Coach Lost 50 Pounds with the Help of These 5 Sunday Habits

Do you want to lose more than 40 pounds? While it might seem intimidating to embark on a major weight loss journey, there are lots of weight loss warriors who have shared their success stories to keep you inspired and motivated. Many of them have revealed the easy and doable lifestyle changes they made that enabled them to slim down and keep the weight off. Here are 20 tips from nine men and women who have lost up to 165 pounds to help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Indya Ago Lost 120 Pounds by Learning How to Have a “Balanced” Approach to Food

Indya Agos (@indyaagos) is a weight loss warrior and coach who lost a whopping 120 pounds via natural methods. “Something I tell my clients when they first start coaching with me is that in order for these results to be sustainable we have to create balance,” she says. “When I first started my weight loss journey, I used to restrict myself so much,” she continues. “I would demonize so many different kinds of foods that diet culture had brainwashed me, and into believing were the reason why I wasn’t able to reach the results I was looking for.”

She Also Educated Herself on Macronutrients

Indya previously suffered from “cycles of binging, and creating a very unhealthy relationship between nutrition and my body,” she maintains. “Through proper education on macronutrients, I was able to heal this relationship. And this is how I help my clients and maintain their goals as well. Education is power.”

RELATED:15 Reasons Why You May Not Losing Weight While on Ozempic

She “Started Slow” and Learned “Self-Trust”

In another video, Indya reveals another tactic that helped her lose so much weight. “You got to start slow,” she says. “If you approach this from an all or nothing mentality, you are only setting yourself up for failure. A big part of this journey is regaining self-trust. You are so used to letting yourself down. The way that you build trust with yourself again is by following through with the promises that you've made to yourself.”

And Took a Deep Dive Into Her Failed Attempts at Weight Loss

Another thing she did is “going to require you to dig deep,” she says. “We need to figure out what your main excuses or your repeated point of failure chances are. You've been stuck in the same exact cycle, repeating the same narratives as to why you haven't been able to be successful in the past. If your story is that you never have any time, then we need to figure out why you're not prioritizing making time. People make time for what's important to them. If the story is that you are overwhelmed and you have no idea where to start, then it is time to reach out for help so that you have a plan of action as well as guidance.”

Raven Norwood Lost 165 Pounds By Cutting Processed Foods From Her Diet

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Raven Norwood, 28, of Huntington Beach, California, started her weight loss journey at 212 pounds and has managed to drop down to 155 pounds, losing 165 pounds in two years. In an interview with Body Network, she explains that she used to eat food containing several dyes, fast food, and packaged food with GMOs, too much MSG, and preservatives. While she didn’t eliminate “any specific food groups because balance is the key to longevity,” she did cut the above from her diet and started cooking her own meals “as much as possible.” Creating healthy relationships with all food groups is so important when it comes to keeping the weight off, she stresses. “Balance is key, so, if I want a cookie here and there, I eat the cookie… no biggie!”

RELATED: 20 Incredible Ozempic Success Stories of All Time

She Also Amped Up Her Water Intake

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Raven adds that “lots of water” keeps her hydrated and feeling full. According to the Mayo Clinic, hydration is important for a variety of reasons. Water helps get rid of waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements, keeps your temperature normal, lubricates and cushions joints, and helps protect sensitive tissues.

She Fell in Love with a Boutique Fitness Method

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Raven also encourages finding a fitness form that you love. She discovered rowing at her local Row House. “I love how boutique and specialized gyms are getting more recognition! When I first found Row House, I had never seen a gym dedicated to rowing,” she says. “And on top of that you get floorwork exercises, group fitness and the wonderful community that comes along with it! I think a lot of people would benefit from boutique gyms.”

She Took Progress Pictures

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Progress photos were also an important part of Raven’s weight loss journey. “Sometimes your mind will play tricks on you, and make you feel like you haven’t done as much as you have,” she says. If she feels discouraged, she will look at her “Day 1” photo and it will provide instant motivation. “Take photos because your mind will play tricks on you, but those photos won’t,” she says.

