I Never Struggled with Body Image—Until I Lost 36 Pounds

I can’t say that my body was perfect—in fact, it was far from it. But, I dressed in a way that made me feel good and polished. I carried myself with confidence. I was recently dating again and had no problems attracting men. I was active and worked out regularly, but by no means was I thin. I just felt OK with my body being where it was, that is until my life changed. Here are more life-changing stories and weight loss tips from people who have lost 50 or more pounds.

Inspired by the man I was dating, I decided to try to drop a few pounds. (This part is hard for me to admit because I never thought I would be “that girl.”) Not because he was a fitness guru who worked out religiously, or ate healthy, or even said anything to me about losing weight. (He always told me how sexy and beautiful I was.) I fell in love and, simply, I wanted to be a better person physically, emotionally, and financially because his love motivated me to grow in those ways.

So, I tried a round of Whole30 and lost almost 14 pounds. Then I did another. And another. For the most part, I still eat Whole30 compliant even when I’m not in a cycle with the exception of special circumstances. Down a total of 36 pounds since July 2017, I should be prancing around in clothes I always wanted to wear but never felt quite comfortable in, and glowing all the time because the compliment shower has not stopped.

Wrong.

I am actually having a harder time with my body image now than I ever had in my life.

I have lost weight before and I have gained it all back and then some. I stayed consistent for some years, but then there would be a large gain or loss. Then it would come back again. Sometimes it was conscious. Sometimes it wasn’t. However, with three rounds of the Whole30 behind me, I have completely changed my life and eating habits. But, to be honest there are some very real factors holding me back from celebrating.

First is the fear of gaining the weight back. I just feel like this would be a huge blow to my self-esteem. Yes, I know how to get back to the weight I am now, but the thought of letting myself down for a few indulgences kills me. Here are 50 ways to lose weight naturally without cutting out all your favorite foods.

Second, dating again is holding me back as well. (Sadly, the man, who still means the world to me, isn’t in my life anymore.) While I had no problem attracting men before, the pool was smaller for me. Now, I feel like more men will be attracted to my body, making it harder to find someone who admires me for being a smart, accomplished individual, instead of just a hot chick.

I am trying, though, to battle my self-esteem the best I know how. I weigh myself daily to hold myself accountable. I stay active, running regularly and attending SoulCycle classes two or three times a week. However, I have also started focusing on other things about my body. I pay attention to how strong I have gotten. Or how much more endurance I have as I climb stairs or run with my dog. I started tucking my shirts in and wearing things a bit more fitted. I also take photographs once a week to examine progress made beyond the scale. And, of course, I’m still a pretty cool chick on the inside, too.

I’m not really sure when I will be OK with being where I am. I’m not sure when I will be able to fully accept my “new” body. But I’m going to keep focusing on the positive until I wake up one day and don’t even think about my body at all. If you’re also struggling with body image issues, try one of these 12 proven ways to boost your body image in 10 minutes or less.

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15 Ways to Spring Clean Your Diet

Swap pasta for zucchini noodles

It’s time to break out that spiralizer that’s been collecting dust in your cabinet. “With the change in season, zucchinis are about to be abundant in gardens, farmers markets, and grocery stores,” says Jennifer Kanikula, RD. “Not only are they cheap, they’re extremely healthy and when eaten in place of pasta, add a plethora of nutrition benefits to your meal. Zucchini is very low in calories and high in nutrients and antioxidants, whereas refined grains (white pasta) are low in nutrients, high in carbohydrates, sugar, and subsequently, high in calories.” If weight loss is a goal, check out these 13 weight-loss foods to lose weight fast.

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20 Food Facts That Will Change How You Eat

Don’t believe everything you read

By now you’re probably familiar with antibiotics in your meat, pesticides on your produce, and the pink slime from fast-food outlets. But even supposedly healthy foods can pack some surprises. We rounded up some food facts you won’t find on any nutrition label, and the results may forever change what, how, and where you eat. Don’t miss the 11 common ways people read nutrition labels wrong.

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48 Best Keto-Approved Foods to Buy at Costco

Good Foods Tableside Chunky Guacamole

“I live for homemade guacamole, and most packaged ones just can’t compete and have a slightly off flavor,” says Carolyn Land Williams, PhD, RD, a culinary nutrition expert. “This is the one exception, and the fact that Costco sells individually packaged servings is what solidifies my decision to renew my Costco membership every year, because it’s the only place that I’ve ever been able to find the single servings.” For the keto eater, the 2.5-ounce individual servings are great for keeping on hand for a quick snack, topping fried eggs, or smearing over grilled chicken breasts.

Total estimated savings: $4-$7.

