Renee lost 103 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Renee lost 103 pounds. After losing a significant amount of weight, she noticed the pounds were returning. Determined not to let her weight be a hindrance, she opted for gastric sleeve surgery, recommitted to healthy habits, and kept the promises she made to herself.

Social Media:
Instagram: @allthingsrenee_
Tiktok: inreneesopinion

What was your motivation?
My motivation came from many different sources. To be specific, at this particular point in my life, I had already experienced what it was like to lose a substantial amount of weight when I lost 60 pounds back in 2018/2019. It was roughly two years at this point, and I had stopped hearing, “You look good.” from others. Also, I didn’t like how my newer, smaller clothes were fitting. 

I didn’t want to go back to living life as a 320-pound person after getting a taste of what it was like at a smaller weight. So I guess you can say my motivation is a desire to live life BOLDLY and passionately, and you can’t do that when your weight is a hindrance at every turn.

Is weight loss surgery part of your journey?
Yes, I had vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG), aka the Sleeve, on September 30, 2022.

How did you change your eating habits?
I currently prioritize eating a high-protein diet and consuming whole foods such as vegetables and fruits. I track my food using the Fitbit app to know roughly how many calories I consume. 

I do not view my eating habits as a diet but as healthy living. I would say my diet is 60-70% clean. I love food, and I enjoy eating good food. I do not deny myself the food I desire because doing so will only intensify the cravings and make me feel like I’m going without or lacking. That is not the mindset that I want to have with food. 

I had weight loss surgery which limits the amount of food I can consume in one setting. So by default, my portion sizes are smaller but are now probably considered normal portions instead of eating abnormally large portions of food.

What is your workout routine?
I mainly focus on weight training and cardio. 

How often do you work out?
I work out 4-5 days a week. Four strength training days, two upper and two lower-body days targeting different muscle groups. I also do 2-3 cardio days, with my upper body day and one day dedicated to cardio and abs.

What was your starting weight?
My heaviest weight was 320 pounds. 

What is your current weight?
My current weight is 217 pounds. 

What is your height?
I am 5’4″.

When did you start your journey?
July 2018.

How long did your transformation take?
I am still transforming, but we are close to five years in total. (with extended pauses)

What is the biggest lesson you have learned so far?
The transformation starts in your mind long before you see the physical transformation.

What advice do you have for women who want to lose weight?
If you always show up for everyone else and keep the promises you made to family, friends, and work, but struggle with committing to the promises you make to yourself, ask yourself, “Why?” 

I had to do this myself, and my answer was that I didn’t want the other parties to see me in a bad light or as less than, so I always did what I told them I would do. But I gave myself a pass and didn’t hold myself accountable.

I worked on treating the promises I made to myself the same way I treated promises I made to others. That helped me to be accountable to myself. I want to make myself proud, build confidence and trust within myself, always show up for myself, and put myself 1st no matter what.