6 min read
Ludovic Zamor, 30, is no stranger to challenges. He’s been studying piano since the age of three, and has been performing since he was seven. As a teenager, the Canadian-American made his debut at New York’s Carnegie Hall. But his biggest endeavor to date? Reshaping his mind and body after a 111 pound weight loss—just in time for his return to the stage last December. Here’s what he did, in his own words:
AROUND JANUARY 2020, I weighed around 175 pounds. Then COVID happened. During lockdown, I steadily gained weight. At the time, it felt like everything in my life was piling up on me at once. I dealt with multiple losses and stressors in my personal life, my work life was suffering, and I wasn’t active at all.
The main cause was my out-of-control eating habits. I was eating anything I wanted in huge portions. I’d go through a drive-thru and order four sandwiches plus two large drinks. I’d get two large pizzas delivered, or eat multiple meals of Chinese food with sides in one sitting. I had no structure and no limits.
Friends periodically noticed I was gaining weight. I heard joking remarks like, “Damn, boy, you got big.” By May of 2022, I was 240 pounds, and by January 2023 I hit my heaviest at 276 pounds. I was only 27 years old.
At my heaviest, I felt terrible in every way. Mentally, I was sluggish and full of brain fog, like my mind could never fire on all cylinders. My self-esteem was at an all-time low. I had no confidence. Physically, I was exhausted all the time and got winded from simple activities. My knees would hurt going down the stairs, and I’d have a glaze of sweat on my face even at rest.
I tried what I call “micro-adjustments” to lose weight. I ordered pre-made meal boxes, and I tried going for occasional walks around the neighborhood, but nothing stuck. I wasn’t consistent, so I ended up gaining even more weight.
The Lightbulb Moment
Then came a real turning point. I was in my car in a parking lot, and there happened to be a Porsche dealership nearby. In the showroom was one of my dream cars. I sat there staring at the car through the glass. I genuinely am not a materialistic person; it wasn’t about simply wanting a car. It was the car represented: the future and dreams I had imagined for myself. A life where I was secure, healthy, confident, performing as a concert pianist at the highest level, and living up to my potential. Included in that dream, of course, was a Porsche in my garage.
That day, I decided to part ways with a manager I’d been working with, who I felt took advantage of my business. The decision marked a new beginning and pushed me to finally commit to the full, drastic reset I needed—a real change.
I Approached Working Out Like Piano Practice
I made a plan. I asked one of my best friends, someone who has been in great shape his entire life, which gym he went to. He said Life Time in Syosset, NY. I signed up online to become a member. I wanted to progressively strengthen my body, and I knew I had to start incredibly small. My first workout was literally one minute on the StairMaster. The next day I made sure I stayed on just a little bit longer.
I approached working out with the mindset I use as a concert pianist. You don’t practice once today and expect to perform a piece onstage tomorrow. It takes months, sometimes years of consistent preparation. So I applied that same philosophy to my fitness: consistency over intensity. I kept most workouts at about 60 to 70 percent effort so I wouldn’t be too sore and lose progress. In the beginning, I focused solely on cardio, core, and stretching, no weights at all.
I worked out alone for a long period since my friend’s schedule rarely aligned. It wasn’t until I lost the excess weight and wanted to learn more about calisthenics and traditional weightlifting exercises that I booked some sessions with a personal trainer. We did multiple sessions, maybe like once or twice a month for some time. But as we did them, I would ask for “homework,” and what to incorporate to my independent daily routines to incrementally make progress.
Ludovic performing a deadlift at Lifetime Gym.
I Changed How I Plated My Meals
The biggest shift in terms of food was portion control. I cut out junk food and committed to basic, protein-focused meals, like chicken strips with tomato sauce. I would eat just one tray of chicken strips and call that an entire meal, a drastic change from the free reign I had before. That discipline with portion size made an enormous difference, especially as I coupled what I ate with my idea of “earning my meals after a workout,” and intermittent fasting.
I knew from the beginning that this wasn’t going to be an instant gratification process. My goal was incremental growth. The steady fuel, the thing that truly got me through the journey, was discipline. On the days when discipline alone wasn’t enough, I would remind myself of how I felt at my lowest: that was the version of me I refused to ever be again. That was a jump-start.
What I Look Like Now
It took me one year to lose the first 100 pounds. After that, I stayed around the same weight but shifted my focus entirely to changing my body composition, getting stronger pound for pound. Today I’m 165 pounds and under 10 percent body fat. In total, I lost 111 pounds.
After weight loss photo of Ludovic.
My favorite meal now is a medium-rare steak with feta or cottage cheese on the side, plus four eggs over medium. As for my workouts, I stretch for 15 minutes, do deadlifts (3 sets of 12 reps at 135 pounds, 1 set of 5 at 225 pounds, 1 set of 3 reps at 315 pounds and 1 set of 1 rep at 405 pounds). I also do controlled static hold pull ups and muscle ups. I then focus on a specific muscle group for a day, like back/biceps, chest/triceps, or legs/shoulders). I also do 200 sit ups, cardio, and then finish with 10 to 15 mins in the sauna.
Now that my routines are a lot more balanced, there isn’t a main focus on cardio and weight loss anymore. I still do the StairMaster on the even days of the week. But daily cardio goals for the day are to do 100 calories, twice a day. If I’m on the StairMaster at a decent pace, it takes about 10 minutes. On the stationary bike it takes about 20 minutes.
I genuinely feel like I’m in the prime of my life. Because I approached everything with balance, I feel strong and full of energy. The aches I used to have the knee pain and lower back pain are gone. Mentally, I feel clear and sharp.
My health journey continues. I want to master my body even further to grow stronger pound for pound, to become healthier and even more balanced. I want to reach elite levels of strength and have enough stamina to run distance races at very competitive paces.
I Recreated Myself Artistically
During my wellness journey, I also recreated myself artistically. Rebuilding and recreating myself in all facets stripped away fear. Stepping onto stages like in Carnegie Hall no longer intimidates me– it feels like where I belong. I feel confident! I recently appeared on the TODAY Show, and was slated to be in the studio at the same time as Sydney Sweeney–but I got stuck in traffic on the way and missed her. I’m waiting for our paths to cross again!
Stepping away from the stage gave me the space to design an entirely new concert program. It’s something I’m incredibly proud of, and my plan is to showcase this program across North America, and then bring it to Eurasia. This is the beginning of a much larger artistic chapter for me.
Never accept the idea that it’s too late. The hardest parts of any journey are simply starting and then finding the courage to remain consistent. Begin by choosing a step so manageable that it doesn’t feel daunting, and let that small step become your foundation.
Lisa is an internationally established health writer whose credits include Good Housekeeping, Prevention, Men’s Health, Oprah Daily, Woman’s Day, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Esquire, Glamour, The Washington Post, WebMD, Medscape, The Los Angeles Times, Parade, Health, Self, Family Circle and Seventeen. She is the author of eight best-selling books, including The Essentials of Theater.
