As the old saying goes: "Easy come, easy go". This applies especially to weight loss. Everyone knows that with all these crazy crash course diets, overnight weight loss absolutely does not work. The pounds stack back on as easy as they dropped off. Therefore, the people who dedicate at least a year of their lives to actually doing the work, see long-term results. Here are amazing body transformations to truly inspire anyone considering a new, healthier lifestyle.
Healthy Eating Is a Lifestyle
When Amber Neale spent many years of her life stuck in a roller coaster and vicious cycle of unhealthy eating habits, she decided enough was enough. The transformation she underwent in just one year is mindblowing, and enough for anyone to want to do the same. Well, for anyone wanting to see what it would look like if they just made the commitment. As they say: "It's a lifestyle." For Neale, it took a few sessions with a therapist to realize how much the drastic change was needed as her eating habits were severely affecting her health.
Her eating patterns started affecting her mood, energy levels, and every other part of her life. What you put in your body is the root of all things. It can sprout happy relationships or it can destroy them. Food in modern-day life has become a drug, but Amber conquered her demons like a pro.
Fit in Your Wedding Dress
Mary Jane O'Toole was deeply hurt by her options for wedding dresses due to her size. The dresses were limited and her options were clearly not on top of the wedding dress makers' priority list. O'Tool decided to take this matter as a sign from the universe to finally do something about her feeling of discomfort in her own body.
We are all for the "bootylicious" women's movement but when the woman herself wants to make changes, we are there to support her decision. Instead of making a big deal out of the fact that wedding dress-makers were not accommodating to plus-size women, O'Toole found inspiration to become healthier and more active which is very good for the heart and organ functions in the body. Just look at her amazing transformation!
Healthy Dietary Choices
Every person who has ever held a cellphone in their hand or seen a television screen has had the topic of weight cross their mind. Am I too fat? Does my butt look good in this? Should I focus on pulling in my stomach? The media has contributed to massive generations riddled with issues all because of a certain look media portrays to be "perfect". Some people respond negatively to these thoughts, with developing eating disorders and turning to severe plastic surgery being the most common.
Stacy Bair, on the other hand, started changing her physical appearance from the age of 28 when she started experiencing severe health issues. She started doing exercise and changing her diet and the results are incredible. Just look at Stacy now after two years of hard work and dedication.
Goodbye Alcohol
Alcohol must be the leading cause of weight gain due to its high sugar content and addictive effects. Jelly Devote is one dedicated woman, and one of many who proved to the world that, by cutting alcohol, you can transform your body. Her looks are just a by-product of the healthy mind and overall wellness she's achieved.
It was not only cutting alcohol though, Devote claims that it was a combination of cutting the sugary alcoholic beverages, healthy eating, and some vigorous exercise. We also cannot help but notice her facial structures changing dramatically from the first to the second photo. She has put a lot of self-care into her looks as a result of feeling good.
Dr. Kevin Gendreau’s Amazing Transformation
People use different substances like drugs and alcohol to treat emotional wounds. It has become alarmingly clear that food is also a physical "substance" used to temporarily fix emotional wounds. Kevin Gendreau, who is a medical doctor, decided at the age of 31 that it was time to doctor his own health.
Gendreau's sister passed away due to cancer and it really shook things up for him. It was the motivation and drive he needed to push towards a better life. After struggling with his bad eating habits for over ten years, the effects were starting to take their toll. He suffered from high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and fatty liver disease. Just look at him now.
Age Is Just a Number
No matter how much people try to make aging a "bad thing". Never underestimate the power of your own determination, no matter your age. Joan MacDonald followed her heart and believed in herself enough to get some amazing results with her body transformation at the ripe age of 73. She dedicated herself to exercising, eating healthier, and tracking her food with a meal plan app.
She had spent so many years not living her best life due to acid reflux, high blood pressure, and many other health-related issues due to poor eating habits and being overweight. Look, we are all about female empowerment and when you feel empowered by having deliciously big "lady-lumps", by all means, we give it a "Hell Yeah!" Unfortunately, when it is causing health issues, we say hell yeah to transforming your lifestyle.
Comfort Eating
It was all thanks to a professor in college that Joey Morganelli realized his eating habits were going to kill him. He used food to self-medicate and a caring teacher reached out to him without judgment, but instead, with love and concern. This kind and caring selfless act saved and transformed his life extraordinarily. Food has become a very "normal" coping mechanism for so many Americans nowadays.
