designers who no longer wanted to work with her. 

"I started crying and I was like, 'Mom, OK, what do I do. Should I diet? Should I work out twice a day? Should I just have salads for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?'" she told Business Insider.

But Banks recalled her mom shutting down those ideas immediately, saying she'd "be damned" if her child "starved" for the modeling industry. 

As an actress, Ashley Benson said she was often told she should lose weight.

Ashley Benson said she now believes all sizes are healthy. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

In a 2016 interview with Health magazine, the "Pretty Little Liars" actress said that throughout her career she's been told to lose weight "all the time."

"I got that a month ago," Benson said. "It's just weird. With my stuff recently, it's been, 'You have to be skin and bones or you're not getting it.'"

She told the publication that she is still working on feeling confident in her body, but that she believes all sizes are healthy. 

Ashley Graham said an agent and her dad both suggested she lose weight in order to be a model.

Ashley Graham said she was bullied for her weight when she was younger. Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

In 2017, Ashley Graham told the Las Vegas Review Journal that she has always experienced fat-shaming and bullying — but she didn't realize how much this pressure to be thin impacted her until she began pursuing a modeling career.

In the interview, she looked back on a time when a talent agent at a mall suggested she lose some weight so she could become a model.

"The really hard moment was when my dad said, 'Honey, if an agent is telling you to lose weight, then maybe you should lose weight.' I was 15, standing in our living room having a moment I will never forget. I never had a parent tell me to lose weight and it hurt," she recalled. 

But Graham said she doesn't blame her father for his words — she blames the modeling industry's unrealistic standards. 

"He was thinking like a businessman," she said. "It's not that my father didn't love me. He wanted me to succeed." 

Henry Cavill said a director called him too "chubby" to play James Bond.

Henry Cavill has starred in a number of superhero and fantasy shows and films. Getty

"Man of Steel" star Henry Cavill said when he auditioned to play James Bond in a film the director told him he was too "chubby" for the role. 

To audition, Cavill said he had to walk out with just a towel on. 

"I remember the director, Martin Campbell, saying, 'Looking a little chubby there, Henry,'" Cavill said in an interview with Men's Health magazine.

But Cavill said he was following a poor diet at the time and, overall, the director's comment made him rethink his physical health and how he eats.

"I didn't know how to train or diet," he told the publication. "And I'm glad Martin said something because I respond well to truth. It helps me get better." 

Jennifer Aniston said her agent once told her she was "too heavy" to get acting jobs.

She said she lost 30 pounds after her agent told her to lose weight. Getty/Rich Fury

In a 1996 interview with Rolling Stone, Jennifer Aniston said it was her agent who told her that she needed to slim down in order to make it in Hollywood. 

"My agent gave it to me straight," she said. "The disgusting thing of Hollywood [is] I wasn't getting lots of jobs 'cause I was too heavy."

Aniston went on to lose 30 pounds before auditioning for "Friends," adding that she doesn't think she would have gotten cast as Rachel if she hadn't lost the weight. 

David Harbour said he was told by a director that he was "too fat" to play The Blob.

He said a casting director said he was perfect for the "big" character. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

In a 2017 interview with The Wrap, David Harbour said he got an audition to play the character The Blob in an upcoming "Wolverine" film after a casting director said he was perfect for the "big," "fat" character. 

"I was like 'Okay, wow, that's flattering,'" Harbour jokingly recalled. "And [the casting director] was like, 'No, no, it's not that you're fat, it's just that we need a big guy to wear the suit.'"

Harbour went to the audition anyway and jokingly showed his stomach to the director saying, "I've got your Blob right here." 

After the audition, Harbour said the director expressed "concerns" about his weight. 

"He was like, 'David, look, you're wonderful, we really think you're just a great actor, we're just concerned … we're really concerned … it's just, you lifted up your shirt and ... we're just a little worried about your health,'" Harbour told The Wrap. "I was like, 'Wait a minute. You are telling me I'm too fat to play The Blob?'"

Sophie Turner said that therapy helped her cope with the constant scrutiny she faced from TV studios.

Sophie Turner said she thinks it's necessary to talk to someone about how you're feeling. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

Sophie Turner told Marie Claire Australia that when she gained weight while filming "Game of Thrones," TV studios put pressure on her to lose those extra pounds. 

