Category Archives: Lose Weight Fast

Eating more throughout the day is actually one of the best ways to help you lose weight. Sounds crazy, right?

According to a Journal of the American Dietetic Association study, researchers found that participants who ate more snacks daily even weighed less than those who snacked less. However, the one part we fail to realize with this fact is that they must be healthy snacks low in carbs and fat, but high in nutrients, fiber and protein.

With so many foods on the market that claim to be good for you, it can be difficult to navigate which ones you should actually buy. Here are a few options that taste good, and wont expand your waistline in the process.

AYO Almondmilk Yogurt

With 20 organic almonds in every 5.3 oz cup, AYO Almondmilk Yogurt is made with less added sugar than many other non-dairy varieties and blended with organic strawberries, blueberries, vanilla or peaches. It's a high-fiber grab-and-go snack that provides healthy fats and balanced nutrition all under 160 calories! AYO Almondmilk Yogurt is the ideal low-sugar morning treat, hunger-kicking mid-day snack, or post-workout pick-me-up, and its packed with heart-healthy, organic almonds, which makes every spoonful a part of a balanced nutrition diet.

Chloes Pops

Chloes Pops are irresistibly delicious fruit pops made with the simplest ingredients: just fruit, water and cane sugar. Thats it! The creamy, clean, delicious fruit pops are available in varieties including Mango, Dark Chocolate, Strawberry, Raspberry, Blueberry, Cold-Pressed Coffee, and Pomegranate.

Kettle & Fires Keto Friendly Soups

Trying keto but unsure where to start? Kettle & Fires Keto Friendly Soups is the secret weapon for stress-free keto dieting and theyre easy to eat anywhere, anytime. From Butter Curry to Broccoli Cheddar, each flavor is chef-designed, organic and packed with the wholesome benefits of our slow-simmered bone broth: great for supporting gut health, healthy joints and workout recovery.

KOS Organic Greens Blend

KOS Organic Greens Blend is power-packed with plant life from both land and sea. Each mix features a generous helping of wheatgrass, oat grass, kale, broccoli and green bell pepper to help boost your immune system, flush toxins and take down the stress levels. The added apple, lemon, monk fruit and mint are thoughtfully included to offer you an unexpectedly flavorful and refreshing treat. Most green blend supplements taste like gr(ass) but after you try it once, youll be hooked! Just mix it with water or blend into your favorite smoothie.

GoodTo Go Bars

GoodTo Go bars are the perfect midday pick-me-up for that afternoon slump. They contain low net carbs (3 grams/bar), just a hint of sugar (2 grams/bar) and a whopping 13 grams of healthy fats. Swap that bagel and grab a GoodTo Bar for breakfast or to fill any other snack cravings!

ChocZero

ChocZero uses a zero-calorie, low carb natural plant called monk fruit to create delectable chocolate that's low carb and sugar-free. This way, you can satisfy that sweet tooth by indulging in chocolate minus the sugar crash and extra calories. Whether youre on the keto diet or simply hoping to reduce your sugar intake, ChocZero has savory options to fit a healthier lifestyle.

Cappellos Naked Crust

Cappellos is the creator of grain-free, frozen-fresh, Paleo-friendly pasta, pizza and cookie dough. The brands take on classic foods harnesses the power of almond flour to provide options that are nutrient dense, simple and uncompromising on taste and texture. Use the naked crust to create youre on healthy pizza, packed with lots of veggies, protein minus all the grains and gluten in regular crust!

Cleveland Kraut

Cleveland Kraut makes fresh and delicious probiotic veggies that will add a kick to any meal. Add these low-carb, gut healthy krauts to any hearty meal in the winter or to spruce up your boring lunch salad.

Clio Greek Yogurt Bar

This convenient, high-protein alternative to indulgent desserts and snacks, is not only delicious, you might actually think youre eating cheesecake! Instead, its yogurt, in bite size pieces. With multiple flavors to choose from, like the subtly tart strawberry, nutty peanut butter, and newly released salted caramel, theres something for every craving.

Biena Chickpea Puffs

Seeking a nutritious makeover to traditional cheese puffs? These Chickpea Puffs have 40% fewer carbs and a whopping 7g plant protein per serving. But, the best part these puffs achieve the craveworthy taste people look for in snacks and are available in three flavors - Aged White Cheddar, Vegan Ranch, and Blazin Hot.

