A former college football standout made a dramatic transformation by adopting a single lifestyle change — and it didn’t rely on any fad diet.
Virginia native Tre Hubbard was 18 years old when he earned a football scholarship in 2016 and headed off to college.
But within the next couple of years, he says the experience took a toll on his mental health — and his weight climbed quickly, with 65lbs gained in only eight months.
Later, after committing to a different way of thinking and using a method known as “habit stacking,” Hubbard was able to reverse course. In nine months, he says he lost 120lbs.
So what exactly is habit stacking? The idea is straightforward: you build a new behavior by pairing it with something you already do regularly.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, habit stacking is ‘a technique where you attach a new habit to one you already engage in consistently’.
Psychologist Lauren Alexander, PhD, told the outlet: “The thinking is that engaging in the already-existing habit will cue you to do your new one.”
For Hubbard, that approach became the foundation of his turnaround.
After a close friend died in 2019 and the Covid pandemic halted his fifth year of college, Hubbard said food became his way of coping.
“I sat at an all you can eat sushi place from the time it opened to the time it closed” he said. “I ate 90 pieces of sushi.”
“I weighed 265lbs,” he added. “For the very first time in my life, I felt defeated. I dug this hole myself and I was afraid to step on the scale.”
He eventually decided the pattern had to change — and began by focusing on small, repeatable actions rather than trying to overhaul everything at once.
Early on, he kept it basic: before going to sleep, he’d prepare what he planned to eat the next day.
To make mornings easier and reduce the chances of backing out, he’d set his alarm across the room and pack his gym bag each night so everything was ready to go.
“I think habit stacking works because it removes decision fatigue,” he said. “You stop negotiating with yourself all day and healthy actions start becoming automatic instead of emotional.”
The Virginia Beach native, now 28, described how he enforces a strict morning routine.
“I keep a physical alarm clock across the room, once it goes off, I allow myself five seconds. Then I jump out of bed, no matter what. My bed is always made.”
He also said daily movement has become non-negotiable, sharing that he walks between 12,000 and 15,000 steps a day — and plans ahead to stay consistent even when his schedule shifts.
“After work, I immediately change into gym clothes before sitting down. After meals, I go walk. Before bed, I prep my water, meals, and gym bag for the next day,” he said.
Those routines helped create momentum, and when he joined a gym, his training evolved into boxing — which gave him a new goal to work toward.
“I had no option but to get ready for the fight. I ended up losing 120lbs in 9 months,” he said, adding: “In my first fight, I knocked him out, boom, in the first round.”
Looking back, Hubbard credited the method with helping him stay on track long enough for the results to stick.
“I can honestly say habit stacking was one of the biggest reasons I stayed consistent long enough for my life to completely change,” he said.