Man Loses 85 Pounds in Prison Through Strict Diet and Rigorous Workout Regimen

Filippo Cardone, 48, shed 85 pounds during his 37-month sentence for wire fraud, attributing his transformation to a strict diet and an intense workout regimen. Cardone pleaded guilty in August 2024 to wire fraud and began his sentence in June 2025, serving time in Tucson Federal Prison, a halfway house, and under house arrest.

Upon entering prison at 278 pounds with high blood pressure, Cardone decided to prioritize his health. "I was the healthiest I had ever been when I got out of prison," he told The Post.

Cardone overhauled his diet using items from the prison commissary. His daily meals typically consisted of shredded beef, from which he would drain excess oil, and a packet of tuna, both costing $1.95. He would season the tuna with salt, pepper, and hot peppers. Inmates in the kitchen also prepared a "special salad" for him with available vegetables. He supplemented his meals with protein shakes made from powder, milk, and peanut butter. Other foods consumed included bananas, oranges, oatmeal, peanuts, and clams when available. Cardone adhered to an intermittent fasting window, consuming all his meals between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

His workout routine began at 5:30 a.m. and included a variety of exercises such as burpees, push-ups, bear crawls, planks, supermans, jumping jacks, pull-ups, and lunges. He described a particularly intense workout known as the "Mike Tyson," which involved 2,000 push-ups, 2,000 bodyweight squats, 500 dips, and 2,500 crunches. To build muscle and avoid loose skin, he incorporated strength training, using improvised equipment like laundry bags filled with rocks for weightlifting. He also jogged laps around the prison yard. A fellow inmate, who became a close friend and trainer, guided his fitness journey.

Cardone tracked his progress daily on a prison scale, noting a significant drop in weight within the first four months. Six months before his release, his trainer friend intensified the program, leading to further muscle development, particularly in his shoulders and core. By the time he was released from federal prison to a halfway house in July, he weighed 193 pounds.

Cardone, who previously worked in finance and real estate, expressed that he could have afforded a less disciplined approach to his time in confinement but chose otherwise. He stated that his experience humbled him and taught him the importance of maintaining balance.

Following his release from the halfway house, Cardone plans to open performance clubs featuring blood testing, saunas, a hyperbaric chamber, steam rooms, and red-light therapy. He aims to establish five to six locations within three to five years and also intends to launch his own line of vitamins and protein powders. He described his post-prison endeavors as a way to give back, rather than a pursuit of wealth.