Transformation of the Day: Mandy lost 136 pounds by focusing on fitness and nutrition. Sick and tired of feeling winded and lethargic, she became a pescatarian and switched up her eating habits. She also practiced intermittent fasting and intuitive eating. Check out her story.
What was your motivation?
Truthfully, my motivation was two-fold. I was at the hair salon, and an elderly gentleman asked if I was pregnant. When I told him no, he simply said I had too much life to live to be overweight. That hurt.
The 2nd portion of my motivation was simply that I was sick and tired of being winded and lethargic all the dang time. I noticed my energy shot up on the days I ate better, and I loved feeling youthful again!
What inspired you to keep going, even when you wanted to give up?
Hang with me here. This will all make sense: Each time I would lose a pound or two, I would stash away a little money. And, one month of eating well and not having that *extra* (notice I said extra) glass of wine made my pockets heavier as I was getting lighter. I realized I could also save money if I ate half a meal at a time – and that was also nice to see.
How did you change your eating habits?
I became a pescatarian and ate red meat only one time a week. I have IBS, and this healed my gut. I also started taking a probiotic because much of our gut flora is the reason we tend to look inflamed or have, well, a gut! LOL.
I swear by Columbian Coffee. It supercharges my metabolism. I only use Stevia in my drinks. I’m a Southern Girl, so giving up sweet tea was difficult. I also love a good cold beer. However, a friend of mine who played in the NFL challenged me to eliminate anything with corn in it. Think about it, what do we do to fatten our cattle? Yep, feed them corn.
Try eliminating one food at a time until you find what I now live by: intuitive eating. If I want to have AN Oreo to satisfy my sugar craving, I will. I also did intermittent fasting. When I honed into genuinely knowing if I was hungry or thirsty, that was also a game-changer! Sometimes you’ll think you are hungry when you simply need some water.
What is your workout routine?
I swear by Reformer Pilates and Running. I do Pilates 2 or 3 times a week. I also never miss my evening hot girl walk with my puppy, Milo!
How often did you work out?
I walk every day for no less than 30-45 minutes. It’s a good mental reset. Also, I do pilates 2-3 times a week.
What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My weight in the blue bathing suit was 273 pounds. I currently weigh 137 pounds!
What is your height?
I’m 5’3′.
When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take?
I started this journey two years ago but didn’t get serious until six months ago. Taking off over a hundred pounds was my 1st goal. Then I began toning and putting myself in a position where I feel good in my clothes and feel good physically and mentally (which was paramount).
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
Let’s be real? You are going to slip up. But, your lifestyle change (I HATE the word diet) doesn’t have to restart each Monday. No matter how you look at it, there are seven days in a week. If you fail on Monday, welp – Tuesday to next Tuesday is also a week. So take it one meal at a time and listen to your body. Someday you may *need* a cheeseburger.
What advice do you have for women who want to lose weight?
Balance your body’s bank account daily with healthy deposits and the right type of withdrawals!
Instgram: @mandyalemond
Twitter: @mandylemond
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