The 11 Life-Changing Things I Did To Shed 40 Pounds and Become a Healthier Person

I shed 30 pounds in the first six months of working out

I got teased a lot for being heavier than most girls, even boys, in primary school. That was mostly in my younger years of education. Teenagers in high school held enough decency to not make judgments about my size, but I still felt awkward in swim class. I always chose to opt for a one-piece, rather than a bikini. I went to a sports-oriented school. Girls were toned and boys were jacked. I was neither — quite the opposite to be frank.

I hated gym class. I mean, really hated gym class. I’d ask my theatre teacher if I could help sweep the auditorium stage just to avoid hitting the locker rooms. Mostly because I loathed physical activity of ANY form. I also despised going to the doctor for physicals. If I had a nickel for how many times my physician said I needed to drop a few pounds or even mentioned my weight…

She was right, though. I needed to live a bit of a healthier lifestyle. I was pushing 190 lbs as a newly turned 18-year-old.

To be real though, I also genuinely wanted to look smaller and for once, not feel like I had to hide my body.

My attempts to whip into shape in the past never stuck, but this time would be different.

I started in my parent’s basement, following along to a combination of free workout videos on the web after school. About a month or so in, my mom noticed and told me she was proud. Soon after, my father and brother, even my friends applauded my physique shift. Most of all though, I fell in love with my changes, the endorphin rushes during a workout and the daily routine of sweating away the stresses of the day.

The beginning months of working out taught me a lot about myself as a teenager and I am grateful for that. It laid the groundwork for my confidence and mental stability as a now 23-year-old. Committing to my frequent sweat sessions let me know that I could be passionate about something, even if I didn’t realize it at first. Even more so, if I was passionate about something I would give it my all. It taught me I could be disciplined, and that I responded well to structure, routine, and consistency.

I went full force and completely adopted a new healthy lifestyle and never looked back.

I am not a fitness and health expert. I do not have any accredited educational background on this subject either. This is simply the process that worked for me.

In total, I lost 40 pounds over the course of two years, but I lost 30 pounds in the first six months of consistent exercise and healthy food choices.

During those first six months…

1) I avoided all beverages except for water

I knew juice, sodas, and most pre-made lattes (a chai latte was once my true love, y’all) were loaded with sugar. One cup of orange juice contains 21 grams of it! I quit cold turkey and opted to drink as much water as possible throughout the day. My taste buds definitely changed. After quitting, I no longer have a taste for most kinds. They are way too sweet for me to enjoy.

2) I tricked myself into working out 4–5 days a week:

Instead of working out for 2 hours plus for a just few days a week, I committed to exercising almost every day for only 30–35 minutes. More importantly, I chose to use those minutes wisely by sweating to a series of dynamic workouts, rather than exhausting endless miles on a treadmill. I never stepped inside a gym once. All workouts were completed in my basement, courtesy of the world wide web. I started with dance routines and then found myself enjoying a combination of cardio and plyometrics which is speed-strength based training. Soon after, I discovered HIIT (high-intensity interval training)which changed the game for me. HIIT coupled with a wholesome diet is, without a doubt, the main contributor to my weight loss.

3) I stopped eating white carbs (i.e white bread, white pasta, white flour, white rice):

Basically, I never bought anything from a bakery, abstained from the bread and junk aisle, and hexed away white rice and pasta. I am not going to lie, this took a bit of self-control, but I felt less bloated and heavy. More importantly, I never felt sluggish or sleepy after meals anymore. I found alternatives to the foods I loved. Instead of wrapping my tacos in a white flour tortilla, I used rib lettuce to hold my meat.

4) I religiously stuck to whole foods and lean meats:

Speaking of meat. Whole foods, not America’s healthiest grocery store, are simply unprocessed foods. Think unpackaged groceries, items never in a box, plastic container, or casing. I would not compromise on chicken and fish, so I kept them in my diet but made sure to consume the lean parts instead. This meant consuming the chicken breast over the thigh. After a while, I learned to master spicing these sections of meat pretty well. They can be hella boring if you season sparingly. The huge takeaway from sticking to this kind of lifestyle choice meant I was energized after meals, rather than feeling like I needed to take a nap afterward.

