This Shy Guy's Barber Said he Should Grow A Beard - And It Ended Up Changing His Entire Life

Gwilym Pugh's life changed drastically after taking a trip to the barber. On that day, he was given advice from his barber, and he took it seriously. Over the next several years, Pugh continued evolving to the point where he is now almost a completely different person. Many people want to improve their health and fitness, with some wanting to lose weight and gain muscle or develop a healthy mindset. Transforming your physique, lifestyle, and health doesn't happen overnight, but if you are patient, you will achieve your goals.

Gwilym Pugh is thirty-three years old and from Wales. He now lives in London and has transformed into a new person in the last several years. His story is one of remarkable transformation. 

In 2006, Pugh was spending the majority of his time at home, as that was when he began his own life insurance business. He worked really hard for roughly twelve hours a day, but his job had him sitting at a desk most of the time. 

Pugh started a folk country band with his friend Calum Ross, and they named the band Magic Rooster Brothers. Pugh was the guitarist in the band, and it was during that time that he went to the barbershop. 

He decided it was time to change other areas of his life as well. He started by changing his diet, which meant no more take-out meals. He then made his biggest move, which was quitting his job as an insurance agent. 

Pugh slowly started to lose weight, and in a couple of years, he became a different person. He decided to join Instagram, and he quickly grew his fan base. At first, he joined social media so that he could promote his band. 

One of his first jobs was posing for a book called 100 Beards, and then he went on to take part in another photography project. He signed with a well-respected modeling agency in London and has had steady work. 

After Pugh's Instagram snowballed with more than three hundred and five thousand followers, he was lucky enough to work with some huge brands and famous figures. 

Pugh said his biggest success to date was teaming up with famous football player David Beckham. Pugh was picked by Beckham to represent his Haig Club whiskey. The whiskey is crafted at the oldest grain distillery in Scotland. 

Even though he has had a lot of success, he has stayed grounded. He stated, "Having worked in finance for years, the opportunity to work with creative people and travel around the world is amazing. You forget how nuts it is; it all becomes normal." 

Some people believe that there is a secret to getting healthy and losing weight. However, there really isn't a secret, and different things work for different people. 

Another thing that people believe is that you should work out as much as you possibly can. However, depending on your body and goals, more is not always better. It is often unnecessary and might even make it harder for you to make progress. 

There is a method of exercise called HIIT (high-intensity interval training). It is said to be time-efficient, burns a lot of calories, and provides a serious endorphin boost. However, most trainers will tell you to do fewer HIIT workouts and more weightlifting. 

Exercise is something that should be a part of everyone’s lives, but that alone is not going to make you healthy. If you are wanting to lose weight, then you will need to change your diet as well. 

Changing your diet is not an easy thing to do, especially if you enjoy unhealthy foods. Transitioning to dialing in your nutrition is not easy. Many of us use food for more than just nourishment and enjoyment. 

Just because you change your diet and are eating healthier doesn’t mean you can’t ever have your favorite foods. If you cut your favorite foods out of your diet completely, you will just crave them even more, which can result in binge eating. 

It’s important to find something you like about eating healthy and exercising that isn’t about losing weight. Sustainable progress takes time, and creating new habits takes time as well. 

When trying to get healthy and exercise, make sure to give yourself some grace. Many can relate to starting their healthy diet, messing up, starting, and stopping again. 

Taking progress pictures can feel silly and dumb, but you will be happy later that you have done it. You will be able to look back and see how far you have come, both physically and emotionally. 

Most of us look at photos and dream of having that perfect body. However, if you aren’t happy with your body, it can be hard to find something you love about it. If you instead focus on what your body can do, you will start to love the body you already have. 

One of the most important pieces of advice for someone just starting out is to ease into your new routine. Going from being a physically inactive person to going to the gym seven days a week isn’t reasonable. The same goes for your diet; don’t try to completely change it overnight. 

It is also very important to treat recovery as a vital part of your body's transformation. Your body won’t have the same tolerance in the beginning as a regular gym-goer. In addition, your body adapts during periods of rest. 

Be realistic and set achievable goals because breaking them down into smaller goals could be the difference between failure and success. An example would be, planning to lose seventy pounds in one year, but a year is a long time and may seem too far away. 

Cheat days are very controversial, as some believe they shouldn’t be allowed. However, even hardcore bodybuilders allow themselves cheat days. The “planned hedonic goal deviations” help us stay true to our goals when we are dieting. 

Some people also choose to hire a coach or private trainer to help them stay on track. A person’s accountability goes up because you are spending money on their services. 

