Monthly Member Spotlight {Alma}

This month it is my pleasure to bring to you our very first Monthly Member Spotlight!

Alma has been a member of our community since 2017 and is a shinning light of encouragement and positivity in our Instant Loss Meal Plan Accountability Group. This is her story. 

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Alma/50 Years Old/Starting Weight: 207lbs

I am the second of four sisters, and was always the chunky one. I recall when I was young, I was the one who always asked for seconds at dinner, our meals included way too many carbs, and I was the least active (never involved in sports) out of all my sisters. All of these things combined, contributed to me being overweight, having low energy, and low self esteem…from a very young age.

At the age of 15, I started the diet roller coaster (crash diets, Jenny Craig, Nutri System, Weight Watchers, Atkins, etc.). All worked for a time, but never long term, and so, I always gained the weight back.

In my mid 20’s I weighed 190 lbs, was sick and tired of being sick and tired, and finally did something about my excess weight.

I started replacing my breakfast with a smoothie, I cut my meal portions tremendously (but still included a lot of carbs, very little protein, and not always whole food), I started exercising, logging my food, but was not drinking enough water.

I was able to lose all of the excess weight, and got to my goal weight of 125lbs. I was able to keep that weight off for 10 years, but I recall that during that time, I was often hungry & unsatisfied….since my portions were very skimpy. I hardly had any energy, and was struggling to maintain my weight loss.

At 34, I got married, and then pregnant. During my pregnancy I started to gain the weight back. That was 15 years ago, and I have struggled with my weight….again…ever since.

In early Sept 2017, I found Instant Loss. At that point I was done with being overweight & tired all of the time. I read Brittany’s blog, bought all of the meal plans, but was skeptical about this working for me. I thought that since I was now 50 years old, 207 lbs (the heaviest I’ve ever been), premenopausal, and with Hypothyroid, there was no way this would work. But, I decided to give it a shot anyways.

I started in late September 2017….little by little. At that time, we were eating dinner out 5 to 6 nights a week. So, the first week I committed to 2 dinners at home. Then the second week, 3 dinners….and so forth. Now we are up to 5 to 6 dinners at home every week. I do not follow the IL meal plans exactly, but instead incorporate some of the smoothie, breakfast, & dinner recipes into my weekly plans. This works perfectly for us since we’re a small family of 3, and so, have plenty of leftovers for lunches.

Besides eating whole real food, I started adding these healthy habits each week:

1) Drinking my water (160oz/day)

2) Portion control

3) Meal planning & prep

4) Lowering my carbs

5)Logging my food & water

6) More activity.

I don’t count calories, or points…since I want to keep this as simple as possible. After doing this for a few weeks, the pounds just started to come off. I was pleasantly shocked & surprised, and at that point I finally had hope. That hope continues to fuel my motivation & determination to reach my goal.

I have lost 35 lbs. in three months! I feel better than ever (full of energy), and my health has never been better.

In April 2017, I got blood work done. My cholesterol was high, my sugar was high, and my liver numbers were high. My doctor told me that if I didn’t lose weight & lower my numbers, I would have to go on meds. When I went back for blood work in November 2017, all of my numbers were normal!!

Life truly has never been better! Not only do I feel amazing, but my mood, my attitude, & my confidence, are sky high! I have learned so many things on this health journey.

Here are a few:

1. I am stronger than I ever thought I was.

2. Positive thinking is huge! Your mind is so powerful. When you fill it with positive thoughts and are kind to yourself…your life will start to change.

3. Health & weight loss is possible at any age.

4. Lowering your carb (even healthy carbs) intake not only will help you lose weight faster, but will reduce your appetite & cravings, which in turn will help you control your portions.

5. Water is everything! Drink drink drink!!

6. Meal planning & prep is essential for success. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!

7. Get moving! This is an essential part of staying healthy. This has been my biggest challenge, since I’ve never been a very active person. But, I know how crucial it is…so have been making every effort to get in more activity daily. In the new year, I plan to have a more formal exercise plan to keep me motivated & challenged.

8. Be part of an Accountability Group. Whether it’s the IL Accountability group, or a group of friends, this is a crucial part of the process. There will be some tough days along this journey, and having supportive, encouraging, & positive people on your team….is priceless!

9. Change it up! I hit a plateau a few weeks ago, but from reading Brittany’s journey, had been expecting it. So, I changed up my routine (added more cardio, & added some fasting), and boom….kicked that plateau in the rear!!

I still have 30-40 lbs to lose, to get to my goal weight, but I feel confident I will get there! I’m not really stuck on a number. I plan to keep going and listening to my body. Once I am comfortable with the way I look and feel, then I will start maintenance.

I’m just taking it week by week with mini goals & rewards along the way. Thanks to Instant Loss, I have an arsenal of healthy recipes, plus I have some rediscovered & some newfound healthy habits, and my favorite part…the support of the IL Accountability group. All of these together are my recipe for success!

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If you’re a member of our Instant Loss Community and would like to share your story please contact me, click here.