Weight Loss Stories – Holly Lost 105 Pounds in 12 Months

Name: Holly
Age: 30
Family Status: Engaged
Occupation: Health Foods Retail, Chef, Above Fitness and Nutrition
Hometown: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Height: 6’0″
Starting Weight: 278 pounds
Current Weight: 173 pounds
Current Waist Size: 31″

Holly’s Weight Loss Interview!

How much did you lose?
I have lost 105 pounds so far!

When did you become unhappy with your weight?
I have been large my whole life. I accepted my weight due to my relationship with food. Eating was my comfort and solution to anything good and bad in my life. Before bed I would always lay awake hating myself knowing I was stuck like this because I lacked any courage or motivation as well as having an addiction to food. This was by far the worst feeling I’ve experienced. Self hate slowly consumes you.

What made you decide to lose weight?
A disruption in life that caused large amounts of stress left me unable to overeat or find comfort in food due to the emotional pain I was enduring. It was a void inside me that food couldn’t fill. I was shedding fat, muscle and nutrients. All the good and the bad. My friend Katie noticed I was shrinking enough to weigh me and I was 20 pounds lighter. Seeing the scale at 258 pounds down from 278 pounds was all the motivation I needed. I latched onto that like I would never let it go. With a lot of help from my support system which consisted of my fiance and close friends, my fiance and I transformed together.

What were the most important changes you made to lose weight?
The absolute most important change was my food consumption. After much research and with the help of an app called “My Fitness Pal”, we started portioning our foods. After we understood how to portion properly we started altering what we were consuming. Once we started this process the weight was shedding off us like rainfall.

What was the most challenging thing you had to deal with during your weight loss journey?
The challenges were very much mental. Food is, was and always will be a mental challenge for me. But, once you see results the addiction for that progression starts. You realize that you don’t have to be like this. You see yourself in a whole new light.

How long did it take you to start to see results?
It took about 4 months. With only altering my eating habits I dropped 60 pounds. That’s when friends and family saw a noticeable difference. It took my friends and family seeing it first for me to really see that I was doing it.

How long did it take for you to reach your current weight?
It took about 1 year. My life changed when my mindset changed and I was able to lose the weight and keep it off without the use of any gimmicks. You never know how strong you are until you are able to retrain your mind.

Did you have any issues with loose skin after losing the weight? If so, how did you deal with it?
After the first 4 months of altering my food consumption I joined a boot camp fitness facility called “Just Train Fitness” in my area. Justin (owner and trainer) quickly became a close friend of mine. He was able to push me the way my fiance can push me and I trusted him. He always wanted to see me succeed enough to put in extra time to box with me and strength train with me all out of the goodness of his heart. I never ended up with loose skin because of my determination to exercise which is something I had never been able to do, both mentally and physically.

How long have you maintained your weight loss and what are the most important factors for keeping it off?
It has been about 2 years now and I continue to be successful in maintaining my weight. Mainly, I am able to accomplish this because of my support system. My fiance now devotes her life to fitness and nutrition as a fitness tech at our local college and I have fallen in love with building muscle and strength training as well as cooking for others. I had no desire to have muscles, but muscles are my trophies. They show all my hard work like writing on the wall. I’m motivated every day by my surroundings which keeps me staying fit and healthy.

What keeps you motivated to continue your weight loss success?
What keeps me motivated most is my own mind. My brain has completely been rewired by myself to think health and wellness every second of every minute. My fiance kept me going when times got hard. I couldn’t have accomplished any of this without her beside me every single step. Our 2 daughters who love their new moms and always say they are so happy we are healthy now. They workout with us regularly and care about what they put in their bodies. Seeing your kids model after you in such a positive way keeps you motivated to never let them down. As well, my family and friends; these people made and make me love myself. These people trust in me, care for me and are always there for me as I am for them.

How has your life changed now that you have lost weight?
My life is not one single bit how I thought it would be. I live and breathe fitness and nutrition. My family lives and breathes fitness and nutrition. Our careers and dreams are centered around fitness and nutrition. I am in the small startup period of a meal prep business to help people who are where I was. That type of struggle is one that nobody should ever go through alone. I know the thoughts, the feelings, the hopelessness you feel. I want to help people beat it. I want to be living proof. I want to watch someone’s life change and watch them love themselves. People need to go through what I went through. Everyone should experience this.

Do you have any advice for others who are trying to lose weight?
Take 1 year out of your whole life, just 1 year. There is no magic in any of this, just sheer willpower. You have your whole life so just commit 1 year and I promise it will change your world. Fight for yourself! You are worth it! You want this!

Holly’s Weight Loss Tips!

Weight Loss Tip #1:
Find a buddy. Whether it’s a family member, friend or a stranger, make sure to find a buddy. This will be someone who will refuse to let you fail.

Weight Loss Tip #2:
Portion your food!

Weight Loss Tip #3:
Care about what you eat. This is your fuel. Food is not a treat, reward or motivation. Food is your fuel! Do not let your life be run by food just being a reward.

Weight Loss Tip #4:
Don’t let the scale dictate your results. My weight is increasing as I continue to slim down. Don’t fall victim to scale obsession.

Weight Loss Tip #5:
When you’re ready to give up is one step before your life is about to change. Fight for yourself!

Holly’s Weight Loss Eating Plan!

What do you normally eat for breakfast?
I love a Vega shake in the morning. On the days I don’t have shakes I make sure to have my carbs in the morning so that I can satisfy my carb craving and this gives myself the day to absorb what’s needed and burn off the rest.

What do you normally eat for lunch?
I love having veggies and hummus for lunch or salads filled with avocado.

What do you normally eat for dinner?
Dinner is usually prepped for the week. Mainly we stick to chicken, turkey, greens and grains. Turkey taco night is a big hit at our house with us and our kids.

What do you normally eat for snacks?
I love having a handful of almonds or trying a new type of protein bar. I also love creating my own healthy snacks like energy bites.

What type of nutritional supplements do you take?
I am a big fan of all things Vega. I love their shakes, bars, pre and post-workout supplements.

Holly’s Weight Loss Workouts!

What do you do for weight training?
I love weight training and do circuits of everything from sweeps, deadlifts, lifting, presses, bodyweight circuits, etc.

What do you do for cardio training?
I love outdoor cardio. Running, biking and city stair climbing is a major cardio workout for me. I set goals to continuously crush!

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