I Lost 124 Pounds in 9 Months After Stopping Starving Myself and Making These Key Changes

If you have a lot of weight to lose, the process can feel overwhelming. However, it doesn't have to be, according to many weight loss warriors. Sometimes, all it takes is making a few simple lifestyle changes. Brooke Boatman, 42, lost a whopping 124 pounds in 9 months by making a few simple lifestyle changes with the help of Lindora. Here is everything she did to lose the weight.

Brooke Weighed 254 Pounds

Brooke,  born and raised in Orange County, California, but currently living in Ohio, "ballooned up to a whopping 254 pounds after breaking both of her feet at the same time. She was "so big, and out of breath. I was on cholesterol medications and blood pressure meds as well. I wasn't able to play with my kids anymore because every inch of my body hurt with all the added weight on my bones, joints, and organs," she tells Body Network.

She Quit Drinking

This was when she decided to lose weight and "radically" change her life.. She started by cutting out alcohol. "I have been sober now for 2 1/2 years," she says.

She Cut Out Meat, Dairy, and Sugar

She also changed her diet. "I cut out meat, dairy, and sugar.  I tend to eat only whole foods from the earth, including salmon. Drinking and sugar was such a huge issue for me.  I went back to school, and I had to watch some food documentaries about meat, and that solidified the fact that meat is not good for you, especially the way that the animals are raised," she says.

Here Is Her Eating Schedule

She describes herself as a "real creature of habit" when it comes to her eating habits. "Lindora taught me to eat every 2 to 3 hours, so still, to this day, I eat or have a shake at 9, 11, 1, 3, 5, and 6:30. Usually, I have an OWYN shake at 9 am after I have worked out, at 11 am I have a cranberry grape protein drink, at 1 pm usually 30 grams of protein from salmon or a shake. I usually repeat that so I ensure I am ingesting clean ingredients, and at 5 pm, I have salmon and sweet potato or steamed veggies. At 6:30 pm, I have a decaf coffee with protein. I really like to stick to clean, simple ingredients," she says.

She Learned Starving Herself Was Not the Way to Lose Weight

One myth she busted? "I used to believe that starving myself was the way to lose weight, fewer calories consumed, and you will lose weight faster. Not true. I firmly believe you have to constantly fuel your body to lose weight, gain muscle, and keep your metabolism revved. You lose muscle when you starve yourself," she says.

She Didn't Start Lifting Weights Until After She Lost Weight

" I did not do any toning while I was losing weight.  Once I got down to 140, I started to lift weights, and I'd say I'm most proud of my extremely toned arms," Brooke says. "I love to do shoulder flys, and inner and outer bicep curls are my favorite. I do three sets of 10; I love the cable row for my back muscles and squats."

Power Yoga

"I do not follow trends. I follow what works for me," Brooke says, revealing that she loves power yoga. "For me, it isn't a trend. It's a time when I sweat, breathe, and work so hard and pause my brain to work out."

She Takes Supplements

Brooke takes the following supplements: Lindora's Capsiolin and muscle maintenance, Cymbyoticas vitamin C, creatine, and super mushrooms. "Since all of my weight loss, I am no longer on any prescription meds," she says.

She Walks 10,000 Steps a Day

Brooke makes sure to get in 10,000 steps in a day. "For me, 10,000 steps is 5 miles. I have long legs, lol, and I believe you have to get those steps in and still work out," she says.

No Cheating

Brooke has one piece of advice: No cheating. "Food and drink will ALWAYS BE THERE!! DON'T GIVE UP!! Take the time to retrain all aspects of you. Start with you mind.  Your mind is so powerful! That's what hindered me for so long, I was a trainwreck, I had false hopes."

Invest in Your Program

"After joining Lindora, I put everything into that program, including my nurse Paola. I learned that if I cheated, I didn't only fail myself, I failed her, and she was the one who was investing in me," she says. "I stand so firmly on the advice of not cheating and not giving up. Failing wasn't an option for me. I used to be such a yoyo person, and I'd give up, but this time was for me, and it was easy to do. I am here for all of you, and I am passionate about helping others succeed. This is a lifestyle, and I promise you that if you commit, you will look and feel better."

She Has Never Been Happier

Brooke's  biggest achievement was losing 125 lbs, changing her life in drastic ways and keeping it off, "and still following this life that I have created and I have never been happier," she says. "I'd tell people to do this journey for you. If you cannot be 100% then you are no good to anyone else."

Retrain Your Brain

"Food and alcohol will always be there, but for the short campout of time that you set aside for you to lose weight and build muscle is so easy.  Retraining your Brian is the hard part, but once you get your head in the game, everything will follow," she says.

Measure Progress by How Your Clothes Fit

"I measure progress on how my clothes fit and how I look in the mirror. I never thought about muscle weighing more than fat until this journey, and I believe it now. The scale can say one number, but I still wear a size zero or a 2, and I am toned. I got rid of my scale because I used to be addicted to it, and it didn't take me anywhere but into a downward spiral," she says.

RELATED: I'm a Doctor, and These Are 5 Things I Will Never Do to Lose Weight

She Is Her Own Fitspiration

"I'm my own fit-spiration. I changed my entire life. I stopped drinking, eating sugar, dairy, and meat, and changed my life for the better.  I went back to school.  I am a nurse and no longer work, but during my weight loss journey, I started learning about holistic health care, and I ended up back in school to be a holistic practitioner, I became a yoga 200 YTT, I practice Ayurveda, and so many other modalities and at almost 43, I have never looked better and felt better, and my mind is so strong.  This journey made me my own inspiration.  I know it's possible, and I'm so passionate about helping and motivating others," she concludes. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.