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'American Idol' winner Iam Tongi’s weight loss journey hits new milestone — nearly 8 years in the making

Iam Tongi has taken his fans along with him on his weight loss journey and he just achieved a new milestone

'American Idol' Season 21 winner Iam Tongi just hit another milestone on his weight loss journey. On August 8, Tongi shared a joyful Instagram video of himself riding a bicycle for the first time in nearly eight years. "When I walked in the gym about 10 months ago, this wasn’t even a possibility, and I didn’t think I’d ever ride a bike again, so when Robert pulled out the bikes today, I simply said, 'I don’t think I can.'" And that’s why he’s the trainer; he knows me better than I know myself, and after about 10 miles and falling twice, I can say today I struggled, but I had so much fun hitting this milestone of riding a bike again after almost 8 years. Love you all and Yessah," Tongi wrote in the caption of the video.

Soon after, many friends and fans filled the comments section of Tongi's Instagram post with encouraging messages. 'American Idol' Season 21 platinum ticket winner Cameron Osterloh wrote, "Let’s gooo bro!! So proud of everything you’ve accomplished." Tongi's girlfriend, Leah, commented, "Yeah, youuuu, baby," to which he responded, "Thank you, babe." One social media user penned, "That's so freaking awesome. Keep up the awesome work and keep showing up & putting in the work." Another user remarked, "One Day At A Time, and just look where you are at today! Way to go, Iam! Keep On Keepin’ On."

Earlier this year, in May, Tongi revealed that he had lost 115 lbs. since the show. While having a chat with People magazine at the 'Lilo & Stitch' world premiere at El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on May 17, Tongi said he had been working on himself and trying his best to stay healthy. Tongi also reflected on his fitness routine with a personal trainer, sharing, “We have a workout session maybe around 11, come back [home], and we go to an ice bath or sauna … or whatever it is. And then we come back, shower, and go on a walk. And I've lost 115 lbs. It feels amazing. I feel great.”

Then, the 20-year-old musician mentioned that he's also working on some new music for his fans. Tongi further added, “I moved out to Memphis, so I've been working out, writing, recording, and just been busy—but in a different way. I'm working on an album, actually, so I'm excited about that, and we'll see how that goes. I’m inspired by a lot of soul. I love Al Green. Al Green is one of my favorite singers, so I'm excited for that [single].”

Lately, Tongi has been making strides in his music career. In June, the Kahuku, Hawaii, native made his Grand Ole Opry Debut. Tongi has also been busy performing at music festivals and concert halls. Last week, Tongi performed for big crowds in Salt Lake City and Denver. For those wondering, Tongi's new album will be out later this year, in October. So, the fans will have to wait a bit longer for Tongi's new music.