Weight Loss Stories – Csilla Lost 55 Pounds in 7 Months

Name: Csilla
Age: 30
Family Status: Married
Occupation: Talent Acquisition Director
Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Height: 5’1″
Starting Weight: 169 pounds
Current Weight: 114 pounds
Current Waist Size: 29″

Csilla’s Weight Loss Interview!

How much did you lose?
I lost a total of 55 pounds.

When did you become unhappy with your weight?
My husband and I were both heavy smokers, social drinkers and big time junk food consumers. When we quit smoking and drinking in 2012 that was probably the best thing we ever decided to do in our lives, besides getting married! However, as a result of quitting smoking and drinking, our appetite increased a lot! It didn’t help that we love to experiment in the kitchen with new recipes, plus I got pregnant with my daughter. So one thing led to another and we both ended up overweight.

What made you decide to lose weight?
In April of 2015 we had to go to an important meeting. Of course, I wanted to wear my favorite Dorothy Perkins blouse. I had a very emotional connection to that blouse because it made me feel beautiful and I received tons of compliments every time I wore it. Well, I managed to get it on, but I could not take it off. In fact, my husband had to cut it off me with scissors. I was devastated! I honestly believe that you can be beautiful at any weight, as long as you feel beautiful inside. But at that moment I did not feel beautiful. I felt overweight and ugly and I felt like I lost my last pretty blouse that made me look gorgeous. That was my “got to get it together” moment.

What were the most important changes you made to lose weight?
In July of 2015 I downloaded a popular fitness app on my phone. I started eating fresh vegetables, fruits (smoothies), fish and kefir for probiotics. I didn’t deprive myself of anything. I ate EVERYTHING in moderation. Although I was eating fewer calories than usual, my body was actually getting a lot more nutrition and a lot more vitamins. What started out as a “diet” quickly became a nourishment program. I started to get my energy back and I started to feel good and look better. It was wonderful to witness how my body was changing. I tried lots of diets before but nothing worked because dealing with deprivation and strict meals were impossible for me to follow with my busy lifestyle. The phone app I used also allows you to scan the barcode of each item, so logging food was quick and simple.

What was the most challenging thing you had to deal with during your weight loss journey?
My biggest challenge was, and still is, eating out or going on road trips. It is hard to eat healthy when you are in a restaurant with limited healthy options and most times I have no idea how many calories I’m eating. So I learned that nuts, fruit and granola bars are a great option when I’m on the road. Taking your own coffee with you also matters. The coffee you prepare at home, even if you are lucky enough to have a Keurig machine, is a maximum of 80 calories, but the ones sold in coffee shops are usually around 300 calories and way more expensive, so it’s a win-win to bring your own!

How long did it take you to start to see results?
By using the phone app, you can see results within a week if you don’t exceed the recommended calories and you religiously log everything you eat.

How long did it take for you to reach your current weight?
It took me 7 months.

How long have you maintained your weight loss and what are the most important factors for keeping it off?
I have maintained my weight loss for 1 month and I continue to log everything, just like I did during the weight loss program, except now I eat more calories.

What keeps you motivated to continue your weight loss success?
I want that beach body! Throughout my diet, I wasn’t really exercising a lot. I think I was just a bit scared that it might be too overwhelming to exercise while I am still learning how to eat right. Nowadays, I exercise almost every day for 30 minutes to a 1 hour. Attaining a beach body is my next goal!

How has your life changed now that you have lost weight?
My life changed in many ways. My heart finally got a break and I can actually run without asphyxiating myself, so my body is thriving now. I have an unlimited supply of energy and I can finally shop for the clothes I really want. I also feel a lot younger and running around with my toddler suddenly feels like fun. I wish anyone reading this can experience the same thing!

Do you have any advice for others who are trying to lose weight?
Saying, “I’m too busy to eat healthy” is nothing but an excuse. Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to grow your own organic zucchini, cook everything from scratch and never set foot in a fast food restaurant. Also, don’t get too overwhelmed about buying organic, non-GMO, or the free range chicken trends. Let me explain what I mean by this. Imagine a guy walking down the street wearing a helmet. You might ask him, “Why are you wearing a helmet?” For the fear that something might fall from the sky and hit me, he replies. You would probably think that taking this protective measure is overkill. It is indeed possible that a random object may hit him, but it is so unlikely that it doesn’t make much sense to worry about it. Now imagine that after a few seconds you see the same guy crossing a busy street with a red light without even bothering to look left or right for traffic. You would certainly think that something must be wrong with the guy. Well, I feel that when it comes to food, many of us behave just like this guy. We are overly concerned with issues that are far less pressing, such as the toxicity of additives, food contamination, residues of pesticides and antibiotics. The truth is that excess salt, saturated and trans fats, insulin peaks and lack of antioxidants will have already killed you long before the pesticide residues have started to even damage you. I recommend keeping it simple and eating 100% natural whole foods that are nutrient dense and that are as minimally processed as possible.

How did ShapeFit help you reach your weight loss goals?
ShapeFit’s weight loss stories are very motivational.

Csilla’s Weight Loss Tips!

Weight Loss Tip #1:
Use CICO (Calories In, Calories Out). You have to burn more calories than you eat. Even if all odds are against you and you have a genetic predisposition to be overweight like me, CICO really works.

Weight Loss Tip #2:
It is not stupid to log your calories accurately. Most times we underestimate how much we eat because we tend to count only the “big” meals. However, those little extra sauces will make a huge difference!

Weight Loss Tip #3:
A healthy diet begins with the choices you make at the grocery store or at a restaurant. You decide what goes into your body at all times.

Weight Loss Tip #4:
You don’t have to give up on your favorite snacks as long as you stay under your recommended daily calories.

Weight Loss Tip #5:
Knowing your own weaknesses is very important. You have to be your own personal nutritionist and personal trainer and build your diet around your own weaknesses. For example, my weakness is snacking. I love snacking, so I knew I needed to pack my fridge with healthy, low-calorie snacks. Otherwise, I’m not happy and if my diet makes me feel miserable I certainly won’t stick to it. My husband, on the other hand, loves pizza. He just has to have it, so we found a low-calorie DiGiorno pizza that he can have and it fits into his calorie budget. It’s the same thing with exercises. It’s very personal. Some people enjoy strength training and others enjoy cardio. Some enjoy doing just 5 minutes of exercise while others enjoy doing an hour. Your diet and exercise routine should be something you enjoy.

Csilla’s Weight Loss Eating Plan!

What do you normally eat for breakfast?
I like variety, but for breakfast I usually have a smoothie with low-fat Greek vanilla yogurt, unsweetened almond milk, banana and other fresh or frozen fruit.

What do you normally eat for lunch?
I eat salmon, tuna, ham and occasionally pork or beef with a salad, beans, or rice.

What do you normally eat for dinner?
I like to have a ham sandwich or a salad.

What do you normally eat for snacks?
My favorite healthy snack is carrots with hummus. The more carrots the better 🙂

What type of nutritional supplements do you take?
I take Omega 3 fish oil every day.

Csilla’s Weight Loss Workouts!

What do you do for weight training (exercises, workouts)?
I found a great YouTube channel that has a lot of strength and cardio workouts, ranging from 5 minutes to 1.5 hours, so you can always pick the exercise that fits your mood and schedule. The best part is it’s completely free!

What do you do for cardio training (exercises, workouts)?
I like doing HIIT cardio (High Intensity Interval Training).

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