Weight-loss journeys differ from person to person—but with so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to start. There are increasingly popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and countless meal and fitness plans, but these can be expensive and time-consuming, with medications also posing the risk of uncomfortable side effects. For her part, Crystel Saturday, a mom of two based in Atlanta, says it doesn't have to be that complicated. In just 8.5 months, Saturday lost 85 pounds—realizing in Jan. 2023 that she needed to make some changes.
"I somehow had settled into thinking that being heavy was just how I would be for the rest of my life, but then a switch went off," she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last month. "I was tired of the excuses and tired of feeling like junk. I was 39 years old with children who deserve the best of me. I was overwhelmed and depressed, but I decided I’d focus on just one thing at a time.”
Saturday, who founded her Commit to Change program, is now sharing the steps she took, which she says can help you see results without shelling out tons of cash or committing to overly restrictive diet plans. Read on to find out how she went from 225 pounds to 140 pounds—and how you can see similar results.
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1 | Eliminating night eating
Africa Studio / ShutterstockAccording to Saturday, the first thing she did was cutting out snacking in the evening.
"Step 1 is to stop night eating, have four hours between dinner and bedtime,” Saturday said in a Feb. 17 Instagram post. "I still do this to this day."
2 | Intermittent fasting
Pheelings media / ShutterstockSaturday also introduced intermittent fasting, ensuring that she left 16 hours between dinner and breakfast the next day.
"Sounds crazy, right? But it gave my body a break and helped me burn fat instead of just the food I was eating. And yes, I still had my morning coffee, just with a little cream," she wrote in a blog post.
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3 | Increasing hydration
Shutterstock / Sergeizubkov64Saturday also started drinking more water throughout her weight-loss journey.
"I started drinking water like it was my job. Half my body weight in ounces every day," Saturday wrote in the blog post. "It sounds like a lot, but it kept me full, flushed out the bad stuff, and kept my energy up."
On Instagram, Saturday explained that if you weigh 200 pounds, you should be drinking half of that amount in ounces, i.e. 100 ounces of water.
4 | Doing away with non-water drinks
MMD Creative/ShutterstockIn addition to increasing her water intake, Saturday cut out other beverages, which can up your daily calorie count more than you realize.
"I said 'no thanks' to sodas and sugary drinks and stuck to water," she wrote in her blog post. "It cut out a bunch of calories and sugar, and after a while, I didn't even miss the sweet stuff."
In her Feb. 17 Instagram post, she noted that she didn't count her coffee as her one "non-water" beverage.
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5 | Increasing movement
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A / ShutterstockIf you work a desk job or are otherwise sedentary throughout the day, it can take a bit longer to reach your fitness goals. Saturday combated this by introducing more movement to her daily routine.
This can include household chores, playing with your kids, or just getting up and moving around.
"Cleaning the house isn't just a chore; it's a way to get moving," she wrote in the blog post. "I turned it into a mini-workout, dancing to my favorite tunes while I dusted and vacuumed. It made it fun, and I was burning calories without even thinking about it."
6 | Walking more
Kamonwan Wankaew / ShutterstockWalking was another tool Saturday used to help her drop the weight, ensuring that she got 3 miles in each day.
"Power walking is what I chose, getting out, breaking a sweat, and I tried to get 15 to 30 miles in a week," she said on Instagram.
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7 | Counting calories
Africa Studio / ShutterstockCounting calories can be a touchy subject, but Saturday said it aided her weight-loss journey, comparing the process to budgeting.
"I kept an eye on the calories I ate and made sure I burned more than I took in. It's like a money budget, but for food. It helped me be smart about what I ate," she wrote in the blog post.
Saturday recommended investing in an activity tracker and a tool to help you count your calories.
8 | Leveling up daily activity
iStockSaturday noted that she "tried to do a little more than the day before" while she was actively losing weight—doing just one more squat or walking a few more steps.
"It's about getting stronger and better bit by bit," she wrote in the blog post, adding on Instagram, "If you're power walking, move more in your form, maybe extend the length that you're doing, or the pace, how fast you're going."
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9 | Cutting out sugar
Africa Studio/ShutterstockSaturday said her major diet change was cutting out something many of us know and love: sugar. To lose almost 100 pounds, she limited her sugar consumption to less than 30 grams a day, not including sugars from fruits or other naturally-occurring sugar.
10 | Introducing weight training
iStockWe've all been led to believe that dropping weight requires you to spend hours on the treadmill or elliptical. But Saturday said that weight lifting and strength training are what really helped her see results.
"Not only did I continue walking every day, but I got it down to 45 minutes and then added in weight training," she said on Instagram. In her blog post, she specified that this included "lifting weights, doing push-ups, stuff like that."
"It made me stronger and helped me burn more calories, even when resting," Saturday wrote.
Best Life offers the most up-to-date information from top experts, new research, and health agencies, but our content is not meant to be a substitute for professional guidance. When it comes to the medication you're taking or any other health questions you have, always consult your healthcare provider directly.