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50 Things Your Doctor Wishes You Knew About Losing Weight

Even nutritious foods can make you gain weight

“Many people think if it’s healthy, you can eat as much as you want, but it’s important to limit ‘recreational’ eating, no matter how healthy the snack.” —Fiola Sowemimo, MD, Board-Certified in Internal and Bariatric Medicine. When you do snack, make sure you’re choosing the right kind; these snacks can help with weight loss.

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50 Simple Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

Play footsie… with yourself

Are you a toe-tapper? A pencil twirler? A leg shaker? Don’t stifle it—all these little movements can bolster your metabolism. Fidgeters can burn up to 500 calories a day without even thinking about it. That adds up to losing one pound a week. Just make sure your fidget isn’t humming or otherwise making noise, as that may make your coworkers kill you, which would not be good for your metabolism at all! Here are 50 things your doctor wants you to know about losing weight.

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40 Risks Everyone Should Take Before Turning 40

Say “no”

Though there is merit in saying “yes'” to things outside your comfort zone, Erica Korman, psychotherapist, psychic, and spiritual life expert, also stresses the importance of “no.” Even if you don’t know exactly why you don’t want to do something, work with a certain person, or have a specific experience—taking a risk in declining an opportunity builds character. “At mid-life it’s time to realize that life is short and there is not time to waste on things that don’t feel good or right to you,” she says. Start with learning these effective ways to say “no” without worrying that someone will think badly of you.

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All You Need to Know Regarding CBD Oil

CBD stands for cannabidiol oil. It is used to treat different symptoms even though its use is rather controversial. There is also some confusion as to how exactly the oil affects our bodies.

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12 People Who’ve Had Life-Changing Health Makeovers

Walk the walk

Rachel Friedman says before joining WW, walking anywhere would make her feel out of breath. Since beginning the program, she has adopted healthy habits like taking the stairs instead of the elevator and even walking 2.5 miles home in nice weather for extra exercise. “My WW Coach helped me make small changes over time, like walking during commercial breaks while watching TV and helping me find workout classes I loved that helped me really appreciate and love being active,” says Friedman.

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11 “Healthy” Foods That Nutritionists Won’t Touch

Don’t believe the hype

Food marketers are smart: Time and time again, they manage to convince us that the foods we’re better off avoiding are the very things that will help us stay trim and healthy. It’s no wonder that diets don’t work; there’s a ton of misinformation floating around.

To avoid falling victim to these marketing traps, you must stay informed. We spoke with nutritionists to find out which so-called “healthy” foods they avoid and learn what they eat instead. Following their lead may just be your ticket to eating a diet that makes you feel—and look—your very best. Here’s a handy guide to decoding food labels.

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I Lost 100 Pounds on the Keto Diet—and Cured My Fatty Liver Disease

Overweight since college, 52-year-old Christine Trimpe of Berkley, Michigan, had tried everything to get her weight under control. Weight Watchers, the South Beach diet, even a medical weight loss program that limited her to 800 calories a day—nothing worked for Trimpe long-term. Right around the time her health and hope had reached their lowest points, Trimpe discovered a solution that ended up saving her life—and she wants to share it with the world.

As her weight kept creeping up, Trimpe’s health was in steep decline. She was battling extreme fatigue, brain fog, knee pain, and swollen hands; eventually, depression set in. “I spent a lot of time laying on the couch, napping, or avoiding life,” Trimpe said. Two years ago, she was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (she stopped breathing numerous times during the night) and she started experiencing severe menstrual cramping.

Her gynecologist ordered pelvic and abdominal ultrasounds. While the scans revealed that Trimpe had ovarian cysts, her doctor diagnosed her with something even more serious: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition in which fat accumulates on the liver. It’s the most common type of liver disease, and about a third of Americans have it, according to the National Insitute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), and it’s on the rise.

“The numbers have absolutely skyrocketed,” says Jason Fung, MD, a nephrologist in Toronto. “If you look at the causes of liver failure, it’s actually becoming one of the top causes in North America.” Doctors can use blood tests, imaging tests, or a liver biopsy to diagnose NAFLD, but because it doesn’t have obvious symptoms, it’s often caught late when the liver has already suffered lasting damage—that’s why it’s known as a silent killer. Left untreated, NAFLD can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and liver failure; a liver transplant may be necessary, reports the NIDDK. Keep an eye out for these 9 fatty liver symptoms.

Being obese or having type 2 diabetes raises your risk—between 70 and 90 percent of people with these conditions have NAFLD. Eating a diet loaded with sugar and refined carbohydrates seems to aggravate NAFLD, says Dr. Fung. The body transports excess blood sugar to the liver where it’s turned into fat—and it can accumulate on the organ. Dietary fat, on the other hand, is put to use or stored with other fat cells, he explains.

