'I Lost 100 Pounds After Going Low-Carb And Learning To Meal Prep'

I grew up active but overweight. I was on the swim team from elementary school through high school, and while I’d swim for hours a day, I was still the biggest person in my class.

My weight was largely due to my diet: After swim practice, I’d come home feeling so hungry that I’d eat three or four of my mom’s meal-replacement shakes, along with a few servings of macaroni and cheese or a couple of frozen dinners.

I became more aware of what I ate as a teenager—and how it might be contributing to my health—when I noticed that a lot of my friends and family could seemingly eat whatever they wanted without gaining weight. I felt really jealous and I thought that if I just became thin, then I would be happy.

That’s how my my eating disorder first started: I wanted to eat the food my friends and family ate and not gain weight.

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Why do you want to lose weight? Be honest, comment down below! . I’m going to be real here…..STOP OBSESSING OVER YOUR BODY! Losing weight doesn’t have to the only thing you think about. You can live a happy, healthy life and weight loss can be a side effect of that. . ?Here’s some things that have helped me! 1️⃣ EXERCISE TO BE HEALTHY 2️⃣ EAT TO BE HEALTHY 3️⃣ DO THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY 4️⃣ SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO TALK POSITIVELY ABOUT THEIR BODY (including Instagram) 5️⃣ CHOOSE ONE THING YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF OTHER THAN YOUR LOOKS 6️⃣ THROW OUT CLOTHES YOU DON’T LIKE . Overall, happiness is an inside job. You have the choice to be happy and to live a healthy lifestyle. Be kind to yourself. LOVE yourself and your life. Be active, get outdoors, make good choices and your goal will come. It’s not always going to be easy but hey, that’s life. . . SW: 269 CW: 169 You can do anything you set your mind to! #fitfam #fitnesslifestyle #fitnessjourney #itsfitmadiwilson #weightloss #weightlossmotivation #transformation #transformforlife #weightlosstransformation #weightlosstransformationinprogress #transformationjourney #down100lbs #beforeandduring #pcos #pcosweightloss #pcosweightlossjourney #pcosfighter #pcosawareness #pcoslife #pcoswarrior

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Why do you want to lose weight? Be honest, comment down below! . I’m going to be real here…..STOP OBSESSING OVER YOUR BODY! Losing weight doesn’t have to the only thing you think about. You can live a happy, healthy life and weight loss can be a side effect of that. . 👉Here’s some things that have helped me! 1️⃣ EXERCISE TO BE HEALTHY 2️⃣ EAT TO BE HEALTHY 3️⃣ DO THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY 4️⃣ SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO TALK POSITIVELY ABOUT THEIR BODY (including Instagram) 5️⃣ CHOOSE ONE THING YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF OTHER THAN YOUR LOOKS 6️⃣ THROW OUT CLOTHES YOU DON’T LIKE . Overall, happiness is an inside job. You have the choice to be happy and to live a healthy lifestyle. Be kind to yourself. LOVE yourself and your life. Be active, get outdoors, make good choices and your goal will come. It’s not always going to be easy but hey, that’s life. . . SW: 269 CW: 169 You can do anything you set your mind to! #fitfam #fitnesslifestyle #fitnessjourney #itsfitmadiwilson #weightloss #weightlossmotivation #transformation #transformforlife #weightlosstransformation #weightlosstransformationinprogress #transformationjourney #down100lbs #beforeandduring #pcos #pcosweightloss #pcosweightlossjourney #pcosfighter #pcosawareness #pcoslife #pcoswarrior

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Unfortunately, I let Bulimia take over my life. At one point, I was bingeing and purging up to 20 times a day. But at 18, I put myself into treatment—and it turned out to be the best thing I ever did.

Still, even after completing treatment for bulimia, I wasn’t making healthy decisions about food, nor did I work out much. I was also in a mentally abusive relationship at the time. My self-worth was shot, I was depressed, and I gained 100 pounds in just three years after I received treatment. At that point, I weighed 269 pounds.

My turning point came when someone asked if I was pregnant one day—and I wasn’t.

