Mae lost 60 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Mae lost 60 pounds. Being in her early twenties, she didn’t want to spend the years ahead of her dealing with unhealthy eating habits, low self-esteem and health problems. Intermittent fasting, healthy eating habits, and high-intensity interval training worked for her. Check out her journey.

What was your motivation? What inspired you to keep going, even when you wanted to give up?
I was motivated to lose weight because I wasn’t comfortable in my body. I knew if I kept eating the way I was, things would get worse. My mom’s success gave me the inspiration I needed to get myself moving. (She lost almost 100 pounds.)

How did you change your eating habits? 
I use to eat so much junk food—whenever I would watch TV, when I was bored, and when I was sad. I had to realize that my relationship with food wasn’t healthy. I needed to find different ways to deal with my problems other than eating. This was important to me. At 23 years old, I have so much living ahead of me, and I don’t want to spend it dealing with low self-esteem and health problems.

At first, I cut junk food out altogether. So, my Cheetos, soda, and cake had to go. As I learned how to control my cravings, and how to use portion control, I learned to limited those types of foods. I also started eating healthy complex carbs, like brown rice and quinoa instead of white rice.

I did intermittent fasting as well, which was perfect for me because one of my problems was portion control. In the past, I would have big meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. With intermittent fasting, that wasn’t possible because I was fasting during the time I would typically have had a calorie filled dinner. Also, it helped me stop snacking right before bed.

Tell us about your workout routine.
I did HIIT with weight training to make sure I kept my curves. Squats and hip lifts were my best friends. I would workout about 4 days a week, but I made sure to be more active in general. I did things like taking the stairs and walking more.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
I started at 225 pounds, and now I weigh 165 pounds. My goal weight is 145 pounds and my height is 5’7”.

When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take?
This has really been a journey. I originally started three years ago (June 2015) and got to 174 lbs. Then, I gained most of the weight back and went up to 202 pounds by May 2017. When I lost weight the first time, I did it through
a program called Medifast which was great. However, when I moved to school, I couldn’t do the program in the new state I was in and couldn’t pick up meals from the program. Now that I’m losing weight it without a program, I’m able to eat whole foods. I’m able to make this journey about a lifestyle change that I can maintain no matter where I am. (Weight loss surgery was not part of my journey.)

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that losing weight is really a process. There will be ups and downs; it’s not a straight path because life is unpredictable. I had to remind myself why I was doing this, especially after gaining about 30 pounds back and having to go through losing that weight again. I felt like a failure when I gained the weight back, but I had to realize I’m not perfect and that’s okay. The most important thing is that I was able to get focused again, instead of giving up entirely.

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
My advice for others is that what works for one person won’t necessarily work for you, so it’s important to try out different things. Just make sure a healthy lifestyle is your primary goal. If you don’t get the results you want, stay strong and explore new strategies.

Instagram: @maeafia