Losing weight can feel like an insurmountable challenge. However, countless individuals have overcome significant obstacles to achieve their weight loss goals and transform their lives. Here are some inspiring success stories, featuring individuals like Madison and Mallory, who demonstrate that with determination, the right strategies, and a focus on overall health, meaningful change is possible.
DarkMSTie's Journey: From 300+ Pounds to a New Life
One compelling example is the story of Reddit user DarkMSTie. At 5-foot-2 and around 300 pounds, she felt much older than her 34 years. She struggled with her weight growing up, as her parents were “obese,” and there were always cookies and soda in the house. She decided to take control when she signed up for Nutrisystem in December 2012.
As she got more and more into Nutrisystem, she saw more and more weight drop. She started to learn about healthy eating-the good carbs vs. the bad carbs, portion control, how to be healthy when eating at restaurants. Eventually, she found a personal trainer she liked because she needed the “appointment” to keep her honest and working out on a consistent basis. She started out with sessions two days per week and also got a phentermine prescription from her doctor. Today, she weighs 139 pounds, which means she’s lost at least 160 pounds-more than half of her body weight! She had surgery to remove her excess skin, and now she’s never looked, or felt, better.
Mallory Buettner's Transformation: A Combination of Diet and Medical Intervention
Once her weight reached almost 400 pounds in 2014, 29-year-old Mallory Buettner decided it was time for a change. So Buettner turned to a diet of healthy whole foods and began to shed about 80 pounds. Then, her doctor recommended a gastric bypass so her metabolism could better handle her new food intake. Much healthier now at 187 pounds, she maintains that weight by eating a clean diet and doing cardio and kettle bell weights at the gym.
Hamooh's Keto and Fasting Success
Reddit user Hamooh's photo demonstrates the difference just 50 pounds can make! So how did she go from 250 to 200 in only six months? She credits a combination of fasting and a keto diet for her drastic weight loss. But if fasting isn't for you, a ketogenic diet, which is a high-fat, low-carb diet, might be more doable.
Read also: Guide to Nutritious Restaurants
Madison LeCroy: Balance, Moderation, and Professional Guidance
Madison LeCroy, known from Southern Charm, offers insights into maintaining a healthy lifestyle amidst a busy life. While baking with her son, she focuses on letting him enjoy the treats while she maintains balance and moderation in her diet.
Recently, Madison (who is currently the midst of a 30-day eating and drinking plan that eliminates alcohol as well as "artificial" carbs and sugar) has taken a strict approach to her diet after she "started off [self] quarantine not healthy" amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. "I just started to feel really bad," she recalled. "I just said, 'This has got to stop, so I’m gonna make these foods and I’m gonna eat this kale salad and eat grilled chicken and broccoli four days a week, or whatever it was, and no alcohol for 14 days.' That kind of thing was very tough."
Consistency is key for Madison. "I always try to do some kind of juice in the morning. I do celery juice for skin purposes. I don’t have the best skin so I try doing that," she explained. While she's recently been cooking buffalo cauliflower at home, a typical lunch for the hairstylist "is really just whatever I can get my hands on." Still, she noted: "I’m pretty mindful about whatever I eat." Part of being mindful, Madison said, is working with a professional on different aspects of her diet and fitness routine. "I work out with a guy named Gunnar, who has been a friend of mine for so long. Him and his girlfriend are great. They help me with meal plans and stuff like that just to keep me on track because they know that I’ve worked hard," she explained. "I would say he’s more of an accountability coach, which I appreciate 'cause sometimes I can get into the work mode and mom mode and put the health on the back burner."
As Madison's Instagram followers are well aware, she considers exercise to be a major component in maintaining an all-around healthy lifestyle. "I try to work out at least four days a week, sometimes it’s three days. It’s all generally mental health for me, I crave it. I definitely feel that it makes me a little bit less on edge," she said.
In addition to working out at HYLO, "a really cool gym here in Charleston," Madison enjoys group classes because she's "very competitive.""I love working out with other people, all ages, all sizes, because when the girl beside me is giving me a run for my money, you know I’m running fast," she said. "I’m like, 'OK, girl. Let’s go.'"
