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We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

10 Micro Habits Made Her Lose 20 Pounds While Being a “Busy Worker Mom"

These small lifestyle tweaks help one expert stay on track.

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Are you trying to lose weight but can’t seem to get your habits in check? According to one expert, making tiny changes to your lifestyle can make a major difference on the scale. Grace Macena is a social media influencer and “macro-focused” nutritionist who promotes sustainable weight loss. In a new post, she unveils“10 micro habits that I do to help me stay on track. Simple and realistic as a busy ‘worker’ mom,” she writes across the video. “Small things I do to keep me going,” she adds in the caption.


She Starts the Day Off “Mentally Sane”

Grace recommends getting centered first thing in the morning. What does she do? “Read a devotion in am,” she says in her post. “Keeps me mentally sane, reading awaken and small steps for a Catholic mom.” If you aren’t religious, consider meditating in the morning. “When you meditate, you may clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress,” says the Mayo Clinic. Benefits include:

  • Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations
  • Building skills to manage your stress
  • Increasing self-awareness
  • Focusing on the present
  • Reducing negative emotions
  • Increasing imagination and creativity
  • Increasing patience and tolerance
  • Lowering resting heart rate
  • Lowering resting blood pressure
  • Improving sleep quality.

She Wakes Up Early

Next, Grace makes sure to wake up early. She tries to “get up before” everyone else in her house “pretty much 90% of the time,” she writes. “Helps me not wake up to needing to help others, “ she says, adding that it’s the perfect time for “me time.”

RELATED:51-Year-Old Trainer Reveals 6 Exercises for a “Sezzy” Back

Meal Planning

Meal planning is another micro habit that helps her stay on track. “Plan dinners like 2-3 days out,” she explains. She also tries to “eat similar breakfast, lunch, and snacks to reduce decision fatigue.” There is scientific evidence supporting the benefits of meal planning. Studies show that the more meals you eat prepared away from home, the higher your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and early death. One study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that meal planning was associated with a healthier diet and less obesity.

She Preps Ingredients on Sunday

Part of her meal planning? Making sure she has everything needed and chopped up for the week. “Prep ingredients for the week on Sunday,” she writes.

She Has a Running Grocery List

One way Grace ensures she isn’t grabbing unhealthy food at the grocery store? She writes down everything she needs. “Keep a Running grocery list - easier,” she says.

RELATED:6 "Healthy" Foods a Nutrition Coach Says Are Secretly Adding Calories

She Warms Up by Walking

Grace prioritizes movement, starting with meeting her step goals. “Walk 5 mins before my workout to get steps in,” she writes. Another way she slips in her steps? “Walk a few minutes every few hours,” she says.

She Time Blocks Her Day

Grace plans her day in advance to be more time-efficient. “Time block my day in the am,” she writes. She also sets a running list of things to do. “Helps me see that I have time, and I do not feel so overwhelmed,” she says.

She Sets Out Clothes at Night

Another way she maximizes efficiency is to “Set my clothes out the night before, and set the kids' uniforms out. " This is another great way to keep things calm in the morning.

RELATED:She Lost 49 Pounds at 43 Without Dieting, Here Are 10 Foods She Buys to Keep It Off

She Doesn’t Watch TV in Bed

When it comes time to unwind, Grace keeps distractions at bay. “Once kids are in bed, I stay upstairs. There is no TV, so I sleep,” she says. 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.

She Unloads Dishwasher

Her final habit? “Unload dishwasher in am. So it’s ready,” she says. One more bonus habit? “Bring clothes to change in for after work- usually I go from work to track, so changing allows me to feel there is a break in my day,” she writes. “My list may look different from yours but look at the little things you do, are they helping or sabotaging you.” And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

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Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Are you eating less and exercising more and still can’t seem to lose weight? Lacey Iskra is a health coach who specializes in “root cause healing,” helping “women get to the root cause of their symptoms, lose fat & increase their energy,” she explains in her Instagram bio. In a recent video, she reveals some of the habits she had to give up in order to health her gut and lose weight. “6 crappy habits I had to quit to heal my hormones and lose 20 pounds of fat,” she writes in the video.

She Had to Shift Her Perspective From Eating Less and Working Out More

“I also had to give up a massive belief…A belief I had carried for most of my life,” she continues. “That in order to look and feel how I wanted I just had to eat less and move more. The belief was not working for me and also not serving me. Because I did that. I skipped meals, ate salads multiple times a day and refused to eat anything that wasn’t labelled low calorie.

She Wasn’t Losing Weight and Was “Puffy” and “Exhausted”

“And by following and listening this belief i dug my body into a deep hole,” she says. “Where nothing was working and I felt so stuck. I couldn’t possible eat any less or move any more and yet I was still bloated, puffy, overweight and exhausted.”

She Finally Admitted That the Habits Were Hurting Her

“Once I admitted that my daily habits were hurting me more then serving me I promised myself to start making changes and these were the first habits I kicked to the curb!!” she says, going onto to reveal the list.

Here Are the Bad Habits She Quit

  • Drinking coffee on an empty stomach
  • Working out 7 days a week and never taking rest days
  • Doom scrolling on my phone before bed
  • Rushing through everything absolutely as fast as possible
  • Undereating and skipping meals
  • Running multiple times per week.