Especially because of the instant gratification options via fast foods and speedy food deliveries. For Joey, it was a trauma response. He would eat to soothe his pain after losing both his parents. This led to many years of building emotional walls around himself. Of course, those emotional walls turned physical. Joey woke up after that conversation in college and completely transformed his life. He was no longer a victim, he turned into a warrior.
Full-Time Career
Kyra Williams is another great example of the importance of emotions, as opposed to just shedding pounds. Kyra opted for a vigorous training program consisting of high-energy cardio workouts, which boosted her serotonin and dopamine levels, which in return made her want to do more of it.
She also combined her workout with weight and plyometric circuit training. With food being the foundation of any good workout or weight loss, mood enhancement program, she also became more conscious of what she put in her body. She started loving her fitness routine so much that she eventually became a fitness instructor who helps others become their best selves.
Gastric Bypass Surgery
Sometimes, hard work and dedication are just simply not enough to get the results you want. When things have gone too far and you have pushed your body beyond repair, some people tend to resort to surgery. Gastric Bypass surgery has become a popular go-to surgery in the hopes to conquer obesity. Hunter Croteau was one of those overweight people whose weight had become a major health concern.
He had been struggling with his weight and health for many years before his doctor recommended the procedure that would ultimately reduce his stomach by 80 percent. This would eventually make him feel fuller after eating a much smaller portion of food than he was used to. Now, a few years later, Hunter Croteau is a personal trainer and loves fitness.
A Day at the Amusement Park
On one sunny afternoon, Sophie Trewick and her friends decided to visit the amusement park for a lovely day of fun. What started as a day to boost their happiness,\ quickly turned into a flood of embarrassment for Sophie. The man in charge of the rides gave Sophie and her friends quick passes to skip the line to go test if Sophie would actually fit onto the seat of the ride while the other people were waiting in line.
The level of embarrassment she experienced that day was enough for Sophie to transform her whole life, mind, body, and soul. She swapped her sodas for water and instead of sitting in front of the television, she started doing exercise. Little by little, the pounds came off and she is now living her best life.
Your “Meat Suit”, Your Choice
Sometimes, a few extra kilos make all the difference to your health and overall mood. Weight loss is such a personal choice. Some people want to lose weight but lack the motivation or drive, others are happy with their extra bits. Each to their own, but it should all come down to the individual's own happiness. Stacy Welton decided to make a few lifestyle changes at the age of fifty. It was not as drastic as many of the other people we have boasted about here, but as we said, it is a personal choice and should never be forced upon anyone.
In the world we live in today, people are fighting against mass media and the unhealthy images they present. Men and women are fighting for the acceptance of each individual body. Big, small, flat, or bulgy, we can love them all, as long as whoever is carrying that “meat suit” is happy with it too.
“I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends” - The Beatles
Many things in life are accomplished easier by having someone to do them with you. It's a proven fact that everyone needs a little support and motivation sometimes. So, by using the buddy system, (then) only 28-year-old couple Jared Sklar and his girlfriend changed their lives around for the better. After looking into the fridge only to find three giant pizza boxes in there, and their weight starting to affect their health, they committed to some serious life-changing decisions.
The two of them started going to the gym and changed what they put in their mouths and fridge. As you can see in the first photo, Jared loved pizza so much that he even started dressing like one. After motivating each other for long enough, they both saw major results in their overall happiness, appearances, and health and it has now become a way of life.
41 Bags of Potatoes
Weight loss should always be a personal choice. And sometimes, something happens to spur people to undertake it in situations when they otherwise wouldn't. Take Matt Jurd, for example, who started at 375 pounds and was inspired to lose weight when his father, dying of lung cancer, told him he had "messed up". As Matt put it, "He always, always worried about my weight. I didn’t want to have to say to my wife and kids that “I messed up”, while in hospital suffering from a heart attack or even worse, not getting a chance to say goodbye to them at all."
Thanks to strict diets without bread, sugar, or late-night snacks and an intensive workout program, Matt was able to lose a whopping 181 pounds - equivalent to 41 bags of potatoes, as he put it. Matt has shared his journey on YouTube and says, "if you commit, stay focused, motivated, and determined, nothing can stop you. If you will it, it is no dream."
A Growing Trend
There seems to be a growing trend for people who go through extreme weight loss programs and body transformations to fall deeply in love with their fitness routines. The endorphins spark off such a major feeling of happiness that most of them just become fitness coaches. Jennifer Riviera is one of the people who fell in love with her new lifestyle and made fitness her profession. She is now rocking a new version of herself.
Her body is lighter and so are her mind and soul. Her emotions are more regulated and balanced and she has fallen in love with life again now that she has the energy and confidence to move around easier. Due to this major transformation, she now rocks a better relationship with her son and her marriage has also improved tremendously. She changed everything around and the positive effects ripple throughout every aspect of her life.