Read also: Prewett's Transformation
Diverse Approaches, Shared Success
These are just a few examples of the many weight loss success stories. Here are more examples of people and their paths to success:
- Abby Lutz tipped the scales at 425 pounds by the time she became pregnant with her daughter.
- Lorraine O'Loughlin would drink 15 cups of coffee and regularly binge on snacks.
- Moonlites dropped an amazing 137 pounds after making the effort to join a gym. With the help of a personal trainer, she worked on a workout routine and diet that was easy to follow.
- After giving birth to her daughter, Andrea Barlow reached her heaviest weight of 375 pounds. But once she started Beachbody’s 21 Day Fix meal plan and began adding exercise to her lifestyle, she was able to shed a whopping 200 pounds.
- Chloe Longstaff regularly binged on pizza and alcohol until she weighed 238 pounds. When she wasn't able to fit into her bridesmaid dress for her brother's wedding, she decided it was time for a major change.
- Struggling with a food addiction, mom of three Sarah Reynolds just wanted to weigh under 200 pounds. But when she made changes to her lifestyle that focused on health rather than her weight, she began to see a huge difference in how she felt when she chose foods that fueled her body.
- At her biggest, Sarah Sapora weighed 360 pounds. Fed up with how her size prevented her from doing the things she loved, Sarah cut out her poor snacking habits and lost 78 pounds in just 14 months! She claims this is just the beginning of her weight loss journey.
- Amber was always called the "fat friend" or "fat sister," but when the 265-pound mom of three saw herself on video and realized she would only be able to shop at plus-size stores, she got inspired to lose 140 pounds in just one year. She joined a local gym where I was a part of a spin class," Amber said. "The first month of the spin class, I lost 19 inches. That was when I knew it was possible and that I was seriously committed to changing my life…I look for foods that I know will fuel my body and mind rather than ones that will only satisfy and immediate cravings." Now, her whole life has changed. Not only can she now fit into airplane seats and her favorite bathing suits, she also got her dream job as a behavior therapist.
- Megan McGee started gaining weight when she got involved in an unhealthy relationship. But when she broke free and became a nurse, she didn't want to be a "walking contradiction" to her patients. So she joined the weight loss program Slimming World and lost 70 pounds.
- Reddit user omgitscynthia lost an amazing 75 pounds, going from 270 to 195. Today, she's at her lowest weight ever as an adult, and her favorite pair of pants no longer fit.
- After a bad relationship and battling depression, Janice Jobity packed on the weight, eventually reaching her peak at 260 pounds. After a stomach ulcer made her realize the damage she was doing to her body, she really pushed herself to make healthy lifestyle changes. After working out consistently and eating healthier, JJ, as she calls herself, dropped 112 pounds and now weighs 148 pounds.
- Heather Crockett Oram gained 80 pounds after suffering a broken ankle in 2013. Now 33, she says she realizes much of her weight gain came from "emotional eating." But in 2015 she decided to make a choice to be healthy every day-and lost 82 pounds in a year.
- Fed up with being called a "hippopotamus," Peggy Pullen took it upon herself to make a change. Weighing in at more than 200 pounds, Pullen joined a 12-week program through BodyBuilding.com that helped her choose an eating and exercise plan.
- Monica Thomas's weight crept up to 410 pounds when she was in her 30s. Though she had always struggled with her weight, the tipping point came when she couldn't fit into an airplane seat on a flight to Las Vegas for a cousin's wedding. It was a wakeup call to start making some big changes.
- Kassidy Linde ( or dilla7 on Instagram) saw her weight climb to 260 pounds before she decided that her 18-month-old daughter deserved a better role model. She eliminated unhealthy foods from her diet--WITHOUT counting calories-- and adding cardio and weight-lifting to her routine, Linde is down 130 pounds.
- Before undergoing gastric bypass surgery, Reddit user tinker0025's life was at risk due to her weight. Now 250 pounds lighter, she credits the surgery with saving her life.
- Amy LeRoy, a 29-year-old mom of two from Kentucky, once weighed over 350 pounds. Even after a gastric bypass surgery, she still wasn't able to lose the weight. After downloading a calorie-counting app to her phone, she realized she was eating more than 4,000 calories a day. But giving up certain foods--like peanut butter, which she used to eat by the spoonful--she's now down 200 pounds from her heaviest and posts weight loss inspiration and tips on her Instagram account.
