Dana lost 130 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Dana lost 130 pounds. At 19 years old, she had anxiety, knee problems, and high blood pressure. She prioritized her health and followed two healthy diet plans to get results. During her transformation journey, she learned that her body is capable of so much more than she thought.

What was your motivation? What inspired you to keep going when you wanted to give up?
My entire life, I was overweight. What motivated me to get started was that I began to realize that my health, wellbeing, and achievement of my personal goals were quite possibly the single thing in life I could have complete control over.

I decided to prioritize myself, and it felt great! Seeing the results in such a short amount of time kept me going. As well as achieving an understanding of how much this was benefiting both my physical and mental health. I was 19 years old with anxiety, knee problems, and high blood pressure. Today I am more positive than ever, and in the best physical health I have ever been in!

How did you change your eating habits?
The first change I made to my eating habits was that I quit takeout food and late-night binging. I started making my own meals and became more aware of my snacking to improve my eating habits. Following that, I slowly started decreasing my carb intake the transitioned to the Paleo diet.

Once I saw weight loss results with Paleo, I wanted to accelerate this progress, so I began to work out and eventually transitioned to the Keto diet. The low carb lifestyle has done wonders for me! Incorporating regular exercise has improved my body composition drastically, as well as my mental health.

What did your workout routine consist of?
My workout routine varies. I frequent a local Olympic lifting gym two-three times a week with coaches. I take a spin class once a week to increase endurance and condition. My workouts include 20-30 of cardio (running or stair master) followed by probably 30-40 minutes of weightlifting and accessory work. In total, I work out six days a week, with Sundays being my off day.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 265 pounds. Today, I weigh 135 pounds!

What is your height?
I am 5’4″.

When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take?
I began my transformation in April 2018. My initial weight loss goal was 160 pounds. I met this goal in less than a year and decided to keep pushing myself. I hit my current weight in October 2019 and have been working to maintain this weight and tone ever since.

Is weight loss surgery part of your journey?
I did not undergo any sort of weight loss surgery.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
I learned to never, ever underestimate the capacity of the human body and your potential. I was always told that I would never be “thin”. That was never the priority. My priority was my overall health. However, I internalized that limitation on what I believed my body could be/do. I still catch myself doing that in the gym with my coaches. Sometimes I’ll receive my workout programming and think, “I could never.”, but I ALWAYS can. It is so important to believe in yourself and your abilities. Pushing your limits is so conducive to growth!

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
Stop making excuses! You’re only cheating yourself out of a fantastic opportunity to grow. Start and change your mindset. Don’t tell yourself, “I’ll start next week/month” Having the ability to take control of your health and wellness is extremely empowering. Take advantage of this opportunity!

Instagram: @danatheketoprincess