'I Didn't Have To Work Out Every Day To Lose Weight When I Finally Stopped Having Cheat Meals'

From Women's Health

My name is Shavonda Brickley (@shrinking_shavonda), and I am 35 years old. I live in Dallas, Texas, and I am a customer service representative for a pharmaceutical company. I started my weight-loss journey by doing keto with intermittent fasting and working out with a personal trainer, and I lost 143 pounds.

I tried so many different weight-loss methods and did not stick to any of them. The thing I struggled with the most was consistency. I was my heaviest at 28 years old; I weighed 347 pounds.

In December 2017, I went through a life-altering event that put me in a really dark place. I was giving so much energy to that situation. In addition, I always felt like everyone else’s happiness was more important than mine. I was always placing myself on the back burner. I felt that it was time for all of that stop. If I could pour so much into others (and wanted to continue to be able to do that), I needed to first pour into me.

And that’s when things clicked. Before I could be the best mom or partner to anyone, I needed to be the best me to me.

In March 2018, as I approached my 33rd birthday, I started my health journey.

Initially, I just tried to eliminate things like soda and juice from my diet. I made small adjustments like going from white rice to brown and eating more fruits and salad.

Then I came across the ketogenic lifestyle via Instagram and slowly transitioned into it. I would order a burger and remove one bun, and sub out fries for fruit. Eventually, I did more research and learned more about the lifestyle and went full-blown keto in July 2019. I love how non-restrictive keto is. I can still eat all of the foods I love, and there are so many products that can be used as great substitutes for some of the things that are not allowed.

Shortly after that, I also started to incorporate intermittent fasting (IF) by following a 16:8 schedule (meaning I ate within an eight-hour window every day and fasted for 16 hours).

Here’s what I typically eat in a day now.

• Breakfast: If I'm fasting, I skip breakfast. If I do have breakfast, I eat a simple meal of bacon, eggs, and cheese.

• Lunch: Cold-cut sandwich wrap.

• Snacks: I’m not a big snacker, since I only eat when I am hungry, but I love almonds.

• Dinner: Grilled chicken and loaded broccoli.

• Dessert: Keto ice cream or Atkins Endulges are my faves right now.

I actually started exercising before I started eating differently, but I quickly learned you can’t outwork a bad diet.

I would work out six to seven days a week and eat properly during the week, but I would overindulge on the weekends. I thought of cheat meals as a way to reward myself, not realizing initially that this mindset was stalling my progress.

Currently, I have a personal trainer that I see at least three times per week. When I am not training with him, I may walk about four miles or do my C25K running app. I absolutely love working with my trainer. Before COVID-19, I would attend my favorite cardio hip-hop class called Mixxedfit at my local gym. I miss that class so much!

These three changes have made the biggest impact on my overall weight loss.

• I kept my mind in the right place. I reminded myself that if you think you can, you will. A lot of self-doubt came from my own thoughts. Believing in myself helps me also believe in others.

• I tried to be intentional. In every decision I make even today, whether it’s to have an indulgent meal or not, it’s intentional. I make sure that when I'm up against temptation, I slow down and intentionally make a choice to stay on track or treat myself.

• I "prepare and plan" so I don't "plan to fail." I make sure that even if I don’t meal prep, I meal plan. Each night before I go to bed, I have an idea of what my day will look like tomorrow because I have to live, eat, and breathe my lifestyle for it to work.

I have lost 143 pounds in two years and five months.

My advice to anyone who feels stuck or unsure of how to start: It doesn’t matter where you start or how much weight you have to lose, just start! Don’t focus on how long it will take, just focus on the direction in which you’re going. Do not compare your journey to anyone else’s.

Keep your head in the game and love yourself enough to get started. Be kind to yourself during your journey. Focus on the progression and not perfection. This journey is yours. Embrace it and take it on full-speed. Don’t give up—you have nothing to lose but weight.

You Might Also Like

• PSA: Our Carb-Loving Keto Cookbook Is 32% Off for a Few More Hours

• This Dynamic Warm-Up Will Help You Prep For Your Best Workout Yet

• These Before-and-After Photos Show How Much Your Body Can Change From Drinking Less Alcohol