An adventurous YouTuber has documented how he lost more than a stone in a month by eating a diet consisting only of items bought at fast-food chain Subway.
Frian Frias, from Canada, was shocked by how satisfied he was after each meal – which consisted of foot-long veggie sandwiches as well as the occasional cookie and packet of crisps.
Outlining his challenge in a video that’s so far garnered 14,000 views, Mr Frias said he didn’t change his light exercise routine, so any weight loss could only be attributed to his Subway diet.
His aim was to lose a stone, having been inspired by other content creators who had documented their success with fast-food-only eating plans.
Mr Frias ate just one full meal a day during the 30-day challenge, but would save add-ons like crisps and cookies for morning, evening or afternoon snacks.
Describing his typical meal at the chain, Mr Frias said he mostly opted for a foot-long veggie sandwich and a small potato bun, sold in Canadian branches of Subway, called a ‘sidekick’.
He said this totalled about 670 calories per day, about a quarter of the recommended daily intake for men of 2,500 calories.
Critically, Mr Frias said he avoided adding any calorie-rich sauces and mostly shunned meat options.
Stepping on the scale before his first meal at the fast-food giant, Mr Frias weighed in at 14st (about 89kg).
Canadian YouTuber Frian Frias embarked on the challenge with the aim of losing about 1st (about 7kg) by eating foods from Subway for 30 days
Mr Frias said his typical meal at the chain consisted of a foot-long veggie sandwich and a small potato bun, sold in Canadian Subways, called a ‘sidekick’
By the end of the month— and many sandwiches later— he weighed at 12st 11lbs (81kg) shedding over a stone (about 8kg) and achieving his goal.
That’s a rate of weight loss that’s around eight times faster than what the average person achieves while taking blockbuster skinny drug, Ozempic.
He even saw significant results just one week into the challenge, with Mr Frias finding he lost 10lbs (4.5kg), in just seven days.
However, those close to him expressed concern about his health—particularly the lack of variety in his diet.
As a compromise, Mr Frias chose to expand his meal choices to include the fast food chain’s soup and rice bowl options.
At one point in the clip, Mr Frias documents meals that he enjoys when he’s not doing food challenges, which include instant ramen, burgers, burritos, stir-fried noodles, rice and fish bowls, pizza, and pasta.
Providing tips for those seeking to emulate his success, Mr Frias said dieters should avoid Subway’s soda options and just stick with water.
He also advised choosing crisps over cookies as a side, since crisps contain about 150 calories, compared to cookies, which range from 200 to 300 calories.
Mr Frias added that bread choice was also key.
By the end of the challenge – and many sandwiches later – Mr Frias weighed at 12st 11lbs (81kg), shedding more than a stone (about 8kg) and achieving his goal
The experiment is similar to that of disgraced Subway spokesperson Jared Fogle, who became the face of the brand after losing 17.5st (111kg) while eating their sandwiches for 11 months
Fogle, who starred in Subway’s ads showing off his trim figure besides his old, overgrown pants, suffered a cataclysmic fall from grace in 2015 when he pleaded guilty to child sex crimes
He advised opting for wholegrain options that keep you fuller for longer, rather than white bread which is absorbed faster and can lead to faster sugar spikes.
‘The 9 grain wheat and the flatbread are made from whole grains, they have complex carbohydrates in them,’ he said.
Despite only eating Subway for a month Mr Frias said the challenge, surprisingly, hadn’t put him off the chain’s sandwiches.
‘I’m still going to have Subway on a regular basis after this, I’m just going to take a little bit of a break,’ he said.
The experiment is similar to that of disgraced Subway spokesperson Jared Fogle, who became the face of the brand in the early 2000s after losing 17.5st (111kg) while eating its sandwiches for 11 months.
Fogle, who starred in Subway’s ads showing off his trim figure besides his old, overgrown pants, suffered a cataclysmic fall from grace in 2015 when he pleaded guilty to child sex crimes.