- Since she was 8, Staci Baldwin struggled with her eating habits. At 25 she was working at a weight-loss clinic for pets, and watching the animals she cared for shed their excess pounds inspired her to lose almost half of her body weight. She slimmed down from 212 pounds to 121 pounds using the same techniques she told pet owners: swapping decadent treats for healthier options and exercising more. Staci now trains at the gym regularly and has even taken up powerlifting.
- At 298 pounds, Jill knew she needed to make a huge lifestyle change to get to a healthier weight. So she did just that, taking on a low-carb diet of meals like ground turkey and vegetables and lifting challenges at the gym. So she cut out all alcohol, and 18 months later she's a slim and toned 159 pounds.
- At 272 pounds, Liv used to cry when she'd see photos of herself after they were taken. But after adopting a healthy diet of lean meats, veggies, and fruits and exercise routines, she LOVES taking pictures.
- After years of trying what felt like absolutely everything, Reddit user hgielrehtaeh underwent RNY gastric bypass with astonishing results.
- Tipping the scale at 233 pounds, Lobke was suffering from back pain and was borderline diabetic in 2015. But then, she joined Weight Watchers and slowly began a healthier lifestyle.
- Natalie Burtina packed on a few pounds during her pregnancy, but after she gave birth to her son, Layton, her weight gain started to spiral out of control. At her heaviest, she weighed almost 300 pounds. Burtina struggled to keep up with her energetic boy, and continued to neglect her health when he was diagnosed with autism. Layton inspired her weight loss, and the determined mother shed 132 pounds. Burtina lost almost half of her body weight by swapping soda for water, eating healthier and exercising regularly. After just 18 months, Burtina dropped seven clothes sizes and now weighs 165 pounds.
- At nearly 300 pounds, Melanie said this was her least favorite picture.
- At 278 pounds, Frances struggled to even tie her shoes without getting out of breath. But then, she embarked on a healthy lifestyle journey that totally transformed her look.
- Jenny Naumann, 42, of Toledo, OH used to watch up to 6 hours of TV and eat fast food daily until she decided to sign up for the HMR weight management program. By switching to healthy, fresh foods in pre-portioned meals, Jenny shed over 100 pounds in 10 months and went from a size 24 to a size 10.
- Abigail Monica suddenly realized that she deserved to be healthy and happy, and her lifestyle wasn't supporting either of those goals. Discovering a love of fruit (mangos sprinkled with chili are one of her favorite snacks) and drinking plenty of water has helped Abigail drop over 91 pounds and 5 dress sizes. ""I am not on a grueling diet nor do I live in the gym," Abigail writes of her own transformation. That's the dramatic difference a couple healthy changes can make if you stick to them consistently.
- 45-year-old Donna Grant-Paige had always struggled with weight, but when she tipped the scale at 295 pounds, she was borderline diabetic. On top of that, she taught wellness classes and began to feel like a fraud. So she tried the Atkins diet and a low-carb lifestyle. Grant-Paige lost 125 pounds as a result, weighing in at a healthy 170 pounds for her 5'7" frame.
- Chima Ybarra, 44, gained a lot of weight after being pregnant with her daughter. At only 5’2”, she tipped the scale at 151 pounds. She developed a bad right hip, making it difficult to walk-or play with her child. By committing herself to the Atkins diet and pursuing a low-carb lifestyle, Chima was able to lose 45 pounds in 8 months.
- Patty Parsons, 59, of New Jersey had tried every diet she could think of without success.
- Lacy Marais, 31, of Cedar Rapids, IA, was busy as a mom of two, and she struggled to maintain a healthy weight, until she turned to low impact cardio, like walking. By committing herself to the fitness routine, Lacy shed 78 pounds, going from 226 to 148.
- Katrina Baker, 45, of Conyngham, PA, piled on the pounds after the birth of her daughter, until she found a workout that she could do alongside her child. By committing herself to walking with her daughter, Katrina shed 80 pounds, going from 225 to 145.
