-66 lb
Before
After
Why did you want to lose weight?
Due to an underactive thyroid and pregnancy, I gained a lot of weight. At the beginning of 2012, I gave birth to my daughter and I wanted to immediately lose the extra baby weight.
I was so unhappy when I looked in the mirror, I was always tired and normal movements seemed to be twice as difficult. At that point, I hadn't yet had an aha moment. It would work for 2 to 3 days and then I would fall back into old habits. That lasted more than 2 years. I tried everything, tormenting myself with low carb, fasting and a lot of other unsuccessful methods. All of these diet types weren't suitable for everyday life and I didn't want to have to do them the rest of my life.
"You shouldn't eat completely different during your weight loss, that's not sustainable. Portion size plays a big role."
At the beginning of 2014, I dared to try again. I previously had an appointment with my doctor and he told me I was overweight. That was so shocking that it become clear to me: Something had to change.
Of course, I already knew I was overweight and it made me really unhappy, but to have it confirmed in black and white by the doctor was really hard.
I immediately started trying to lose weight again. First, with a different weight-loss program and later with calorie counting. Finally, I had this aha moment and I was really motivated. In that first year, the weight just started falling off.
What did you want to accomplish on your journey?
My goal was to at least get down to the weight I was before I got pregnant (168 lb), but secretly I wanted to get back to what I used to weigh (143 lb). I never thought that after so many failed attemtps, I would be able to do it.
Plus, I also wanted to get in shape for my daughter and not be seen as the "fat mom" in kindergarden. I don't want her to suffer because of my being overweight. That's why it was so important to me that could do everything with her that she wanted to do.
How did you reach your goals?
I lost the first pounds with a different weight-loss program. Then, I switched to calorie counting. It was a better fit for me. I realized that it didn't do anything for me if I had to cut out certain foods.
With calorie counting, that's not necessary. I can eat whatever I feel like as long as it fits into my calorie limit. Even going out to eat with friends, having a movie night, or enjoying a delicious ice cream in the summer is possible. In addition, I've substantially increased the amount of movement in my daily life.
My fitness tracker always helped to keep me motivated, supported me and transferred my results directly into the YAZIO app. I only did a proper workout at the gym every once in a while.
Britta’s Tips
Keep going, even when times are tough and the number on the scale isn't moving
Treat yourself sometimes and don't ban all foods
Never give up
Find a daily diet that works for you
How did YAZIO help you?
At first, I was using a different tracking app and then I came across YAZIO. I was immediately impressed by the app. The cheerful and motivating design with bright colors hooked me from the start.
Plus, it's well organized and offers plenty of delicious recipes. The app really helped me keep an eye on my calories. I always knew how much I could still eat. At the same time, I also joined the YAZIO Facebook Group. Here, you get a lot of great information and feedback from other users and there is always constant communication. That also helped to keep me motivated, stay on top of things and reach my goal.
Did you have setbacks?
Setbacks always upset me because I was, for example, either not tracking consistently or had times when I didn't track at all.
From 2015 to 2017, almost nothing was happening. My weight would go up and then it would go down. Although, I was able to keep my weight predominantly the same. That was unthinkable before.
I didn't completely fall back into old habits.
In 2018, I dared to start again and lost another 22 lb. That, even though I took a lot of breaks. For example, I didn't count calories at all in December.
From October 2018 to February 2019, I plateaued. The scale just wouldn't budge and then I would drop 5 pounds, and then it would be less. It was during these times that I would doubt myself and wonder if I was doing the right thing. I almost threw in the towel several times. In the end, I kept at it and was rewarded for it by the end of February 2019.
What advice do you have for other users?
As a tip, I can only say: Keep at it and keep your head up, even when things aren't going well and the scale isn't moving. Take down body measurements and don't feel bad if you're invited to eat somewhere, if you go a little overboard one day, or something along those lines.
Treat yourself every once in a while and don't prohibit foods. Eat a healthy diet that works for you and is something that you will want to continue with your entire life. Anything else won't last. You shouldn't eat completely different during your weight loss, that's not sustainable. Portion size plays a big role here. Don't torture yourself with diets that don't work for you.
Calorie counting doesn't mean completely avoiding particular types of foods.
What are your future goals?
I would like to lose an additional 6 lb and get down to my dream weight of 123 lb. After that, I want to tone up and build muscle.
Why do you want to tell your story?
I want to share my story with other users to help motivate them. For me, it took a really long time until I could actually meet my goal. What took me 5 years to accomplish, others can accomplish in one.
This was the right way for me. I want to show others that it pays off to keep at it. With perserverance, anyone can do it!
