According to a study published in the journal Obesity , the social influence of team-based weight-loss competitions can help you lose up to 20 percent more weight than you would if you did it alone. Even more interesting is that team captains shed more weight than team members, which the researchers explain is likely due to their position and involvement in the group competition.

According to the Mayo Clinic , having a friend who will take a walk or cook healthy meals with you can make it easier stay accountable and achieve your goals. Take it one step further by getting your family involved — play tag with the kids and hit the gym with your partner on weekends.

If you're really going to stay motivated to lose weight, the first thing you need to do is determine what actually motivates you, says Anne Dranitsaris, Ph. For example, if you're inspired by your family, focus on how exercising will help you remain active in your children's lives well into your old age, she says.

If you can redirect that healthy weight-loss motivation into a new action, your goal will automatically seem more compelling and achievable.

Consider turning to a dietitian or nutritionist for expert guidance on determining the right balance of healthy foods that are right for you. If your struggle to get motivated is triggering feelings of depression, anxiety, or insecurity, you may want to contact a therapist for help.

The scale can be a helpful tool for measuring your progress, but many people get in the habit of weighing themselves too often. Instead, Nichols recommends stepping on the scale once a week — or even every two weeks — to better track your progress. And in the meantime, paying attention to non-scale victories which can provide some serious inspiration.

You know what they say: A picture is worth a thousand words. Try tracking your progress by creating a weight-loss and fitness diary of photos, Take photos after a great workout or during a healthy meal to help you document the changes in your lifestyle and your body that you may not otherwise notice — and that the scale won't necessarily show.

Keep these images for yourself and just scroll through them when you need a little boost of weight-loss inspiration. Unfortunately, many people have a bad habit of using self-criticism as an inspirational tool, especially when it comes to weight-loss motivation, but not only does it not encourage, it could actually sabotage your efforts, says Vanessa Scotto , a life coach specializing in behavioral changes.

This increases the secretion of cortisol the "stress hormone" , which in turn causes cravings for fatty and sweet foods. Next time you find yourself in critique mode, place your hand on your heart. Just holding it there and taking a few deep breaths can help change your physiological state, silence the negativity, and allow you to look in the mirror and have a fresh experience, she says.

Stage your home to reflect the new you, suggests Tara Zimliki, a personal trainer and owner of Tara's Bootcamp. Stock and organize the fridge with healthy, prepped foods in clear containers, present fruit in beautiful bowls on countertops, get a shoe rack to display your sneakers right by the front door, keep the dirty laundry off exercise equipment, etc.

Adjusting your environment to reflect your weight loss and healthy lifestyle intentions can make it that much easier to stay on track, she says. Stuck wondering how to get motivated to lose weight? Just one look at Khloe Kardashian's organized fridgewill definitely deliver some serious motivation.

With more free weight-loss apps available than ever, instant weight-loss healthy living motivation is just a tap away. Whether you can't muster the drive to cook dinner try a healthy eating app such as BigOven to find recipes based on what's already in your pantry , need a little support download Fitocracy to team up with a buddy , or you're just looking for a new way to get moving try Zombies, Run!

Rewarding yourself with gifts along the way is great in theory but tough in practice — your schedule is already jam-packed! Make it more fun and realistic by getting your friends involved.

com member," says Nichols. Then for each 10 pounds she lost, she would open one of the gifts purchased by her friends for a really fun and surprising reward along her journey. Even if you do everything right, there will be times when the scale won't budge or the weight just doesn't seem to come off as quickly as you hoped.

Don't let that discourage you! They ate fewer calories, exercised more and ate fewer high-calorie foods As seen in this study, mentally contrasting is more motivating and leads to more action than mentally indulging, which can trick your brain into thinking you have already succeeded and cause you to never take any action to reach your goals.

Think and talk positively about your weight loss goals, but make sure you are realistic and focus on the steps you must take to reach them. Everyday stressors will always pop up. Finding ways to plan for them and developing proper coping skills will help you stay motivated no matter what life throws your way.

There will always be holidays, birthdays or parties to attend. And there will always be stressors at work or with family.

This will keep you from getting off track and losing motivation 2. Many people turn to food for comfort. This can quickly lead to them abandoning their weight loss goals. Creating appropriate coping skills will prevent this from happening to you.

In fact, studies have shown that people who are better at handling stress and have better coping strategies will lose more weight and keep it off longer Consider using some of these methods to cope with stress :.

Remember to also plan for holidays , social events and eating out. You can research restaurant menus in advance and find a healthy option. At parties, you can bring a healthy dish or eat smaller portions.

It is crucial to plan for setbacks and have good coping practices. If you use food as a coping mechanism, start practicing other ways to cope. And avoid beating yourself up when you make a mistake. Self-defeating thoughts will just hinder your motivation.

When you aim for perfection, you will quickly lose your motivation. By allowing yourself flexibility and forgiving yourself, you can stay motivated throughout your weight loss journey.

Research has repeatedly found that people who dislike their bodies are less likely to lose weight 11 , Taking steps to improve your body image can help you lose more weight and maintain your weight loss.

