“ I started tracking carbs instead of calories and lost 85 pounds in 13 months ”

Women’s health

My name is Brandi Twitchell (@stardustandmoxie). I am 40 years old and I am a massage therapist from Utah. I decided to go on a low-carb, high-protein diet and get into an exercise routine after learning that I could be on the path to health issues. I have lost 85 pounds and feel better than ever.

I have always struggled with emotional eating. I ate when I was happy, ate when I was sad, and ate when I was bored. Food has always been a comfort to me.

At 32, after having my kids, my weight jumped to 240 pounds, and it stayed about the same for 11 years. I had tried to lose weight several times, but the maximum I ever lost in those years was around 20 pounds.

About a year ago I found out that I had prediabetes. It was exactly the wake-up call I needed.

My dad has diabetes and I told myself that I would not allow this to happen to me. I would do everything in my power to prevent it. I would not be heading for the disease. I started having serious discussions with myself, ridiculous as it might sound, and I told myself that no matter how long it takes, I won’t stop working on my health.

Shortly after learning about my prediabetes, I was back to the doctor, and this time I was told that my blood pressure was very high. I was prescribed medication but was unwilling to accept my current condition. I knew my kids needed a healthy mother and I needed to be a better example of how to love yourself. So, I decided to start caring about myself.

I was 39 and I thought I would be 40. I made “Fit by 40” a little motto.

In September 2019, I started my journey and returned to the gym and changed my diet. I have given myself a year and a realistic goal of losing 50 pounds.

I define my diet as low in carbohydrates and high in protein. I started by counting calories but soon realized that it wasn’t working for me. While counting calories absolutely works for some people, counting calories carbohydrates worked better for me.

The story continues

I started eating around 150 grams of carbs per day, then slowly reduced my carb intake to around 30 to 80 grams. I started using the MyFitnessPal app to help me track my food, and I don’t think I would have been as successful without tracking. You don’t realize how much you are actually eating until you start following it.

Carbohydrate counting has helped me cut down on sugar significantly. Sugar is so addicting for me, and I want it all the time. I was also completely addicted to soda and would suffer from migraines without it. I also had a constant craving for starchy foods, like fries and bread. The low-carb diet took these foods off the table as an option, and after a few weeks, I stopped craving them. To be clear, I eat these foods every now and then, but the food doesn’t control me like it once did!

I also stopped eating all the time. I ate in restaurants constantly, at least five days a week. I worked at the airport, surrounded by fast food restaurants. The fries, pizza and sodas were my favorite dishes. Now I only eat out about twice a month.

Finally, I added a lot more protein to my diet. I’m aiming for 80-100 grams of protein per day, mostly in the form of eggs, nuts, and fish. (I don’t eat red meat.) And when I hit a plateau, I do intermittent fasting (16: 8) for about a week, and it seems to help jumpstart my weight loss.

This is what I eat in a day.

• Breakfast: Two to three whole eggs with cheese and avocado or hot sauce and green tea.

• Lunch: Organifi Meal Replacement Shake.

• Snacks: Peanuts, cheese sticks, almonds or peanut butter and celery.

• Having dinner: Grilled salmon salad with chipotle ranch dressing.

• Dessert: Berries! Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries or raspberries.

I started exercising on the first day of my fitness trail.

For the first few months, I worked three to four days a week. But now I work five to six days a week. I feel much better mentally if I have worked for the day. Exercise brings me clarity.

I started with 30 minutes of weight training and 30 minutes of cardio, which gradually turned into longer sessions. These days, I usually do 45 minutes of weight training and 60 minutes of cardio. I use the elliptical and stairlift most often, as well as the rowing machine.

You don’t need fancy workouts or equipment to see results – just dedication and your favorite music! I think the more you like something, the more likely you are to stick with it. I also have a smartwatch, which has helped me tremendously by reminding me to get up and move!

I lost 85 pounds in 13 months.

Losing weight will not make you happy. Your height or your number on the scale shouldn’t determine your happiness. I mention this because, like a lot of people, it’s something I struggle with as well. I constantly try to remind myself that it’s more important to be in good health that it must be thin. I want to be able to live a long life and live as long as I can. I think the best way to do this is to keep making positive health choices.

The journey of losing weight is more than just physical. It forces you to ask yourself tough questions and seek answers that may be difficult to face. It can be mentally exhausting and overwhelming, and you’ll often want to quit smoking. Don’t give up, you are stronger than you think. This process changed my life because I realized I was worth it.

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