How I Lost 35 Pounds & Kept It Off

My weight loss story is something that I’ve been excited to share for a while now. A fair amount of friends, family members, and co-workers have commented on my noticeable weight loss and until now it has been difficult for me to verbalize how I got here. Yes, I did lose over 35 pounds in less than 6 months. And yes, it was hard.

This is my weight loss, fitness, and diet story. Take it with a grain of salt, because it’s not perfect.

In March 2017 I hit a low point. I was living in Chicago trying to find my place, but missing my friends and family back home. I found comfort in food. I mention this because to truly understand my transformation, you have to understand how I evolved mentally as well. Below is a photo of me at my heaviest, in 2017.

I can’t remember exactly what motivated me to start living a healthier lifestyle, and to be honest I think it was an accumulation of a lot of things. Was it my first Soul Cycle class? Catching my breath after a flight of stairs? I’m not sure, but I did decide to make a change early 2017.

I started my weight loss journey in an unhealthy way that I DO NOT recommend. I felt like I needed to take extreme measures in order to improve my self image. I was incredibly self conscious, to the point where it was difficult for me to get out of the house at all. So I started by cutting my daily calorie intake in half, which was not giving my body the nutrition and energy it needed to live a fulfilled life. My meals were made up of sad Lean Cuisines and soggy salads. I worked out 2-3 times a week – hard. I was logging a lot of cycling and pilates classes, where I focused on burning calories and fat rather than building lean muscle. Pretty much everyone in my life was worried about me, and justifiably so. My transformation was dramatic. I lost around 20 pounds doing this, but I needed to transition to a healthy routine in order to MAINTAIN and tone my body.

Queue a nutritious meal plan and workout routine to get me the healthy body image I was so desperately searching for. I found Tone It Up which turned my world upside down. I shifted my focus to getting stronger, rather than skinnier. Instead of counting calories, I started eating more. Total transformation! Mentally, I found strong friendships that I could rely on that pulled be out of my anxious tendencies. I found my stride in my career. Taking ownership of every facet of my life – changed it. I am responsible for my relationships, mentality, career, and body. That was a huge revelation for me. I feel the best I have ever felt: confident, balanced, and happy.

Below is my current routine that helped me lose the last 15 pounds and KEEP IT OFF!

• WORK OUT 5-6 times a week. Hear me out on this one, because, admittedly, this sounds like A LOT. In truth some days I work out anywhere from 30 minutes to 90 minutes on any given day. It’s not like I’m going to the gym and holding up for over 2 hours. All about habits that work for you and are maintainable.
• LIMIT simple carbs, dairy, and sweets. Exactly that. I absolutely do indulge in pizza or candy on a regular basis, but not everyday and in moderation.
• EATING 4-5 times a day. I meal prep every Sunday that lasts me most of the week. Try to focus on healthy carbs, lean protein, and TONS of veggies when shopping at the grocery store. One of my favorite recipes is quinoa bowls, with roasted vegetables and chicken sausage. I’m planning a post on what I eat in a day, so stay tuned for more detail.
• DRINK WATER. Seriously. Only drink water and you will see results. I cut soda, juice, and other sugary drinks. I do still drink coffee, because it’s nectar of the Gods and I need it to survive. Try your best to drink 3-5 water bottles a day. I sometimes confuse thirst for hunger, so this has naturally sped up my metabolism.
• SLEEP. I get in 8 hours of beauty sleep whenever possible to give me energy for my workouts, work day, and social life. You have to give your body time to digest your food and regenerate for the next day.
• TREAT YOURSELF. You are allowed to eat pizza and ice cream or skip a workout. If your whole life is surrounded my those things, you will eventually fall off the wagon. Give yourself some GRACE!

This is what has worked for me, at the highest level. I plan to go further into detail in future posts, but that’s it for now. If you’re struggling with your weight or fitness routine I encourage you to find what works for you. Start by eliminating bad habits and slowly adopt healthier options that will push you forward. My best advice is to start taking care of your body and soon, you’ll learn to love it.