She Also Recommends Modifying Current Habits

In another post, she reveals how modifying her daily habits and adding to them was also a game changer. “I still relax on the couch every night … now I just wear a castor oil pack,” she writes. “I still drink a litre of water every morning …now It just has two nettle teabags in it.”

She Also Tweaked Her Diet and Workouts

“I still hit 8000-10,000 steps per day….now I just do it outside instead of in. I still eat 4 meals a day ….now I just make sure its mainly whole foods. I still eat breakfast….now I just make it double the size lol,” she continued. The bottom line? Making small changes to you habits can result in a big, positive impact. And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss12-3-30 Walking Method: 20 Proven Tips to Lose Weight Faster.

Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Have you been struggling to lose weight but aren’t sure where to start? One expert has some game-changing advice on how to do it. Cara Peterkin is a fitness professional and YouTuber who weighs 250 pounds. “Now I'm 140 pounds, and I'm gonna tell you exactly how I lost the weight,” she says, revealing that the process took two and a half years, “and I've maintained my weight for the past year.”


Childhood Eating Habits Shaped Her Relationship with Food

Cara reveals that she grew up with unhealthy eating habits. “Quick backstory: my parents were all about ease, easily getting food to us, which meant minimal cooking. We go to Chick-fil-A, we'll go to McDonald's, we'll go to the Mexican restaurant, quick box mac and cheese, whatever was easy. That's what they did. And that set the tone for my relationship with food for the rest of my life,” she says in her post.

She Gained a Lot of Weight During Her First Two Pregnancies But Lost It

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Cara first struggled with her weight when she got pregnant at 15 and went from 150 to 192 pounds. “Typically pregnant women should only gain about 20 to 25 pounds, according to Google, but I gained 42 pounds,” she says. However, she lost it pretty easily because she was young, following a calorie deficit and exercising. When she went to college, the “food inconsistency” and “unhealthy patterns really started to return,” she says. “I definitely gained the college 30, so I went from 150 to 180. Her senior year of college she got pregnant again and went from 180 to 225 pounds.

“That was tough. I definitely looked at myself differently, and I had to adjust. I tried to adjust to the weight and just said, ‘Hey Karen, you may be that girl over 200 pounds, and you need to accept it.’ But I was so uncomfortable. I tried different weight loss methods, and I started with Weight Watchers, which got me down to about 200 pounds.”

She Ended Up 250 Pounds After Her Last Pregnancy and Couldn’t Lose It

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She then “had to kick it in high gear “ and tried to clean her diet and eliminate processed foods. “With diet, exercise, plenty of strength training, and walking, I was able to get to about 160 pounds, which was amazing. Of course, life happened. What does that mean? I went through a depression, I went through different things in my life, and I ended up gaining weight a little bit, a little bit, a little bit, a little bit until it was a lot of it and ended up at about 190 pounds average. And it was tough. I would do different yo-yo diets, try different methods, get down to 180, but always would creep back up to that 190.” During her last pregnancy, she started at 190 pounds and went up to 250 pounds. “I could not even fathom being at that number, but I was there. I will tell you that it was probably the hardest thing for me to accept, but I just made it work.” Then COVID happened, and she remained at 250, battling postpartum depression.

She Hit Her Breaking Point

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Cara’s “breaking point” and “aha” moment happened when she had an interview and couldn’t fit into her size 16 pants. “I immediately ran to the store to buy that bigger size. But once I saw the size 18 and that number, it hit me like, Kara, what's going on? You've never been this size. What are you gonna do differently? I did not let myself buy those size 18 pants, and that was my breaking point. I knew I had to make a change because I couldn't buy that bigger size.”

She Lost Her First 35 Pounds with Weight Watchers and OrangeTheory

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In March of 2021, she tried Weight Watchers again, pairing it with OrangeTheory, losing 35 pounds and getting down to 215. “I still had a long way to go,” she said, revealing that according to her BMI, her healthy weight range is 140 to 160. You can benchmark your progress with this useful Lean Body Mass Calculator.

Then, She Eliminated Processed Foods

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In 2022, she really changed the game. “That's where the real change began. I eliminated all processed foods and only shopped the outside skirts of the grocery store. So protein, dairy, fruits and veggies. That was my main diet,” she said.

She Also Tracked and Measured Her Food

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“I tracked everything I ate with my Fitness Pal. I measured everything I ate. I prioritized getting that water in, and I minimized fast food or eating out because of the amount of sodium that they put in the food. Once I implemented that change, my weight just started to fall off,” she continues.

The First Month Was Hard, But It Got Easier

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“Now, I will say it wasn't easy. I'm not going to lie to you. It is the hardest thing I ever had to do, and it took me about a full month of getting through the diet change for me to really accept it. After that, I stopped craving chocolate or candy or ice cream, and I was able to just go with the flow on average. I was losing about a pound and a half to two pounds a week, and it just started to fall off,” she says.

RELATED:She Lost 9 Pounds in 4 Weeks With This Simple 1,600 Calorie Meal Plan

She Also Started Walking 30 Minutes a Day

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“Another thing that I did that helped me lose the weight was walking 30 minutes a day. That was huge,” she admits. “I thought I had to go kill myself in another OrangeTheory class or maybe at a boot camp. But walking truly helped me, along with some YouTube videos, like different weights that I could use or different strength training videos that really helped, too. But I didn't have to pay for a gym membership. I just got outside and walked and changed my diet, and the weight started to fall off. “

She Has Maintained the Weight Loss

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She has managed to keep it off by maintaining the same eating habits, “still walking 30 minutes a day, along with definitely having my treat meals and trying to balance them out, and so far it's kept the weight off beautifully,” she says. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

FACT CHECKED BY Christopher Roback
Fact-Checked

Our content is fact checked by our senior editorial staff to reflect accuracy and ensure our readers get sound information and advice to make the smartest, healthiest choices.

