A woman who is now 29 years old says that she has been overweight most of her life, that for 10 years she struggled to lose weight by following all kinds of diets, but that she reached her goal 7 years ago by following some very simple rules. Moreover, for 7 years he manages to maintain his ideal weight without effort.
“I’ve struggled with extra pounds my whole life”Gen Cohen told Business Insider.
Cohen, who lives in San Diego, said she followed an 80/20 high-protein diet with a slight calorie deficit, meaning she didn’t give up anything she used to eat and enjoyed continuation, in moderation, of sweets and even alcohol.
The 80/20 diet is all about proportions. Specifically, it’s based on the principle that if you eat healthy 80% of the time, you can “sin” 20% with unhealthy foods.
Following this principle, Cohen did not lose weight at all for three months, but then began to gradually lose weight, so that in a year he lost 23 kilograms and for 7 years he has maintained the same weight.
He followed the first diet at the age of 12
Cohen grew up in a small town in Connecticut where, she said, health was not a priority. Although she was always active and played sports, after every training she went to fast food with her colleagues.
She recalled going on her first diet at the age of 12 because she had gained alarming proportions. With a very strict regimen, he managed to lose 5 kg, but put 7 back on in a short time.
For 10 years he tried all kinds of diets, but the result was always the same.
Turning 21 was a turning point
Then her mother visited her at college, they went out and took pictures. When she looked at them, Gen was shocked by how they looked. Arriving home, she stepped on the scale for the first time in a long time and found that she weighed 93 kilograms. She spent the rest of the night on the bathroom floor crying, feeling disappointed, confused, lost, and scared.
The next day he realized he had a choice: “Sit on the bathroom floor for the rest of my life and accept my fate or try again”.
He decided to lose weight, but also take care of his health
After many diets that ultimately made her worse, she decided to do things differently and started documenting herself.
He cut back on calories to lose weight, but unlike the previous times, the drop wasn’t sudden. Instead of cutting out carbs or fat, as she had tried before, she tried to maintain a healthy balance. He emphasized proteins, because they help maintain muscle.
Cohen said she wasn’t too strict with her diet, but followed the “80/20” principle. Thus, 80% of what he ate was nutritious and healthy, and 20% was something he liked. Dieticians recommend this approach, because it is ideal that a person does not feel the lack of something he likes, and thus the effects of a regimen can be lasting.
He did not lose weight for 3 months
The woman said that in the first three months she did not lose a single kilogram. “I was devastated. I was getting blood tests, thyroid tests, exploring all the possibilities”she said.
She went off birth control pills, even though doctors told her they wouldn’t affect her weight. However, after this moment, she lost 5 kilos in a week. He says the pills he was taking were hormone-free and did not affect appetite. Although she believes that giving them up and losing the first few pounds is just a coincidence, she is happy that she did.
In the next nine months he lost almost 20 kg.
He has maintained the same weight for 7 years
After reaching the desired weight, Cohen moved on to the maintenance phase, which was not easy. She learned how to make healthier versions of her favorite foods and still enjoyed the guilty pleasures. He also consumes alcohol, but in moderation.
At the same time, he takes care to walk as much as possible. “I’m not used to doing fitness or going to the gym“, she says. Although he now occasionally goes to the gym, he says his most consistent form of exercise remains walking: “I walk every day”.
Editor : D.C.