Always Take the Stairs
DeAndré Upshaw used math to calculate the number of calories he was consuming, in comparison to the number of steps he would walk to burn them, and that changed his whole life around. Math is not everything, of course, there is a lot more to thank for his amazing body and life transformation. Things like hard work, dedication, motivation, commitment and so many other things in his life, all contributed to the man DeAndré Upshaw is today.
He shaved his hair to rid himself of old stagnant energy and to resemble the change he was undergoing, physically, and then through perseverance and dedication, the pounds came melting off. DeAndré Upshaw lives by the saying: "Always take the stairs''. Through those extra steps, he managed to shed the extra pounds. Well done, DeAndré. Some great motivation for anyone wanting to become more healthy.
Happiness Comes First
Most women want to look good to find a partner, as this is mostly what mass media wants women and men to believe. Only when you look a certain way do you deserve love. This is a crying shame, as everyone deserves a loving partner who loves and supports them no matter what the outer layer presents. For Vanessa Flores, this was no different. She initially wanted to look "better" because she was desperately trying to attract a boyfriend. She soon came to realize that attracting a partner was only a by-product.
Losing the weight she struggled with her entire life had to be done with only one thing in mind. happiness. Her own health, joy, and happiness. It was only after she got her priorities straight and made her happiness the number one reason for her body transformation, that she made the biggest change yet.
Facing Unique Challenges
People come in all shapes and sizes. Therefore, they also face a unique set of challenges when it comes to weight gain or loss. For Desiree Alexis-Kae Mize, her challenges went further than just your average commitment to a weight-loss plan. She had to face thyroid problems which led to her suffering from hypothyroidism. The condition slowed her metabolism down so slow that she could not shed the extra pounds she was so desperately trying to get rid of.
She made numerous visits to doctors and specialists and eventually was also recommended for gastric bypass surgery. The surgeons dramatically reduced the size of her stomach and therefore, she felt fuller much quicker. After some time she finally got to where she wanted to be with her ideal weight and mental and emotional well-being. No matter what, your health and joy are the most important.
New Year’s Resolution
An almost unheard-of topic is people who actually manage to stay true to their New Year's resolutions. Quantel Thomas made a commitment to himself and the rest of his friends and family of sticking to his gym plan. Of course, like anyone who hears these things over the new year celebration period, everyone must have thought it to be all talk and no action. Boy, did he prove everyone wrong? His New Year's resolution was to hit the gym six of the seven days each and every week, and so he did.
The before and after pictures are just phenomenal and we are all very proud of him. This might be the inspiration we were all needing to prove that New Year's resolutions can last. We all have this in us. He went from 284 lbs to 193 lbs in just under two years.
Social Media Influencer
With all the delicious processed sugar-packed, easy to get food items on the market today, it's no surprise that obesity has been at such a record-breaking high. Randi Vasquez was yet another beautiful woman who felt the need to bring her sugar levels down due to some serious health scares. As a result of changing her eating habits, she dropped pounds and boosted her overall radiant glow.
Combined with some regular exercise, Randi Vasquez started sharing her transformation online and gained a lot of followers. She reached many women and men who wanted to do the same. She was the inspiration they needed and in that, she publicly committed to keeping the healthy lifestyle going. She is now a social media influencer who has created many of the positive "healthy body, healthy mind" waves that people need.
Three Children and a World of Judgment
Celebrities are not exempt from suffering the inevitable weight gain aspect of pregnancy. Many women from all over the globe experience weight gain and not all have the body type which lets the pounds just automatically roll off after birthing their child. Jessica Simpson is just one more celebrity who has had to deal with the disgusting stream of nasty comments brought upon her through media scrutiny. Normal day folk already have their fair share of backstabbing remarks they have to deal with.
So, can you imagine what it must feel like to have the whole world look at you under a microscope? After birthing three beautiful children, however, Jessica Simpson worked hard to reach a weight she felt comfortable with again and is now glowing her brightest by being able to show the world what she is capable of.
The Vision Board
Ingrid Rinck was able to transform herself by manifesting exactly what she wanted to look like. She would cut out pictures of the things she wants in her life. A certain glowing and healthy body and mind, a happy family setup, and many more. She focused every day on the things she stuck to her vision board and slowly but surely she manifested them in her physical world. Sometimes things would get rough and difficult and she felt like giving up, but then she would just look at her vision board and draw some serious inspiration.