Catalina Crunch Keto-Friendly Smoothies

Catalina Crunch Keto-Friendly Smoothies feature premium-quality, whole fruits and superfoods such as spinach and Brazil nuts packed right into a smoothie cup! Theyre available in three indulgent flavors; Mixed Berry, Strawberry Banana, and Tropical Pineapple.

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10 Best Healthy Snacks To Buy To Help With Your Weight Loss - Essence

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Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that break down the food we eat into energy and muscle.

Though many people think that they will lose weight if they speed up their metabolism, this isn't necessarily true. Here's what you need to know about the complicated relationship between metabolism and weight-loss.

When people refer to metabolism being "fast" or "slow" what they are really referring to is a measure of Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). BMR determines the number of passive calories that you burn - these are the calories that your body uses up while at rest.

A popular misconception is that adding muscle will help you metabolize calories faster - and while this is partially true, muscles at rest actually burn very few calories. Most of the metabolizing energy you expend is through your brain, heart, kidneys, and other organs that are constantly at work keeping you alive and healthy.

There is evidence that cardiovascular exercise can help boost your metabolism for a short period after you work out, but this effect only lasts for an hour or so and is not usually enough to cause significant weight loss.

There's also the myth that eating certain foods will speed up your metabolism. But the reality is that even if certain foods can affect your BMR it's not nearly enough to make a noticeable difference in your weight. In order to lose weight, you must create a deficit between the calories you consume through food and the calories you burn through a combination of diet, physical activity, and passive metabolic processes that are largely out of your control.

The sad truth is that it's hard to change your BMR in any significant way. The fact that some people naturally have a faster BMR than others is largely due to genetics.

A review, published in 2011 in Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, that examined 9 twin studies and 19 family studies found that metabolic syndrome - and some of the symptoms associated with it including obesity, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance - are common among families, suggesting a significant heritability factor.

The exception to this rule comes up only for rare illnesses like Cushing's syndrome or hypothyroidism, which both slow metabolism.

As you age, your metabolism becomes less efficient, or what we think of as "slowing down," says Heather Seid, a registered dietician and Bionutrition Program Manager at Columbia University.

There are many reasons your metabolism slows down, including losing muscle mass and changes in your cells. But the main reason for metabolism change is that people become less active as they get older.

Unfortunately, you can't completely stop your metabolism from slowing down as you age but exercise may give you a boost. Studies show that keeping active as you grow older can help curb a metabolism slowdown.

Video: 7 incredible results you'll get from walking 30 minutes a day (Courtesy: Prevention)

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How metabolism works and why you can't speed it up to lose weight - msnNOW

College life often doesn't seem compatible with weight loss. Between the stress, new schedules and living arrangements, and potentially limited options for eating and cooking, it's no wonder so many students gain what's become known as the "freshman 15." But that wasn't the case for Aime La Fountain. In fact, it was the exact opposite.

When Aime headed to college in the Fall of 2005, she'd been struggling to lose weight for a while without much success. The new habits and attitudes she formed during those first few months changed everything. She lost nearly 20 pounds during that time, and while some may not consider that a "dramatic" weight loss, it made a big difference. "I'm only 5'0" tall, so in my case, it was significant and noticeable to people who knew me before college," she told POPSUGAR.

A couple months into her first semester, Aime noticed her weight loss the same way many of us do: by the fit of her clothes. "I dropped at least three pant sizes, depending on the brand," she said. "I also lost about five inches in my chest." Aime's weight loss didn't involve any fad diets or unhealthy practices, nor was it a fluke. Nearly 15 years later, she has kept most of the weight off and continued living a healthy and active lifestyle: "The jeans in the photo [above] are a tad tight on me now, but I can still wear them!" Read on to learn how her weight-loss journey started, one hike to class at a time.

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Instead of Gaining the Freshman 15, Aime Actually Lost Weight Her First Semester - POPSUGAR

At his heaviest, 27-year-old Alex weighed more than 500 pounds and felt uncomfortable going to the gym. Now, after changing his diet and taking up CrossFit, he has dropped 300 pounds and is in the best shape of his life. Sharing his story with Barcroft TV, Alex explains what inspired his weight loss transformation.