We adhere to structured guidelines for sourcing information and linking to other resources, including scientific studies and medical journals.

If you have any concerns about the accuracy of our content, please reach out to our editors by e-mailing editors@bodynetwork.com.

Have you tried everything to lose weight but can’t seem to get in shape? Richa Prasad, along with her partner Lucy, is a nutritionist and ex-engineer with a psychology degree turned weight loss coach who helps people get into their best shape ever. In a viral YouTube video, she discusses her own weight loss struggles. “The one habit that got me to my dream body when I had failed for seven years before then was sticking to a system that bridged the journey from past me to dream me,” she says in the clip. “And I have taught the same system to hundreds of my successful weight loss students. So I know the system will work for you if you use it correctly.” Here is everything you need to know about the game-changing habit.


Her “Flawed Ideas, Thoughts, and Beliefs” Kept Her From Losing Weight

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She starts off by explaining the background of the habit. “The problem is when I just straight up explain the system, people always end up using it wrong. I want to save you my seven painful trial and error years by sharing my cautionary tale of flawed ideas, thoughts, and beliefs so that when I reveal the system, you grasp how to use it correctly and can do so immediately after this video ends,” she says.

She Grew Up Believing That “Adulthood and Being Overweight” Was Synonymous

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“I grew up believing that adulthood and being overweight are synonymous,” she admits. “As kids, we look at the world around us and without a doubt believe that what we're seeing is all there is to life,” she said, adding that “every adult around me was overweight. So that's what would happen to me too. I made peace with that inevitability.”

However, She Was Shocked When It Happened

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“And yet when it happened, I wasn't ready,” she says, recalling a time when she was shopping and noticed that a shirt didn’t fit right. “I made my way home and googled how to lose weight, and the first thing that popped up was something called the GM Diet. I lasted one and a half days on it. Looking back, this makes sense because it's essentially a starvation diet, but I did not know that back then.”

She Concluded That Weight Loss Had to Be a “Painful Process”

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She concluded that “losing weight must be a painful process. So naturally, when I saw weight loss programs that called for replacing all of my current eating habits in one go or working out for six days a week when currently my main workout was making it to the kitchen and back, ‘Oh, hey, could you bring me some popcorn too?’ sometimes I didn't question it. I figured weight loss is painful, so this is how it must be.”

She “Bought Into the Dream” of Marketing Programs Used by the Diet and Health Industry

“It also didn't help that I bought into the dream sold by the marketing of these programs. They featured chiseled abs and mesmerizing body weight stunts. I figured this is what ultimate health and fitness look like, so of course, I want that. All of these beliefs kept me committed to program after program, all of which felt unsustainable, but I figured that's the sacrifice needed for being healthy and fit.”

She Had the Best Intentions But Would Always Fail

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She explained that she would start her weeks “with the intention to prep all my breakfast and lunches,” but by day three, she would be eating junk food. She would also spend lots of money on expensive, rigorous workouts, “only to find myself so sore by day eight that my hamstrings groaned with every step.”

She Thought Accountability Was the Issue

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She thought maybe her problem was accountability. “I just need to find a trainer, nutritionist, or a group fitness class to keep me consistent,” was something she believed. “It turns out spending thousands of dollars is still not enough to keep me consistent. I think I showed up to my trainer sessions maybe half the time.”

RELATED:I Lost 25 Pounds in 2 Years with the Help of Journaling

Her 50 Percent Consistency Would Leave Her Vowing to Be More Consistent

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“This 50% consistency would lead me to two types of reactions,” she says. When her weight was up, she would “acknowledge that I was only half consistent” and “vowed to be more consistent, which I would be for two weeks until I fell back to my old patterns,” she says.

She Also Experienced “Distorted Reality” and Would Chase One Weight Loss Program After Another

“The second was the fun house mirror type where I'd fall into a distorted reality because my mind could remember all the uncomfortable soreness after workouts and the times I exhausted my willpower,” she explains. “I would see my weight go up and think, ‘I'm doing so much. Why am I not losing weight?’ This would spiral me into chasing new weight loss programs one after another.”

She Was Stuck in the Cycle for Years

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“All of this made my first two beliefs stronger and stronger. I was stuck in the cycle for years until a fateful flight from Seattle to Boston. I remember trying to down a ham bagel sandwich while running for the gate. I got onto the flight, and suddenly, I felt like I couldn't breathe. I called for the air host, who put it down to flying anxiety. Now, I've flown since I was four and been skydiving, so flying anxiety is not a problem I have. When I landed in Boston, still miraculously alive, I figured that was a one-off look, but then it happened again,” she says.

She Couldn’t Breathe and Went to Doctors

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“I visited cardiologists who hooked me up to a 24/7 heart monitor. The results were that there was nothing wrong, and yet I can't breathe. Episodes kept happening again and again and again. I felt helpless.”

She Decided to Change Her Way of Looking at the Cycle

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“I looked at the cycle with new somber eyes, and the first thing I decided was that I was not going to tell myself stories that didn't serve me. How does it benefit me to think that adulthood is synonymous with being overweight? What do I gain from believing that being healthy and fit means sacrificing taste, a social life, and joyful movement? Instead, I detached myself from these stories,” she explains.

