Digital content producer Tom Carroll dropped 132 pounds by combining a daily Chick-fil-A salad habit with light meals and regular exercise. His viral transformation began after a wedding and a health scare.
Rhode Island | April 7, 2025 — In an inspiring real-life transformation, Tom Carroll, a 34-year-old digital content producer from Boston, lost 60 kg (132 lbs) in just one year—and credits his daily Chick-fil-A Spicy Southwest Salad for the success.
Carroll, who stands 6’2″, began his health journey in July 2023 after a wake-up call at a wedding in Syracuse, where he saw the scale hit 360 pounds (163 kg).
💬 “I had never seen it so high,” Carroll wrote in his personal essay titled “Chick-fil-A Saved My Life.”
“I felt miserable before changing my diet. Stairs were difficult. Plane seat belts didn’t fit. Dressing up wasn’t fun.”
The Turning Point
Though he’d previously ignored doctors’ warnings and avoided medical visits after a nurse once commented, “That’s good eatin’ — until it ain’t,” it wasn’t until Black Friday 2023 that Carroll truly decided to change his lifestyle.
“I felt like I was having a heart attack while eating Thanksgiving leftovers. It was the closest I’ve ever felt to dying,” he recalled.
What He Ate
Carroll made Chick-fil-A’s Spicy Southwest Salad his daily lunch, often replicating it at home for dinner. The meal—about 680 calories—includes:
- Mixed greens
- Tomatoes, corn, black beans, roasted chiles, red bell peppers
- Grilled chicken, shredded cheese
- Tortilla strips, pepitas
- Creamy salsa dressing
For breakfast, he usually had yoghurt and fruit, or skipped it altogether.
He cut out soda, alcohol, and sports drinks, which he said led to “unnecessary calories and bad decisions.”
Fitness & Progress
Along with a disciplined diet, Carroll began light, consistent workouts. By December 2023, he dropped below 300 lbs, and by July 2024, he hit 228 lbs (103 kg).
“This meal became my daily staple—and I credit most of my progress to it,” Carroll says proudly.
“I’m now healthy, confident, and more alive than ever.”
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#WeightLossJourney, #ChickFilA, #HealthyEating, #TomCarroll, #InspiringTransformation, #FitnessMotivation, #ViralStory, #SaladForTheWin, #WorldHealthDay2025,