If you’ve ever lost weight, you know how good it feels when people start to notice your hard work paying off. But when that weight loss involves more than 100 pounds, the response can be overwhelming, as Emil Oprisa of Austria is discovering.

Oprisa’s weight loss success is chronicled online in his blog. But recently, it’s also been covered by news outlets like Huffington Post and NaturalNews, spreading his motivation across the globe.

Oprisa said his struggles with weight began early, as a teen:

“My parents were working overseas, so no one was really supervising my lifestyle or my eating habits. I started eating mainly junk food. I hardly exercised at all. I would even take a taxi to the grocery store down the street and back. I was the embodiment of laziness, but I didn’t really see myself getting fatter.”

It wasn’t until he went away for a two-year masters program in the Alps that he realized how out of control he had become. Weighing in at 328 pounds, he decided it was time for a change.

“I decided that no matter how embarrassing or difficult it would be in the beginning, I would stick to hiking and exercising,” says Oprisa.

Read: 11 Ways to Boost Metabolism and Lose Weight

He began with a single hill behind his university. As he got stronger, he added a hill. Then, he began running. As the pounds began falling off, Oprisa also changed his eating habits. Admittedly, in the beginning he had to force himself to eat new foods. He eventually gave up all processed and junk foods and even quit smoking.

“Now I’m only 20 pounds away from my goal of 185 pounds,” Oprisa writes, “and the quality of my life has improved substantially. I detail my journey on my weight-loss blog. I am much more confident, and I enjoy activities like running and cycling that were all but impossible a few months back! I just want to encourage everyone to get over those mental obstacles and find the determination to do what I did because the result will amaze you!”

When you have a significant amount of weight to lose, the outlook can be overwhelming. But one step and one meal at a time, you can reach profound success and inspire others.

Name: Emil Oprisa
Age: 27
Height: 6’0″
Before Weight: 328 pounds
After Weight: 203 pounds