"My metabolism suddenly decided to fall to the depths of the ocean and I started to get spotty and gain weight, and all of this was happening to me on camera," she recalled, adding that going to therapy helped her cope with the pressures she was facing. 

"People are constantly telling you you're not good enough and you don't look good enough," Turner said. "I think it's necessary to have someone to talk to and to help you through that."

Read More:

Weight Loss: Sleeping And Standing Among 5 Scientifically Proven Methods To Burn Fat

Losing weight is an important goal for many people globally. These individuals often struggle to be physically active and eat healthy. Well, there is good news for all those who are not interested in following a strict diet or exercising vigorously to shed the extra pounds in their bodies.

Scientifically, there are five simple ways to burn some extra fat. They are sleeping well, standing more, drinking water, reducing stress and planning every meal. By adopting these simple lifestyle changes, you can effectively lose some weight quickly.

Sleep Well

Several studies have proved that sleeplessness can lead to increased snacking, which eventually leads to gaining weight. Past studies have also reported that a sleep-deprived person feels less energetic. As a result, the individual burns fewer calories. These extra calories get stored in the person's body as fat.

A study published in the International Journal of Obesity in June reported that weight loss is tied to the quality of sleep. According to the research, disrupted or insufficient sleep can increase the risk of weight gain.

"Our findings suggest that the less variability in sleep duration or an adequate sleep duration the greater the success of the lifestyle interventions in adiposity," the study noted.

Sit Less And Stand More

A study that was published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology reported that standing more frequently than sitting can lead to relatively low effort and faster weight loss. According to the research, a person can burn 0.15 kcal more in a minute while standing. This means a person can lose about 5.5lbs (2.5 kg) in a year and about 22lbs (10 kg) in four years if he continues to follow the same diet.

"Standing not only burns more calories, the additional muscle activity is linked to lower rates of heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes, so the benefits of standing could go beyond weight control," Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, senior study author and Chief of Preventive Cardiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, said in a statement.

Reduce Stress

Stress is one of the major reasons for weight gain. Many individuals love to eat more when they feel stressed out, which eventually increases the risk of obesity and overweight. A study that was published in Cell Metabolism in April found that stress combined with a high-calorie diet can lead to weight gain.

"Our findings revealed a vicious cycle, where chronic, high insulin levels driven by stress and a high-calorie diet promoted more and more eating," Professor Herbert Herzog, lead researcher and head of the Eating Disorders laboratory at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, said in a statement. "This really reinforced the idea that while it's bad to eat junk food, eating high-calorie foods under stress is a double whammy that drives obesity."

Plan Every Meal

Planning your meal early will help you save some money and shed some extra pounds. You can also save time by planning your meals for the week over the weekend, reported The Sun. By following this plan, you will not have to rush to a cafe or restaurant every day to buy breakfast or lunch.

Drink A Lot Of Water

Drinking nearly two litres of water a day can help you stay hydrated and suppress your appetite. Water also acts as a natural body cleanser and metabolism booster. By increasing the water levels in your body, you can stay healthy.

However, it is worth noting that the hydration level varies from person to person. There are different ways to check your hydration level, like checking your urine color. If the urine color is amber or dark yellow, you need to drink more water. If your urine color is fairly clear or light yellow, it indicates that you are hydrated.

Alternate day fasting may lead to successful weight loss. Photo: Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

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If weight loss is your only goal for exercise, it's time to rethink your priorities

As an aesthetic society, we often demonize body fat and stigmatize people with lots of it. There's often an assumption that people carrying excess weight don't exercise and must be unhealthy.

But that's not true: you can be fat and fit. In fact, as we age, low levels of fitness can be more harmful to our health than high amounts of fat.

For those considering starting exercise, try looking beyond weight loss for motivation. No matter how much you weigh, there are always benefits to exercise.

Exercise actually does a pretty poor job of getting us to expend enough excess energy to lose weight. This is partly due to a compensatory effect of our appetite, which increases after we exercise.

Exercise changes our body composition—how much fat we have as a ratio to how much lean (muscle) tissue we have—but this doesn't always cause big changes on the scales.

Here are just five ways exercise improves our health, no matter how much we weigh.

1. Better cardiorespiratory fitness

Cardiorespiratory fitness is a measure of how far and hard you can run without needing to stop, or how many stairs you can climb without being out of breath. Running for longer, or climbing more stairs, means you have a higher absolute cardiorespiratory fitness which cannot be improved with weight loss alone.