When Trimpe started to do her own research, she became intrigued by the ketogenic diet—an extremely low-carb approach that forces the body to burn fat instead of sugar for energy. Some experts are wary of the eating plan, but early research suggests it could help people like Trimpe: A small study published in the journal Cell Metabolism suggests swapping carbs for protein can reduce fat in the liver within two weeks—regardless of how many calories a person eats or how much weight they lose. “The proof is going to take some time,” says Dr. Fung, “but on the other hand, a simple intervention like cutting down on sugar is something everyone can agree on.” Here are 9 easy habits that can reduce your risk for liver disease.

Trimpe decided to dive in: Using the apps like LoseIt and Carb Manager to track her food, she followed a plan that was 5 percent carbohydrates, 20-25 percent proteins, and 70 to 75 percent healthy fats; she was eating fewer than 20 grams of carbohydrates a day (the equivalent of five teaspoons of sugar).

Making sure her food sources were clean, Trimpe filled her plate with eggs, grass-fed beef and chicken, and healthy fats like avocado, coconut oil, and grass-fed butter. She says she couldn’t believe how full she felt on the plan—suddenly, she could go for hours without thinking about food. Within the first month alone, she lost 13 pounds.

“When the weight started melting off—pretty much almost immediately—I knew this was the lifestyle that was going to work for me,” Trimpe says. Within a year, she had lost 100 pounds, her symptoms had cleared up, and she had much more energy. When she returned for a follow-up ultrasound, her ovarian cysts were gone and she no longer had fatty liver disease.

With a new lease on life, Trimpe hopes to inspire others struggling with obesity and chronic health conditions. “I’m really determined to make the best of this gift that God has given me to go forward with this lifestyle and teach people what I can,” she said. Check out 13 things doctors want you to know about the ketogenic diet.

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13 Best Supplements and Vitamins for Weight Loss

Weight-loss frustration

You’ve tried the grapefruit juice diet, the cabbage soup diet, the baby food diet, cleanses, and detoxes, yet you’re still not seeing the results you want. It’s not surprising, as there are at least 7 reasons you’ll simply never lose weight on a fad diet. So what’s left to try? Vitamins.

“As part of a healthy living plan that includes clean eating, exercise, and stress management, we find that vitamins and minerals can play a role in weight loss and weight management,” say Arielle Levitan, MD, and Romy Block, MD, authors of the book The Vitamin Solution: Two Doctors Clear the Confusion About Vitamins and Your Health. “Many, if not most of us, have nutrient needs that are unmet by diet alone. When we replenish these deficiencies with the right vitamins and minerals, in proper doses, then we can satisfy our body’s nutrient cravings and in turn, reduce our unhealthy eating.”

Many of the doctors’ patients report that once they begin a regimen that includes the right vitamins for their individual needs, they’re able to eat less while making better food choices, and find they have more energy to exercise and plan meals. In addition, they tend to sleep better—and that also helps with weight control. Sold? Here are the top vitamins for weight loss.

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This Is How Many Calories You Burn in Your Sleep

13 Foods Nutritionists Always Eat at Buffets

Water

“I always start with water, no matter where I’m at,” says registered dietitian nutritionist Jenna Braddock, MSH, RD, CSSD, LDN. Not only does it save calories for the things you’re craving most (hello, Chinese food!), but staying hydrated could also take an edge off your hunger, meaning you won’t be tempted to make so many trips back up to the food station. Just make sure you know about these things you shouldn’t touch at all-you-can-eat buffets.

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This Is How the Whole30 Diet Helped Me Lose 36 Pounds

Take it a week at a time

It may feel really daunting to start Whole30. For one thing, it seems really restrictive on paper: There’s no sugar, legumes, dairy (oh, but the cheese!), bread, grains, or my beloved alcohol. You have to be mentally ready to make the sacrifices. I told myself to start with seven days—just seven—to see how I felt. And that’s the advice I now give to people when they start the Whole30: Be in it 100 percent for seven full days. If you don’t see a difference or feel a difference, by all means, stop. I have coached six people and counting through this program now. None of them have stopped after seven days. Here’s why most fad diets don’t work.

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Top Trainers Share How to Lose Weight in 2 Weeks

Decrease your calorie intake

While you can file this under things you already know to be true, personal trainer Chrissy Lundgren says too many people discount the impact of making simple adjustments. As a general recipe to lose weight, you need to eat less than you burn each day, she says. Meaning the fewer calories you consume, the more weight you’ll lose. “You don’t need snacks in between meals. Your body will fend for itself and burn off excess fat and stored energy in between those clean meals. Cut calorie intake,” she says. Here’s how to figure out how many calories in a pound you need to shed—it’s not what you think.