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Why do you want to lose weight? For me, I wanted to finally live a normal, healthy life. I did fad diets for years, took weight loss pills, had an eating disorder, I did anything I could to get “quick weight loss” THIS IS KEY: it took me YEARS to come to terms with the fact that if you want weight to stay off, you have to just live a healthy lifestyle. Me to that means, eating healthy meals (that are delicious) going to the gym and having a little chocolate when I want it. In the past I would say “I’m NEVER having chocolate again!” Then 2 weeks go buy and I eat 4 chocolate bars. Now I just have 1 square and I’m satisfied. Losing weight and being healthy is all about balance. LIFE IS BALANCE! I really hope this spoke to you because I didn’t to listen this when I started and I always need to remind myself this. SW: 269 CW: 169 You can do anything you set your mind to! #fitfam #fitnesslifestyle #fitnessjourney #itsfitmadiwilson #weightloss #weightlossmotivation #transformation #transformforlife #weightlosstransformation #weightlosstransformationinprogress #transformationjourney #down100lbs #beforeandduring #pcos #pcosweightloss #pcosweightlossjourney #pcosfighter #pcosawareness #pcoslife #pcoswarrior #loseweight #losefat #loseweightfast #loseweightfeelgreat

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Why do you want to lose weight? For me, I wanted to finally live a normal, healthy life. I did fad diets for years, took weight loss pills, had an eating disorder, I did anything I could to get “quick weight loss” THIS IS KEY: it took me YEARS to come to terms with the fact that if you want weight to stay off, you have to just live a healthy lifestyle. Me to that means, eating healthy meals (that are delicious) going to the gym and having a little chocolate when I want it. In the past I would say “I’m NEVER having chocolate again!” Then 2 weeks go buy and I eat 4 chocolate bars. Now I just have 1 square and I’m satisfied. Losing weight and being healthy is all about balance. LIFE IS BALANCE! I really hope this spoke to you because I didn’t to listen this when I started and I always need to remind myself this. SW: 269 CW: 169 You can do anything you set your mind to! #fitfam #fitnesslifestyle #fitnessjourney #itsfitmadiwilson #weightloss #weightlossmotivation #transformation #transformforlife #weightlosstransformation #weightlosstransformationinprogress #transformationjourney #down100lbs #beforeandduring #pcos #pcosweightloss #pcosweightlossjourney #pcosfighter #pcosawareness #pcoslife #pcoswarrior #loseweight #losefat #loseweightfast #loseweightfeelgreat

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I was at a nail salon in a maxi dress, and the nail technician was trying to make small talk. She asked me when my baby was due. It felt like my heart actually stopped and I got up and left. It was a real wake-up call for me.

My first step: I got out of the abusive relationship and got a place of my own. Since I was in charge for the first time, I completely banned processed foods from my home—that meant no more macaroni and cheese. I also gave up most carbs—bread, pasta, potatoes—since they made me feel very bloated. In place of those things, I added more veggies to my diet, and increased my protein intake with lean meats.

I wanted a way to hold myself accountable, too, so I downloaded a food-tracking app and learned all I could about meal prepping. I actually learned to cook for the first time in my life. I’d spend hours looking up new recipes to try. Here’s what I typically eat in a day now:

  • Breakfast: 1 cup celery juice, 2 eggs, 1/4 avocado.
  • Lunch: 4 lettuce wraps (romaine lettuce, 4 ounces chicken breast lunch meat, 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, basil, drizzle of balsamic glaze on each).
  • Snacks: Protein shake (2 cups almond milk, 1/2 frozen banana, ice, pea protein or brown rice protein, 1 Tbsp cocoa, Monk Zero sweetener to taste, 3 Tbsp peanut butter powder).
  • Dinner: 6-ounce chicken breast, 3 cups steamed broccoli.
  • Dessert: I don’t eat dessert that often, but when I want something sweet, I’ll have a few pieces of dark chocolate.

I also started an exercise plan, but I was too self-conscious to go to the gym at first.

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SAY THIS OUT LOUD ? I will not punish myself for not working out. I will not restrict food intake. I will continue to have balance and to love myself.? . This past week has been a true test of self love. I haven’t been to the gym (it’s been closed due to weather) I don’t have fresh veggies (I was snowed in) I keep telling myself that’s IT’S OK! Life will happen and you can’t control that but the one thing you have control over is your outlook and how you react to it. . Keep being nice to yourself and keep loving yourself! . SW: 269 CW: 169 You can do anything you set your mind to! #fitfam #fitnesslifestyle #fitnessjourney #itsfitmadiwilson #weightloss #weightlossmotivation #transformation #transformforlife #weightlosstransformation #weightlosstransformationinprogress #transformationjourney #down100lbs #beforeandduring #pcos #pcosweightloss #pcosweightlossjourney #pcosfighter #pcosawareness #pcoslife #pcoswarrior

