Trainer Dropped 45 Pounds After Stopping These 5 Daily Self-Talk Habits

Katie Dunlop, CPT, CSN, and influencer (@lovesweatfitness) is an expert and influencer who has lost 45 pounds and totally transformed her body. On her various social media platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, she shares all her tips and tricks to getting into the best shape of her life. In one viral video, she reveals that a fundamental part of her weight loss had to do with ditching 5 bad habits. “When I was going through that journey, there were a lot of things I was doing to try to lose weight that later I realized were actually making me gain weight. And I guarantee you're doing at least one of these,” she says in the video. We also asked The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian, to weigh in on her tactics.

1. Reduce Caffeine Intake

The first thing she started doing that had a huge impact on her losing weight? “I stopped ignoring the silent killer, and that silent killer is cortisol, which is our stress hormone,” she explains, adding that cortisol increases when you have an increase in caffeine, “which blew my mind because all the diet pills I was taking, the coffee diets I was doing, all of that was about having more caffeine to try to lose weight,” she says. “But when you increase your caffeine, it increases your cortisol. So my appetite was sped up and my metabolism slowed down and I ended up gaining way more weight.” She strongly suggests not taking diet pills or amping up your caffeine intake if you are trying to lose weight. One way to do this is to switch to a half-caffeinated drink as it will “allow you to lose more weight.” Or, she suggests just waiting until later in the day to have your coffee “because your cortisol is highest in the morning.”Caffeine can be very dangerous, “especially for someone with undiagnosed underlying heart conditions,” says Collingwood. “A cup or two of coffee is not a big deal, but when you add coffee and diet pills and pre-workout drinks and energy drinks, etc. it can add up to a whole lot of caffeine.” She also agrees that caffeine raises cortisol levels, “which when chronically high can be dangerous.”

Related: 9 Ways to Get 6-Pack Abs in 60 Days According to Science

2. Don’t Skip Breakfast

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The second thing she did was she stopped skipping breakfast. “This is something most women do when they're trying to lose weight. You think if you skip breakfast, you'll cut out some extra calories or you'll maybe just be able to wait a while and then you'll eat less throughout the day. But really when you skip breakfast, it actually makes you hungrier, it makes you make poor choices the rest of the day, and you end up gaining more weight,” she maintains. She claims that when she started eating breakfast again, she saw “such better results” with weight loss. If you are busy in the morning she recommends meal prepping overnight oats, “so you have something healthy you can grab and go.” She adds that when you eat breakfast, “it also helps lower those cortisol levels I was just talking about, so you're going to have an increase in your metabolism and see better results faster.” Collingwood agrees about breakfast. “I have found in myself and in clients throughout the years that most people make up for the calories not eaten when they skip breakfast and then some,” she says. “Some people lose weight initially when they skip breakfast but after a period of time the body adjusts by lowering metabolism and a plateau happens. Breakfast foods are typically high in nutrients so it is an excellent time to get whole grains, dairy, fruit, fiber rich foods, protein, and more.”

3. Stop Demonizing All Sugar

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The third thing Katie did was she stopped “demonizing” all sugar. “I used to be a sugar crazy person where I would read every single label and if it had even a gram of sugar, I wouldn't eat it. And that wasn't really the right approach either because that stressed me out and made me crazy,” she said. It also led her “to eat a lot of sugar-free foods that had artificial sweeteners that can also slow down your metabolism,” she admits. Now, she mostly pays attention to the added sugars in foods versus natural sugars “The daily recommended amount of added sugar is only 24 grams, but the average American eats 68 grams of added sugar a day. That's crazy,” she points out. “So while I don't want us freaking out about counting every banana or apple we eat, it is really important that you pay attention to the added sugars in food because they add up so quickly and can completely destroy your weight loss goals.”Some added sugar is absolutely fine, notes Collingwood, “and most health organizations recommend no more than 10% of your calories coming from added sugars,” she says. “Natural sugars from fruit and milk have a lot of nutritional value associated with them and should not be counted when assessing sugar intake for the day. Added sugars also don’t fill you up and are often in foods that have very little nutritional value.”

Related: I Lost 10 Pounds in 50 Days with These 5 Changes

4. Stop Program Hopping

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The fourth thing she stopped doing was “program hopping,” she reveals. “When I was first trying to lose weight, I was always grasping at straws, trying to just find something that I thought would be a quick fix. Like, ‘Oh, if I do this class, it's going to help me lose all this weight in a couple of weeks. Or if I do cardio for hours a day, I'm going to lose weight.’ And when I didn't see results within a week or two, I would change to the next thing and the next thing,” she explains, pointing out that the issue with this is that your body needs “consistency” to actually see results. “You're going to get the best changes and best results if you're consistent for at least two months. That doesn't mean you have to do the exact same workout every single day, but it means you need to have a consistent routine and program week after week for a minimum of two months to be able to see those results,” she says.

Doing a variety of exercises like resistance training and aerobic (zone 2 steady state and some HIIT) “is good to work different muscles and work in different zones of intensity,” says Collingwood. “That being said, going from workout to workout may not be good psychologically and when trying to establish a routine,” she points out. “Pick a few different things you like to do and follow a weekly schedule. For example, run one day, go to a cycle class one day, swim laps one day, do yoga one day, and lift weights a few days a week.”

Related: 7 Weight Loss Myths You Should NEVER Follow, According to Expert

5. Stop Trash Talking Yourself

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The fifth and “truly, this made the biggest change” is that she “stopped trash talking” herself. “When you're in that place where you're feeling discouraged, you're feeling emotional, you don't like your physical body in the moment and the way that you've been treating it, it's really hard not to get down on yourself. It's hard not to beat yourself up. But what happens when you do that is you end up focusing on the person you were in the past, those behaviors that got you there, right? Maybe the overeating, that cycle of yo-yo dieting, and you focus too much on the past or maybe your current state, and that really does lead you to have more erratic weight loss,” she says. “You're going to go really hard for a little bit and then you'll get discouraged again and you'll go really hard and you end up, yo-yoing, that's exactly what I did for years and years and years. So what you need to do instead is you need to focus on that version of yourself that you want to become.”

Collingwood agrees. “Focusing on what your body is capable of is much more empowering than putting yourself down in front of the mirror or feeling bad when you can’t keep up with someone else at the gym,” she says. “Love yourself for your own abilities and don’t compare yourself to others. Celebrate the small wins along the way. Celebrate the accomplishments and focus on how you are improving and getting stronger instead of putting yourself down.”

💪🔥Body Booster: If you are a breakfast person, don’t skip it. Experts say that even though you may be cutting calories by refraining from the meal, you will likely make it up – and then some – later in the day.

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

David Tuckfield

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

Joan Henning

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.