She Decided to Focus on “Systems Over Goals”

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She decided to trend “toward habits I believe are healthy,’ she says. “Essentially, I decided to focus on systems over goals. Detaching from timelines naturally led me to question my goal as well. I didn't care anymore for 21 pounds in 21 days, toned in 30 days, or how she lost 50 pounds in three months.”

She Shied Away From “Get Fit Quick” Programs

She shied away from “get fit quick” programs. She focused on health and fitness, “and if I continue on the path to word it en route, my breathing problems would get solved,” she says.

But Her Motivation Kept Dying

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“However, my motivation kept dying every few weeks despite using that very same system that eventually worked for me. It was only months later I realized that bodyweight skills don't compel me in my soul kind of way. I realized I had been blindly trying to achieve goals laid out by society and media.”

She Started Lifting Her Own Bodyweight

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“When my goal was to do mad bodyweight skills, the targets boil down to better nutrition to lose excess fat. So lifting my own body weight is easier resistance training that's focused on calisthenics and mobility.”

She Started Focusing on Fueling Her Dream Life

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“And then, once I realized my actual dream life, my targets changed to better nutrition with choices geared toward fueling my travels work and adventures resistance training, but the mix focused on endurance building for long walks, bikes, and swims cardio because my dream life involves a lot of hiking, biking, and swimming and make time for hobbies, sleep and rest. Without them, I would burn out and probably won't be as prolific in my old age as my inspirations.”

RELATED: Top 12 Foods You Should Eat Every Day to Lose Fat

After Achieving Her Targets She Narrowed Them Into Keystone Habits

Once she had her targets, she “further narrowed them into habits,” she explains. “The most important thing is to prioritize one to two new keystone habits for a month. A keystone habit is one in which if you don't get it right, the chances of other habits happening drops drastically.”

Her First Keystone Habit Was Sleeping and Waking at the Same Time Daily, and Second, Not Checking Her Phone After Work

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“During some honest self-interrogating, I admitted to my tendency to cancel everything if I feel I'm falling behind at work. Accordingly, my first keystone habits were sleeping and waking up at the same time daily,” she continues. “If I don't do this, I start off my day feeling behind, which makes doing my habits difficult. Second, I will not check my phone until after work. This stops me from procrastinating and falling behind on my tasks, which in turn stems from my tendency to cancel exercise and meal plans in order to catch up on work.”

While Unrelated to Weight Loss, It Helped Her Lose Weight

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“My starting keystone habits weren't even directly related to weight loss. No wonder my chasing weight loss programs wasn't working because the problem was how my life around my nutrition and exercise habits squeezed out any possibility of being consistent at any weight loss habit,” she points out.

She Broke the Habits Into Smaller Chucnks

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“Then, in my habit sheet, I further broke down these two keystone habits into smaller chunks: retired to bed by 8:30 PM, left phone outside bedroom for proper rest, got out of bed by 6:30 AM. didn't check phone until after work.”

RELATED: 10 Ways to Lose Weight Fast, According to Top Doctor

She Also Added an Optional Habit, Walking 6,000 Steps Three Times a Week

Woman using daily activity tracking app on phone showing 10 000 steps daily goal achievementShutterstock

“Since my keystone habits turned out to not be weight loss specific, I decided to also add an optional habit that I felt 10 out of 10 confident about meeting: Walk 6,000 steps three times a week. Note that this is optional, meaning that if I'm unable to meet it, I will drop this one without mental fuss or guilt,” she explains.

She Then Set Up Her Environment Accordingly

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“Next is setting up my environment to maximize my chances of meeting the habits to help me retire to bed,” she says. “By 8:30 PM, I set up an alarm on my Amazon Echo for 8:15 PM, and then again at 8:30 PM, I left my phone charger in the living room instead of my bedroom. I also throw my phone under the couch since out-of-sight, out-of-mind really works for me. I set an alarm at 6:15 AM and 6:30 AM and bought a lamp that mimics sunrise,” she says.

She Also Made It Impossible to Make Excuses

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“And finally, I plotted a route around my neighborhood that adds up to 6,000 steps. This may sound ridiculous because I could just go out for a walk and get 6,000 steps, but I'm gonna be straight with you. My ability to find excuses to not start something is astounding, and the only way to combat it is to plan so that when it is time to do my habit, I can be mindless.”

She Set Up a Tracking Habit Sheet

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“Next comes tracking in the habit sheet. At the end of every day, I enter one. If I made the habit, I would enter a zero. The gray blocks are where I'm not targeting to make that habit for that day. If I don't meet all my targets for that day, I enter a note with a reflection for the day on what happened and what I'll do tomorrow. For example, there were times when I didn't make it to bed by 8:30 PM, so I installed a Chrome extension that blocks all of the internet at 8:30 PM, no matter what I was doing. This brought me right back on track. Next day onward to meeting my goals, and finally, at the end of every month, I reflect on what happened last month and what to do next month to start.”

RELATED: 7 Tips to Build Muscle After 50 and Keep You in the Best Shape Ever

She Reaccesses Her Goals and Dream Life

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She then reaccesses her goals and her dream life, deciding if she wants to “add, remove, or edit anything.” If there isn't a change “in a way that changes my targets, I look at my habits from last month with less than 80% completion rate. That's right. I don't expect a hundred percent completion on any habit because that's impossible,” she says.