Seeing the pictures not only gave her the inspiration she needed but it made her feel like she already had them. The pictures were all rooted in happiness, and therefore she became the happiest version of herself. One of the main things she found strength in was not overeating, and staying committed to portion sizes.
Kickboxing Cured Grief
Many people turn to food after experiencing great loss. It poses a comfort when in the long run, these processed, quick and easy snacks lead to depression and the need for more snacks. After losing her baby and being a wife to a man who was constantly away fighting in the army, Whitney experienced some dark places mentally and emotionally which eventually led to physical. When her son was born it sparked a survival mode within her she didn't know she had and it transformed her completely.
She let go of the sugar-filled snacks. She started exercising and feeling good, and she turned to kickboxing as a means of letting off steam and turning her body into the temple she was longing to feel happy in. Whitney Depasquale made an amazing transformation and conquered her grief like only a truly driven woman could.
Persevere and Endure
The world is filled with unhealthy media images which lead to many different disorders, especially in younger people. Sometimes, however, these images can also spark a healthy change in some people. Shantae Johnson is a perfect example of the positive effects of sports magazines. After seeing so many amazingly fit, strong and healthy women in the fitness magazines, Shantae Johnson decided then and there that she will spend the rest of her life looking like those women and living her best life.
She hit the gym, and as you can see, the rest is history. Her transformation is incredible and she really is a true inspiration. Nothing worthwhile comes easy and we're sure she spent many years accomplishing this body as muscle tissue only builds up over a long period of time.
A Mother’s Triumph
A mother’s love is rare and fierce. Here we have another story about fierce motherly love and courage. It was only after childbirth that Tiffany Erin Humphries realized that in order to live a long and happy life, she had to eat healthily and exercise. Her love for her daughter gave her the courage and commitment, determination, and motivation she needed to lose weight and give her organs a break so they can do what they were meant to do, and take care of her body instead of constantly breaking down food.
Tiffany wanted so badly to be healthy so she could witness all the magical years and milestones her daughter would later reach and achieve. There is so much more to life and like many mothers will tell you, at the center of it, lies their children.
The Hike That Changed It All
Jeremiah Peterson and his family went out on a hike through nature one day. Jeremy found it hard to keep up with his kids and he soon realized that he was in no way the head of the family anymore. Due to his weight and health, he was unable to ever be able to protect them, had it come to that. He realized it was time to do more than hiking and get his weight under control. It was more the shame than anything else that got him to make some drastic life choices concerning his health.
Jeremy decided to cut carbs completely with the diet known as the Keto diet, and also eliminate alcohol from his daily life. Instead of indulging in fatty and processed foods, he started indulging in nature hikes, water, and more raw foods. As we can all see in the second photo, it certainly worked for Jeremy who is now, according to him, a better dad.
Mindful Eating
All she decided to do was eat when she felt hungry. Most calories are consumed through mindless snacking and through being more conscious of her body's needs and wants, Audrey lost many pounds. Her lifestyle did a complete turnaround and therefore she went even further to better her mind, body, and soul. Audrey took up practicing yoga and meditation and as we can see, it has done wonders for her.
For some people, it takes more than that, but when you are like Audrey in the sense that you just want to be healthier and shed a few pounds, this is definitely a great start. Her new way of life ultimately pours over into a consistent and gradual weight loss program even without realizing it. Her mind became clearer and many other areas of her life improved this way including her sleeping patterns.
Realistic Expectations
Chelsey Bauman, a mother of two, decided to change her life around after spending too much time on everyone but herself. As a last resort to take care of her own mind, body, and soul, she downloaded an app that changed everything for her. The app was made to help find time to do quick and easy little workouts which all add up in the end. She kept her goals realistic and by just putting in a little bit of effort every day, she was able to tone up her abdominal muscles where she nurtured her children and kept them safe in her womb.
It was only due to her realistic expectations of time and commitment that she was able to achieve the results she wanted. Flabby tummy or not, motherhood is a job the world should gain more respect and compassion for. The task is bigger than any other on this earth.
Wedding Dress Goals
There is a lot of pressure around weddings especially on the bride as most of the attention is focused on what she is wearing, what she looks like. With so much money spent on photographers to take the perfect photos to last "forever", it is no wonder that people are more adamant to lose weight for more than any other time in their lives. When Jennifer Ginley's boyfriend went down on one knee to propose, she felt her heart beating for all the wrong reasons.
Well, not wrong, but you know where we are going with this. She loved him and wanted to have the most memorable and beautiful wedding photos with her man. She decided to shed some pounds and make her day extra special by feeling gorgeous and comfortable in her skin. With healthy eating habits and exercise, she reached her dream weight.
