-73 lb
Before
After
Why did you want to lose weight?
I feel like I've been on a diet my entire life. I was always the fat one.
I had asthma as a kid and spent half my life using it as an excuse not to exercise. At home, I never learned what it meant to eat healthily. Ready-made meals, canned foods and pizza were on the daily menu, and I spent my free time in front of the TV. I never felt pretty, so I tried diet after diet, everything from the cabbage soup diet to low-carb, paleo and weight-loss shakes. I tried everything and every time I ended up heavier than before.
"You're doing this for yourself and no one else. That's why you have to find your own incentive, one that's stronger than any little excuse—for yourself and the life you want to live."
A few years ago, I bought my boyfriend a gift certificate for a paragliding course and we ended up wanting to do it together. Before registering, they asked us for our weight at the table, in front of all of the participants. I lied and said 130 pounds. Afterward, I was so scared the parachute wouldn't hold my weight that I didn't participate and ended up sitting on the side the entire hour.
When I did weigh myself, I was over 175 pounds. It felt like the end of the world. I could see myself approaching the 220-pound mark if I didn't turn things around. That's when I found YAZIO.
What did you want to accomplish on your journey?
I wanted to feel happy and stopped being ashamed of myself. I wanted to feel comfortable in my own skin and pretty. And I wanted to go shopping without having to secretly grab something in XL. I just wanted to enjoy my life again and I couldn't do that with all of the dissatisfaction in my life.
How did you reach your goals?
YAZIO seemed so incredibly easy. Unlike diets like low-carb or paleo, it didn't ban any foods. You could eat anything, it just had to be in proper portions. I learned which foods were good for me and which weren't. Calorie counting saved me.
Lia’s Tips
Weigh everything. It's so easy to misjudge portions and it makes a big difference.
Daily exercise is everything! Try to walk as many places as possible.
Fill your plate with vegetables. A beautifully full plate has a much better impact psychologically than a plate with little food on it.
Fill your plate by adding a side salad or oven-roasted vegetables.
In the beginning, I didn't work out at all. The first 55 pounds just fell off, it happened so fast. These days, I work out almost every day because it's fun and I love how powerful my body has become. In the past, that would have been unthinkable.
How did YAZIO help you?
You know that feeling when someone says "Just eat less and change your diet.", and you laugh to yourself and think, well, without weight-loss shakes, low-carb or banning foods, that won't happen anyway? That's how I felt. I was always on the lookout for miracle diets instead of doing one fundamental thing: Changing my habits.
With YAZIO, I've learned to add more vegetables to my diet. I've learned which foods keep me feeling full, which ones I can eat more of and how I can prepare my meals without having to go to bed hungry. I love cooking now and much healthier than ever before.
My life revolves heavily around nutrition now. I even have an Instagram account where people ask me for advice. ME! The then fat girl is giving other people advice on losing weight. Can you believe it?
Did you have setbacks?
No, actually I didn't. I grabbed onto my goal and didn't let go. Nothing could loosen my grip. Within the 1 1⁄2 years I needed to lose weight, I had a consistent weight-loss curve and, when I look back, I can only say: I'm so proud of myself. Never in my life have I committed to something like I committed to this.
I would do it exactly like this over and over again, with just as much commitment and motivation, to get my life back.
What advice do you have for other users?
Never give up. Every single day you stay on track, you win against yourself. Don't cut out certain things you love. Instead, learn to incorporate them into your everyday life in a healthy way. Chocolate and sugar aren't bad, carbs won't kill you and, if you hate working out, then don't force yourself.
Find your own way instead of doing what others are doing. Remember one thing: EVERYONE can do it. The only one standing between you and your goal is you.
What are your future goals?
I've been maintaining my weight for the last 3 weeks. I definitely want to keep tracking and sustainably maintaining my weight. I also want to build muscle and become more athletic. Who knows, maybe I'll run a marathon one day.
Why do you want to tell your story?
Because I hope I can motivate one person or another. I was at exactly the same point that a lot of readers might be at: Unhappy, dissatisfied and looking for help. I had convinced myself that being "fat" was just a part of who I was, just like others are blond or short. I was the "little fat girl". But, you know what? You can dye your hair, short people can wear heels and every single one of us can lose weight! Everyone!