Furthermore, people who have a better body image are more likely to pick a diet they can sustain and try new activities that will help them reach their goals Boosting your body image can help you stay motivated to lose weight. Try the activities mentioned above to improve your body image.

Physical activity is an important part of losing weight. Not only does it help you burn calories, but it also improves your well-being The best kind is exercise you enjoy and can stick to. Consider where you want to exercise. Do you prefer to be inside or outside?

Would you rather work out at a gym or in the comfort of your own home? Also, figure out if you prefer to exercise alone or with a group.

Group classes are very popular, and they help many people stay motivated. Lastly, listen to music while you work out, as doing so can increase motivation. People also tend to exercise longer when listening to music Exercise not only helps you burn calories, it also makes you feel better.

Find an exercise you enjoy, so it can easily become part of your routine. Having a role model can help you stay motivated to lose weight. However, you need to pick the right kind of role model to keep yourself motivated.

Hanging a picture of a supermodel on your fridge will not motivate you over time. Instead, find a role model that you can easily relate to. Having a relatable and positive role model may help keep you motivated Maybe you know a friend who has lost a lot of weight and can be your inspiration.

You can also look for inspirational blogs or stories about people who have successfully lost weight. Finding a role model will help keep you motivated. It is important to find a role model that you can relate to.

Dogs can be the perfect weight loss companions. In fact, studies show that owning a dog can help you lose weight A Canadian study in dog owners found that people who had dogs walked an average of minutes per week, while people who did not have dogs only walked an average of minutes per week Second, dogs are great social support.

Unlike your human work out buddy, dogs are almost always excited to get some physical activity. As an added bonus, pet ownership is proven to improve overall health and well-being.

It has been linked to lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and reduced feelings of loneliness and depression Dogs ownership can help you lose weight by increasing your physical activity and providing great social support along the way.

People who feel more confident in their knowledge and abilities will lose more weight. This may mean finding a registered dietitian who can teach you about certain foods or an exercise physiologist to teach you how to exercise properly If you are still struggling to get motivated, consider finding a psychologist or dietitian who is trained in motivational interviewing, which has been proven to help people achieve their goals Professionals such as dietitians, exercise physiologists and psychologists can help boost your motivation and knowledge to help you reach your weight loss goals.

Remember to give yourself flexibility and celebrate the little successes along your weight loss journey. With the proper tools and support, you can find and stay motivated to reach your weight loss goals. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

She also swears by Jillian Michaels ' workouts. person, I just up the intensity level now to get my killer workout! Kavanagh suggested finding a workout you won't get bored with, commenting that "Jillian's workouts are always fun and I look forward to doing them.

For years, Helen Costa-Giles had no real motivation to lose some of her lb. body weight, despite concerns from her doctor. But in , her yearly checkup took a somber turn when the mom of two learned that she was on track to develop chronic health problems because of her size.

Determined, she immediately threw out all processed and preservative-filled foods and started eating a clean diet. In just six months, with no exercise, she dropped close to 90 lbs.

Costa-Giles then added weightlifting to her days and fell in love. I kind of got obsessed because for the first time in my life, my body was actually doing what I asked it to do. Costa-Giles began running free exercise classes in her hometown of San Antonio at 4 a.

I like to share my story because it's so relatable. Dustin LaJaunie has come a long way from the lbs. he once weighed. He's since lost lbs. and counting with the help of his younger brother Josh LaJaunie, who started the private Facebook support group called "Missing Chins Run Club.

The group is a safe place for people to share their stories and struggles and motivate one another to lose weight. Eating plan-based and running alongside his brother, Dustin compared the Missing Chins to the trips he and his brother used to take when going hunting.

The Gloucester, U. My mum had a stroke very young, and it scared us as a family. I didn't want to put my family through the same thing, so knew I had to do something. Marie Byrne credits doing at-home Jillian Michaels workouts and decreasing her portion sizes with helping her drop 70 lbs.

She also said having a partner with Parkinson's disease inspired her to get her health on track. What excuse did I have not to exercise when he didn't make any excuses? Byrne began counting calories and making sure she eats three healthy meals each day in addition to starting her mornings with Jillian Michaels' workouts at 5 a.

The office worker weighed lbs. by the time she was pregnant with her first child due to poor eating habits and a lack of physical activity. After complications from her C-section left her depressed, Brittany Greenslit started walking and doing Pilates and yoga to help lift her mood.

As soon as she was well enough, she began doing Jillian Michaels' workout DVDs. Greenslit started eating lots of fruits, veggies and protein. If she goes out, she orders a chicken salad instead of her former go-to order of a cheeseburger and French fries.

The St. Cloud, Minn. Alicia Steele , the longtime on-air host, gained weight when she went through menopause. She got inspired to lose weight when T-Tapp Method creator Teresa Tapp appeared on a PBS show she was hosting and decided to give her DVDs a try. Steele dropped four dress sizes using the program and kept the weight off for more than five years.

She "completely changed" her eating habits, and eats "lots of colorful, fresh food. Beyond spending 15 to 20 minutes each day working out with the T-Tapp DVDs, Steele's weight loss tip was to try dry brushing: "This helps with exfoliation, detoxification and improving circulation, which improves fascia fitness," she said.

