What would it take for you to totally change your appearance? In my case, probably something pretty dramatic would have to occur for me to take dieting and exercising more seriously.

Of course, within every overweight man is someone slim and trim, and within every skinny shrimp is a gigantic juggernaut. But it's hard to appreciate just how different someone can look after working out until you can view the results with your own eyes.

If you want an example, then look no further than the hulking Viking Chris Aslesen. Once a self-described "chubby nerd', in just four years Chris has managed to totally change his appearance; gaining a chiselled jaw, washboard stomach and bulging biceps through many hours spent at the gym.

The security guard, who hails from Tønsberg in Norway, uses his Norse heritage as inspiration and has gone to some pretty extreme lengths in the name of his workout goals. He now routinely posts photos from his workouts on Instagram under the hashtag #Viking, has sacrificed old friends, who are more interested in playing video games than getting fit, and has replaced his old junk food-based diet with one that emphasises the importance of leafy green vegetables and grilled meat.

Commenting on his amazing weight loss in a recent interview, Chris stated: "Being Norwegian means the Vikings are my ancestors. I go for hikes at least twice a week and am at the gym six times a week. I do gymnastics too. I look to the Vikings for inspiration ... I always want to look better,” he said. “I’m happy with my body now, but I won’t gain weight. Meanwhile, I want more tattoos and an even bigger beard."

Chris first decided to lose weight after acknowledging a number of hard truths about his body image and former lethargic lifestyle. He states: "I was looking in the mirror one day when I was naked and thought, ‘I’m fat.’ I wobbled, I had flab. It was horrible. But then, my diet was horrible. I’d have takeaways three times a week."

He added: "I’d eat hamburgers and fried chicken. I loved cake and pizza. I would drink litres and litres of Coca-Cola and eat sweets. When I found people working out, I did just what they did. Press up, bench press-ups… everything. I read loads of books – about 15 – on the art of bodybuilding, too."

Chris has even decided to incorporate his baby son, Storm, into his workout routines, lifting him up as if he were a weight himself. In addition, he now socialises with a crowd of buff bodybuilder friends.

I'm sure that he's going to raise his little boy to be just as badass as he is, and maybe even imbue him with the power of Thor himself. With a name like 'Storm', frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if he was lifting weights by the time he reaches kindergarten.

Joey Swoll strikes again.

The popular fitness influencer has once again shown his power on social media after getting a group of women banned from a spa after they mocked a naked stranger.

Going to the gym or spa can be a daunting experience for anyone self-conscious of their body, so it should be the done thing to make people comfortable at these places.

Sadly, some take it upon themselves to ridicule others either to hide their insecurities or just to be an awful person.

Luckily, people like Swoll are on hand to call out bad behavior, and it can have devastating consequences for those involved.

Swoll has taken a stand against what he describes as "arrogant" behavior after discovering a disturbing incident at Champneys Luxury Health Spa in the UK.

The influencer, whose real name is Joseph Sergo, expressed his outrage on social media over the recording of a nude woman in the spa's locker room.

In a video posted on his Instagram account, Swoll didn't mince words: "This video really p*sses me off. Pardon my language but what the f*** is wrong with you? How do you not know better than to do this to somebody?"

The footage, which circulated on social media on March 5, shows the woman changing in the locker room before the camera pans to two individuals, identified as her friends, laughing in the sauna.

The video, described as "perverted," was allegedly posted on one of the friend's Instagram stories with the caption "even a free show," per the New York Post.

Swoll, visibly angered in his video response, criticized the perpetrators for their lack of respect and empathy towards the woman.

"You and your friends sit there arrogantly laughing at her and enjoying this 'free show' as you call it – and you even tagged the location of this spa," he said.

Taking further action, Swoll directly messaged Champneys Spas via Instagram to condemn the behavior of the individuals involved. In response, Champneys Spas issued a statement expressing their shock and dismay over the incident.