Yoga Saved Her Life
Motherhood is one of the top causes for women to let themselves go. Mothers focus all their time, love, and energy on their offspring, and rightfully so to who else can nurture their young like their mother? Parenthood is hard enough as it is, but when you are a single mother, that workload feels almost double. Janelle Perrilliat never seemed to be able to find time to give her body, heart, and mind the love they deserved.
Consumed by her child, she eventually reached a point where it was time to make some serious changes. She quit smoking after a whopping 20 years and hired a personal coach to push her when she felt like giving up. She is now a yoga enthusiast as she really fell in love with the invigorating practice that calms the mind and soul while toning the body's core.
Hula Hoop Instructor
People underestimate the power of the hula hoop. It became the go-to workout routine for Cori Magnotta who has hula hooping to thank for her change in a fit and healthy lifestyle. When you talk about fitness, hula hoops almost never come to mind, yet the power they hold is based on endless fun. The hoops are swung around the body and sometimes arms with vigorous circular movements and the faster you go, the more you obviously burn calories.
Cori loves the hula hoop so much that she became a certified hula hoop instructor and has been swinging her hoop since the day she picked it up and first learned the trick three years ago. We have heard of many types of fitness coaches throughout our lives, but never of a hula hoop instructor before. Go, Cori!
Healing Through Yoga
At the age of twenty, Katrina Love Senn faced a serious crisis concerning her health. Her health had her bedridden and unable to walk or move. It is usually around this time that doctors love prescribing medicine to help soothe the symptoms and not really get to the core of the problem. Katrina looked deep inside and gathered the strength to conquer her health issue the natural way, without chemicals.
Slowly but surely she made small adjustments and movements and eventually it led to more ambitious exercises like full-body yoga, and nature hikes. Gradually, she was able to hit small sessions of intense cardio workouts to get the blood pumping. She went from lying in bed, unable to move, to 15-minute gentle workouts, to full-on hours of embedding healing within her body through movement.
Conquering Your Demons
Giovanna Baratto faced challenges bigger than most of us could ever imagine. After being a software programmer in the military, she left after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer. After leaving the army, she faced gigantic challenges concerning her metabolism and things got progressively worse the more she tried to make it better. As it usually goes when trying to fix things. After many tedious workouts and medication, she decided to join the local cycling team that cycled in support of people suffering from different kinds of illnesses.
It was only through cycling and the help of her personal trainer that she was able to finally get a grip on things. There were so many times she felt she wanted to give up but her cycling community supported her and she kept going. Her results speak for themselves.
Cutting Out Processed Sugars
The ripples of abusive relationships go on for much longer than the day you break up. Sometimes it takes years to feel happy or like yourself again. It might even cause some people to never open up to the idea of life again. That psychological damage was exactly the trauma Lindsay Griffiths endured when her abusive boyfriend broke her down to a state of almost nothing left. She was constantly unhappy and these hurtful emotions affected every area of her life, especially her weight.
Weight is usually the most visible and obvious sign of there being something "wrong" in the emotional and psychological body. She woke up one day and decided that enough was enough. No more processed sugars, and that included canned foods. A small decision that clearly made a huge impact on her health, happiness, weight, and put her youthful glow back. He slowly regained light into her life.
Do as I Say and Not as I Do
It was only when Kari Hammond started realizing that her food choices were rubbing off on her daughter then she started hearing the alarm bells ring. She didn't want her unhealthy lifestyle to rub off on her daughter so she committed to making a complete turnaround. Kari started taking notice of her large food portions and started cutting down on them. She also began a vigorous exercise routine of 40 minutes each morning before doing anything else.
This boosted her metabolism as well as her emotional well-being as dopamine and serotonin boosted and made her want to eat better throughout the rest of the day. By being a good example she changed her child's life. Too often parents think children will do as they say and not as they do. She could not be more proud of her results and we're sure that her family felt the same.
Personal Trainers
People sometimes tend to think that hiring a personal trainer is something to be shy about. Perhaps people at the gym might think you are weak or unable to practice self-control. You know what? This is true, and therefore we shall say this: "God bless personal trainers!" They have been put on this earth to help everyday folks like us achieve the impossible. Amanda Ellis was petrified of entering the gym due to a major lack of self-confidence.
For some reason, every time we walk into the gym we only see fitness Barbies with their perfect abs everywhere. This is more often than not our minds playing tricks on us, bringing out our deepest fears of being judged and failing. Thanks to her personal trainer Amanda Ellis was able to also conquer her fears and started her daily vigorous workout program and together they achieved amazing results.