Megan McGee began gaining weight when she got into an unhealthy relationship and stopped spending time with friends or going to the gym.

After getting out of the relationship, she decided it was time to make a change — especially since she worked in the health profession. The Middlesex, England-based nurse decided to join Slimming World to take control of her health.

She preferred group exercise classes and began regularly meeting with a personal trainer. McGee also went from skipping meals and snacking throughout the day to sticking to set meal times.

Her biggest tip was to not be afraid to make a change: "There is nothing to lose and so much life to gain. Rebin Roy told PEOPLE she "could easily down a pitcher of margaritas and 20 buffalo wings at happy hour," and smoked a pack-and-a-half to two packs of cigarettes every day for 14 years.

While she quit smoking after getting pregnant with her first child in , she kept her unhealthy eating habits until she began having health problems after having her third child.

She joined WeightWatchers and dropped from lbs. by watching her portions. Roy began eating six small meals a day while allowing herself the occasional fast food burger by only eating half of it.

To stay motivated, Roy has competed in bodybuilding competitions. She also recommended using a slow cooker to prepare healthy meals. I'll put some chicken in in the morning and it's done for dinner.

Hannah Jenkins shared that overeating was just part of her daily routine. After dinner, she'd continue to snack on packaged foods like ramen with cheese and more snack cakes. But when she got to college, everything changed. She started her weight loss journey on New Year's Day Using her My Fitness Pal app to log her food, workouts and water intake, Jenkins' daily meals included loading up on protein for breakfast by eating either oatmeal with fruit and peanut butter or a protein shake, and then sticking to lean proteins and small amounts of carbs like sweet potatoes and rice.

Jenkins' workouts focused on a hour of cardio each day plus strength training three days a week. Tanisha Washington had reached a high weight of lbs.

by age 21, but she had always struggled with her weight. I have the most horrible memories because I was associated with all that weight I was carrying. Washington successfully lost 50 lbs.

in college, but gained it back when she unexpectedly got pregnant her junior year. After giving birth, she decided to get healthy for herself and her baby.

She stuck to the low-carb, high-protein Atkins diet and used strength training to tone her body. Hollie Barrett , the superstore employee from Suffolk, England, had reached lbs.

and felt her weight was preventing her from being the hands-on mom she wanted to be. That experience jumpstarted her determination to lose weight. Barrett had recently seen a friend's post on Facebook about their success with the weight loss program Slimming World and decided to give it a try.

Barrett turned to the Slimming World food optimizing plan. Barrett, who stuck with long walks and jogging, advised that you should find a plan you can stick to: "I used to jump from fad diet to fad diet, and they were all so strict and hard to follow.

Then she read a book called The China Study about the merits of a plant-based diet, and cut dairy and processed meat out of her diet. In a year she lost the majority of her weight through changes to her eating habits alone.

Sticking to a vegan diet, the Rochester, N. Goodenough suggested getting creative with your meals, sharing that her vegan diet "became fun because I was trying new different recipes, and everything tasted different so it was cool and fun.

In , husband and wife Nathan and Brenda Bennett both found themselves struggling with their weight even though they led active lifestyles. The Bennetts cut out sugar and processed foods from their family meals and began using My Fitness Pal to track their calories and exercise.

The couple focused on clean eating and portion control, with a goal to work out six days a week. Brenda shared that their fitness sessions are a "friendly competition. Brenda also suggested finding an accountability when trying to lose weight: "It was a big help to cheer each other on and not let the other person run down to the convenience store and cheat with whatever you can get your hands on.

We keep each other strong. Jessica Battle , a Delaware-based paralegal, had reached lbs. by the time she was 20, but it wasn't until her father had heart surgery when she was 25 that she decided to take charge of her health. She also began eating smaller portion sizes and started an Instagram account to help hold herself accountable.

Battle stuck to eating mostly vegetables, fruits and protein while counting the amount of protein, fats and carbohydrates she was eating every day. Her workouts consisted of weight training DVDs at home. Battle shared that her best weight loss tip is to make gradual changes.

For me, I knew that jumping right into eating only vegetables, fruit and lean proteins wasn't going to work," she said. When Karyl Mullins moved back to her hometown of Lexington, Ky.

thanks to family gatherings that revolved around Southern cooking. At 34, Mullins was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

She joined WeightWatchers to take control of her health. Mullins began eating small portions to stay within her WeightWatchers parameters, along with taking kickboxing classes and running a marathon.

Gillian Faith , a British Columbia-based stay-at-home mom, admitted that she "stopped caring" about her body after having her first baby at age After having her second child, Faith weighed lbs.

and shared she was a "food addict. After her third pregnancy and a divorce, Faith realized she needed to take control of her weight. However, she took things too far and developed anorexia and bulimia. In , she started bodybuilding, which she credits with finally getting her health on track.

Faith worked to stay away from anything that comes "in a can or box" and avoided gluten, dairy and soy. She was working out six days a week for an hour each time.

