How These Women Finally Lost That Last 10 Pounds (And Kept It Off) (Gallery)
Anyone who's ever tried losing weight knows there's a tipping point — your weight loss stalls, you get frustrated, and since you're sure those last few pounds will never come off, you just quit it all.
People often think this is something they're doing wrong, that they're making mistakes that keep the weight on. There are some surprising reasons you might not be losing weight that you didn't think were possible. And with all the myths out there about food and exercise, it's hard to know what to try next.
We asked women who have done the impossible — lost the last 10 pounds and kept it off — how they really did it. While reading these tips, keep in mind that there's no one fix that works for everyone. While one diet might feel good for one person, another person might thrive doing things completely differently. And people have lost weight in all kinds of ways — did you know one guy lost weight by eating pizza every single day? We doubt that would do the trick for everyone.
However, if you want to hear from the perspectives of real women about how they kept the weight off, this advice is for you.
Listen to Your Body
When Rachel Ringwood moved across the country from Los Angeles to New York City, she stopped paying attention to what or how she was eating. "I was working crazy hours, as well as eating late, drinking too much, and not fueling my body correctly," she explained. "Fifty-five pounds later I didn't recognize myself!"
She decided to make a change — the change that stuck was to tune in to her body's needs and respond to them. "I started drinking way more water than I was used to and also listening to what my body was craving and rejecting," Ringwood said. By responding to her body's needs, she was able to keep feeling her best.
Finding Exercise You Enjoy
Some people love running and high-intensity cardio — but if you hate those things, your exercise routine is never going to last. Rachel Ringwood relies on movement she wants to do, rather than workouts she feels like she has to. She hikes, stretches, and does other types of exercise she enjoys. "Exercise is my antidepressant," she says.
Prioritizing Mental Health
Rachel Ringwood has successfully lost 55 pounds and kept it off while working a busy schedule. She owns and cuts hair at His & Hers Parlor in Miami. "I think it's extremely important that I help motivate and push people to spend just as much time on their mental and physical health as we spend on our clients," Ringwood told The Daily Meal. An integral part of her journey has been exercising for her mental health and feeling confident in her own skin.
Building Sustainable Habits
Marzena Morga began her journey on September 1, 2016. Today, she documents her incredible transformation and her daily progress on her Instagram, @journey2marz. "I've probably tried every diet known to mankind, only to lose weight and then gain it all back and then some," she told The Daily Meal. "There is no secret to weight loss, no quick fix, no magic pill. I realized that all it required is consistency, dedication, and finding something that will work for you for the rest of your life."
Not Relying on Cardio
When Summer started her weight loss journey, she hit the ground running — literally. While the first few months of her weight loss were based on diet changes alone, she soon started incorporating workouts into her routine. She spent hours slaving through cardio at the gym trying to get the pounds to shed from her body. But Summer got tired; her cardio habit wasn't sustainable.
"I wish I had added in more calisthenics and weight training earlier on, rather than doing strictly cardio for so many months," Summer said. Now, she likes to participate in both. By varying her routine and not exhausting herself on the treadmill, Summer is able to keep up her exercise habits.
Prioritizing Self Care
Emma Smith began her weight loss journey with incentive. She participated in the program HealthyWage, which rewards people with monetary gains for losing weight. We asked her how she kept the weight off once the program was over; her answer was simple. "I had to put myself first," Smith told The Daily Meal. "That is basically it: I made myself a priority."
Stress Management
Emma Smith had a history of overeating. One of the challenges of her weight loss journey was overcoming her desire to overdo it, especially late at night after a stressful day. To keep her late-night trips to the fridge from going too far, she told us that she focused on "not allowing the stress of daily life to turn into a binge session." By keeping the stress of her day-to-day life at a minimum, she felt less driven to cope using food.
Stress and food are more related than you might think — it could be helpful to manage stress by limiting the habits that are making your anxiety worse.