Mom Who Lost 87 Pounds in One Year Shares Her 5 Steps to Permanent Weight Loss
This is everything you need to know to get started.
Committing to a weight loss regimen can feel like a huge undertaking—especially if you've got more than a few extra pounds to shed. How you get started can determine the trajectory and pace of your progress, either setting you up for success or establishing unsustainable systems. Ana Zammit, 32, a mother and content creator who recently lost 87 pounds in just one year, says there are five key strategies to achieving long-lasting weight loss, regardless of your starting point. Here are her top tips for slimming down when you're truly ready to make a change.
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1
Start today.
In a recent TikTok post in which explains how she lost nearly 90 pounds, Zammit says that you should never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. For example, if your new health plan involves exercise, dietary changes, more rest, or less alcohol, the best time to get started on making those changes is right now.
"First and foremost, don't wait until Monday," says Zammit, who goes by @thecertifiedhypegirl on social media. "How many times have you waited to start on Monday, and have you actually won?"
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2
Do it even when you're busy.
Next, she says it's important to stick to your original health plan even when your schedule gets hectic. In fact, planning ahead for how you'll handle those busier times can help you adapt and thrive, putting your health goals first amid the chaos.
"If you wait for life to calm down, you're going to be waiting a long time. If you can get through the busy times, you can get through anything," Zammit notes.
3
Invest in you—not the drive-through.
Zammit says it's common to make excuses for not prioritizing your health—and oftentimes those excuses are financial. However, she argues that for many people, investing in your health or weight loss is a matter of choosing your priorities rather than an insurmountable financial hurdle.
"How many times have you ordered takeout? How many times do you stop for coffee? How many times do you buy something and you're like, 'I really didn't need that?' Instead of spending on things recklessly or unnecessarily, take the money you would have spent and put it in a jar, and use that to invest in yourself," she advises.
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4
Commit to a one-year minimum.
It may be tempting to try to lose weight fast, but Zammit says this kind of thinking typically backfires. Instead, she suggests removing the pressure of a timeline and focusing on establishing healthy habits that will last a lifetime.
"This is probably one of my favorite things that I did. I stopped trying to lose the weight within three months or even six months. I stopped focusing on an event to lose X amount of weight by," she explains. "I gave myself a whole year at the very least. If you focus on smaller goals—more achievable goals—you'll be able to stick with it."
In a separate TikTok post, she shares that her weight loss progress was slow in the beginning. "It didn't happen after a month… it didn't even happen after five months," Zammit says. "I gave myself one year. One year to change my life. One year of shutting down excuses. One year of staying true to the promise I made myself. One year of showing up even when I didn't feel like it—even when the motivation died. Even when I was so tired from sleepless new mom life. All it took was 365 days of saying 'yes' to myself and showing up."
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5
Take it one day at a time.
Finally, Zammit says it's essential to take your new lifestyle changes one day at a time. This will prevent you from getting overwhelmed by your big-picture goals, instead making space for individual healthy habits that will ultimately come together to promote sustainable weight loss.
"Don't worry about next week. Focus on today, on your next meal, on your next workout—two pounds at a time," she recommends.
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