Getting creative on the treadmill was key to Faith's best wight loss tip. It really tones hamstrings and glutes. Rebecca Grafton , an insurance saleswoman, shot up to lbs. after spending a pastry-filled semester studying abroad in France during college, and continued to eat lots of baked goods after graduating.

In January , she booked a trip to Jamaica and decided she wanted to lose weight so she wouldn't be self-conscious about how she looked in a bathing suit. They gave me a calorie target, and I followed it. I literally had to reteach myself to cook.

Grafton's diet consisted of getting enough protein while limiting her carbs, and still allowing herself wine on the weekends. She began working out every day doing a mix of cardio and weights with her favorite exercise equipment being the StairMaster.

If you usually slip on the weekend, commit to a Monday morning workout," she said. Mackenzie Walker , a Windsor, Ontario-based student, used to eat pizza for breakfast and drink as many as 15 cans of soda a day, reaching a high weight of lbs.

When her father had gastric bypass surgery, she changed her diet and began eating the small meals he was consuming. She also used Instagram to find weight loss tips. Walker started tracking her proteins, fats and carbs while still allowing herself to drink diet soda to curb cravings.

To stay toned, she turned to strength training. Jana Roller, a professional photographer who weighed lbs. at her highest, decided to lose weight after a traumatic incident. I thought, 'This needs to change right now.

Roller decided to take up bodybuilding , and trained for two years for her first competition. Her prep involved 5 a. workouts and a strict meal plan. Jeanine McDonald , mom-of-four, fell into unhealthy eating habits after having kids. When one of her sons told her she looked "really fat," she decided she needed to start making health a priority.

On nights she had a sitter, McDonald shared that she hit the gym, and on other nights she focused on workouts at home once her kids were asleep.

Thanks to running and a vegan diet, Tim Kaufman was able to get a grip on his health and even weaned himself off an addiction to painkillers. Once weighing over lbs. and became part of what he calls s "tight-knit group" dubbed "The Missing Chins Run Club.

Vanetza Cines, a military officer, took up bodybuilding to be an inspiration to her troops. at her highest — told PEOPLE. My soldiers looked up to me and I had to counsel them when they couldn't meet the standards, and yet I myself couldn't meet the standards.

I just felt like a hypocrite and a fake. In December , Cines read about a Bodybuilding. com challenge and decided to take part in it. She started working out three times a day and saw real changes in her body for the first time.

Los Angeles-based Alex Perrineau reached lbs. at her highest weight. The self-proclaimed "emotional eater" ate fast food for almost every meal, and was teased throughout school. So she decided to try Jenny Craig to finally make a lasting change. Perrineau started eating Jenny Craig meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with healthy snacks in between.

She worked out six days a week and ran for cardio. I love Jenny Craig because I don't have to think about what to cook. Experiment and find what works for you," she said. Erika Cockrell had struggled with her weight since high school and "used food as an emotional pick-me-up" through the years as she dealt with her parents' divorce and problems with her own marriage.

When Cockrell reached lbs. For me it was all calories in, calories out," Cockrell told PEOPLE in the "Half Their Size" issue.

Joanne Raymond had lost lbs. twice before she decided she was finally going to keep the weight off for good. The Allentown, P. In , she started feeling sick all the time; she had constant headaches, trouble sleeping and pain in her knees.

Her doctor told her all her problems were weight-related. Raymond — who weighed lbs. at her highest weight — decided to overhaul her bad eating habits, replacing pasta with spiralized zucchini squash and Chinese takeout with healthy homemade chicken and broccoli. Christina Jordan hit her low point when she was kicked off a Disneyland ride after being unable to buckle the seatbelt.

Jordan — who weighed lbs. at her heaviest — began eating five to six meals a day that each include a lean protein, a complex carbohydrate and a healthy fat. Diana Anguh's fast food habits lead her to reach lbs. when she was in high school.

After being dateless at prom, Anguh decided to start working out and hit the gym every day. She also began cooking her own meals rather than binging on fast food.

After 16 months of hard work, Anguh hit her goal weight of lbs. Growing up in war-torn Kosovo , Lindita Halimi often didn't know when her next meal would be.

When the war ended, Halimi overcompensated by eating whole pizzas and entire jars of Nutella. The singer reached lbs. between the ages of 17 and 20, and was bullied for her weight, with classmates calling her an elephant. When a woman on the bus mistook Halimi for a pregnant person, she decided she needed to lose weight.

The former American Idol contest learned how to get healthy by Googling weight loss tips and found healthy cooking tutorials on YouTube.

Ashley O'Reilly started putting on weight when she got her driver's license at 16 and began frequenting fast food restaurants, getting up to lbs. in two years. After hitting a low point during her sophomore year of college when a friend refused to be seen sitting next to her in class, O'Reilly decided to try Nutrisystem.

Her new diet coupled with exercise helped her drop lbs. Adrienne Osuna is proof that physical transformations don't always correlate with the number on the scale.

Osuna — who weighed lbs. at her highest and dropped to lbs. She also practiced intermittent fasting, which means she did not eat from 7 p. to 11 a. six days a week, although she did allow herself coffee with cream in the morning. Professional chef Michael Lachowicz hit lbs. thanks to a combination of unhealthy lifestyle factors.

