Losing a significant amount of weight, such as 140 pounds, is a remarkable achievement that requires dedication, perseverance, and a strategic approach. These journeys are often deeply personal and transformative, influencing not only physical health but also mental and emotional well-being. Here are some inspiring stories of individuals who have successfully lost 140 pounds, along with the strategies and insights they gained along the way.
Overcoming Comorbidities and COVID Concerns with the McDougall Program
One individual, weighing 282 pounds in 2010 with high blood pressure and poor lab results, embarked on a journey to improve their health. Initial attempts at calorie counting led to a weight of 167 pounds, but with constant hunger. Concerned about the increased risk of severe COVID-19 effects due to age and comorbidities like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, they sought a sustainable solution.
In September 2020, they joined the 12-Day McDougall Program as a refresher, initially skeptical about its effectiveness compared to in-person programs. The program proved to be highly beneficial. Their primary goal was to reduce or eliminate comorbidities to mitigate the risk of serious COVID-19 complications and to lose weight.
The individual's current weight is 140 pounds, with a blood pressure of 110/66, and normal lab results. This weight is comparable to what they weighed in high school and college, something they never thought possible. Their total weight loss exceeds 140 pounds. The fundamentals of the McDougall Program are simple but can be difficult to implement.
Finding Fitness and Motivation at Fit House
Lois's story exemplifies how fitness can be for everyone. Her motivation was deeply personal: she wanted to be active with her children, to run, play, and participate fully in their lives. At Fit House, she started with basic exercises, such as squatting to a box, focusing on form and fundamentals.
Read also: Stories of successful weight loss
Lois faced mental battles, struggling with the fear of failure after years of unsuccessful attempts. Her advice to those starting is to reach out and not wait, emphasizing that the hardest part is often taking the first step. Fit House offers a complimentary strategy session to help individuals begin their transformations. Chris Rombola, the owner of Fit House, emphasizes building a body and life that clients love, rather than just burning calories.
Jelly Roll's Natural Weight Loss Journey
Singer and rapper Jelly Roll opened up about losing 140 pounds "naturally," emphasizing his support for weight loss injectables like Ozempic while explaining his personal reasons for avoiding them. He described himself as a "550-pound zombie" before making the decision to change his relationship with food.
Jelly Roll clarified that he wasn't against medications like Ozempic, noting that doctors generally support their use. However, he was concerned about the side effect of acid reflux, which could damage his vocal cords. He explained that laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), a specific type of acid reflux, can cause chronic laryngitis, throat ulcers, and coughing, potentially leading to vocal cord irritation.
He emphasized that his decision to lose weight naturally wasn't due to stubbornness but out of concern for his vocal health. He supports others using such medications if they find them helpful. Common side effects of Ozempic include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and stomach pain. Some individuals experience more extreme side effects, leading to discontinuation of the medication.
Jelly Roll announced his weight loss journey in December 2022, focusing on healthier food choices and increased exercise. He aims to lose another 100 pounds in 2025 and is documenting his journey publicly to inspire others. He believes that people who lose significant weight often hide out of shame, but he wants to be honest about his struggles and interact with the world differently.
Read also: Learn how people achieved significant weight loss
A Hairstylist's Keto-Fueled Transformation
A hairstylist from Westminster, Colorado, shared her journey of losing 140 pounds after struggling with her weight and binge eating disorder for years. She used the keto diet to jumpstart her weight loss, combining it with treadmill walking and weight training.
She struggled with being overweight her whole life and felt self-conscious as a child, often comparing herself to her twin sister. She was also bullied about her weight. Her childhood was marked by restricting and binging, which carried into early adulthood. By 18, she felt overwhelmed by the pressure of maintaining a healthy weight and gave up, using food as a coping mechanism, leading to a binge eating disorder. She consumed close to 5,000 calories a day for many years, eventually weighing 275 pounds. She physically struggled to get out of bed and tie her shoes.
Reconnecting with horseback riding was a turning point. Horses were an outlet for her as a child, and riding was healing and grounding as an adult. She bought a horse at 22 and felt inspired to lose weight shortly after. Initially, she didn’t think she could lose weight at all. The motivation to lose more weight came after losing the first 10 pounds.
She started with a self-designed ketogenic meal plan, tracking carbs and calories with the Carb Manager app. She fell in love with the diet because she didn't feel like she was missing out on anything. She lost 10 pounds in the first week. Food prep was pivotal, making it easy to stick to her meal plan. She used Pinterest for recipes, prepping two casseroles each week for lunches. Breakfasts were simple, and dinners were prepared at home. She cut out drinking and eating out, focusing on eating as clean as possible. She didn’t have a cheat meal for the first eight months.
After two years on keto, she hired a bodybuilding coach who helped her reintroduce carbs. Her current diet consists mostly of chicken, lean beef, turkey, rice, fresh fruit, avocados, and peanut butter. She developed a love for cream of rice and bananas.
Read also: Before & After Weight Loss Stories
While on keto, a typical day of eating included:
- Breakfast: Eggs, turkey sausage, low-carb tortilla
- Lunch: Portobello mushroom cap “pizza”
- Snacks: Berries and low-carb yogurt
- Dinner: Salmon and Nori or Zoodle pasta
- Dessert: Lily's chocolate
She started working out right away, initially walking on the treadmill. She gradually built up her stamina, going from walking 30 minutes a day to running a 5K on Thanksgiving Day within the first year. She then incorporated weight training, following a beginner's program from a fitness app. She loved the way she felt after lifting weights, and her mental health stabilized.