Having a high body mass index (BMI) may reduce the absolute intensity you can exercise but it doesn't mean it is less effective.

You may be able to jog between every third lamppost, for example, but not run consistently for 1 km. While it may seem the periodic jogging is not as impressive, it's all relative to your baseline and any exercise is better than none.

If you're carrying a lot of excess weight, you might prefer non-weight bearing exercise such as swimming or cycling indoors to minimize stress on your joints—but this will depend on you and what you like doing. After all, you're more likely to continue exercising if you enjoy it.

If you're thinking "but I hate running/swimming/cycling/dancing and I'd rather lift weights," then lift weights! Although lifting weights doesn't have the same effects as cardio training, the benefits are still as important for mobility, joint function and maintaining muscle mass as we age.

2. Lowered risk of heart disease and stroke

Exercise reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke, even in those with a chronic disease such as diabetes, irrespective of body fatness.

Regular exercise helps lower blood pressure, improves delivery of blood throughout the body, and reduces inflammation, even in those with a high body mass index.

3. Reducing the 'bad' fat

Exercise improves our body's ability to use energy. We store large amounts of energy as fat, which is quite hard to break down, as it costs a lot of oxygen compared to "cheaper" fuels for the body to use like glucose.

But when we exercise regularly, we increase our body's ability to use fat as a fuel source as well as requiring more energy at rest.

This doesn't necessarily mean more exercise equals more fat loss, but it does mean more fat turnover, and typically less fat stored in and around the organs (the "bad" visceral fat).

4. Mental health benefits

Research has consistently shown that people who exercise (regardless of body size and shape) have better mental health and lower levels of stress, depression and emotional problems.

It does this via blood flow to the brain, increased release of endorphins that make us feel happy, and by helping to moderate the brain's response to stress.

Often, the hardest part is getting started with exercise or going to perform the exercise, but once you are moving the mental health benefits begin.

5. Preventing weight gain

While exercise may not help us lose a lot of weight on the scales, it's a good way to keep weight off and prevent weight regain.

Regular exercise continues to encourage the body to use stored fuels and remodel tissues (such as muscle) to grow healthier and stronger.

But preventing weight regain is tough. People who have lost weight may need greater amounts of exercise to counteract the physiological drive to return to the heavier body weight.

If you need some extra help getting started or finding a routine that suits you, talk to your GP or consider seeing an accredited exercise physiologist.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Simon Cowell weight loss: Star looks unrecognisable on date night with Lauren Silverman

Simon Cowell, celebrity judge and founder of Syco Entertainment was seen "drowning in [his] suit" on Wednesday night after he was spotted, with partner Lauren Silverman, for an opening night of "& Juliet" - a musical exploring an alternative ending to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet - at Shaftesbury Theatre in London, England.

The X Factor: Celebrity judge is believed to have trimmed down by 20lb, or 1.4 stone, but what diet plan did he use? 

Currently, Simon is starring on The X Factor: Celebrity, after the show launched in October. 

The programme adds to the array of other television appearances the English businessman has made over the years. He's well-known for being the judge on The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, American's Got Talent and American idol.

However, recently, Simon has displayed an extremely trimmed down physique, how did he do it? 

READ MORE: Weight loss: Eating more of this food can help you burn fat - expert tip you must follow

Simon Cowell: Celebrity judge seen 'drowning in suit' after incredible weight loss (Image: GETTY IMAGES)

Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman spotted on a date night to the opening night of & Juliet (Image: GETTY IMAGES)

In a previous interview, Simon confessed that he had taken up a vegan diet, meaning he has stopped consuming animal products, in order to ovehaul his lifestyle. 

But, it's not just ditching meat and dairy products which has led to Simon's slimming results.

The music mogul also reduced the amount of wheat and sugar which he has each day.

Speaking to The Sun, he said: "I cut out a lot of the stuff I shouldn't have been eating and that was primarily meat, dairy, wheat, sugar — those were the four main things."

In the same interview, Simon explained that his decision to switch-up his diet plan came after discovering an allergy to melon.

"I was allergic to melon, so I didn't eat it for six months, but I saw this man and he explained it and it made sense," the father-of-one explained.