Drugs and alcohol reduced my inhibitions, so I didn't have a lot of remorse about eating ridiculous amounts of food. Entering rehab and getting sober was an essential part of his weight loss journey.

Lachowicz started working out six days a week while maintaining 1, to 1, calories per day. So the Dexter, Mo. He also became a member of the private Facebook group, "Missing Chins Run Club" — a place where people can swap weight loss stores and struggles — and trained for marathons.

When Kim Carter Martinez hit her highest weight of lbs. In order to be eligible for knee replacement surgery to help alleviate her arthritis pain, the Oakland, Calif. Carter Martinez made "a lot of small changes" to lose the weight, like giving up Starbucks and cooking more meals at home.

Eventually, she began following a paleo diet and progressed from doing Richard Simmons videos in her garage to going to the gym daily.

Jennifer Ginley was so self-conscious about her weight that she did not want her longtime boyfriend to propose to her, because she didn't want to be an overweight bride. In May , Ginley joined the weight loss program Slimming World with her mother and sister and said preparing healthy meals in advance helped her to drop from lbs.

Alexa Saddington dropped the weight with the Cambridge Weight Plan, which sets you up with a consultant who creates custom meal plans that include ready-made healthy meals. The U. at her highest weight — also began working out three days a week, and losing 85 lbs. since the end of I just booked to go with my sister for a week.

I feel like that would be a great way to end my weight loss journey. Emily Powers was inspired to get healthy for her three children.

For example, Cheskin and Donze found obese patients were most willing to change their attitude and health habits when a recent family event such as a heart attack or stroke reinforced the need to be more cautious In other words, most people know health is a personal issue influenced by personal choices.

Health concerns and the will to avoid an early death thereby become self-motivating, intrinsic forms of motivation regardless of whether they occur in the individual themselves or their loved ones. You do this by consciously cultivating personal meaning behind your weight loss goals wherever you can find it, and by staying focused on the process vs.

the quantifiable goal. Teixeria et al. By participating in various types of physical activities, all three psychological needs are met: The need for relatedness and community support is achieved through active participation amongst teammates and competing with like-minded others. Finally, the need for competence is achieved by building new skills and becoming proficient in the activity through practice.

When you choose a fun activity for your exercise you usually get support from others, a sense of autonomy from mastering the challenges, and competence from building new skills.

Researchers have also found looking at your exercise as a fun activity helps control both how much AND how healthy you eat! Bottom line? Use whatever it takes to get started, but then try to make weight loss and the associated physical activity fun.

Then it becomes much easier to adopt it as a permanent way of life, and suddenly maintaining a healthy weight becomes less of a challenge. There are two major categories of weight loss motivation — extrinsic vs. intrinsic, or motivation from without vs. motivation from within.

Motivation from outside yourself can give you a big boost to kick your weight loss routine into gear, but in and of itself it rarely carries you to the goal or helps maintain weight loss after you reach a goal. See here please for more practical tips and tricks to lose weight and stop overeating.

Cheskin, Lawrence J. Durayappah-Harrison, Adoree. Georgiadis, Manolis M, et al. Keenan, Patricia S. Meyer, Andrea H. Ryan, Richard M. Silva, Marlene N. Teixeira, Pedro J. Teixeira, Pedro J, et al. Werle, Carolina O. The Framing of Physical Activity Biases Subsequent Snacking.

Williams, Geoffrey C. Wu, T. Van, et al. Diet-Only Interventions for Weight Loss: a Meta-Analysis. Glenn Livingston is a psychologist and author of the book Never Binge Again. His unusual insights on overeating derive from decades of research and his own recovery.

Glenn Livingston Ph. Never Binge Again. She now cooks for herself and maintains her weight loss. When Mary Jane O'Toole got engaged in , she was thrilled to marry her longtime boyfriend, but their relationship hadn't been good for her health.

After six years of fast-food dinners and minimal exercise, she weighed lbs. and was having knee problems — at 25 years old. Plus, O'Toole was dreading buying a wedding dress at her size.

Along with her fiancé, O'Toole started tracking her meals and calories with the LoseIt! She dropped 75 lbs. in a year, and started incorporating exercise into her routine. By her wedding day in November , O'Toole had lost lbs. and was able to buy the dress of her dreams in a size 6.

I had never pictured something fitted, but I felt awesome in it because I had done it and lost the weight," she said. O'Toole kept up her weight loss habits, and although she was frustrated with the loose skin she had accumulated, she tried to focus on the "non-scale victories.

Randi Vasquez was a "chubby" kid growing up, but it never bothered her. That is until she hit a "post-grad slump" when she couldn't find a job she loved and started drowning her sorrows in boozy brunches and fast food.

It started to click that if I didn't change my life that it would just get worse and worse. Vasquez knew that a major diet and lifestyle overhaul wouldn't stick, so she started small, and in the fall of found a gym class at her local YMCA that she loved. Within a few months, she dropped 18 to 20 lbs.

