I Lost 90 Pounds in 3 Years Without Giving Up My Favorite Foods

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the prospect of losing weight? You're not alone. Chrisspy, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist and YouTuber faced the same challenge. Through a journey of self-discovery and perseverance, she achieved an incredible 90-pound weight loss over three years. Her story is not just about numbers on a scale but about finding balance, healing, and sustainable habits. Read on to learn how Chrisspy's flexible approach to diet and exercise and mental and emotional work led to her transformative success – and how you can apply these lessons to your own life.

Understand the Challenges of Modern Life

Before diving into Chrisspy's journey, it's important to recognize why weight loss can be challenging in today's world. Victoria Taylor, Senior Dietitian from the British Heart Foundation, explains: "Our environment and lifestyles have changed in recent decades, which means healthy choices are not always the easiest to make, and we tend to have more ready-made or takeaway meals. This usually means more fat, sugar, and salt compared with home-cooked meals, and often larger portion sizes, too."

Recognize the Impact of Decreased Physical Activity

Taylor also highlights another crucial factor: "At the same time, we're doing less physical activity than previous generations. Our jobs and leisure activities are more likely to involve sitting down, and we're less likely to travel on foot or by bicycle." Understanding these challenges can help us approach weight loss with more empathy and realistic expectations.

Start with Small, Attainable Goals

In her post, Chrisspy underlines the importance of setting realistic goals: "Research actually shows that when you're setting new goals, the key is to set small attainable goals." She reframed her journey to make it "the easiest and most enjoyable process." This approach helped her stay consistent over the long term.

Taylor agrees with this strategy, advising: "If you have a lot of weight to lose, aim to lose 10 percent of your body weight. This will have big health benefits—even if you are still overweight afterward—and can feel more achievable."

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Focus on Sustainable Habits

Rather than crash dieting or extreme measures, Chrisspy adopted a flexible approach. "I allow myself to flow with life, with myself, and it's proven effective," she says. Her strategy involved eating with a slight calorie deficit and ensuring adequate protein intake. She uses MyFitnessPal to log her food but doesn't restrict herself excessively. "I eat healthy foods that I enjoy, and I indulge whenever I want," Chrisspy shares, noting that this flexibility actually reduces her desire to binge.

Taylor supports this sustainable approach: "Many people find it helpful not to think about a 'diet', but rather an approach you can sustain over the long term, that fits your lifestyle."

Practice Mindful Eating and Portion Control

While Chrisspy focuses on flexible eating, Taylor emphasizes the importance of being mindful about food choices: "Reduced-calorie, low-calorie or light versions of your favorite foods may be helpful, but don't assume this means that they are also low in salt and sugar. So check food labels and try to make healthy choices, not just lower-calorie ones."

Incorporate Regular Exercise

Chrisspy's workout routine consists of lifting weights 3-5 times a week, focusing on upper and lower body split workouts. "Deadlifts are my absolute favorite," she enthuses. She also emphasizes the importance of starting small and progressively increasing intensity. "When I start a new exercise, I start with no weight," she explains.

Taylor supports this approach: "A combination of diet changes and getting more active has been shown to be more effective than just changing what you eat, so think about ways to get more active."

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Address Underlying Issues

A crucial part of Chrisspy's journey was addressing underlying issues contributing to her weight gain. "I got sober in 2022, so eliminating alcohol made a huge impact," she reveals. Additionally, she worked on healing her binge eating disorder through mind-body connection exercises. "Doing a lot of healing work helped me to be more in tune with my body and helped with binge eating," Chrisspy shares.

Seek Support When Needed

While Chrisspy doesn't mention seeking external support, Taylor suggests it can be beneficial: "Group support works well for some people. There's some evidence that joining a slimming group leads to more successful weight loss than those who don't join."

Embrace the Process and Stay Patient

Chrisspy stresses the importance of patience and self-compassion. "It's taken me over three and a half years because I've done it super slow and easy," she says. She advises against self-judgment and shame, citing Brené Brown: "A brain filled with shame cannot learn."

Taylor echoes this sentiment, encouraging persistence: "Don't feel disheartened if your weight loss is slow or you hit a plateau. Maintaining even a small weight loss is beneficial for your health in the long term and something to be proud of."

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Stay Consistent, Not Perfect

Consistency, not perfection, is key to Chrisspy's success. "Over these three years, there've been a lot of times when I wasn't working out," she admits. However, she developed a technique called "reduce the scope and stick to the schedule." This involves adjusting your goals when needed, rather than giving up entirely. "Can I work out for two minutes today? Can I work out for five minutes today?" she suggests, emphasizing that this approach leads to long-term success through the compound effect.

Chrisspy hopes to inspire others facing similar challenges. "If you're just starting on your fitness journey or anywhere on your fitness journey and your goals feel impossible, they are not," she says. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.