From women’s health
My name is Shianne Smith (@shiannesmithfit). I’m 26 years old and I’m from Kansas City, Missouri. I used Beachbody workouts and the portion control-oriented eating plan and calorie count to undo my pregnancy increase.
I have always struggled with portion control, as well as being impatient with my weight loss efforts. I would not see results fast enough, and then I would give up hope because I feel like it is pointless. For the longest time, I really believed I was just born to be overweight.
I put on my heaviest weight while pregnant with my daughter. At 23, I weighed 250 pounds. When I gave birth, I picked up 70 pounds. I was borderline diabetes, and I also had high blood pressure and a very high resting heart rate.
My biggest motivation to lose weight and get healthy was my daughter.
Now that I was a mom, I knew I needed to be healthier. My daughter deserves a happy and healthy mother. She deserved a good role model, especially in terms of body image, and I was physically and emotionally miserable. So I decide on August 15, 2018 enough is enough. I gave myself a three-month goal of losing weight, and it eventually led to a complete lifestyle change.
I started pretty religiously tracking my calories.
To find calories that work best for me, and I do my best to keep a calorie deficit. (However, I remember to show myself mercy when I am not!). Knowing I was struggling with overeating and portion control, I bought a portion meal plan through Beachbody and basically trained myself to learn healthier eating habits in October 2018.
I am definitely a creature of habit, which is why I eat the same food very often. I usually do not eat breakfast because I try to exercise in the morning and do not like to exercise with food in my stomach (although I do sometimes!).
This is what I eat one day.
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Breakfast: Half a banana and two fried eggs on a piece of avocado toast with Louisiana sauce.
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Lunch: A Mission Carb Balance Spinach & Herbal tortilla wrap with a tablespoon of mayo, turkey, cheese and lettuce, with Veggie Straws, fruit and yogurt.
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Dinner: Chicken fajitas or fajita bowls are my favorite.
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Snacks: Protein sticks, fruit or sliced cucumbers with lime juice and tajin chili powder.
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Dessert: I don’t usually eat dessert, but Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is my favorite, and I’m a chocolate sucker.
For exercise, I started walking as much as possible.
I started walking a total of five miles through the day. And I * actually * only started exercising until October 2018, when I bought Beachbody.
I still do Beachbody workouts, so my workout throughout the week varies depending on the exercise program I am currently doing. I exercise at least five to six days a week. My favorite thing is lifting weights. The lift has completely changed my body composition in a way I never expected, and I love how strong I get.
These three changes made the biggest difference in my weight loss results.
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I started tracking my calories. When I find my calories and stay within my calorie deficit, I am more aware of my food choices, and can snack better without thinking.
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I stopped focusing only on the scale. The scale will not always be your friend if you want it. In the past, I did not know what a ‘non-scale victory’ was. When the scale number would rise, I became discouraged and stopped. This time I trust the process and take progress photos. I paid attention to how my clothes fit and how I feel in general.
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I made positive affirmations. As simple as it sounds, saying kind and sweet things to myself gave my body image a boost, which helped my mental state and made me press on the hard days. I didn’t always believe what I initially said, but I did say it enough until the point where I started.
I lost over 100 pounds.
I want other women to know that you are worthy, beautiful and amazing. It’s good to love your body and yourself, while also wanting to change. We are not defined by the size of pants we wear or how much space we may take up. Healthy looks different on every body, so love yourself and be kind.
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