From there, Vasquez began cooking healthier meals and started doing Kayla Itsines' popular BBG workout plan. down in fall That was such a big moment for me. Since then, Vasquez nailed another big goal — running a half marathon — and remained focused on maintaining her weight. Tara McGinty would never forget the first time she was bullied about her weight.

She was in 8th grade when a ketchup dispenser exploded on her clothes and she had to change into her friend's too-tight shirt. Instead, she would withhold food from herself until 4 p. and then go home and eat "anything and everything" in sight until bedtime.

McGinty's weight kept crawling up, eventually reaching lbs. It wasn't until she was later diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and in so much pain she was unable to hug her children, that she decided to change her lifestyle.

She started using Isagenix dietary supplements, going to high-intensity interval training workouts and adopting a "clean-eating" diet to reduce inflammation. McGinty dropped to lbs.

At His typical lunchtime meal involved stopping at three fast-food restaurants to satisfy his cravings, totaling over 6, calories, and he struggled with everyday tasks. Still, it was coming home to his 3-andyear-old daughters that pushed Christiansen to lose weight.

He committed himself to diet and exercise and signed up for Optavia, a coach-based wellness program. In just 18 months, he slimmed down to lbs.

At 9 years old, Shamirum Benjamin started sneaking pieces of pound cake from the fridge. The urge to hide her food continued through to her adult life when she would often order entire meals from two fast-food restaurants at a time and eat them in her car.

But that doesn't mean I didn't feel shame," Benjamin told PEOPLE. In February , near her 29th birthday, the customer success manager for a software company hit her highest weight ever, and decided to sign up for WeightWatchers. Along with ditching her fast-food meals and eating more fruits and vegetables, she also began walking and doing daily light exercise.

Four years later, she had slimmed down from lbs. to lbs. She continued to maintain her weight one day at a time and focused on eating foods low on WeightWatcher's point system or limiting portion sizes. When Janine Johnston tried on the wedding dress she had ordered online, she knew she had to make a change.

So in June , weighing in at lbs. by her wedding a year later. She started by making healthier meals and set a daily step goal on her Fitbit. Once the pounds started to fall off, the health services worker joined a local kickboxing gym and supplemented her walking with high-intensity cardio classes.

Five days before her wedding, Johnston met her goal. But she didn't stop there: After her wedding, she continued working out and dieting to slim down to lbs. Although she had a major sweet tooth as a kid, Jenna Leveille always considered herself to be fit and athletic.

But after she became pregnant with her daughter in , the global sales director at SpaFinder continued to put on weight. I would lose 20 lbs. and gain back double.

When her weight hit lbs. She adopted a high protein, low carb diet and began exercising. She reached her goal weight of lbs. in , and created a Facebook community called " Getting Closer Everyday ," meant to inspire people's weight loss journeys and provide support.

Nicole Ferrigno grew up thinking "that chips were a normal side dish, that pasta was a thrice-weekly dinner staple, and that fresh bread was a must for both lunch and dinner.

But by the time she was able to make more autonomous food choices, she was a "habitual eater. At her heaviest, Ferrigno weighed pounds, and when she was unpacking after moving back to her hometown, she saw an ad for Beachbody's "21 Day Fix," a program that combines portion-controlled eating with 30 minutes of exercise per day.

Ferrigno decided to try it out, and slowly but surely she slimmed down. By December , she had reached her goal weight of pounds. Although she primarily sticks to a diet of vegetables and small portions of carbs, "nothing is off-limits," allowing herself to splurge on bites of desserts or small bags of chips.

As a kid, Holly Wallis says she was always "chubby," but it wasn't until high school that she became an "emotional eater. When she was 48 years old, Wallis went in for her annual doctor's visit weighing lbs.

Her doctor wrote on the after-visit summary that she was "morbidly obese," and suggested options for how she could slim down. That day, she set a goal to lose half her weight by her 50th birthday. She began a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carb keto diet and tracked her goals, eating habits and exercise in an app called " Lose It!

After dropping to lbs. Scott Leopold attempted his first diet at 19 when he weighed lbs. He was in college and often drank alcohol and finished the night off with foods such as chicken wings or sweets and chips.

After he lost his first lbs. Leopold gradually put the weight back on and reached lbs. He always considered dieting again, but it wasn't until that he decided to make a lifestyle change since he couldn't catch up with his toddler.

He knew he wanted to be more active in his kids' lives, so he discovered Real Appeal , a digital weight loss program that provides you with coaches and support groups and helps set daily goals for diet and exercise.

Leopold stuck to a strict calorie diet, and gradually increased it to 1, and went running or walking every day. After dropping down to lbs. When Kara Cline started experiencing panic attacks after having her second child, she knew she needed to make a major life change to be healthier for her family.

Cline told PEOPLE she worked out vigorously in high school, but when she went away to college, her routine changed. In September , after spending a few months reforming her diet, Cline discovered Daily Burn, a health and fitness app that provides workout videos and nutritional guidance.

I really liked that it kept me intrigued and I didn't get bored. Cline said she did the workouts at home in her living room three to four times a week while her young kids were nearby. The trainers always offered modifications, so it felt more personable.

After losing nearly lbs. I moved to a new city. I kind of completely redid my whole entire life, but all for the better.

