70 pounds in a year is a lot! Many of us don’t need to lose that much weight. I am happy to be part of this transformation, but I prefer that you learn about it directly from her. This the story of how my mother-in-law lost 70 pounds in 1 year, after struggling with weight for decades.
The following has been translated from Spanish and adapted to closely resemble the original.
How My Mother-In-Law Lost 70 Pounds In 1 Year
“I am an elderly woman, now 66 years old, who’s struggled with weight and food issues since I was 22. Bad dietary habits, disorganization, emotional management issues, and a sugar and carbohydrate addiction have been my challenges.
After decades of struggling, by 2019, I weighed 250 pounds, a staggering 104 pounds overweight, dealing with fatty liver, kidney stones, and digestive problems. At the suggestion of Ana, my daughter-in-law [that’s me! ✌🏻], I enrolled in an online diet coaching for a three-month detox program.”
How It All Started
After I enrolled on that detox program, the initial week involved meticulous tracking of my dietary intake to assess my eating habits. Then, processed foods were eliminated in the second week, followed by chemical sugars in the third, and all fruits in the fourth.
In the fifth week, we started the core phase—a keto diet. Each week, educational materials, documentaries, and discussions accompanied the habits changes of each week. I gained significant insight into the detrimental effects of sugar and other dietary elements.
Prior to this coaching, I had adhered to a vegetarian diet, and before that, a vegan one. Thus, deviating from my established eating patterns was challenging.
Initially hesitant about incorporating meat and eliminating fruits, I tentatively complied. I ate mostly fish. However, my weight loss efforts were hindered as I continued consuming some fruits. Despite this, I managed to lose 15 pounds, bringing my weight down to 235 pounds by the end of December 2020.
Realizing the need for personalized guidance, I consulted a nutritionist who, unfortunately, prescribed a calorie-counting regimen that left me feeling unsatisfied. Consequently, I only lost 20 pounds, weighing in at 215 pounds by May 2020.
Overcoming Health Complications
In June 2020, amidst the pandemic, I developed gallbladder issues. Tests revealed the presence of gallstones. My sons wanted me to have surgery. However, skeptical of unnecessary organ removal, I sought advice from a surgeon with expertise in Ayurvedic natural medicine.
He prescribed me a mix of chemical and natural medications in order to dissolve the stones without the need for surgery. Despite the meds, eating was painful. I could only manage one meal a day—tilapia filets and a green salad with spinach, lettuce, parsley, coriander, lemon, salt, and a bit of olive oil. Some days I was able to have dinner.”
Integrating Exercise
“Struggling with digestion, one of my sons accompanied me daily for walks, totaling 45 minutes, amid pandemic restrictions from July 2020 to September 2020.
Remarkably, I continued to lose weight without sacrificing muscle mass. I lost an additional 35 pounds, reaching 180 pounds. In total, I lost 70 pounds in a year, but I still need to lose another 35.
Interestingly, follow-up tests indicated the dissolution of gallstones, leaving only bile sludge. But I need to be careful as they can return easily.”
Listen To Your Body
“After trial and error I made a noteworthy change this time, I listened to my body. I ate once or twice a day—mostly fish and salads. I didn’t want anything else, but I never got bored of it.
In summary, this diet journey was not dictated by medical professionals but rather driven by the need to listen to my body’s signals. I was doing what my body could handle.
During these 12 months, I concluded that a combination of the keto diet, counting calories, intermittent fasting, and exercise—predominantly walking—proved transformative for my health.
At that time, I was unaware of intermittent fasting’s benefits, but my body intuitively gravitated towards it. The extended periods of fasting likely facilitated liver recovery and kidney cleansing. And, my muscles strengthened because of the daily walks. I marveled at the newfound energy I had during walks.
I still have a way to go, but I’ve made great progress in recovering my health.”
What Can We Learn From This?
My mother-in-law had a remarkable weight loss journey, from tackling health issues to learning to listen to her own body. Her experience not only embodies perseverance but wisdom, that she cetainly shares with everyone she can, including myself.
Her extraordinary efforts to improve her health left me with these lessons:
- There are many types of diets that help you achieve the goal of losing weight. It is about finding what works for you and becoming good at it. Be it, keto, slow carb diet, counting calories, or intermittent fasting.
- It is OK to try different diets when you are trying to find what works for you, just make sure you are only following one at a time and that you are being consistent for a decent period of time. I would say, for at least 3 months.
- Once you find what works for you, don’t switch diets just because your friend, neighbor or cousin told you about a new one.
- Exercise, exercise, exercise. My mother-in-law didn’t need to join a gym to achieve this, but indeed she was walking consistently. A walk a day is better than 1 day at the gym once a month.
- It is possible to lose weight without exercise, but it is far easier, healthier, and faster if you do exercise. Additionally, you want to maintain as much muscle mass as possible when losing weight.
- Mentors, guides, or buddies are important for not losing track. My mother-in-law had one in every step of her way.
From personal experience, as a passionate fitness person myself, I would add that, gaining muscle helps you maintain your weight, and to gain muscle weight you need to lift weights. A friend of mine always use this analogy, “a V8 engine is always more energy-demanding than a small 4-cylinder and so is a person with more muscle.”
Beautiful testimony, right? Many of us don’t need to lose that much weight, but it is doable. This story should motivate you to start no matter if your goals are smaller or more ambitious than hers, to be consistent and patient with your process! Trust yourself.
Feel free to share about your progress, how much and how long it has taken you.
Hi I’m Ana. I’m all about trying to live the best life you can. This blog is all about working to become physically healthy, mentally healthy and financially free! There lots of DIY tips, personal finance tips and just general tips on how to live the best life.
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