RELATED: 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week

Dils Less Lost 50 Pounds by Not Drinking Coffee on an Empty Stomach

Dils Lee (@dilshealth) lost 50 pounds by making a few simple lifestyle habit changes, which not only aided in weight loss, but were a game-changer in her overall health, especially with her inflammation and hormonal imbalance. One of the first changes that she made? “I stopped drinking coffee on an empty stomach and started making my breakfast look like this,” she said. “Drinking coffee on an empty stomach can lead to bloating, nausea, and anxiety, and it can also raise your cortisol levels, which can negatively impact ovulation weight and hormonal imbalances.”

She Also Switched From HIIT to Low Intensity Workouts

You don’t have to do HIIT workouts to lose weight. The second change that she made “was stopping all high intensity training while I was losing weight,” she said. “I found that I harbored a lot of inflammation in my face, arms, body, stomach, and legs everywhere.” Instead, she opted for lower intensity training. “Basically, by switching to lower intensity workouts, I've found that my waist has drastically come in. My stomach is much more flat, and I'm actually building a lot of tone and muscle in my arms and legs,” she says.

And, She Prioritized Sleep

“The fourth change that I made is that I introduced a healthy sleep routine,” Dils reveals. “My routine includes using supplements like magnesium and then not using my phone an hour before bed. Prioritizing sleep will help your body recover after physical activity. It'll also help with hormone regulation, metabolic regulation, stress and emotional wellbeing.” What are the health benefits of sleep? According to the Sleep Foundation, getting enough z’s is a mood booster, promotes heart health, regulates blood sugar, improves mental function, restores your immune system, helps relieve stress, and aids in weight loss.

Joseph Graham Jr. Lost 75 Pounds By Jump Roping and Doing Pushups

No gym, no problem. Joseph Graham Jr. (@theguywiththepinkshoes) is a fitness influencer and “crossrope athlete” who lost a whopping 75 pounds and toned up his dad bod by jumping rope and doing push ups at home. He does “harder” push ups, he says. “It's not enough to just do as many as you can and do them fast. Once you feel comfortable doing pushups, once you feel like you've kind of got it down, you have to start making it harder for yourself,” he explains. “The resistance is what builds the strength, right?

Alexandra Lost 40 Pounds by Eating the Same Meals Every Day

Online fitness coach Alexandra (@alexx.fitt) personally lost 40 pounds by eating the same meals daily. “For 1-2 months I ate the same meals every single day why? Because I was confused I didn’t know what to eat or where to start so I ate the same thing everyday,” Alexandra confesses in the caption of her video.

She Also Walks 10,000 Steps a Day

In another video she reveals that walking 10,000 steps a day was also key. “I weigh around 150lbs so walking 10k steps burns an extra 300-400 calories a day without spending hours on the stair master,” says Alexandra. “Walking can be done anywhere you don’t have to get fancy gym clothes you can literally walk in your pjs,” she adds. And, it helps regulate hunger. “Walking is not an extremely difficult exercise and it can help regulate your appetite hormones and reduce feelings of hunger,” she says.

RELATED:12-3-30 Walking Method: 20 Proven Tips to Lose Weight Faster

David Tuckfield Lost 60 Pounds EMS Workouts

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David Tuckfield, 61, dropped 60 pounds and reduced his body fat by 23 percent in 16 months by incorporating electro muscle stimulation (EMS) workouts into his routine, which he discovered at BODY20. “I was very skeptical when I first tried the EMS workouts. I was shocked after my demo workout how much I felt a difference,” he told Body Network. “For me, the amazing thing about the EMS workouts to me is that I can actually feel or sense my muscles. That was something that I had never experienced. At first I could feel them only during the workouts, but now when I exert myself I can discern which muscles are engaged. I don’t have huge or impressive muscles, but that I am more in-tune with the muscles I have. It is a good feeling to feel your muscles engage when you do an activity.” Another “great thing” about the workout “is that you really get a full workout (or better) in 20 minutes,” he says.

He Also Set Long-Term Goals

David Tuckfield

He also started looking at weight loss as a long-term goal. “Don’t think short term. Think of it as a very long journey,” he suggests. “You will plateau, and you should just be comfortable with that. If you don’t stress out about the plateaus, you will eventually work through them.” Daily weigh-ins also helped him. “If you’ve gained weight, ask yourself what you did yesterday that would have made you gain weight. Usually the answer is obvious,” he says.