I feel great and am no longer ashamed by my weight," she said. Kevin Gendreau's motivation for losing weight was rooted in tragedy. Gendreau, who had reached lbs. by consuming "a diet full of bread, pasta and chips," told PEOPLE. How could I literally eat myself to death while my poor sister was fighting for her life?

The primary care physician started on a high-fat, low-carb diet and tracked his progress through MyFitnessPal. Sadly, his sister died in June On his new whole food diet, he saw "astonishing" results by eliminating processed carbs and sticking to fruits, vegetables, nuts, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, non-fat Greek yogurt, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and non-caloric spices and seasoning.

After his weight hit a plateau, Dr. Gendreau turned to intermittent fasting, which helped him shed the last 50 lbs. of the lbs. he lost. He started eating from only 12 p. every day. Outside of that window, he would allow himself black tea, black coffee and water.

He even began recommending his routine to patients. Gendreau said. But he cautioned, "Intermittent fasting is safe for most people, but not everyone. You should definitely talk to your own doctor before starting any diet or exercise plan.

When Brianna Bernard got pregnant, she "used it as an excuse" to indulge in comfort foods. But after giving birth to her son, Bernard continued her poor eating habits and "didn't take the time for self-care," she said. Bernard eventually signed up with a personal trainer at the gym, Bodies by Burgoon , and started training two to three times a week in weight lifting, plyometrics, boxing and more.

She also revamped her diet, ditching her processed, carb-heavy meals for lean proteins, healthy fats and vegetables. A year later, she had dropped lbs. and started powerlifting competitively. She even became a trainer at the gym that helped her lose weight.

It's hard to even look back. It feels like a lifetime ago. Now I feel like there's nothing I can't do. If I can lose lbs. Rachel Saintfort had never let her weight be a source of stress.

However, she continued to gradually gain weight and reached her highest, lbs. Saintfort decided to try dieting, but nothing stuck. Then, in January , she got a wake-up call. Her daughter, 10 years old at the time, said a classmate had called Saintfort "fat.

At that moment it hit me that she's suffering, and she's being picked on or laughed at because of my laziness or my unhealthy choices," Saintfort said. The case manager decided to cut out fast food and soda and started doing daily 3-mile walks around the lake in her town.

She also started documenting her weight-loss journey on her Instagram account, MsLbs , and set a goal to drop lbs. Less than 12 months later, she reached her goal. At lbs. After a "five- to seven-year" weight-loss journey, which included a lot of "trial and error," Pugh lost 93 lbs.

and found a new career. As a top model and an ambassador for David Beckham 's grooming brand House 99, Pugh told PEOPLE he focuses on a diet of micronutrients and good fats, along with manageable exercise. As for life as an in-demand model and social media influencer : "This life is something I had never even thought to dream of," said the London-based Pugh.

A self-described "binge eater," Mariah Stolfi reached lbs. by the 5th grade. The Wisconsinite also struggled with health issues. In her early teens, she was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome PCOS and sleep apnea.

at age In July , Stolfi, who was 19 years old at the time, decided to undergo vertical sleeve gastrectomy surgery. After losing 84 lbs. As for her best advice to those struggling with their weight: "This journey is 80 percent mental and 20 percent physical.

If you don't fix your mindset you will not succeed on your weight loss journey. Growing up, Kathleen Golding had always been overweight. By 21, she had turned to food as a "coping mechanism" while wrestling with anxiety and depression.

She finally decided to make a change and turned to gastric bypass surgery, which she underwent in June I want to be healthy, but I need help,'" she said.

After the surgery, the weight began to "melt off," said Golding, who eventually dropped lbs. by making healthy dietary changes and exercising. Golding shared that she is finally at peace with her body. Growing up, Bonnie Wiles ate a lot of starchy foods, and by 18, she was over lbs.

The Fayetteville, Ark. Now I can't wait to go with my family to Hawaii, where I can show off my favorite body part — my arms. After a family hiking excursion proved too taxing for his lb. frame, Jeremiah Peterson decided to change his lifestyle. It was a hard-hitting moment.

He entered a transformation challenge for motivation. Then, switched over to a keto-based diet consisting of healthy fats, lean protein and green vegetables, started taking twice-daily hour-long hikes, and lifting weights.

Peterson ended up dropping 82 lbs. Robin Janes can't remember a time when she was ever small. Her real turning point, though, was when she realized she could no longer fit in the desks at her college and had to put her education on hold.

Ready for a change, Janes started with Isagenix meal replacement shakes and taught herself to cook healthy meals. She also began working out slowly, with short walks and swims.

When she became lbs. lighter, Janes shared her love of playing volleyball and hitting the gym. She also started working on her degree again. I can work anywhere. I'm not limited," Janes said. Now they're all open.

As a child, food was one of the few constants in Melody Perdue 's life. I thought, 'Food is not going to leave me. With a diet of six to eight chocolate bars a day, fried chicken and macaroni and cheese, Perdue was lbs.

by age 29, was pre-diabetic, had sleep apnea and a mild form of polycystic ovary syndrome. But it wasn't until a life-threatening car accident in that she decided to make a change. Perdue signed up for Optavia, a packaged meal plan, and learned how to eat balanced meals of protein and three servings of vegetables.