She Aims for 80 Percent Completion

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“I'm not a machine, but I do expect a completion of more than 80% on each habit. As an example, here's my reflection from October: five out of 11 of my targeted habits had less than an 80% completion rate. Resistance training was 44%, but that was because I injured myself, so I kept the same targets for November, but for walks, I didn't see a good reason for the lack of consistency, so I decided to reduce the frequency to four times a week instead of seven times a week in October, and it goes on for my other habits.”

She Continued Improving It

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“All of that time in the past, I spent chasing the best workout or meal plan, and that wasn't even the issue. It was the rest of my life I needed to change, and here is proof,” she says. “In November, you can see strength completion rate went up to a hundred percent, walks to 88%, and even the habits that are less than 80% are still way closer to the 80% threshold. And since I'm doing well on most of my habits in November, I could choose to add a new habit or I could continue to first get all my habits to over 80% completion rate for the next month.”

The System “Changed” Her Life

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“The system has changed my life. Some examples of how, after seven years of being stuck, I reached my dream body within a year and have maintained it without tracking for eight years now, I used to burn out all the time from overworking. I haven't crashed into burnout in a long time. My addiction to mindlessly consuming media has reduced drastically, making room for hobbies and creative projects,” she says.

RELATED: The 7 Foods I Eat Every Day to Lose Weight and Feel Great

Start By Figuring Out Targets

“The steps in the system can take some time, like identifying the right targets toward your dream life, but it's so worth it,” she says. “The first thing to figure out is where to start with your targets. Hint: nutrition is 80% of weight loss,” she says. “In fact, my co-coach Lucy took it to the next level, where she lost a hundred percent through nutrition alone. So that's right, zero exercise.” And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Monica lifestylewithmon
Copyright lifestylewithmon/Instagram

Do you want to lose weight by incorporating a few healthy habits into your routine? Monica is a registered nurse and MASM CPT certified personal trainer who shares her body transformation on social media. In a few recent posts, she reveals the simple habits that enabled her to achieve her fat loss goals and transform her body. “After I gained a bunch of weight from unhealthy habits and an antidepressant medication I was on. It was one of the lowest points I’ve been in my fitness journey ever. Although these results did not happen overnight, I started noticing quick and rapid results when I started doing the following,” she writes in one of them.

LISS Cardio

The first habit she incorporated was LISS (low intensity stead state cardio), “the most efficient method of cardio to reduce fat,” she writes. “The idea here is that you keep your heart rate in your “fat burning zone” which is about 65%-75% of your max heart rate. I would do a 45 min brisk walk everyday or a low speed on the stair stepper for example!”

Drink Water

Her next healthy habit? Hydration. “Drink your water! Once I started drinking enough water I felt my false hunger cues start to go away. This is because our bodies sometimes have a hard time differentiating between hunger and thirst. Keep yourself hydrated to be more in tune with when you are actually hungry,” she writes.

Take Progress Photos

Taking progress photos is helpful. “On days you feel like quitting and like you look the same or don’t feel much different, you can look at the pictures from where you started,” she explains. “You will see all the changes that have happened gradually over time. This will prevent you from quitting and ending up back at square one all over again.”

Lift Weights

She also recommends weight training. “But do it right! Time under tension will always beat amount of weight lifted in my person opinion,” she explains. “When you focus on time under tension (slowing down your movements and controlling them) you are putting more stress on the muscle. When you lift so heavy that you can’t slow and control your movements, momentum comes more into play and you may not be getting the max benefits of an exercise. It may also cause the movement to not target the muscles you wanted and engage surround muscles to help compensate for loading too much weight.”

Get Enough Sleep

In another post, she reveals other healthy habits that helped her lose weight. “I started getting enough sleep,” she says. Initially, she was going to the gym 7 days a week and only getting 4 to 6 hours of sleep a week. “Allow your body to rest and recover with a good 7-8 hours of sleep (yes that means sometimes skipping your 5am gym session when you know you need REST),” she writes.

Eat Less Processed Foods

Eating less processed foods also made a big difference. “I dare you to Yuka app half the things in your refrigerator/ pantry. There is so much extra 💩 in our food! I try to eat minimally processed foods now (more lean meats, veggies and fruit),” she writes.

Stop Ego Lifting

“Stop ego lifting,” she continues. “If you are training for aesthetics you need to be slowing down and controlling your movements to really engage the muscles you are targeting in each exercise.”

Find Your Maintenence Calories

And, last but not least, find your maintenance calories before you bulk or cut. “You need to know your body and where you’re starting before you significantly add/ subtract food to your diet. I went from eating probably about 1600-1700 calories a day straight into 2400. NOT SMART. That is not a proper reverse diet. Don’t make my mistake because it did way more harm than good!” she says. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

FACT CHECKED BY Christopher Roback
Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

If you have a lot of weight to lose, it can seem hopeless and impossible. However, Samantha Costa, a 23-year-old influencer, lost a whopping 60 pounds in 3 months. In a viral YouTube video, she explains exactly how she did it, and a lot of it had to do with shifting her perspective and overall approach to weight loss.