After losing a significant amount of weight, she underwent skin removal surgery but struggled with post-op depression. Healing from past trauma was a difficult but liberating part of her journey. She decided to compete in a women’s transformation bodybuilding division to inspire others and connect with the weight loss community. The gym became her therapy, and she now trains five days a week with a coach, working towards her second bodybuilding show.
Three key changes led to her weight loss success:
- Establishing a routine and committing to a lifestyle change: Consistency is key.
- Healing her relationship with her body: This was a non-linear process, involving both good and bad days, but focusing on loving her body for its imperfections.
- Changing her “I can’t” mentality: Embracing new challenges and surprising herself with what she could achieve.
She lost 140 pounds in three years and emphasizes that metamorphosis is a privilege.
Teamwork and Accountability: The Nurses' Weight Watchers Success
Four nurses in Washburn, Tennessee, supported each other in their weight loss journeys using WW (formerly Weight Watchers). Tara Simmons, 46, started to prepare for her son’s wedding, hoping to lose about 40 pounds. She told her co-worker, Lindsay Claxton, 37, about her plan, and Claxton decided to join her. Their colleagues, Kelly Fear, 31, and Julie Sands, 29, joined after seeing their success.
Simmons chose WW because it felt like a lifestyle change rather than a quick fix. Fear appreciated that she wasn’t cutting out any food groups but learning portion control. Claxton said the program helped her rethink her food choices in healthier ways, such as opting for a salad instead of fries.
The group supported each other, even helping each other find food during pandemic-related shortages. All four achieved success, with Simmons reaching her goal weight before her son’s wedding. She started at 190 pounds and lost 41 pounds. Claxton started at 199 pounds and lost 23. Fear started at 230 pounds and shed 56 pounds. Sands started at 247 pounds and dropped 23 pounds.
While Simmons is in maintenance, the others are still working toward their goals, supported by texts and phone calls. Fear wants to reach a healthy BMI and then lose 100 pounds total. Sands and Claxton aim to be healthier and more active with their children.
The four shared tips for maintaining healthy habits:
- Weigh your food: Fear realized how much she was overeating when she started weighing her portions.
- Allow yourself treats in moderation: Sands enjoys her favorite foods in moderation, making smart choices the rest of the day.
- Incorporate exercise: Adding activity helps with weight loss and maintenance. Simmons trained for a 5K and participates in running and step challenges.
- Be accountable: The group sends each other pictures of their meals for accountability.
- Support is key: Simmons emphasized the importance of friendship, motivation, and encouragement from her team.
Conor Hegarty's 10-Month Transformation
Conor Hegarty, a 24-year-old management consultant from Cork, Ireland, weighed 301 pounds at his heaviest. He shared his wake-up call and how small changes helped him lose 140 pounds in just 10 months.
Hegarty had been heavy since childhood, gaining more weight each year. He avoided the scales and crash dieted, which led to binge-eating and more weight gain. The real weight gain began in university with increased alcohol consumption and junk food after nights out. In the workplace, inactivity increased, and he gained 55 pounds in less than a year and a half due to a poor diet and long hours.
The turning point was a trip to America in November 2019. He felt ashamed in Miami, where people were confident and comfortable at the beach. He avoided a pool party due to insecurity. During a connecting flight, he struggled to breathe while running through the airport and felt uncomfortable on the plane due to his size.
He calculated his Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) to understand his caloric needs and started tracking calories with a 200-calorie deficit. He adjusted his diet and exercise as needed to overcome plateaus. He prepped meals twice a week and avoided cheat days. He and a friend signed up for a 12-week transformation program at their local gym. Exercise made him feel great and helped control cravings. He started with resistance workouts and gradually added bodyweight exercises. He made mini-contracts with himself to stop drinking lattes, take a break from alcohol, and avoid takeaways.
When COVID-19 hit and gyms closed, he started running, gradually increasing his frequency. He found running enjoyable and beneficial for his mental health. In total, he lost 140 pounds in 10 months and felt amazing. He had more energy, slept better, and started playing sports again. He regained confidence and no longer felt judged at the gym.
Hegarty signed up for his first marathon and plans to work on toning his physique. His advice is to start small with manageable changes, such as cutting out sugary drinks, and to meal prep. He also advises remembering that people at the gym are focused on themselves, not judging others.
Andrea Pence's Protein-Focused Weight Loss
Andrea Pence, a 38-year-old mom of two, lost 140 pounds in two years without restricting her favorite foods. In early summer 2022, she decided to make a change because she felt constantly tired, had achy joints, and struggled to stay active. She initially aimed to lose 90 pounds but lost 140, eliminated her sleep apnea, and gained enough energy to exercise daily.
She used the MyFitnessPal app to track calories and incorporated more protein into her diet. She found that she wasn't getting enough protein and underestimated its importance for managing appetite on a weight loss diet. She now aims for around 100 grams of protein daily.
Pence typically has a high-protein breakfast of Greek yogurt and substitutes higher-protein versions of convenience foods for lunch and dinner. She didn't cut out any food groups, which helped her maintain her progress long-term. She realized that some "healthy" foods, like fruit-and-granola parfaits, had more calories than she expected.
Being mindful of total calories and fitting in more protein allowed Pence to enjoy her food while still meeting her goals. She allows herself to have a cheeseburger if she wants one.