"We are absolutely appalled and so upset by the actions of these individuals. Champneys is a place that prides itself on being somewhere to relax and unwind in a safe and comfortable environment, we do not condone or accept any conduct that puts our guests at risk," the spa's statement read.

The statement continued: "We have identified the guests, banned them from our properties and reported the incident to the police. Rest assured, we are reviewing our procedures and policies to ensure this does not happen again."

Swoll, urging the affected woman to press charges, emphasized the importance of respecting privacy and personal boundaries. "You need to do better. Mind your own business," he insisted.

Comments flooded in from shocked viewers, with one person stating: "This is so awful to see. The poor woman who has been violated, can’t imagine how it’s left her feeling. Why do people think it’s ok to film others without consent and in private places."

A second added: "That’s a straight up FELONY. Haul them off to prison! Where the hell do people get the absolute AUDACITY to do something like this??"

Featured image credit: Chanin Nont/Getty

When it comes to judging appearances, a lot of us have this misguided idea that being skinny is the same as being healthy. We glorify celebrities with tiny waists and pencil-thin legs, and judge ourselves in comparison to people who are slimmer than us. But having a petite body doesn't always mean that a person is leading a healthy lifestyle. In fact, sometimes it's an indication of the complete opposite.

Johanna Sophia, a 23-year-old former bodybuilder from Toronto, Canada, used to have a figure that many would consider enviable. She was thin but muscular, and weighed just 117lb.

However, she achieved her look through obsessive exercise - sometimes working out three times a day - and, even worse, through purging herself of any food she'd eaten. At the time, she thought she looked great; but, after a while, her lifestyle started to take its toll, and Sophia realized that she wasn't actually being healthy at all.

"In my first year of competing, I knew I needed to eat a whole lot less and do cardio up to three times a day," she said. "I developed an eating disorder, bulimia. Eventually, I realized that I needed to stop but I was so deep in the competition world and the superficial bubble that it took a long time to figure it out."

She continued:

"At the worst of my eating disorder, I was super-light and was making myself sick at least once a day.

"I was consuming the low-calorie diet that my coach put me on but also was binge eating junk food - whatever sugary or fatty food I could get my hands on.

"The fixation caused me to constantly pick out the imperfections all over my body, I always felt like I wasn't enough or didn't measure up."

Thankfully, Sophia finally realized that - while she might have appeared healthy from the outside - her lifestyle was doing her far more damage than good. And so she decided to change.

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After quitting bodybuilding in 2014, Sophia made the first step towards achieving a healthier, more curvaceous body: the 100-day squat challenge. The challenge changed her figure substantially, but also helped her to feel more comfortable in herself.

"I ended up increasing my squat 1RM from 225lbs to 320lbs in just 70 days, and with that came an extra three inches on my butt," she said. "People would call my rear a 'Thanksgiving table' because it stuck out so much."

But she prefers it that way.

"When I used to compete people saw me as ripped and disciplined, but I felt awful and looking back now, all I see is how unhappy I was compared to how happy I am now."

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Sophia now weighs in at a much healthier 145lbs, and explains that her healthy lifestyle is now about balance rather than an extreme approach.

"For 80 per cent of the time, I'm eating healthy and working out, doing things that will keep my body alive and the 20 per cent is eating what I truly enjoy or while socializing, I'm not afraid to indulge anymore.

"What I am mindful of is keeping my protein high, healthy fats moderate and carbohydrates complex - meaning I get the majority of my carbs from foods like sweet potatoes, quinoa, rice and others.

"As a result of all these habits and this free way of living and eating, I can say that I pretty much never crave anything, and I feel more healthy and energized."

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Since changing her lifestyle, Sophia now works as a personal trainer, and uses her own experience in order to motivate others to sustain a healthy, productive attitude to fitness and body image.

