How daily drinker’s health scare saw him lose weight, get fit and transform his body

When Ryan Merszei received the results of his annual medical check-up in December 2023, he was shaken. Diagnosed with high blood pressure and dangerously high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, he was at a high risk of hypertension, diabetes and liver disease. “My heart sank when I read the report. I was scared. My doctor told me that I needed to go on medication immediately, for an indefinite period of time, something I didn’t want to do,” says the 40-year-old Hong Kong resident and franchise owner of clothing care company Jeeves of Belgravia. In April 2024, Merszei embarked on a fitness journey that led him to shed 9kg (20lb) over the ensuing 11 months, his weight falling from 73kg to 64kg. He also saw his body fat percentage shrink from 25 per cent to 13 per cent. A year later, Merszei’s blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels returned to normal levels. As so many of us do, Merszei had gained weight over the years. “The kilograms crept up, especially during Covid. I had poor eating habits and drank alcohol every day. I skipped meals, ate junk food and did not think about calories,” he says. He attempted to lose weight several times in the past without lasting success. “I followed fad diets, which did not work. Intermittent fasting worked a bit, but I lost muscle mass and looked ill.” Alcohol was another source of unwanted calories. “I started drinking in college. Once I began working, I would drink wine or whisky every evening after work with friends. I would also drink at home by myself or with my wife, Nokky. It was my way of dealing with stress,” he says, adding he would have three to five drinks every evening on average. When his father died in 2023 from cirrhosis of the liver and multiple organ failure, he took a hard look at his own lifestyle. “My father used to drink excessively. Before he died, he said, ‘Ryan, don’t drink as much as I did,’” he says. He quit alcohol shortly after his 39th birthday in April 2024 and resolved to take charge of his health. “My father’s words and the ‘fear factor’ induced me to take action.” When his wife asked what he wanted as a gift before his 39th birthday, he asked her to sign him up for training sessions at a local gym, recommended by a friend. Soon, Merszei began working out with trainer Shivkarandeep “Shiv” Singh. Singh put him on a training programme, a combination of resistance training and cardio exercise, and an hour of strength training three times a week. “Initially, I found the exercises hard. Over time, my body got used to it. The bench press is my favourite exercise,” says Merszei, who can bench press 70kg now – more than his body weight – and has progressed to performing 12 pull-ups from two when he started. Singh says they paired upper and lower body exercises, such as squat movements with upper body pulls and hinge movements with upper body pushes. “Once Ryan built a good foundation and skill for these movements, we progressed to more specific muscles such as chest, back and arms,” he says. Merszei also began walking 12,000 to 15,000 steps a day. “I walked all over the city. If I could not finish the steps during the day, I would walk at the Central waterfront promenade with my wife,” he says, sometimes having his friends join him. The biggest change for Merszei was in his new eating habits: he went on a calorie-deficient diet of 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day and began weighing his food and counting calories, which took some time to get accustomed to. For breakfast, Merszei has muesli or hard-boiled eggs. Lunch and dinner are selected from Nutrition Kitchen, a meal-planning app. His favourite dishes are Balinese fish stew with rice, Kung Pao chicken, and steak and shrimp with mash. He also began drinking three litres of water daily and getting more rest, sleeping seven hours a night. “The toughest part of the journey was getting started,” Merszei says. “Once I began, there was no looking back. I realised that evenings out were the trigger for me to drink.” He stopped going out after work and stopped keeping alcohol at home. “I became antisocial and threw myself into work. Nokky supported me, and my friends encouraged me to stay off alcohol,” he says. Now he is a teetotaller and enjoys sparkling tea when he meets up with friends. He feels great, with more energy than before. “Seeing the physical changes in my body, the mental clarity and strength I have now, inspires me to keep going. My friends and family have been impressed, some of them even shocked, by my transformation. They say, ‘Ryan, you look great.’ “I feel like I’ve achieved the impossible. My doctor was amazed at the progress I’d made in such a short span of time.” His wife, inspired by him, began strength training in the same gym. “I’m a much more relaxed person. This whole process has mitigated a lot of stress and anxiety in my life,” he says. To sustain his weight loss, he continues to follow his trainer’s advice: to count his calories, strength train three times a week and walk 15,000 steps every day. “Thinking about my father and how happy he would have been to see me in shape today inspires me to sustain this lifestyle,” he says, adding he would not have been able to do this without the support of his trainer. “Shiv dedicated his time, adjusted the training programme to motivate me and trained me online when I travelled. The bond that you have with your trainer is everything.” For others who hope to lose weight, Merszei has this advice: “Health is the ultimate wealth. It’s important to invest in yourself. Rather than go down the route of medication, address any health issues naturally through eating better and lifting weights. “If you really want something, it takes time; nothing can be rushed. Find a trainer that you can bond with. Commit and you will find your own way. “Consistency is key. If you do something for a week or a month, that’s good, but to get results, you have to do it for a longer period of time, unfailingly. And if you can do that, why not make it part of your lifestyle for good?” Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also sign up for our eNewsletter here.

How daily drinker’s health scare saw him lose weight, get fit and transform his body

Facing a health scare, Hong Kong resident Ryan Merszei quit alcohol, started exercising and changed his diet. Now he’s healthier than ever