Losing 60 Pounds in 6 Months with PCOS

Samantha_CostaSamantha Costa/YouTube

She starts with her backstory: In 2018 she was diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), which resulted in weight gain. “I fluctuate weight a lot and it also affects my periods. With that being said, because I was diagnosed with PCOS, I put on a lot of weight very fast, and it wasn't a type of weight that was healthy,” she said. Costa, who is five-foot-one, topped the scale at around 200 pounds. “Being in a place where I knew I wasn't healthy was really scaring me.” At the time she was able to drop 50 to 60 pounds in “five to six months” by going to Orangetherory and eating right. “I think I weighed around 196 pounds and I got down to around 135,” she specified.

Related: #1 Way to Flatten Your Stomach for Women, According to a Pelvic Floor Expert

The Power of Whole Grains

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Her main dietary change at the time involved swapping out white carbs with whole grain and whole wheat. “I literally had grilled chicken, pasta, grated cheese, and tomato sauce every single day because that's what made me happy,” she said. After graduating from college in May 2022, “and I honestly was a very steady weight of around probably 129 pounds to 140 throughout all of my senior year of college,” she felt like she was at a healthy weight for herself around 135 pounds. She spent the summer lifeguarding. “I was having a really fun time, and honestly everything was going very well,” she continued.

A Stressful Job Ruined Her Health and Happiness

Samantha_Costa2Samantha Costa/YouTube

However, in August she started her “big job at a big four company” and it was “the downfall of everything,” she claims. “I'm not going to talk too much about it, but the stress of that job, which I am no longer working in, was very, very hard for me.” She stopped working out and spent most of her free time isolating. Over a period of about 7 months she probably gained 60 to 70 pounds, and was “very, very sad,” she says. “I wasn't happy with how I looked and I was having a hard time with it, but it was more that I knew I wasn't healthy and I knew I needed to get healthy because of this. I would always tell myself, ‘You know what? You did it once. You can definitely do it again.’”

From 10,000 Steps to 500

Young adult woman walking up the stairs with sun sport background.Shutterstock/siam.pukkato

She couldn’t motivate herself to go to fitness studio again, “something that I used to love going to do,” she says. While she used to walk 10,000 steps a day, she “was lucky if I hit probably 500 steps a day because I was always at my computer, always doing something for work, and there was really just no time for me to do it.”

She Lost 10 Pounds in a Week and Kept Going

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Every day she looked in the mirror and told herself “in three months from now, you will look so much better. You'll feel so much better, which is the most important, and you will want to do things because you started.” Eventually she started seeing progress, claiming that she lost 10 pounds in one week, which she knew was water weight. Within a few weeks she noticed a “little bit of a difference” and once she started to see that difference, “it was a lot easier to believe in myself and notice that there was real progress happening and that there was change happening, which allowed me to keep going within my journey.”

Related: 11 Shoulder-Sculpting Workouts for Impressive Definition

The Secrets to Her Success

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She revealed that she did keto, which is “very hard to sustain,” she admits. “It was very hard for me to eat a certain amount of carbs every single day, and it was very hard for me to cut out sugar. I'm someone who loves sugar, but I knew that in order to be in a healthy place again, and in order to get to my goal in the most efficient way, especially with summer coming up, I needed to do something that would really change and really allow my body to adapt.” She also emphasizes the importance of protein. “Eating carbs is something that obviously we all need. I am not saying don't eat carbs. Please eat your macros. Please eat carbs. Please allow yourself to have the energy that you need. I'm just saying what I did was I lowered the amount of carbs that I ate, but I was still eating enough to feel energized to be able to go to the gym and to give my body what it needs.”

She Increased Intake of Proteins and Exercised

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Amping up your protein intake may help you lose weight. According to clinical trials, consuming more protein than the recommended dietary allowance not only reduces body weight (BW), but also enhances body composition by decreasing fat mass while preserving fat-free mass (FFM) in both low-calorie and standard-calorie diets. She also went back to fitness studio four to five times a week, starting with gentle workouts and working her way up to more intense ones. She also recommends taking rest days.

Stay Motivated and Positive on Your Journey

Samantha_Costa5sam.costaa/Instagram

“In the beginning, you're probably going to feel like you can't do it and it's probably going to feel impossible, and if you are someone who doesn't feel like that, I give you so much credit because I've been there so many times and I felt like it was impossible every single time,” she adds. “The number one thing I want to tell you is to prove yourself wrong. Prove every single person that may have doubted you wrong. The only thing that matters is that you believe in yourself. The only thing that matters is that you have the mindset that will allow you to feel better, and every single time you question yourself, make one of those videos, take progress pictures, tell yourself that you are so much better than you were even one day ago, and if you are really having trouble starting, just try for one day.”

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

💪🔥Body Booster: Increasing your protein intake and decreasing your carbohydrates is a scientifically backed tactic for weight loss. However, you still need a sufficient amount of carbs to stay energized.

Nikki Madoch Nikki Gets Fit
I Lost 70 Pounds and Beat Binge Eating With These 6 Steps
Copyright nikkigets_fit/Instagram
Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Starting a weight loss journey can feel overwhelming and intimidating. We often focus on the wrong things and set ourselves up for disappointment. Nikki Madoch (@NikkiGetsFit) knows this all too well. As a self-described "nutrition athlete" with ASM CPT and CNC certifications, Nikki has shared her experience losing an impressive 70 pounds on the Weight Watchers program. Her insights might just be the perspective shift you need to make your own journey more successful and sustainable.

