Mom Lost 135 Pounds After Fixing These 6 Mistakes She Made Every Day
Have you ever felt frustrated watching the scale creep back up after losing weight? Do you find yourself caught in an endless cycle of restricting food, then giving in to cravings, only to start all over again? You're not alone. What if the secret to lasting weight loss isn't about trying harder but trying smarter? That's what Mayra from LowCarbLove discovered on her remarkable journey. As a mother and wellness enthusiast who naturally lost over 135 pounds through low-carb and keto approaches, Mayra has maintained her weight loss for over 15 years. "Weight loss is already a difficult journey," she shares, "but I would definitely say that the most difficult part of losing weight is actually maintaining it." Read on to discover the game-changing mistakes she fixed that could finally help you break free from yo-yo dieting and achieve lasting weight loss success.
Stop Over-Restricting Your Foods
"When you restrict down to tiny portions, that's not sustainable," Mayra warns in her post. She explains that drastically cutting calories might work temporarily, but it's a recipe for failure. Your body needs proper nutrition to function, and according to Mayra, trying to survive on 1,000-1,200 calories usually leads to binge eating and metabolic slowdown. "Our bodies are super smart," she explains, "and when you lower your calorie intake down to let's say a thousand calories, your body is going to adapt very quickly." This adaptation often leads to what many call a "messed up metabolism."
Focus on Health Instead of Dieting
"There is so much more to us than our weight and looks and the size of our jeans," Mayra emphasizes. She suggests shifting from a diet mentality to a health mentality. "We just live in a society that really glorifies being skinny. It puts these unrealistic beauty standards that that's what beautiful is, which is obviously the farthest from the truth." Rather than obsessing over reaching an unrealistic number on the scale, focus on nourishing your body.
Build Strong Habits Before Adding Treats
While Mayra believes in enjoying life, she cautions against introducing cheat meals too early in your weight loss journey. "If you have a cheat meal too soon, you haven't developed those core habits, that really strong foundation yet," she explains. This can create a weekly cycle that undermines progress: "Hey, I did good all week. Woo, it's the weekend. Let's go see what we find."
Break Free from Scale Obsession
"Our body weight fluctuates so much throughout the day," Mayra shares from experience. She admits to previously having an unhealthy relationship with the scale: "That number on the scale would either make my whole day or ruin it. It was really that serious." Instead, she recommends weighing yourself once a week at the same time and focusing more on how your clothes fit and how you feel.
Plan Ahead for Success
"If I am not prepared, if I don't have the foods in my refrigerator that I need to eat, I'm going to eat whatever," Mayra admits. She emphasizes the importance of keeping healthy snacks, proteins, and even homemade desserts ready. "Find the things that are healthy that you actually enjoy eating, and then just make sure you always have them on hand," she advises.
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Create a Sustainable Lifestyle
"Don't diet it, make it a lifestyle change – it's a hundred percent true," Mayra emphasizes. She shares her own evolution from strict keto to a more sustainable low-carb approach: "I was doing keto at one point. It was sustainable for me, but it wasn't sustainable for life because I love to eat certain foods once in a while."
Set Realistic Goals for Long-Term Success
According to Mayo Clinic, setting achievable goals is crucial for sustainable weight loss. They recommend aiming to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week, which requires burning 500 to 750 calories more than you consume daily. Starting with a goal of losing 5% of your current weight can significantly improve your health and reduce the risk of conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Make Healthy Food Choices a Priority
The Mayo Clinic underlines the importance of enjoying nutritious foods while losing weight. They recommend eating at least four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruits daily, choosing whole grains over refined ones, and incorporating healthy fats in moderation. "Focus on eating fresh foods. They have more nutrition than processed foods," the experts advise.
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Stay Active for Lasting Results
While Mayra's story shows the importance of proper nutrition, the Mayo Clinic confirms that regular physical activity is crucial for maintaining weight loss long-term. They recommend working up to at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise most days of the week, combined with strength training exercises at least twice weekly. Simple changes like taking stairs instead of elevators or parking farther from entrances can also help increase daily movement.
Embrace the Journey with Patience
Lasting weight loss isn't about quick fixes: "It's not enough to eat healthy foods and exercise for just a few weeks or months. To keep off extra weight, you should make these healthy changes a way of life," says MayoClinic. This professional advice aligns perfectly with Mayra's experience of maintaining her weight loss for over 15 years through sustainable lifestyle changes. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.
