Nastassia lost 55 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Nastassia lost 55 pounds by adopting healthy eating habits and working out five days a week. She wanted to improve her self-esteem, feel confident in her body, and no longer have to buy plus-size clothing. 

What was your motivation? What inspired you to keep going, even when you wanted to give up?
My prime motivator was imagining myself no longer buying plus-size clothing and picturing myself confident in my own skin. On days when I had to get up at 5:00 am to hit the gym, an inspiration was how unhappy I felt and how much my weight impacted my self-esteem.

How did you change your eating habits? 
If you were to speak with someone who knows me well, they’d tell you I’ve tried dieting multiple times in the past and have failed miserably. However, this time around was different. I did a ton of research and understood how food and overeating affect us in general. 

During the first three months, I went cold turkey and cut out 80% of carbs, every sort of sugar (especially those “fruit juices” I consumed a lot), fried food, fast food, etc. I mostly ate steamed, roasted, or baked meat (chicken breast, lean beef, fish, etc.), and 50% of my plate was vegetables of all kinds. I went to the farmers market each week and bought a ton of fruits and vegetables. Whenever I felt like I needed a snack, I would prepare a fruit plate or just make a fruit smoothie with plain water. 

I used an app called “Lose It!” to track my calories to know precisely how much I was consuming and if I was aligned with my daily caloric intake. I had to redesign the way I thought of food because I now understood that losing weight is 80% about your diet and 20% about exercise. 

Over time, I started reintegrating complex carbs, such as sweet potatoes, quinoa, whole wheat bread, etc., back into my diet. I am not saying other forms of dieting don’t work, but carbohydrates aren’t the enemy here. It’s just those simple carbs that we should aim to limit. 

Growing up, I had a bittersweet relationship with water, so I knew that had to change if I wanted results. I invested in one of those 1-gallon water bottles from Amazon with those mini motivational time marks and made it a goal to finish that bottle each day.

What is your workout routine? 
When I started, I worked with a personal trainer. After discussing my goals, he advised me to come to the gym five days per week and do cardio for two days and strength training for the other three days. So, that was my routine.

How often did you work out?
I worked out five days each week.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 230 pounds, and my current weight is 175 pounds. 

What is your height?
I am 5 ft, 7 inches tall.

When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take?
I started my journey in May 2022, and it took me roughly eight months to get to a place where I was visibly comfortable with my appearance.

Is weight loss surgery part of your journey? 
I never had weight loss surgery.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
The most vital lesson I learned is the importance of taking care of your overall health and appreciating the fact that leading a healthy life is a lifetime commitment coupled with hard work and smart eating choices.  

What advice do you have for women who want to lose weight?
Consistency is such an essential factor. There were days when I felt defeated because I was doing everything right and kept waiting for results, which didn’t come. So I want to caution all you beautiful queens to be patient with yourselves and trust the process because I can honestly say from experience that the journey was more fulfilling than the destination. If you put in the work and eat right, you WILL get results.  

I also wanted to add that for some of you who have a very intimate relationship with food and overeating, adopting the cold turkey approach won’t necessarily be sustainable over time. Instead, cutting back on one or two things eventually goes a really long way. It is so helpful to have someone hold you accountable and cheer you on, even when you’re out of it.