The Right Motivation Makes All the Difference

Most people start losing weight to look better, but that's rarely enough to stick with it long-term. "For so long, I just wanted to look better, have a flat stomach, and look like other people. That was all it was," Nikki admits in her post. She found out that feeling better physically became what truly kept her going, not how she looked, which completely changed her approach and results.

RELATED:8 High-Protein Foods with Nearly Zero Calories That Melt Fat

Health Benefits Show Up Quickly

The physical improvements from healthier eating can pop up much faster than you might think. "After just one week, I could not believe how much better I felt," Nikki says. She noticed huge differences in her energy and overall well-being after cutting out fast food and focusing on portion control and foods that actually nourished her body.

Feeling Good Trumps Looking Good

Lasting weight loss comes from caring more about how your body feels than how it looks. "What keeps me going is how good I feel when I take care of myself, eat healthy, nourish myself, drink enough water, get enough sleep, and exercise," Nikki points out. While looking better in clothes feels nice, it's the improved quality of life that really drives her to keep making healthy choices.

Body Image Issues Can Actually Increase

Surprisingly, losing weight doesn't magically fix body image issues and might even create new ones. "I didn't know that I would have more body dysmorphia as I lost weight," Nikki confesses. She caught herself becoming more critical and self-conscious about specific body parts during her journey than she had been at her heaviest weight.

RELATED:20 Foods You Didn’t Know Were Ultra-Processed

The Mental Game Gets Tougher

Weight loss demands as much mental strength as physical discipline, especially as you make progress. "It was a whole new mental game that I had to work through," Nikki says about dealing with increased body scrutiny. Learning to shift her focus back to health and strength rather than picking apart her physical imperfections became crucial for her continued success.

Don't Be Afraid to Use All Your Resources

If you're following a structured program, take full advantage of all the flexibility it offers. "I was too scared to use my weeklies," Nikki talks about her initial approach to Weight Watchers points. She later discovered that using all her allotted weekly points actually helped her lose more weight rather than slowing her down.

Strategic Indulgence Works Best

How you use extra calories or points matters more than whether you use them. "What worked best for me was using my weeklies on different snacks that I like—protein bars, nuts, peanut butter spread," Nikki shares. She found that spreading out enjoyable foods throughout the week worked better than saving everything for one big cheat meal.

RELATED:I'm a Nutritionist and These are the Best Banana Recipes For Weight Loss

Variety Prevents Burnout

Eating the same healthy foods over and over leads to boredom and eventually giving up. "It is very easy to get burned out of things, and it's very important to switch things up," Nikki warns. She learned to keep introducing new recipes, ingredients, and meal ideas to keep her plan interesting and something she could stick with.

Try One New Thing Weekly

Small changes make a big difference in keeping meals from getting boring. "Just trying to add a new recipe each week, just a simple recipe, so that I'm trying something new," Nikki suggests. This approach keeps meals exciting without becoming overwhelming or taking too much time.

The Scale Doesn't Tell the Whole Story

Weight is just one measurement and often a misleading one, especially when building muscle. "Weight and the number on the scale is not everything," Nikki insists. She weighs 190 pounds at 6 feet tall and feels healthier now than when she weighed less but had less muscle.

RELATED:What Happens When You Quit Soda, According to a Nutritionist

Progress Photos Tell a Better Story

Visual proof of body changes can be more motivating than scale numbers. "I'm actually really happy that I did start taking progress pictures from the start," Nikki mentions. These photos helped her see that she looked smaller at a higher weight due to muscle gain, proving that the scale wasn't telling her the full story of her success.

Embrace Multiple Ways to Measure Success

Relying only on weight can lead to frustration, especially during plateaus. "Having different ways to not focus so much on the scale to see your progress is so important," Nikki talks about. She figured out how to judge her progress through how clothes fit, strength gains, and overall wellbeing rather than obsessing over a specific number.

Final Word

Nikki's journey shows that lasting weight loss comes from focusing on health, enjoyment, and sustainable habits rather than just appearance or numbers on a scale. By shifting your perspective on motivation, measurements, and what truly matters, you can create a healthier relationship with food and your body that lasts far beyond reaching your goal weight. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Mateo Ruperti lifting_with_mateo
Copyright lifting_with_mateo/Instagram
Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Are you frustrated with all the one-size-fits-all fat loss methods that don’t seem to work for you? One expert claims there are a handful of easy and effective methods you can choose from to lose weight. Mateo Ruperti is a fat loss coach who uses his LWM Blueprint to help “busy people lose 20 lbs in 90 days.” In a new post, he reveals five methods that you can use to drop weight fast. “How to lose body fat in 3 months,” he writes.

Method 1

His first method involves a lot of coffee and water. “Drink a lot of water, so your tummy will be filled with water and you won’t have urges to eat,” he says. Drink black coffee: Caffeine will give you energy and will manipulate your brain into thinking you are not hungry. Use this when having cravings.”

RELATED:8 High-Protein Foods with Nearly Zero Calories That Melt Fat

Method 2

The second method involves exercise and a calorie deficit. “Be in a slight calorie deficit of 200-300 calories. Use high dense food to make you feel like you are full without eating so many calories,” he says. Also, do cardio. “Walk about 10,000 to 15,000 steps everyday. Walking is the best form of cardio to burn calories.” A 2018 study published in the journal Obesity found a link between walking 10,000 steps a day and weight loss and weight management. Other studies published by the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) in JAMA Neurology and in JAMA Internal Medicine also linked walking 10,000 steps a day to less dementia and less cardiovascular disease overall, with less heart disease, less heart failure, and fewer strokes.