- Starting at 338 pounds, Alisha was already well on her way to a healthier lifestyle when she snapped this picture, elated at finally being able to fit into the largest size (XXL) at Old Navy again. Prepping a week's worth of meals on Sundays helped her stay on track even when her schedule was crazy. How on track? She's lost almost half of her body weight and now weighs in at 189. Alisha, thrilled that she now fits into a size medium, is only 17 pounds from her goal weight after only 10 months.
- Jo White, mom of two boys, is now 50 pounds lighter thanks to small, sustainable changes and a great sense of determination. She still flaunts her favorite color, but now she shares healthy meals--like salmon on a bed of whole grains and vegetables--with her family.
- At 430 pounds, Kayla Gill was a size 28/30 dress when she decided to make some changes and get healthy. Although diet and exercise helped Kayla drop 220 pounds (more than half her body weight!), she says the biggest change was mental. Believing in herself and finding support was crucial. Learning to let go of using food as an emotion crutch in times of stress and sadness also helped her get back on track and fuel her body with fresh foods.
- When the scale crept up past 350 pounds and she didn't feel the woman in pictures matched who she was on the inside, Christine Dole started her weight loss journey. In a little over a year, she dropped a staggering 170 pounds and over 90 inches. That's a transformation from a size 28 to a size 10.
- Carli Jay would eat up to 4000 calories a day, and felt hooked on fat and sugar because it had been such a huge part of her diet her whole life. Finding healthy alternatives to some of her favorite indulgences, like swapping in protein pancakes for the regular carb- and sugar-laden kind, helped her drop over 130 pounds in 23 months. Even better: Eating healthier foods and taking care of her body made it easier for Carli to stop smoking and drinking.
- For years, Amanda Leon's 190 pounds exhausted her while teaching elementary school students. Once she hit 200 pounds Amanda knew it was time to get healthier. After nine months of enjoying grilled chicken and vegetables seasoned with a turmeric spice blend every day, she shed 66 pounds--and gained energy, sleep, and confidence.
- At 231 pounds in her 40s, Amy Ouzts was put on high blood pressure and high cholesterol meds, and began to feel pain in her joints. By only allowing herself sugar two days each week, she slimmed down to 151 pounds--and was able to go off her medications.
- At 37, single mom Brenda Melville became a full-time student on top of her job. She weighed 245 lbs. and gained 20 more every year she was in school! Now 41, Brenda has lost 100 pounds by replacing two meals a day with Isagenix IsaLean shakes with L-arginine. But she doesn't even exercise!
- Jill Vento weighed 380 pounds and was in failing health when her doctor urged her to get gastric bypass. She started walking around her “office”-the Des Moines airport-at lunchtime. She went from 1,000 steps a day to 10,000 over 12 weeks, losing 60 pounds.
- At 45, Reddit user toccobrator proves it's never to late to lose weight. Through a combination of a keto diet and intermittent fasting, she dropped an amazing 105 pounds. She had surgery to remove her sagging skin, and with her slimmer figure and flattering hair transformation, she's never looke…
A Personal Story: Overcoming Emotional Eating and Finding a Solution
I currently live in Castle Rock, Colorado. I am an online health and fitness coach. I was using food and drugs to soothe my emotions, so I started learning about calorie counting and macros and lost 100 pounds in two years.I was overweight ever since the third grade. I was bullied a lot in school. Not just for my weight, but for the disability in my arm called Erb's palsy (which causes weakness and loss of motion in the arm). After a sexual assault the summer before high school, I started gaining weight quickly and reached 220 pounds (for reference, I'm 5'3''). All of high school and most of college, I did drugs to escape my reality. I had watched adults around me in my life use food and drugs to cope with pain, so that's what I learned to do. I felt sorry for myself. I felt alone. I felt hopeless. I didn’t think it could be any other way.I never weighed myself when I was overweight. (I dealt with my problems by ignoring them and numbing them.) The only reason I knew my weight had reached 220 pounds was because I stepped on the scale at the doctor's office. That doctor changed my life. She explained to me what was in store if I didn't get my weight under control. I realized that I was my own solution. It was either die-or change. That day in the doctor's office was my "aha!" moment-I realized that my health and well-being were things in my control. So, slowly, I took the wheel. There was no other choice. I was no longer going to be a victim of my circumstances.
