For a year she cut calories and went to the gym. Once year after her divorce she gained 7 pounds.
Glancing at herself in the mirror with puffy eyes, tears begin streaming down Claire’s face.
After they separated, she began taking weight loss seriously.
Her weight reached an all time high since the day she fit into her wedding dress. She had gained 17 pounds total.
Fast-forward two years and she’s almost below 140 pounds. Not quite her wedding day weight of 136, but three dress sizes down will do.
How did she do it?
Claire would tell you it all began with reserving desserts and sugary snacks for special occasions. No more solo wine and chocolate experiences on a lonely Tuesday evening.
Her exercise routine continued 3-5 times a week. However, this time she hired a personal trainer and they strength trained twice a week. They created a plan for 75 weekly minutes of moderate-intensity cardio, usually a HIIT routine on a treadmill, exercise bike, or walk/jog through the park. Changes in her body began taking place.
Drastic changes, such as dropped dress sizes, occurred after a three dietary tweaks. First, she completely eliminated artificial sweeteners. This meant giving up her longtime vices, Diet Coke and sugar-free ice cream.
Next, she minimized any food with added sugar. Common culprits on list: Yoplait Yogurt, light salad dressings, and cereal.
Finally she cut down on simple carbohydrates. This meant eliminating or seriously cutting down on: bread, cereal, cookies, and ice cream.
What a success story Claire!
My Takeaway
Divorce is brutal. I’ve been told it is worse than a beloved parent pass away. With long-term emotional toil, weight gain is quite understandable.
Losing unwanted body fat is hard. It is tough if you don’t have a plan. It is especially difficult when you are doing it alone.
Claire was disciplined to begin with. She watched what she ate and prioritized exercise. When she cut back on foods with added sugar and artificial sweetener, she made a lifechanging discovery. She was eating too much simple carbohydrates,
This started with slashing “sugar-free” and “fat-free” foods from her grocery shopping list. Diet coke, sugar-free ice cream, sugar-free coffee creamer, fat-free salad dressing, and the “zero-sugar” health bars.
Now she knows the common culprits. She’s good to go for the rest of her life.
Read the Ingredients
Do you want to watch out for artificial sugar? Click here for a list of 56 different sweeteners. Below is are the names of the most common culprits.
- Aspartame
- Neotame
- Acesulfame Potassium (or Ace K)
- Saccharine
- Sucralose
- Sugar Alcohols
- Stevia
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