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SAY THIS OUT LOUD 👉 I will not punish myself for not working out. I will not restrict food intake. I will continue to have balance and to love myself.👈 . This past week has been a true test of self love. I haven’t been to the gym (it’s been closed due to weather) I don’t have fresh veggies (I was snowed in) I keep telling myself that’s IT’S OK! Life will happen and you can’t control that but the one thing you have control over is your outlook and how you react to it. . Keep being nice to yourself and keep loving yourself! . SW: 269 CW: 169 You can do anything you set your mind to! #fitfam #fitnesslifestyle #fitnessjourney #itsfitmadiwilson #weightloss #weightlossmotivation #transformation #transformforlife #weightlosstransformation #weightlosstransformationinprogress #transformationjourney #down100lbs #beforeandduring #pcos #pcosweightloss #pcosweightlossjourney #pcosfighter #pcosawareness #pcoslife #pcoswarrior

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Instead, I looked up workout videos on YouTube. I would do them by myself in my living room of my little apartment. They were mostly cardio with some bodyweight training worked in.

Eventually, when the workout videos got easier, I signed up for the gym, despite my nerves. My first workout class was the worst hour of my life; it felt like the room was spinning afterwards.

I made some trainer-suggested modifications (not using weights and going my own pace). After a few months of doing my own workouts, I added weights into my routine and was doing the workout class two times a week. I was finally able to master it and leave the room feeling great, not exhausted or sick.

Just as I started to feel like my health was in order, I got diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

I had all the warning signs of PCOS before—difficulty losing weight, facial hair, acne, horrible periods—but I still didn’t know I had it until I went to a routine doctor’s visit.

My doctor decided to perform a few tests and found that I had extremely high testosterone levels. I was also insulin-resistant and had ovarian cysts. I was devastated, but glad to finally have an answer.

To be honest, PCOS is still something I’m learning about today. I’ve seen different doctors and tried different medications to manage my symptoms, so I’m still finding the perfect combination of what works best for me. But just knowing that my difficulty losing weight wasn’t all in my head is reassuring.

Since starting my weight-loss journey, I’ve lost a total of 100 pounds in about two years.

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It hurts to look back but sometimes it feels so good. I was so depressed, angry, lost and I was treating myself so bad. I still have hard days (everyone does, even if they look “perfect” on IG) but since treating myself better, eating right, managing my #PCOS I been a lot happier. I’ve realized that ending bad relationships is a form of self care. Once I stood up for myself and took control over my happiness, everything seemed to fall into place. Never give up! I’m here for you! DM me if you want to talk – deep! I’ve had plateaus, I’ve been hurt, I’ve been sick, I’ve wanted to GIVE UP (so many times) but I won’t let myself! I hope you do something challenging today! SW: 269 CW: 169 You can do anything you set your mind to! #fitfam #fitnesslifestyle #fitnessjourney #itsfitmadiwilson #weightloss #weightlossmotivation #transformation #transformforlife #weightlosstransformation #weightlosstransformationinprogress #transformationjourney #down100lbs #beforeandduring #pcos #pcosweightloss #pcosweightlossjourney #pcosfighter #pcosawareness #pcoslife #pcoswarrior

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It hurts to look back but sometimes it feels so good. I was so depressed, angry, lost and I was treating myself so bad. I still have hard days (everyone does, even if they look “perfect” on IG) but since treating myself better, eating right, managing my #PCOS I been a lot happier. I’ve realized that ending bad relationships is a form of self care. Once I stood up for myself and took control over my happiness, everything seemed to fall into place. Never give up! I’m here for you! DM me if you want to talk – deep! I’ve had plateaus, I’ve been hurt, I’ve been sick, I’ve wanted to GIVE UP (so many times) but I won’t let myself! I hope you do something challenging today! SW: 269 CW: 169 You can do anything you set your mind to! #fitfam #fitnesslifestyle #fitnessjourney #itsfitmadiwilson #weightloss #weightlossmotivation #transformation #transformforlife #weightlosstransformation #weightlosstransformationinprogress #transformationjourney #down100lbs #beforeandduring #pcos #pcosweightloss #pcosweightlossjourney #pcosfighter #pcosawareness #pcoslife #pcoswarrior

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When I was younger, I had the mindset that losing weight would make my problems go away, but after losing 100 pounds, I can say that weight has nothing to do with happiness. Sure, I feel better and healthier, but weight loss will not fix your self-confidence. That’s one thing I learned in eating disorder treatment that I will never forget: Self-care is the best coping mechanism.

I also want to urge women to check in with their doctor if they notice something feels off. Don’t be afraid to talk to them. It’s going to be hard, but it’s worth it.

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