When Andrew Goldblatt was twenty-five years old, he had a seizure and wasn’t able to go to the hospital because of his weight and size. His father died when he was just fifteen years old, and he fell into a deep depression. He basically laid in bed all day and consumed ten thousand calories every day. 

James Van Der Beek is well-known for the show Dawson's Creek and, most recently, appeared on Dancing with the Stars in 2019. He was forty-two years old, and because they trained and danced six hours daily, he leaned out. 

Nakeshia Thompson, from Texas, used to eat a massive amount of fast food and admitted that she had no self-control. She ate her emotions, was obsessed with food, and let her eating get extremely out of control. 

Kelly Howland is an Instagrammer from Michigan who is very open about her past experiences with abuse and binge-eating disorder. She started a journey to build a healthier lifestyle for herself. 

Gabrielle May is a mother of five children and has been living a sedentary lifestyle and mindlessly eating packaged, unhealthy foods. She was up to one hundred and ninety-eight pounds when she decided it was time for a big change. 

Twenty-seven-year-old Regan Patterson had tried several weight loss programs, including a low-carb diet, but none of them were sustainable. She would always gain the weight back. Today, she follows an eschewing gad diet and counts macros and calories. 

Jenny Wagner was thirty years old and was in denial about her body. When she was in her 20s, she developed polycystic ovary syndrome, got married, and started to gain weight. She was up to two hundred and forty pounds at one point. 

Hannah Day had gained so much weight that she wasn't able to take care of her family anymore. She couldn't fit into the biggest sizes in her favorite clothing stores and no longer loved herself. She decided it was time to change her habits and her life. 

Sam Gwazdauskas is a certified sports nutritionist, body positivity advocate, and strength and conditioning coach. She shares her story on Instagram about how her body has changed over the years due to suffering from eating disorders. 

While Charlene Bazarian was in the process of changing her health and weight, she had three children. She was worried that having a baby would make her go off track and gain the weight back. However, she continued working out during her pregnancy and quickly lost the pregnancy weight. 

Alex DePinto said that he never worried about what he ate or about his body. He had ended a relationship and wanted to make a change. He decided to focus one hundred percent on himself and his health. He did research on lifting weights and decided to start playing racquetball. 

Nancy Reinhardt developed a passion for fitness when she was a senior in high school and went on to teach aerobics. She trained both men and women and managed health clubs. However, in her early 20s, she let herself go, especially after having five children. 

Jade Socoby made a lot of mental changes after getting out of an abusive relationship. She had been bullied all of her life, had zero confidence, ate fast food daily, and had no direction. 

How fast you eat does affect how much you eat, which in turn, affects your weight gain. Studies have shown that fast eaters are much more likely to eat more and have a higher BMI than slow eaters. Your hormones control your appetite, how much you eat, and how full you get. 

A very helpful tip when trying to fix your diet is always to make a list when grocery shopping. Make a list ahead of time and stick to your list. 

Drinking enough water is very important for everyone and is a massive part of being healthy. Several studies have shown that drinking water helps you lose weight and promotes weight maintenance. 

Sleep is another very important part of being healthy, and its importance can't be overstated. Not getting enough sleep disrupts appetite regulation and will often lead to increased appetite. It results in increased calorie intake and weight gain. 

One of the best exercises is swimming because the buoyancy of the water supports your body and takes the strain off your joints. It allows you to move your joints more fluidly. 

Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art that combines relaxation and movement. It is very good for both your body and mind and is often called "meditation in motion." It is made up of a series of graceful movements, one transitioning smoothly into the next. 

Strength Training doesn't bulk up your muscles, but it does keep them strong. Strong muscles help burn calories, and strength training can also help preserve brain function in later years. 

Walking is a powerful exercise, and it can help you stay trim, strengthen bones, improve cholesterol levels, keep blood pressure in check, lift your mood, and lower your risk for a number of diseases. 

Traditional squats are important because they target the muscles in your lower body. You can even load the squat using weights. Trainer Natalie Yco stated, "Not only is the squat a functional move that mimics everyday life, such as sitting and standing in a chair. It also increases our anabolic hormones and is important for spine and core strength."

Interval training added to your cardiovascular workout will boost your fitness level and help you lose weight. It doesn't matter if you are a beginner or an exercise veteran. 

Lunges are similar to squats, as they work all the major muscles of the lower body. It is a great exercise because it mimics walking, only exaggerated. They help improve your balance as well. 

One of the most important tips for living a healthy life is to always make time for yourself. Alone time is sometimes good because it provides you with a chance to reflect, plan, and relax.