by Tony Gjokaj April 03, 2022 2 min read

These past couple of weeks, I’ve been taking a break from writing and really getting into speaking and being on video.

As a result, I’ve been posting quite a few videos daily on our Instagram, Tik Tok, and YouTube.

And we’ve been getting some eyes on the message and the movement we are trying to build surrounding mental health.

If you’ve not seen some of my stuff before, I write about using exercise as a way to battle depression and anxiety.

Because of this, my old childhood friend named Grant contacted me.

He told me he’s been watching my stuff, but only recently has he decided to contact me.

He wanted to meet with me because he moved back to Southern California, so I decided to meet up with him.

It led to a very deep and memorable conversation.

Grant’s Story

Grant decided to contact me because he needed some help and accountability on his journey.

In his younger years, he had a rough childhood of abuse and neglect, which was traumatic for him.

As a result, he used food as emotional comfort.

Grant started his mental health journey at nearly 600lbs.

As I write this, he is 2lbs away from losing 100lbs.

He came to me because he was listening to some of the stuff I talk about and I was really honored by it.

In our conversation we had, he said that his weight was not only JUST weight but the physical manifestation of the trauma he has dealt with in his life.

And that sent chills down my spine because it is one of the most real things I’ve ever heard.

After our conversation, I offered to coach him on his weight loss and a mental health journey for free.

You can watch our introductory call in the video below:

After the call, something very interesting happened.

This idea of some Avengers-esque team started to come to fruition… and this sprouted into something even bigger.

The Mood Lifters

He, myself, and my other client Chris (who I talked about in the past), have decided to come together and create a weekly live show and a Facebook Group.

I might just turn the audio into a podcast too.

We call it The Mood Lifters.

The first episode will be published on YouTube soon, and I’m excited to see some of you a part of it.

If you’re a guy that wants to lose weight while managing your mental health, we would love to have you here as well.

We are excited for what’s to come, and I can’t wait to see what these two gentlemen transform into.

Until then, join the group, and be a part of it.

We want to see you succeed.

Until next time!

PS: If you need an extra kick in the ass on your fitness and mental health journey, you can sign up for our Fitness for Mental Health email list. We’ve got a few freebies in it to help you on your fitness journey. You can get it by signing up for our mental health email list here!

Check Out Our Fitness For Mental Health YouTube Channel!

Exercise For Depression Facebook Accountability Group

Fitness For Mental Health Recommended Supplements List!

Visit the Reforged Website

Tony Gjokaj

Tony is the Owner of Reforged. He is a PN1 Certified Nutrition Coach and has been in the fitness space for over a decade. His goal is to help millions exercise their way out of depression and anxiety.

Also in LIFT Your Mood

5 Ways To Make Exercise Meaningful To You

by Tony Gjokaj April 25, 2023 3 min read

Exercise can feel like a chore, and even if you know it’s good for your health, the motivation to get moving sometimes just isn’t there.

But it doesn’t have to be a burden - by making exercise meaningful to you, it can become something fun and rewarding!

Here are five ways to make exercise more meaningful!

5 Best Weight Loss Tips For Overweight Men: Why You Should Lose Weight

by Tony Gjokaj October 07, 2022 4 min read

Men, I know what it is like to be overweight and depressed.

Not having the energy to do anything but relax and sleep.

While relaxation and sleep are incredibly important, they can make us feel like we are not making progress in our lives.

And when depression hits, it’s very difficult to push through with exercise and weight loss.

But did you know that even though it takes time and some effort, you don’t need to get obsessively crazy over it?

In fact, with just a few small adjustments, you can lose weight, fight back against depression, and take your life back.

If you're serious about shedding pounds and pushing away those depression demons, here are five tips that can help get you started.

5 Fast Food Hacks For Healthier Eating In 2022

by Tony Gjokaj September 05, 2022 4 min read

A few weeks ago, my buddy Grant and I talked about nutrition.

We talked about how he's lost over 120 pounds so far with the weight loss progress he's been making.

This is all because he has been making healthier decisions over time.

One of the newest challenges he's facing right now is he's got a new job. He's working 10 to 12 hour days with physical demanding labor.

And what's been happening for him is that he's been super exhausted, he's not motivated to meal prep, he's having trouble trying to sit down and cook foods doesn't have the energy doesn't have the time.

So what I propose is five tips that you can use to live a more on the go fast food healthy eating lifestyle.