In a tale of resilience and self-belief, a man from South Carolina, Cole Prochaska, has been showered with praise for his remarkable weight loss journey. Achieving a stunning loss of over 330 pounds in under two years, Cole came back from what he refers to as the "lowest point of his life".

Two years prior, tipping the scales at around 600 pounds, Cole felt the urgent need for change. In a recent Twitter post, he recounted his motivation to reclaim his life, "Two years ago I decided I didn't want to die young. I didn't want to get diabetes. I didn't want to never know my true potential. I decided to take my life back. 330+ lbs down and I'm not done yet. Believe in yourself!"

He further shared, "It's very hard to share a shirtless picture but I've come so far. Over 336lbs down! Most didn't believe in me but I believed in myself."

The transformation pictures he posted - revealing his journey from morbid obesity to a much healthier body - garnered immense praise. One user replied, "Keep pushing bruv. You inspired me to start on my weight loss journey. I need to lose about 120lbs to stay lean and fit. Starting the journey as we speak."

Cole is now facing another hurdle: dealing with the excess skin. He has taken to GoFundMe to raise funds for surgery to remove the skin, sharing his insecurities and long-standing struggle with body image. "My weight goal has been reached but my life is not complete, and it will not be complete until I can get rid of this excess skin," Cole shared.

He's set a fundraising target of $100,000, confessing that he's unsure about the exact cost of the procedure. Any remaining funds will be directed towards helping others in their weight loss journey. For Cole, the journey from being the size of three men to a single individual, or what he calls "3 to 1", has been achieved through a regimented diet, consistent gym workouts, and clocking in at least 10,000 steps daily.

In an empowering message, Cole encouraged others, stating, "People didn't believe in me, but I believed in myself. Over 361 pounds down, and I'm not done yet. You can do anything you put your mind to. I hope my story can be an inspiration to others trapped in this same type of situation."

Cole's incredible journey serves as a testament to the power of self-belief and determination, and we hope he secures the funding required to complete this transformative chapter in his life.

Featured image credit: Skynesher / Getty

Many of us have dreams of getting fit and attaining whatever we deem to be a 'perfect' body... at some point. Thinking about what you'll do next week, next month, or next year, is very different to what's happening in the present day. Because when you get home from a long day of work, it's a lot more fun to order a pizza and binge Netflix than head out into the cold to hit the gym.

So it can be an inspiration when you see someone completely transform their bodies, or find a way to become comfortable with how they are. But more often than not, it's easy to get a little envious of those who are keeping fit and healthy if you feel like you're not managing it very well. It's even worse when the person who is doing it better than you is also 67-years-old.

Bill Hendricks, a former marine from Dallas, Texas, has risen to fame after posting workout routines online. Hendricks may turn 68 next month, but he still manages to spend two hours a day in the gym to keep in shape. He explained how he rose to viral fame from just a few photos:

"I started posting my workouts online around two years ago.

"I was reposted on a group for overs 40s who keep fit and all of a sudden I had thousands of people following me and interested in how I managed to look like I do.

"I thought it would be a fun opportunity to speak with people about keeping fit and to maybe tell them how I keep in shape."

He allows himself one day off a week, but his diet needs to be in check too. Each day he has oats, omelets, chicken and salad. It may disappoint many of you to read that part of this diet is not drinking any alcohol too.

"I think I was given a physical gift and I don't want to waste that. I have always been sporty and kept in good shape. I was also a male entertainer back in the 1970s. It was all new and I auditioned and got the part.

"But I am not a personal trainer so I don't really have professional advice. I just tell people what I do as they seem interested.

"I do get looks on the street and people pay me compliments, Some people are a bit envious at times but most people are supportive and like to see my progress."

While he does have a specific diet, this mostly comes down to the fact that he sees "food as fuel", so he finds it easier to keep his body fat down. So those Friday night junk food binges are a little easier to avoid than they are for most of us. Either way - if Bill can keep his body like this in his senior years, there's at least some hope for the rest of us...