I am obsessed with "extreme" weight loss success stories. I read them the minute they are published looking for inspiration and guidance. Although the reasons for being overweight vary from "I've struggled with weight all of my life" to "I put on the pounds after having kids", most of the protagonists of these stories have been inspired to lose the weight by a life-changing event such as a health scare, being dumped by a boyfriend, bullying or just feeling "disgusted" after seeing a picture of themselves.
Read more in ¿Qué más?: 11 Fun ways to get a hot body without hitting the gym
Whatever the reason, here I share five tips that consistently came up that have really helped me lose the weight and most importantly have inspired me to changed my lifestyle.
1. In it for the long haul. Forget diet trends and fads. Make incremental changes to your lifestyle and set realistic goals that you can achieve over a year and for the rest of your life.
2. Healthy eating alone won't do it. Exercise NEEDS to be part of the changes you make. Keep in mind that 80% is your diet and 20% is some form of exercise. It could be something as simple as walking 3 to 4 times per week.
3. What to eat. Drink water; portion control; stay away from junk food, sweets and processed foods as much as possible; and, introduce more salads and vegetables to your diet. These changes are mentioned by every one of those who lost extreme weight by changing the way that they think of and approach food.
4. Motivation and consistency are key to success. Everyone is motivated by different things–a person, being healthy, a dress, family reunion, trip–whatever it is, constant motivation is key. Seeing results can also be extremely motivating. Make sure you are consistent. Don't give up!
5. Support of family, friends. This is especially important to Latinas who are so focused on doing everything in familia!
Check out these eight shocking weight loss stories thta will inspire you!
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Inez Loredo
Sometimes it takes someone to hit rock bottom to motivate them to make some serious life changes. Inez Loredo had been overweight her entire life. The 32-year-old mom was so used to being heavy it no longer fazed her. See her story here.
Keli Kryfko
A 23-year-old woman from Houston dramatically changed her lifestyle after being bullied for years about her weight. Keli Kryfko weighed around 230 pounds when she was in the eighth grade and was constantly tormented by classmates, especially after miserably failing a fitness test in gym class that revealed she could barely do push-ups. See her amazing story here.
Louise Watson
Sometimes all it takes is one horrifying experience to get someone to change their life around. For one 33-year-old mom, it took her getting stuck in a caravan shower cubicle to finally lose some weight. Louise Watson weighed around 378 pounds with the incident happened. She's dropped an amazing 238 pounds and you HAVE to see her now!
Roni Tarver
Next time you want to skip exercising, remember Roni Tarver. The high school agriculture teacher from Fort Worth, Texas, shed 100 pounds off her 5-foot-6 frame by committing to a new fitness regimen centered on Latin-infused dance aerobic classes. The 29-year-old recalls how unhappy she felt with her weight in the fall of 2012, when she weighed 235 pounds, struggled with constant back pain and was plagued with insecurities regarding her appearance. You can read her story here.
Val McLeod
A __Georgia woman who once weighed 600 pounds has managed to lose more than half her body weight__without the help of surgery.Val McLeod had struggled with weight since childhood. She used to binge on cookies, chips, and ice cream and had no clue how to control her portions. Read her inspiring story here.
Fiona Hodge
A mother from Uxbridge, London determined to lose weight has managed to lose 94 pounds. Fiona Hodge was unhappy with her body. She was especially devastated after going through her wedding pictures and seeing how large she looked. She went from a size 20 to a healthy size 8. Read her story here.
Kerry Hoffman
Kerry Hoffman has lost 154 pounds and he was inspired to do it after the birth of his daughter. He has always been a big guy. In high school he weighed 250 pounds, but kept in shape playing football. He got married in college and life happened as it does for all of us. He put on weight by eating unhealthy high-calorie foods. He didn't feel good, but kept on doing as he was doing until his father died from liver disease and two weeks later his baby girl was born. He knew he had to do something. Read his story here.
Mimi Cizmari
Breakups suck, but for one woman from London it was what she needed to finally lose some weight. Mimi Cizmari weighed 238 pounds when her boyfriend dumped her. She was devastated, but she also realized it was time for a change. She worked her butt off and managed to drop 85 pounds. Read her empowering story here.