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15 Foods Nutritionists Eat Every Day—and So Should You

Nuts

Nutritionists are nuts about nuts, and for good reason. They provide plant-based protein, heart-healthy fats, and fiber to keep you feeling satisfied. Registered dietitian nutritionist Kristie LeBeau eats nuts every day because “research has shown they have many health benefits including promoting a healthy weight and a reduction in heart disease risk factors.”

Kate Chury, RD, makes it a habit to eat two Brazil nuts every day because they’re rich in selenium. “Selenium is an essential micronutrient that has antioxidant properties and is involved in thyroid health, the immune system, and fertility,” Chury says. Studies suggest that eating two Brazil nuts a day can improve selenium status, she says.

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This Is Why You Should Never Order a Soda with a Burger

A burger and soda go together like peanut butter and jelly, but you might want to reach for water with your next meaty meal. You’re probably well aware that sugary drinks aren’t good for you, but we’re not here to talk about those extra calories. Sugary drinks could affect your waistline way beyond what the nutrition label would tell you—and they’ll do even more damage if you pair them with the wrong food. This is what happens to your body one hour after drinking a can of soda.

Protein-packed meals mean you’re eating foods that help build muscle, which is great! But if you pair them with a sugary drink, you could do more harm than good.

Researchers had 27 adults eat four meals: Two had 15 percent protein—one with a sugar-sweetened beverage and the other with a sugar-free drink; the other two were 30 percent protein with the same drink pairings.

Drinking a sugary beverage with a meal led to lower fat oxidation, the process that starts breaking down fat in the body, according to the study in the journal BMC Nutrition. And the higher-protein meal had an even bigger decrease than the one with less protein. Basically, drinking a sugary beverage with a protein-heavy meal means you’ll burn less fat, unlike these foods that help you burn fat.

Participants actually did burn more calories after drinking the sugary drink than the one without sugar. But that metabolism boost wasn’t big enough to negate the calories in the drink.

In fact, a sugary drink could mean more calories even after your cup is empty. The extra calories didn’t do anything to help participants’ hunger—in fact, they led to bigger cravings later on. Getting plenty of protein without the extra sugar cut down on cravings for salty, savory foods. But when the high-protein meal came with a sugary beverage, the appetite for those foods came back.

“Our findings suggest that having a sugar-sweetened drink with a meal impacts both sides of the energy balance equation,” says lead study author Shanon Casperson, PhD, research biologist with USDA, in a statement. “On the intake side, the additional energy from the drink did not make people feel more sated. On the expenditure side, the additional calories were not expended and fat oxidation was reduced.”

So even though protein is good for you, pairing it with sugar could let those benefits slip away. If you’re starting a day with protein-heavy eggs, don’t make the healthy breakfast mistake of drinking sugary juice; stick with coffee instead.

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Ways to Lose Weight: 42 Fast, Easy Tips

Write down what you eat for one week, and you will lose weight

Studies found that people who keep food diaries wind up eating about 15 percent less food than those who don’t. And, new research suggests logging what you eat is one of the most effective and easy ways to lose weight. Watch out for weekends: A University of North Carolina study found people tend to consume an extra 115 calories per weekend day, primarily from alcohol and fat.  Then cut out or down calories from spreads, dressings, sauces, condiments, drinks, and snacks; they could make the difference between weight gain and loss. Here are 50 easy ways to lose weight naturally.

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7 Proven Intermittent Fasting Benefits

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting—periods of voluntary abstinence from food and drink—is a broad term that can be applied to many different practices. This type of dieting has spurred many books and has received a lot of attention as of late as studies (mostly in animals) have shown that it may reduce the risk for several diseases. Additional studies have also shown that intermittent fasting benefits extend to weight loss, with research suggesting that intermittent fasting can help boost metabolism. The most popular approach is the 16/8, which requires fasting for 16 hours a day. Another version, alternate day fasting (ADF) alternates 24-hour periods of fasting (or very restricted 500 calorie diets) with days of eating freely. The 5:2 approach limits fasting to just two days a week while the Warrior Diet follows a 20-hour fast with one large meal consumed at night. “Part of the confusion with intermittent fasting lies in the lack of a definition,” says Robin Foroutan, RD, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “To some people, intermittent fasting means that they fast every day while to others it means they only eat between 11 and 6.” Here’s everything you need to know about the Warrior Diet.

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21 Worst Habits for Belly Fat

You’re a social media junkie

If you can’t stay away from Facebook and Instagram, you may start to notice yourself packing on the pounds. A large study found that if participants had a friend who became obese, their chance of also becoming obese rose by 57 percent, according to Harvard Health Blog. Scientists suspect that social network influences what people perceive as normal and acceptable—if you see your high school friends getting heavier, you feel like it’s OK if you do too.

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