Woman Loses 88 Pounds in One Year by Making 3 Simple Changes
This woman took a remarkable journey that inspired many. 26-year old Amanda was 222 pounds (100 kilograms) when she decided to do something about her weight. In just one year, she lost 88 pounds (40 kilograms) and achieved both an external and an internal transformation. She recorded her amazing makeover by taking a photo of herself every month. The images went viral and her story provided an invaluable lesson: it’s possible to lose weight by taking three simple steps and sticking with them.
Physical and Emotional Changes
When you look at the pictures of Amanda’s transformation, one thing sticks out. Not only does she look slimmer with each image, but she also appears happier and more confident as time goes by. We witness the physical changes – the smaller waist, flatter tummy, thinner neck – and also the psychological revolution that takes place inside of her. We see a young woman that begins to shine and starts to look more self-confident.
Amanda admits that the journey took place in her body as well as in her mind, and was an emotional investment. She now wants to help others and emphasizes the beauty of individuality.
Amanda’s 3 Secrets for Weight Loss Without Diet
Amanda didn’t go for any of the unrealistic yo-yo or crash diets. She didn’t run a marathon. And she didn’t starve herself to death. Instead, she took a gradual and steady approach to weight loss.
She continued to live a normal life, but she introduced three changes to her eating and lifestyle.
1. She ate a high-protein diet
A high-protein diet is vital for healthy weight loss, especially if you want to lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks.
Research shows that diet rich in lean protein prevents obesity, diabetes and osteoporosis and lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) levels. Nutritionists warn that most people don’t get enough protein and that you should certainly increase your protein intake if you are trying to get rid of that stubborn belly pooch (if you want to lose your belly, make sure you are eating these belly fat burning foods).
Why protein consumption can help you lose weight
Proteins are harder to digest and take longer to metabolize and use. This means that you lose energy as you burn them. They make you feel fuller quicker and leave you satiated for longer.
Also, eating lots of protein makes you lose fat and not muscle. Amino acids in protein are used for muscle building and make you look more toned.
Complete proteins
It’s important to consume the so called complete or whole proteins, which contain all nine of the amino acids that build your muscles. Good sources are:
- Skinless white chicken or turkey
- Eggs
- Seafood
- Low-fat dairy (milk, yoghurt, cheese)
- Lean beef
- Pork tenderloin
For vegetarians and vegans, plant sources of complete proteins include:
- Hemp seed
- Quinoa
- Buckwheat
For more information about plant sources of proteins, read my post about the 13 surprising sources of protein that are meat free. Eating more proteins is also one of the 70 habits featured in my e-book 70 Powerful Habits For A Great Health which will guide you how to take positive steps to improve your wellness and overall health.
When you eat incomplete proteins, you might want to pair them, to achieve a better nutritional result. For example, eat:
- Peanut butter with whole wheat bread
- Brown rice with some beans.
Other tips for a high-protein diet
You should eat between 0.5 grams and 1 grams of protein per pound of your body weight.
If you are more active, aim at values closer to 1 gram. If you are less dynamic, stay on the low end of this recommendation.
Have a protein-rich breakfast to give your muscles some new fuel after a night of fasting.
Try to get a good amount of your daily protein allowance first thing in the morning (for example: eat egg and cottage cheese). This will also help curb your appetite.
2. She controlled her food portions
Portion control doesn’t mean you’ll be food deprived. It just means distributing your food in a healthier way.
This step might challenge your existing patterns and mentality, but it’s one of key things for weight loss.
- Eat three meals and two healthy snacks a day.
- Eat slower to allow enough time for the brain to register you’re full.
- Share a starter with your friends and enjoy smaller courses, so your meal lasts longer.
- Use smaller plates to give it a visual perception of a larger meal.
- Increase your serving sizes with foods that contain lots of water and fiber (vegetables, fruits, whole grains). These are also known as low energy density foods and should be eaten in larger quantities when trying to lose weight faster.
- Check nutrition labels and get familiar with recommended serving sizes. Many people mistake ‘portion sizes’ for ‘serving sizes’. We are so used to huge portions of food (often guided by the consumerist thinking ‘get more for your money’) that we forget this is not what our bodies really need.
3. She engaged in moderate exercise
New research shows that in order to lose weight faster, it’s best to engage in moderate exercise. Vigorous exercise regimen might not be as good as one would think.
Researchers divided men in 3 groups. One group was instructed to lead a sedentary life style, one group exercised 30 minutes per day, and one group engaged in high-intensity exercise for 1 hour every day. They all kept their eating habits unchanged.
Surprisingly, men who did 30 minutes exercise (jogging or cycling) lost more weight compared to the more active group. This was probably due to the fact that men who exercised a lot, felt hungrier and compensated by eating more. Also, they felt more tired, so they were more likely to spend the rest of the day idle.
It appears that 30 minutes of moderate exercise might be a good middle way when trying to shed some extra pounds. The right amount of exercise will not force you to eat more to replenish the lost energy, and will make you feel more energetic, so you might even spontaneously take up some extra physical activity, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
I have a complete exercise program in my eBook Blast Your Belly Fat. I’ve created this exercise program specifically for losing belly fat but you can follow it as part of your weight loss diet.
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