Find out how Andie Mitchell turned her weight loss experience into a career.

Before: 268
After: 135

The Lifestyle
Andie Mitchell, 29, doesn't remember a time before she lost weight that she wasn't the biggest girl she knew. Growing up, Andie had a bit of a tumultuous childhood. Her father was an alcoholic, and when she was just 12-years-old, he passed away. In times of stress or just boredom, she turned to sugary packaged snacks. In addition to munching when she needed emotional support or something to do, her family didn't emphasize the importance of portion sizes or eating fruits and veggies—and they didn't discourage eating when you're not hungry. "I pretty much ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted," she says.

When it came to exercise, Andie attempted to play soccer and lacrosse before heading to college but never stuck with them. "When you’re overweight, it’s hard to play team sports because you feel like you're on display," she says. In college, she would occasionally try to jog or use the elliptical machine to lose weight but didn't stick with it. After finishing her sophomore year in 2005, the 5' 9'' 20-year-old weighed 268 pounds.

The Change
In the summer following her second year of college, Andie decided to join the YMCA to take control of her weight. But when she stepped onto the scale at the gym, she was shocked to discover that she weighed way more than she'd previously realized—nearly 300 pounds. However, it wasn't the number that scared her as much as realizing that she had been gaining weight her whole life and that if she didn't make a change, it wouldn’t stop.

Andie decided to kick start her weight loss journey by cutting down on her favorite packaged desserts, other processed snacks, and soda. She added foods like unsweetened yogurt, lean protein, and lots of fruits and veggies to her diet. And while she admits that the cravings for sugary snacks "were out of control," she knew that she had to learn to live without them if she wanted to lose weight. But she didn’t give up all of her favorite foods cold turkey. Instead, she turned one of her favorite meals, buffalo chicken pizza, into what she calls "buffalo chicken rolls," which consist of shredded chicken in buffalo sauce put in a wonton wrapper and baked. She loves this version more because it’s easier to track the portions and calories. "I always liked to cook, but I started realizing new ways that I can make food lighter without losing the flavor," says Andie.

To give her weight loss a one-two punch, Andie also started working out immediately after deciding to lose weight. But it wasn't easy. When she first started exercising that summer, she was also working full time and was exhausted at the end of the workday. "I was baffled by how people could psych themselves up for the gym after work," says Andie. However, the kickboxing and circuit training fitness classes she took motivated her to work hard each time she went. "I felt like as long as I could just get in the door, I would have a good workout. I just had to get to the class," she says.

Andie pushed through four workouts a week, but that accomplishment meant she also had to sacrifice time with her friends who weren't fans of the gym. "It was strange, but I wanted to be healthy so bad that I stuck with it," she says.

By sticking with her diet and exercise plan, Andie got down to 135 pounds just 13 months after setting out to get healthy.

The Reward
"When I lost the weight, I gained a sense of strength and realized that I can accomplish things," says Andie. "Those feelings spread to other parts of my life and made me feel bold enough to try new things and get out of my comfort zone." That boldness inspired her to start a cooking blog, and today, she's turned that blog into a weight loss memoir and a cookbook, which will be out next year. "If I hadn't lost the weight, I wouldn't have been inspired to start the blog," says Andie.

By losing weight, she's also learned how to cope with life's obstacles in a healthier way than turning to food. Instead of reaching for a snack, Andie reaches out to friends and family or goes on walk to de-stress. "I feel like my life is rich and it’s not just because of what I eat," she says.

Andie's Tips
Forget FOMO. "It was hard for me to go to the gym instead of spending time with friends. But at the end of the day, it’s about my health. You have to go after your own goals. Only you can make the change and make yourself work out. You need to do what’s best for you, regardless of what everyone else is doing."

Learn About Nutrition. "It’s important to learn about nutrition, calories, and portion sizes—not because you need to count calories—but because when you learn what nutrition mistakes you're making, it will help you lose weight faster.

Take Weight Loss One Day at a Time. "If you focus on doing the best you can each day by eating right, making it to the gym, or both, it's less overwhelming than thinking about what you have to do to get to your overall goal. And if you can't do those things perfectly today, don't stress about it tomorrow. Focus on one day at a time so that you don't get overwhelmed.

More from Women's Health:
11 Strategies Nutritionists Use to Avoid Overeating
3 Simple Things You Can Do On Sunday to Help You Lose Weight This Week 
5 Tips for How to Make Healthy, Low-Calorie Quesadillas at Home

 

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