That, along with minute walks, helped her lose lbs. Megan Rachow remembers the exact day she decided it was time for a change. I still remember the day that the switch flipped for me — July 19, — and I decided I was done living like this. The Medina, Ohio, resident says up until that point she was drinking five or more cans of soda a day, eating large quantities of food and stopping at the drive-thru daily.

Spurred into action, Rachow shared that she started small, first cutting out soda and only eating food she cooked at home. my first week. After I had lost lbs. I became fascinated by fitness and seeing what new things I could accomplish with my body.

I do things that I never dreamed were possible like running races, lifting heavy weights and completing a sprint triathlon.

After Mike Bauler's father-in-law went on life support following a heart attack in , the Madison, Wisc.

This was the trigger for me as I knew if I didn't get my life together soon, I would be the next person in that hospital bed. A few weeks after his father-in-law was admitted to the hospital, Bauler, who weighed lbs.

at his heaviest, signed up at a local gym. He first focused on exercising and eventually made changes to his diet, sticking to 1, calories a day and smaller portion sizes for one year. After losing weight, Bauler began running every day and completed endurance competitions like Ironman and Ragnar.

in about 18 months so I have had to stay busy to keep it off," he said. I like to join training groups and training clubs because of the friendships and accountability it creates. It would be easy for me to blow off a mile run at on a Friday morning, but I know I have two friends meeting me, who I would never let down.

After reaching her highest weight of lbs. at 26 years old, Boston resident Katia Powell realized her own health didn't reflect her dreams of becoming a medical doctor. Powell was overweight as a child, eating a diet full of processed foods and little water and vegetables.

In college, Powell shared she dramatically gained more weight. She joined her local YMCA, gradually increasing her workouts until she was going 4 to 5 days a week for 60 to 90 minutes.

She also changed her eating habits, replacing sugary sweets with fresh fruit and vegetables. Within the first six months she lost lbs. Powell, who has kept the weight off for more than a decade, said she now loves cycling, dance and yoga, and "if I am unable to attend the gym, I run or take a walk outside, or workout at home and do a high-intensity interval training.

A combination of aerobic and weight training are good for your health. While each type of exercise is good on its own, together they are better at helping you lose weight.

Fiber moves slowly through the digestive tract and can help you feel fuller for longer to support weight loss. It might also stabilize blood sugar levels , promote regularity, and protect against certain chronic conditions. Food groups like grains and fruit that contain a lot of fiber include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, breads, and legumes.

Aim to eat 2 cups of fruit and 6 oz of grains daily. Many vegetables and legumes also contain fiber. The following are examples of foods that contain fiber with their recommended daily servings:. This is known as mindful eating. It can involve the following:.

This can result in you eating less. Try minimizing distractions while you eat and follow these strategies for mindful eating to slow down during your meals. Learn more about mindful eating and weight loss. Drinking plenty of water can help promote weight loss by reducing your food intake, especially if you drink water before a meal.

It might also work by increasing fat burning , which can help enhance long-term weight loss. Be sure to choose water or other low-calorie drinks rather than sugar-sweetened beverages like soda, which are high in sugar and calories and could contribute to weight gain.

Other benefits from drinking water related to weight loss include helping you stay hydrated while you exercise and helping remove waste from the body.

In general, drinking water helps your body run more efficiently. In addition to changing your diet and exercise routine, getting enough sleep each night may be beneficial for weight loss. One study found that people who regularly sleep less than 7 hours per night are more likely to have a higher body mass index and develop obesity than those who sleep more.

Plus, sleep deprivation might also alter levels of hormones that control hunger and appetite. Not getting enough sleep may be linked to a higher risk of obesity and might negatively affect hormone levels.

Try using a free online calculator like this one to estimate your calorie needs. Eating too few calories can be dangerous and less effective for losing weight. Counting calories may be a helpful tool for some, but it may not be the best choice for everyone.

If you are preoccupied with food or weight, feel guilt surrounding your food choices, or routinely engage in restrictive diets, consider reaching out for support. These behaviors may indicate a disordered relationship with food or an eating disorder. Here are a few nutritious meal ideas that can support weight loss and include a mix of proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbs:.

For some nutritious snack ideas, check out this article. You may lose weight more quickly in the first week of a diet plan and then lose weight at a slower but more consistent rate after that. In the first week, you typically lose a mix of both body fat and water weight.

If this is the first time you are changing your diet and exercise habits, weight loss may happen more quickly.

Losing 0. Losing pounds per week is a safe and sustainable amount that can help maintain long-term results. Reducing your calorie intake and adding more physical activity to your routine can help you lose weight quickly and sustainably.

Decreasing your intake of processed foods and added sugar can help you lose weight in 7 days. Drinking plenty of water and adding fiber to your diet might also help. Exercising, staying hydrated, and enjoying a balanced diet rich in nutrient-dense foods can help you lose 20 pounds or reach your healthy goal weight.

For safe and healthy weight loss, 0.