A British business owner has revealed how his commitment to making cash left his body struggling to get by, but surprisingly simple changes allowed him to revolutionise his approach to his physical and mental health.
Another incredible set of before and after photos slid across the DMARGE news desk today, marking the latest in a slew of body transformations to hit the headlines: not only did an American man shed a massive 160kg before revealing a pretty shocking side effect, internet superstar MrBeast also revealed his own impressive weight loss journey — which quickly drew high praise from the godfather of bodybuilding himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger — all before a British man revealed how focusing on his business led him to neglect his mind and body alike before deciding to turn everything around.
Like so many of us, Jon Over struggled with his weight growing up, but his love for sports had always allowed him to keep the bulk of those extra pounds at bay. However, after starting his own construction company, the 36-year-old entrepreneur found himself prioritizing his business above all else, including his precious health. The ‘grindset‘ — whereby financial pursuits took precedence over all else — had taken a toll on his body and mind, as reported by Men’s Health.
WATCH: The Americans are putting the rest of us to shame; check out this 1-year transformation:
Working relentlessly left little time for the gym or healthy meals, leading to weight gain that deeply affected Over’s mood. Struggling to manage his rapidly-increasing anxiety, Over turned to alcohol for a bit of Dutch courage in social settings which — though we can absolutely understand the urge — quickly became a slippery slope, with drugs briefly creeping into his life as well:
“Outside of work, my enjoyment or participation in things had dwindled due to my rapid weight gain over a few years, and social occasions filled me with anxiety… The issue [with alcohol] would be that I didn’t know when to stop…”
Jon Over
By December 2017, Over had hit his rock bottom, weighing 133kg (294 pounds) and grappling with severe depression. Despite all of this, he was determined not to give up. During this time, he discovered Ultimate Performance (UP) — a UK-based gym specializing in body transformations — and found their social media presence to offer a glimmer of hope in the darkness. While financial constraints prevented him from immediately joining UP, Over began to slowly change his lifestyle, taking up cycling classes and working with local personal trainers.
However, the real turning point came in 2019 when, after an initial consultation, Over finally became a proud member of UP. Assigned a personal trainer, his first revelation came when learned the importance of counting macros and tracking calories. This proved to be a game-changer, making him immediately reevaluate his eating habits. On top of this, Over began to focus on lifting heavy weights, which led to remarkable and remarkably rapid progress:
“It’s amazing what a combination of three hours of weight training and a brilliant trainer can help you produce in a very short space of time.”
Jon Over
Now, Jon Over’s dedication has paid off in spades. Weighing 74kg (167 pounds), he’s gone from being an ‘XXL’ t-shirt size to a ‘Medium’ or — in some particularly thrilling cases — even a ‘Small’. Far more profound than the physical changes, however, are the changes to Over’s mental well-being:
“My mental health benefits have also been dramatic… Exercise is my way of managing them. To think with a clearer head has paid dividends for me and has not only turned my life around but also my business around.”
Jon Over
From a cash-focused entrepreneur to a health-conscious adonis, Jon Over’s journey reminds us that transforming our bodies is great but transforming our minds is the ultimate game-changer. Whether you’re looking to bulge your biceps or boom your business, never forget that it’s all in your head.