"Within 24 hours I changed my diet and I've not looked back since. You feel better, you look better."

While he tends to stick to vegan options at mealtimes, Simon doesn't follow the practice of veganism 100 percent of the time.

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But, the TV talent show mogul has explained that he does see a full committal to the vegan diet plan in his future.

Documenting some of his favourite foods, he confessed: "I love jam tarts, hamburgers, spaghetti Bolognese.

"I can eat fish but this year I will go the whole way."

Simon also makes simple swaps during his everyday lives, such as saying no to yoghurt and cows milk, and instead enjoying almond-milk.

Aware that some fruits have a high sugar content, he also pays attention to the fresh produce that he eats.

Simon has also cut down on the amount of beer that he drinks, and the cigarettes that he smokes.

What's more, the producer appears to choose carefully when he does drink.

Simon Cowell: Before and after images of Simon's weight loss transformation (Image: GETTY IMAGES)

Previously when Simon was spotted with his partner, Lauren Silverman, he clutched onto a low-calorie lager, showing he is taking his health seriously.

Simon and Lauren became a couple in 2013 and have been together ever since.

They have a five-year-old son, Eric, who was born on Valentine's Day in 2014.

The celebrity judge also revealed that when he was hospitalised in 2017 for low blood pressure, it was a massive shock to his system. 

Speaking to Extra TV, Simon said: "I went to see this guy who's very well-known. And he said to me, after doing some blood work, 'You can't have red meat, dairy, sugar, bread or gluten'.

"He told me my diet was appalling and I had to cut out fatty foods and certain drinks."

Speaking about the first few weeks on his new diet plan, the star revealed that it was difficult in the beginning.

"I could see the difference. Cutting out sugar made a massive difference. The first few weeks were difficult, but then I actually stopped craving sugar.

However, he did confess that one of the reasons for wanting to change his diet and improve his overall weight is his young son, Eric.  

He said: "Part of the reason I did it was 'cause [my son] Eric is five this year. I realised that if I didn't sort myself out physically, I wouldn't be able to catch up with him."

Simon's new trim physique has sent social media into a frenzy with many commenting on how good he looks.

One fan expressed their support on a recent photograph of Simon, the comment read: "Wow, @SimonCowell looks amazing! He's practically swimming in that suit!"

Whilst another added: "He looks like a completely different person."

See Briana And Ryan Culberson's 128-Pound Weight Loss Transformation After A Year On Keto

Briana and Ryan Culberson just shared a photo of their 128-pound weight loss on the keto diet.

The RHOC alums have shared their weight loss journey thanks to keto since July 2018.

Briana, who was diagnosed with lupus in 2016, also spoken about how keto has "greatly improved" her health.

Briana Culberson, daughter of The Real Housewives of Orange County's Vicki Gunvalson, and her husband Ryan Culberson are practically spokespeople for the keto diet. The two have been steadily documenting their keto-fueled weight loss—and Ryan just shared another update on Instagram.

"Smiles from a couple that's down a combined 128 pounds!" he captioned a sweet photo of the couple posing together in the woods. "No fads, workouts, or magic pills just a consistent Keto lifestyle!"

Ryan and Briana first talked about doing keto in November 2018, when Ryan referred to Briana as a "keto queen" on Instagram. He noted that they'd been on the diet for five months at that point.

Fast forward to January 2019, and Briana posted on Ryan's Instagram that she'd lost 45 pounds on the diet. She also said that keto "greatly improved" her health. (Briana was diagnosed with lupus in 2016 and almost had to have her leg amputated in 2018 due to her condition, according to People.)

In March 2019, the couple revealed on Instagram that they lost 86 pounds together in eight months on the diet. "Celebrating being 86 pounds lighter between the two of us!" he captioned the shot. "What are you waiting for?"

And in July, the two shared that they were 107 pounds lighter on keto. "Happy 4th of July from my family to yours!" Ryan captioned a shot of himself, Brianna, their kids, and her stepfather Donn. "Swipe right and see the difference a year on keto has made, down 107 between the two of us!"

Ryan and Briana have also offered up little snippets of advice here and there including how it's possible to stay on the keto diet at Disneyland (JIC you were wondering… ).

So, yeah, they're now an amazing 128 pounds down. It's not hard to see why they're into keto.

Korin Miller Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men's Health, Women's Health, Self, Glamour, and more.