Russell Okung survived just on water throughout his weight-loss journey

Former American footballer Russell Okung recently went through a drastic physical transformation, as he lost about 56 pounds by fasting, surviving only on water.

As updated on his Instagram profile, he started his 40-day rigorous water diet on June 6, 2023, and continued till July 17 till he achieved his desired body goals.

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Why Russell Okung went through a rigorous weight-loss process?

Russel Okung is a former NFL player. (Image via CNBC)

Following his retirement, the former offensive tackle decided to embark on a personal fitness journey.

Reflecting on his former days as a successful footballer, in a conversation with GQ in June, Okung talked about how there were obvious hurdles he had to surmount:

“I went through a pulmonary embolism. I had lacerated lungs, a series of surgeries, ligament and tendon damage — getting up every day was hard."

Speaking about the obstacles he faced post-retirement, he said:

"I thought, magically, that when I finished playing, it would be easier. But it actually got harder. I had completely depleted testosterone. I have two kids, a wife, and a life which has demands. I couldn’t meet those demands."

Speaking about what motivated him to start his journey of weight loss that required such strict discipline and determination, Okung said that his health was something he had put in the backseat while he was at the peak of his career.

However, when he "took a step back" and saw things as it was, he could "see the reality." He elaborated:

"I was in my youth, but I didn’t feel vitality. That’s what led to the change. I felt very desperate, and I needed to make a strong, powerful decision in order for things to feel different."

During his fitness journey, Russell Okung kept his 83.3L Instagram followers updated at every step.

With each passing day, he uploaded a picture of himself that showed visible signs of weight loss. On July 17, a few days post-completion of his weight-loss journey he uploaded two pictures of himself side by side, showing noticeable differences in his weight post his 40-day water-only fasting journey:

The comment section of the post was mostly flooded with positive comments who lauded Russell Okung for his perseverance and hard work, but there were some who criticized him for not being transparent about the whole process. Some also blamed him for promoting unhealthy eating habits and asked him not to promote it, as it can be dangerous.