When I first started my journey to better health in 2018, I knew nothing about nutrition and fitness. Unfortunately, there's so much misinformation out there and I thought that I had to eat perfectly "clean" to lose weight and be healthy. I tried to cut out all my favorite foods and only eat whole foods, but that left my feeling deprived and I would keep falling off the wagon. About a year into my journey I learned about counting calories and counting macros. I gave it a try and started tracking my intake on MyFitnessPal. It changed everything for me. I was able to eat the foods I loved most but learned how to have them in moderation. I learned I could eat a balanced diet that included pizza and ice cream sometimes but also incorporated a lot of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, etc. Slow and steady was the name of my game! I knew I wanted to make a lasting change. It was more important to me to keep the weight off for good and be able to sustain a healthy, balanced lifestyle than to just lose the weight fast.
Here’s what I typically eat in a day now:
- Breakfast: Protein oatmeal (oats cooked in the microwave, a scoop of protein powder, cinnamon, fruit of choice, and nut butter).
- Lunch: Grilled chicken, rice or potatoes, vegetables sautéed in water.
- Snacks: Greek yogurt and fruit.
- Dinner: Pretty much anything that I lighten up. Sometimes we make homemade pizza or burgers, and we just use a lighter crust recipe or a leaner cut of meat and use light cheese, load it up with veggies, etc. The recipes on my blog show that I eat all sorts of food and just lighten up the recipe to fit my needs.
- Dessert: Ice cream. Always! A small bowl of ice cream almost every single night is what has kept me sane and loving my diet.
I lift weight three to four times a week, and this is something I have done for most of my journey. While I was focused on weight loss, I did about 30 minutes of cardio on the elliptical three to four times a week, too. Now that I'm focused on maintaining my results, I continue to lift weights and ensure I'm active throughout my day, averaging about 10,000 steps.
Read also: Weight Loss and Relationships
I wouldn't have been successful if I hadn't tried to become a more positive person. In the beginning of my journey I was so negative, especially towards myself. I would constantly put myself down and it just left me feeling discouraged. I realized I need to be my biggest cheerleader and lift myself up, so I started doing positive affirmations every day. Instead of telling myself I was fat and lazy and lacked discipline, I told myself the opposite: that I was awesome, determined, healthy, fit, strong, and that could accomplish anything I set my mind to. Telling myself that over and over again motivated me to actually become that person.I also found productive ways to deal with my emotional baggage. I had a lot of unresolved pain that I coped with poorly for years. I went to therapy for a long time and started using exercise as a way to productively navigate uncomfortable emotions. Overall, communicating how I felt and being able to sit with and deal with those feelings allowed me to stop turning to food or drugs. I have lost 100 pounds in two years.
Whatever time you think it's going to take, double that. This is a slow journey and it requires a lot of patience. But guess what? That's actually pretty awesome. Change your perspective on "slow" progress. It's a good thing. It affords you plenty of time to actually build better habits. To create a life for yourself that you look forward to waking up every morning. You have an opportunity to really deal with the habits that caused the weight gain in the first place. Slow progress means you're more likely to keep the weight off. So take your time. Work on being more positive, on being patient with yourself and enjoying the journey, and never give up.
The Importance of Support and Professional Guidance
Many of these success stories highlight the importance of support systems and professional guidance. Whether it's a personal trainer, nutritionist, or accountability coach, having someone to provide expertise, encouragement, and structure can significantly increase the chances of achieving and maintaining weight loss goals.
Statistical Insights from Weight Loss Programs
According to surveys conducted by various Secret for Weight Loss affiliated providers, significant results have been observed among program participants. While these statistics are derived from external sources and should be interpreted with caution, they offer a glimpse into the potential outcomes of structured weight loss programs.
Medi-Weightloss® Program: A Personal Triumph
One individual shared their experience with the Medi-Weightloss® program, stating, "Before I began my Medi-Weightloss® journey, I was the heaviest I’d ever been, and I was in denial about what it was going to take to get healthy. After battling fertility issues, I finally woke up and realized I was doing this to myself, and I was the only one who could do something about it. I found the Medi-Weightloss® program and knew it was for me. They held me accountable and taught me how to cook healthy meals and control portions. Starting the process was scary, but I followed the program as directed and saw results week after week. After five months, I went from 185 pounds to 135 pounds! I am happier with myself today than I ever have been."