Joy Maria Lost 70 Pounds with Hot Girl Walks

Joy Maria (@therealjoyymaria/video) is a weight loss influencer and mother who lost 70 pounds in less than 11 months with the help of, wait for it, “Hot girl walks,” she reveals in a video. “Walking is a thousand percent, the most underrated way to lose weight,” she adds, “and one of my favorite things to do is walk.” She started walking to her errands, walking to and from workouts, and whenever else she could get steps in.

She Also Followed a Meal Plan

“If somebody is telling you that you can lose weight without being in a calorie deficit run because they're lying,” she adds, calling it “the most important step” to losing weight. “I know you guys have heard the saying, you cannot outrun a bad diet, and it's so true. Google, TDEE calculator. From there, put in your information. I'm gonna tell you exactly how many calories you need to eat. I ate about 1600 to 1800 calories daily, just depending on my activity level for the day. If I did two workouts that day, I would eat closer to 1800. If I had a more sedentary day, I would eat closer to 1500 to 1600.” She also followed a meal plan. “I have a seven day meal plan available at the top of my profile. It just makes it really easy when you're going to a grocery shop, when you're first starting out, when things are structured, it's gonna make it a lot easier to follow and just to stay consistent, not skipping breakfast, especially if we're exercising.”

Gen Cohen Lost 50 Pounds by Doing the 12-3-30

Gen Cohen, CNC, lost 50 pounds by doing a few different workouts, including the 12-3-30.

She said that “rather than subscribing to some crazy fitness routine, I'd commit to lifting weights three maximum four times per week and prioritize getting a 60 minute walk in per day,” in a video. “You can go to the gym and do 12-3-30. You can take your dog for a walk. You can get a walking pad and put it under your desk. I don't care how, just 60 minutes of walking.”

Joan Henning Lost 130 Pounds with Keto

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In 2019, Joan Henning started her 130-pound weight loss journey with the keto diet.“ I was able to start keto,” she says. She stayed on the low carb diet for “months.” While on keto, “I probably lost about 10 pounds because keto, it comes off quickly,” she said.

💪🔥Body Booster: Start your weight loss journey slowly and avoid an all-or-nothing mentality to prevent setting yourself up for failure. Focus on regaining self-trust by consistently following through with the promises you make to yourself.

At the age of 19, Jarred Curcio, Owner at TRUE Fitness & Focus, stood at 5 '8' and weighed nearly 300 lbs. “I was extremely overweight,” he tells The Body Network. However, by his 21st birthday, he was a natural bodybuilding champion competing at 175lbs. Fifteen years later, he has “stayed consistent at 200lbs - mostly muscle mass. I have a 6-pack, I squat 550 lbs, and can deadlift 600 lbs.” Here is exactly how he transformed his life and got started on his health journey, which resulted in a 125-pound weight loss – and how he has maintained it throughout the years.

Weight Loss Transformed His Life

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Jarred explains that physical fitness has been a huge part of his life since his weight loss journey. “I can honestly say I never missed a workout in that time,” he tells us. He uses the principles he learned in the gym – discipline, consistency, resilience, doing the hard things, “even when you don’t want to – and applies them to other areas of his life, including his career and relationships. “This has allowed me to be successful in every area of my life,” he says. “I graduated college summa cum laude and completed Penn State Law School toward the top of my class. I have had a very fruitful and rewarding career in sales leadership since 2013. And I am married to my high school sweetheart of 19 years – who also had a weight loss journey of her own at the same time. Our relationship could not be stronger!”

Related: Fitness Expert's $5 a Day Meal Plan for Fat Loss

He Believes Mental and Physical Health Go Hand-in-Hand

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Jarred believes that mental and physical health go hand-in-hand. “I am a believer that there is an opportunity to get the average person to a state of mental fitness or mental performance,” he says. “This would mean not simply eliminating anxiety or depression, but building skills and abilities to help committed individuals thrive on a day-to-day basis.” His own weight loss journey was the primer for this belief and lifestyle shift.

Now, He Wants to Help Others

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This is why he is embarking on a career to help others. “I have developed my philosophy and programming continuously over the past 15 years. Now, I feel I have enough of a grasp to provide immense value to others and help them accomplish the same successes that I have,” he says. “I am a believer that learning discipline offers the greatest freedom possible as it instills a sense of agency in a person. I have developed a system for building habits and cultivating discipline that includes physical workouts, but goes far beyond that. My system includes mindfulness practices like meditation and stoic habits like demonstrating gratitude.”