Method 3

The third method is following the 30-30-30 Rule. “Do 30 minutes of cardio after 30 minutes of waking up and then eat 30 grams of protein. This is one the fastest ways to burn fat!” he claims.

RELATED:20 Foods You Didn’t Know Were Ultra-Processed

Method 4

His final method? “Eat foods that are rich in protein,” he says, revealing the following recommendations:

  • Egg whites
  • Chicken
  • Beef
  • Broccoli.

RELATED:I'm a Nutritionist and These are the Best Banana Recipes For Weight Loss

Bonus Tips

He also offers some bonus tips

  • Stop drinking ALCOHOL
  • No soda, Starbucks etc.
  • Count your calories precisely for at least 6 days a week.
  • Sleep 7-8 hours a day for better rest and recovery.

And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week

HAMILTON, CANADA - JUNE 29, 2017 Costco Wholesale storefront in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Costco operates a chain of membership warehouses, carrying merchandise at lower prices.
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Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Costco is known for selling some of the most delicious but calorie-heavy items, including pizza dripping with cheese and toppings, substantial hot dogs, and larger-than-life muffins. However, it is also an excellent resource for anyone on a diet or trying to lose weight. Health experts, trainers, and influencers share their go-to weight loss finds at the warehouse daily. Here are the 8 best Costco foods for losing weight that shoppers just discovered.

Wild Caught Salmon

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Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian and co-author of the Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies, recommends stocking up on wild-caught salmon, either frozen or fresh, at Costco. “Wild-caught salmon is rich in Omega-3s for heart and brain health,” she told our sister site, Eat This, Not That!. “These healthy fats are essential as we age, helping to reduce inflammation and support cognitive function. Costco offers a variety of wild-caught salmon options that can be baked, grilled, or pan-seared for easy, nutritious meals.”

RELATED:20 Foods You Didn’t Know Were Ultra-Processed

Fairlife Nutrition Plan Chocolate Protein Shake

container,Fairlife, milk,grocery, store.food,shopping,supermarket​Fairlife: The High-Protein Milk Game-ChangerShutterstock

I, and lots of influencers and fitness pros, are obsessed with Fairlife Nutrition Plan Chocolate Protein Shakes. TikToker Ali Olson, who has lost 105 pounds, recently shared a post showing the protein-packed milk in a video detailing her daily diet. Collingwood is also a big fan of Fairlife milk products. “It is delicious and also has a higher protein content than ‘regular’ milk due to how they process the milk,” she says. “It is good for post-workout, on your cereal, in a smoothie, or just a glass with dinner.”

Organic Meat

Medium,Rare,Ribeye,Steak,,Herbs,Grass,Fed, Beefed,meat​Grass-Fed Beef: The Satisfaction SolutionShutterstock

Costco is an excellent resource for organic meat. “Would I rather eat grass-fed, organic meat all the time? Sure, but I’m not a gazillionaire. That’s why I tend to stock up on beef (usually steaks and chuck roast) as well as chicken (organic if I can find it) while I’m there,” writesRuth Soukup, a midlife health and mindset coach, in an Instagram post.

Kevin’s Natural Foods Cilantro Lime Chicken

Holly Hillyer lost 45 pounds and swears that Kevin’s Natural Foods Cilantro Lime Chicken is a must-buy. “Throw this over a bed of cauliflower rice for a quick meal,” she suggests about the paleo-friendly and ultra-clean meals that are easy to prepare and found in the refrigerator section of the warehouse.

RELATED:I'm a Nutritionist and These are the Best Banana Recipes For Weight Loss

Yasso Cookies n’ Cream Greek Yogurt Bars

Yasso Greek Yogurt Bars are a dessert that offers some health benefits. My daughter prefers Yasso Cookies n’ Cream Greek Yogurt Bars over traditional ice cream bars – and they cost a fraction of the price compared to Whole Foods or Target. Each bar is just 90 calories and offers 5 grams of protein.

Poppi Prebiotic Soda

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA - 6 SEPT 2024: Three cans of Poppi Prebiotic Soda on a bed of ice.

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There’s a reason Pepsi purchased Poppi Prebiotic Soda for nearly 2 billion dollars. The soda isn’t just delicious, the apple cider vinegar and gut-boosting beverage offers health benefits, including improved digestion. I always pick up a box of these on a trip to the warehouse.

Mush Overnight Oats

Los Angeles, California, United States - 08-16-2023: A view of a hand holding a package of Mush Oats, on display at a local grocery store.

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Don’t have time to make overnight oats from scratch? Keep a box of Mush Overnight Oats in your fridge. The individually packaged and portioned overnight oats are great for a quick but nutritious breakfast.

RELATED:What Happens When You Quit Soda, According to a Nutritionist

Tru Grill Grilled Chicken Strips

Grilled or roasted chicken breast, whole and sliced on a wooden serving plate​Greek Chicken BowlShutterstock

Keep pre-cooked, lean proteins on hand for easy and nutritious dinners that will fill you up. Hillyer also recommends Tru Grill precooked Grilled Chicken Strips. “Heat and top a salad for an easy protein with dinner. My kids also love these just dipped in ketchup,” she says. And if you enjoyed this article, don't missthese 8 High-Protein Foods with Nearly Zero Calories That Melt Fat.