My 80 Pound Weight Loss by Courtney
I continue to be asked what is my “Secret” when it comes to weight loss. Most people don’t like my answer. With the following steps, I was able to lose 60 pounds in the 6 months my husband was deployed and 80 pounds in less than a year. I am still considered overweight by the BMI Scale. I intend on losing another 20 pounds this year to put me in the normal range on the BMI scale. I am in better shape than I think I have ever been. I can do more sit-ups in a minute and a faster mile than I did in middle or high school. I am proud of my progress. I wish I hadn’t gotten to a point where I had 100 pounds to lose. This journey has taught me a lot about myself and others. It is not easy. There are days that I didn’t want to work out or eat right.
Step 1. Speak with your physician about changing diet and exercise routine. They can draw blood and help you figure out if you need a particular routine. I had tried diets before without results.
I have tried exercise without diet before with minimal results. Ultimately you need diet and exercise for weight loss. My physician asked me last August if I had considered weight loss surgery. I had not and this made me feel discouraged. I talked to friends and family about it and they asked, “Can you lose the weight without the surgery?” I wasn’t sure if I could. I was able to do it and you can too! I lost more weight in under a year than most people lose with the surgery in 18 months. (I am not opposed to the surgery. Some people need it. I do however suggest trying these tips
Step 2. Diet
Calories in Vs. Calorie out
Track your calories for 3 weeks. There are many apps I used the free version of MyfitnessPal. I have tracked my calories for 220 days now.
For me I chose more protein and veggies and less carbohydrates and refined sugars. I am not on the keto diet, paleo or any other specific diet. I just fond different options for the foods I always liked.
Cut out soda. I also changed how I take my coffee.
I prefer part of a Premium Protein Shake in my coffee with a little stevia. I also found a soy protein at Walmart that mixes well into my coffee. I’m not super hungry in the morning. So I like to have 2 egg whites and my coffee. I didn’t drink alcohol very often.
I bought a food scale to weight meats and other items. I also use measuring cups to portion cereal and things that most people over estimate the serving size.
I was eating 1200-1500 calories in the first 6 months with 1800 calories once a week usually on Friday.
I had a cheat meal not a cheat day. Cheat days can really mess with your progress.
Find veggies you like find lean proteins you like. I like broccoli, carrots, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, and squash.
I love Salmon, nuts and avocado-healthy fats. Portions are key with fats for calorie counting.
I changed from heaps of white rice and pasta to ½ cup brown rice or quinoa or wheat or veggie pasta. Sometimes I have white rice but now only ½ cup.
I swapped old not so healthy options with healthier options.
If we got to Chick fil A I get a salad and sometimes a small cup of soft serve.
I used to eat a ton of calories at McDonalds now if we go I get a kid’s meal. I used to consume so many calories. Instead of candy bars I would have a half a protein bar.
If I wanted ice cream I bought the protein brands for me I like Enlightened (bars) or Artic Zero (pints) Only have only a serving size.
Fage 0 Greek yogurt to make a lot of recipes. I don’t use mayo for me anymore I swipe Fage and use mustard. I use Fage in smoothies and in my amazing healthier buffalo chicken dip. ½ cup Fage with 1 tbsp peanut butter and 1 tbsp honey makes a yummy treat that is filling and sweet.
I used to eat ranch dressing on everything now I don’t. I make salads with raspberry vinaigrette and I add about three toppings to salads to make them interesting and less boring.
I don’t do the meal prep where you make 5-10 meals that all look alike. I make a pan of chicken, some salmon, two veggies and use rice cooker to make brown rice. I store them in the fridge separately and mix and match meals as I see fit. I love using my pressure cooker for chicken.
The last 3 months I have been eating 1590-2100 calories and honestly a few days where I went over my calorie goals. I decided to slow down my weight loss. As a result of the rather quick weight loss I have sagging skin. I suggest going with a 1 pound a week weight loss goal if you are overweight and 1.5-2 pound a week weight loss goal if you are obese. If you are in the normal rage or close to it maybe a .5-1 pound weight loss goal per week. Once you enter this information in Myfitnesspal with your gender, and height and weight it will give you a calorie goal. In the first 6 months I wasn’t eating back my exercise calories. I would stay within my daily calorie goal. The last 3 months I do eat some of my exercise calories.
Step 3. Exercise
I owned a Fitbit Flex when I started but I bought myself a Fitbit Charge 2 as a weight loss goal reward. It works in conjunction with MyFitnessPal.
Exercise was really hard in the beginning. I was attending my local No Excuse Mom group 3 days a week for the first 3 months.
Walking an average 7500 steps daily. Less than the American Heart Associations recommended 10,000.
I used online challenges to keep me motivated.
I used body weight exercises. Push-ups, squats, burpees, tricep-dips. I could barly do any of these in the beginning, but I have so much more strength now. I can do more than I thought was possible. I also weight less now so it is easier. Carrying my kids around as well. My then 25 pound daughter was in the baby carrier while I did a lot of these exercises and I was carrying around a lot of extra weight on my body. Use it!
It started getting easier and I did light weights 5 pounds, then 10 pounds and now sometimes 15 pounds.
Now I average 8,500-10,000 steps as I have been training more for doing at least 2, 5k’s this year.
Find Exercises You like
I like working out with other moms. I like working out with my kids. My daughter is my weight for most exercises and she is a growing weight as I get stronger she is also getting bigger and I’m getting stronger. I run around and play hid and seek. I like swimming, Zumba, Pound, and workout videos on Youtube. I barely stepped foot in a conventional gym in the first 6 months. With my husband deployed I didn’t have child care for going to the gym and I wanted an affordable way to lose weight.
Find the workouts you will like to do and will continue doing, but also find ways to change it up.
In the last two months I did my first ever Spin and Power.
Step 4. Support
For me it was very important to have support on my weight loss journey. I had the support of my local No excuse moms and the online Facebook No excuse Moms. I used the app Fatsecret for more support and as a weight loss journal. My family supports my weight loss.
I wanted to be a better mother, wife and person. I believe that I am now teaching my children how to live an active lifestyle. I am not as stressed out all the time. My husband compliments me and tells me how proud he is of me. I think we have a better relationship than ever before.
This will be an ongoing journey for me. I have to challenge myself to avoid what happens in most extreme weight loss journeys. I do not want to gain back the weight. I will have to find ways to maintain. I will hit a plateau and that’s okay. I really didn’t start this journey to be skinny, I just wanted to be a happier healthier person and I am.