His Top 5 Exercises

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Jarred’s top 5 exercises are deadlift, squat, kettlebell swings, pullups, and military press. “These exercises are big compound movements that require the use of major muscle groups. These are basic yet critical movements that help build significant muscle and strength, if performed properly,” he says. “The more body parts you move, the more calories you burn. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. The more weight you move, the more calories you burn. So these exercises will not only make you more muscular and stronger, but they will also burn fat and improve athletic capacity across a range of activities or sports.”

Related: I Lost 60 Pounds With Help From Yoga and These Other Workouts

Here Is His Daily Diet

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“I eat an animal based diet, which means I prioritize animal proteins (beef, chicken, eggs, etc.) as a primary factor in my meals,” Jarred explains. The next highest priority in his diet is eating natural healthy fats, “most of which also come from animals, including butter, milk, and Greek or Icelandic yogurt,” he says. “I feel carbs are important but can be easily overeaten. When it comes to carbs, I mostly stick to fruit (almost any fruit will do), white rice, and potatoes.” He also eats vegetables, “but quite sparingly,” he says. “I keep my vegetable consumption to about twice per week,” he also avoids most processed foods, seed oils, and refined sugars. “Whole, organic foods are always going to be the best options.” He warns that “sugar is snuck into so much of the food we eat that we have to be on the lookout.”

His #1 Tip

Jarred Curcio

“My #1 tip is to find a realistic process (diet and exercise) that works for you, but should also challenge you. No change comes without discomfort,” says Jarred. “Once you find the plan, STICK TO IT NO MATTER WHAT! No excuse should be enough to break from the plan. If you do that, the results are guaranteed. “Once you get the results, you'll never want to go back.”

One Fitness Myth, Busted

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The biggest fitness myth, according to Jarred? “You cannot spot reduce,’' he says. “For example, some people think if you do a bunch of sit ups, you will get 6-pack abs. But abs are revealed when you lose fat. Losing fat comes from a calorie deficit, and diet is CRITICAL to that. So sit ups can burn calories, and can strengthen ab muscles, but will not get you a 6-pack on their own.”

He Takes Supplements

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Here is Jarred’s list of supplements:

Multivitamin - The classic all-in-one supplement

Omega-3 - Critical for heart health

Desiccated Beef Liver - Alpha shit

ZMA - Zinc and Magnesium before bed for great sleep and recovery

Glutamine - Amino Acid found in red meat. Outstanding for post workout recovery.

Creatine - Super amino acid that helps grow muscle and helps with brain health

BCAAs - Branched chain amino acids are critical to recovery.

Alpha-Jym - Great testosterone booster w/ ashwagandha & fenugreek

Tribulus - Testosterone booster

DHEA - Testosterone booster

Longjack (Tongat Ali) - Testosterone booster and sexual health

Turmeric - Anti-inflammatory

Vitamin B - Metabolism & Energy

Vitamin D - All around immunity and bone health

Spirulina - Blue green algae with tons of micronutrients and health benefits

CLA - Helps with metabolism and body composition (non-stimulant fat burning)

Zinc - Immune support

Glucosamine - Joint health

Potassium - Water regulation

Taurine - Nervous system function

Biotin - Hair, nails, skin

DIM - Balances estrogen naturally

Here Is How He Measures Progress

Jarred Curcio

Jarred measures his progress by how he feels in the day, his “energy levels, mental clarity, how my body moves at the gym, how I look in the mirror, and how I fit in my clothes,” he says. When he feels bad about his body he takes action and checks his diet to see if he has been taking in more calories lately than typical and adjusts accordingly.

Related: She Dropped 60 Pounds in 3 Months, Here’s How

His Final Piece of Advice? Know Your Why

Jarred Curcio

His final piece of advice? “Know your ‘WHY,’” he says. “If you know WHY you are starting, it's the key to staying consistent and disciplined.” If you need motivation, remind yourself of your goals, and “visualize and manifest” them. “The way you do one thing is the way you do everything. If your body isn't physically healthy, you can't expect your mind to be healthy. If your mind isn't healthy, you make worse decisions. Worst decisions lead to a worse quality of life. A healthy body is the foundation for a happy life.”

💪🔥Body Booster: Ask yourself: Why do you want to get into shape? By understanding the Why, you are more likely to stay motivated on your health journey.