How I Lost 45 lbs Without Giving Up Pizza, Cheeseburgers, or Chicken Wings

At 50 I was diagnosed with anemia, pre-diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol — all in the same stretch. I'd been down this road before. In my mid-30s I got into running, dropped 50 lbs without even trying, and ran two marathons and about 75 races. Then life took over, the running stopped, and the weight came back with interest.

So I tried something different this time. I told ChatGPT exactly who I was: 50, 245 lbs, love pizza, cheeseburgers, and chicken wings, and I refuse to be hungry. The response wasn't a lecture — it was a plan.

What followed was a real education in food. Protein. Fiber. Blood sugar response. Portion sizing. Calorie budgeting. I learned to cook, tried foods I'd never considered, and started building meals around what I actually wanted to eat — not what I thought I was supposed to eat. Five months later: 45 lbs gone, every health number green.

That's what Colbren Recipes is built on — real food, real portions, scored so you always know where you stand. No hunger required.