5) I opted for wholesome adjustments to meals at restaurants:

On days I did not have time to prepare healthy meals at home, I made modifications. For example, I would ask for a turkey burger with no bread and substituted steamed veggies instead of fries. I stuck to items not drenched in sauces or oils. I was amazed by the kinds of accommodations restaurants make for people with certain dietary restrictions!

I also went to Chipotle a lot. I am in no way affiliated with them and this isn't sponsored (I mean, I kind of wish though. Free chicken bowls. The dream. Truly.)The ingredients were fresh compared to any other food chain I grew up with, so I felt comfortable eating there frequently. I was still losing weight while eating there once, sometimes twice a week. My order was, and still is, the same. A bowl with brown rice, veggies, beans, chicken, pico de Gallo, and corn. No salsa. I even got cheese and could still keep lean.

Five years later, I am still the same health nut. I naturally fell into a groove of healthy habits after initially losing weight.

Now…

6) I basically eat whatever I want, when I want to:

The funny thing about the absence of unhealthy foods from my life now means I mainly only crave meals or snacks high in nutritional value. My taste buds completely changed from three years ago. I hanker for green vegetables, fresh fruits, and lean meats almost every day. I mainly eat to fuel my body.

However, there are days I order a medium-size pizza with extra toppings all for myself, crush it in 30 minutes, and enjoy every last bite of it. I do this without guilt because I know I will not gain fat from it and will most likely burn it off the next day in my workout.

7) I walk absolutely everywhere:

Before the pandemic hit and quarantine was necessary, I walked to work, to workout classes, to dinner, to shows. I live in a walking city and am lucky enough to not own a car. I not only have to worry about the costly upkeep of motor vehicles, but also burn a bunch of calories just from walking to the grocery store and back. Before confinement, I walked approximately two and a half miles just about every day. Unfortunately, I am not walking — well anywhere at the moment, but am hoping to resume that part of my life in the future.

8) I still workout, but adopted a new training mindset:

I exercise about five days out of the week now, but instead of working out to lose weight, I workout to feel strong. Especially now. The future is wickedly uncertain. Working out restricts me from thinking too far into my future for about 40 minutes. It’s a blissful 40 minutes. I only can focus on performing the right moves with good form and the upcoming sequences. It is the best outlet for my overworked nerves and frustration about the state of the world at the moment.

I keep up with my workouts just about every day in quarantine. My new routines, as opposed to the workouts I did when I first started, help in increased mobility, flexibility, muscle strength, and endurance. I try to mix it up as much as possible to keep my body guessing. I love strength training, HIIT (that’s a bit more of a love-hate relationship), circuit-training, and Tabata-style workouts. Pilates has also really come into play when I want to feel strong but am taking a rest day.

9) I cook the majority of my meals at home:

I cannot pinpoint the kinds of oils and quality of ingredients restaurants use, which can contribute to higher sugar, salt, and fat content in meals. When I cook at home, I know exactly what goes into the food I eat, and my stomach always feels good as a result. This is even easier now because I am at home much, much more.

10) I still don’t drink sodas or juices:

I still do not drink soda or juice. However, I love beer. Though I am not a big drinker, I drink when I want to because as with anything, balance is important.

11) I do not weigh myself:

I aim to eat extremely well. I sweat heavily at least five times a week. I drink water, I stretch, I rest, and repeat. As a result, I am mentally happy and physically strong. My weight fluctuates day to day, month to month, and year to year. Weight changes are based on so many factors for me, like stress, sleep, and water retention, all tangible reasons for why I do not freak out if I feel heavier than usual. The most important factor of my health journey though, especially during quarantine is feeling strong, agile, and capable. Numbers on a scale are absolutely useless to me.

A version of this article was originally published at https://prettygirlssweat.com.