Ethan Noblesala, 33, of New York City, was always slightly overweight. Like many during COVID, Ethan stayed inside not moving much and ordering takeout most of the week. When he couldn’t bend down to tie his shoes, he knew his weight gain went too far. He started with a series of simple habits like drinking water first thing in the morning and scaling down his portion size. But it was discovering pickleball and social fitness that really enabled him to lose 100 pounds in 18 months. Here’s how he turned his life around, one small step at a time.
I’VE BEEN SLIGHTLY overweight most of my life, usually by 5 or 10 pounds. I played sports, but never watched what I ate.
COVID is when my weight really crept up on me. I didn’t move around much and I was ordering Uber Eats eight times a week. I love sushi and for a typical lunch, I’d eat almost 10 rolls in one sitting.
If you took a look at me, you wouldn’t notice the stress, fatigue, and shame. People thought I was just another happy and enthusiastic guy. Once COVID restrictions were lifted, I buried my feelings and insecurities with materialistic purchases and extravagant experiences. I was spending money on Knicks suite basketball tickets and fancy dinners (I was a CFO in finance at the time). I also ate out all the time. At restaurants, I’d finish everything on my plate which was a problem, because sometimes I’d order two whole meals. By age 30, I was at my heaviest. I weighed around 235 pounds.
Two Key Events Inspired Me to Move
I HAD TWO events that inspired me to lose weight. The first happened when I was walking down Fifth Avenue in New York City. I noticed my shoe was untied, and of course, bent down to tie it. Except I couldn’t. My stomach was so large I couldn’t properly tie my shoe.
The second turning point happened when I went to the doctor. After my checkup, he sat me down and explained that I had prediabetes. My doctor stressed that if I didn’t lose weight, I would see a future of surgeries and other health problems.
I didn’t drastically change overnight. I knew most people tried to do the most to get healthy only to lose motivation and quit after a month. Instead, I decided to focus on small changes to build healthier habits.
First, the sushi. I scaled down from eating 10 rolls to 8 rolls to 6 rolls! Eventually, I stopped ordering out altogether and started cooking my own meals instead. I came across healthy recipes for buffalo chicken burritos and chicken tenders. The focus was eating high-protein, low-calorie foods. One big swap I made was replacing any pasta I ate with shirataki noodles, which are very light on calories. I also started drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning. Simple, but the start of a brand-new healthy habit.
Pickleball was the Secret to My Success
EVERYTHING CHANGED WHEN my uncle introduced me to pickleball. I got hooked instantly. I made so many friends playing pickleball! It was my main form of movement at first, and I found the sport an easy way to stay physically active.
I was looking for indoor courts where I could play in the winter, and came across Life Time fitness club. I started playing at their amazing pickleball facility and eventually moved to working out in Life Time’s gym. I started strength training three times a week.
Pickleball became the gateway to unlocking other exercises I’m now really into, like calisthenics and running. In fact, I ran the New York City Marathon in November 2025!
Initially, I lost 85 pounds in 8 months. After about a year and a half, I lost 100 pounds. At my lightest, I weighed 135 pounds. Today I’m building more muscle mass, so I’m around 145 pounds at 5’6″.
Exercise Helped Me Cope Through Major Life Changes
PHYSICALLY, I FEEL great and am no longer prediabetic. I’m confident in how I look and people have given me tons of compliments on how much younger and healthier I look! I’ve never been more attuned to my body. It’s an exhilarating feeling.
Improving my physical health has also helped my mental health as I dealt with some traumatic experiences—the loss of my sister, breakups, and business issues. Being more active helped me cope with those tough times. Instead of eating my feelings or spending money on extravagant purchases, I spent my time and energy on walks, runs, yoga, and pickleball. Best of all, I’m not sitting at home alone anymore.
During my weight loss journey, I was surprised at what my body could do. I never thought I could run a marathon. Sometimes I still can’t believe that I did! I’ve also learned how to set myself up for success. Staying active with friends is also a great accountability tool. This is what my new company is building fitness with friends. I’m the co-founder of WeFit Labs, a company that uses social connection as a motivational health technique. Through the WeFit platform, users play fitness games through community challenges and with their friends.
In terms of fitness goals, I want to reach 10 percent body fat and do a calisthenics move called a flag pole. Though I won’t ever be finished. Fitness, to me, isn’t a start and a finish line but a lifestyle.
To others struggling with weight, I say, start small. Don’t think about large goals, but small health changes you can make in your everyday life. Be proud of those small wins. Find a physical activity that you truly enjoy doing, and try to make healthier choices. There’s this quote that I love: “Don’t mess up the progress by rushing the process. If February didn’t—March, April, May.”
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.
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