"I've always had a problem with my weight, I've always been the big kid in the class, I was always picked last in gym," he says. "My weight just started to spiral and get out of hand right after high school. Food was always a comfort, and I just abused it. I was eating all the wrong stuff in all the wrong amounts. 12 packs of Mountain Dew, eating tons of Oreos, pizza, Chinese buffet, ice cream, you name it, I was just eating it. I had no knowledge of what calories and eating all these foods was doing besides making my weight go up."

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"Every year since I can remember, my yearly checkups have been 'You need to lose weight, we need to consider surgery,'" he continues. "At one point, the doctor actually told me if I didn't lose weight I wasn't gonna live."

Everything changed one day during his job a courier, when he was making a delivery to a warehouse with a pallet scale: "Just out of curiosity I stepped on, and I was shocked. I saw 480 pounds," he says. "But if I look back at pictures a couple of months prior, I was bigger. So I believe I was 500+ at one point. From that day forward, I just completely changed my life. I knew that this was my time, this was my final chance, my last, last shot. Knowing that I'm an adult now, this is my life, it can either end really soon or I could start taking care of myself, it was all on me."

He ditched the vast volumes of soda in favor of just water, and cut the fast food from his diet, which led to a weight loss of 40 pounds in the first month alone. And Alex soon got over his anxiety around working out in front of other people, hitting the gym six or seven times a week and throwing himself into rigorous CrossFit workouts which constantly changed and challenged his body to adapt.

"The gym used to make me uncomfortable, now I'm doing CrossFit every morning at 5 a.m.," he says. "I lost 280 pounds. The lowest that I hit was 199 pounds. 200 to 205 pounds is where I feel healthy and where I feel like I can perform the best physically."

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This Guy Lost 300 Pounds Doing CrossFit Every Day - menshealth.com

FORMER X Factor star Emma Chawner showed off her incredible 13 stone weight loss 13 years after appearing on the show.

The 30-year-old appeared on the show in 2007 when she was just 17 and then on a weight loss programme with her family presented by Lorraine Kelly in 2009.

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But Emma was motivated to shed the pounds thanks to diet and exercise and appeared on Lorraine to talk about her amazing weight loss.

She said: "No one's pushed me to do it, I've done it all myself. I was always out of breath and diabetic."

Emma also explained the trigger for the weight loss: "It was the stress that I had with my mum and dad breaking up and losing my dog."

The former singer said she has been accused of using a gastric band by friends by denies it.

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Lorraine gushed at the end of the interview: "You're like a different girl now!"

She replied: "I'm happy with how I am and it's not far to go [until she's at her ideal weight."

Emma went viral with her audition on The X Factor when she sang My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion.

She stopped her audition halfway through because she was so nervous.

Simon Cowell said: "First the dress is completely wrong. I'm not a fashion expert but... it's like a wedding dress, isn't it? Then you sang the song out of tune and a bit like a baby."

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She left the audition in tears and her mum and dad barged into the room to have an argument with Simon Cowell.

Then in 2017, Emma appeared alongside her sister, where she said she got evicted from her house for singing.

However, there was a dark side to appearing on the show, telling Lorraine there was "good and bad".

"The good was that we did a show with you. But then we had bullying and death threats online."

Emma now works as a child minder and doesn't think she'll get into the music industry.

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X Factors Emma Chawner shows off incredible 13 stone weight loss 13 years after appearing on the show - The Sun

Dear Dr. Blonz: This may seem like an odd question for someone who writes about nutrition, but how long can a body go without food? A close friend recently experienced a loss, which has caused her to suffer a hard emotional blow. She says that she has no appetite. She hasnt been able to eat anything; when she tries, it results in nausea and her bodys rejection of the food.

As would be expected, she has lost a lot of weight lately and doesnt look healthy to me. F.S. San Jose, California

Dear F.S.: My sincere sympathy to your friend and any affected by the loss. Grief can affect the body in many ways, and while a loss of appetite can be one of them, overeating, ironically, can be another. For more on the bodys reaction to grief, visit b.link/ncbi58.

Addressing your question: Our body is designed to avoid waste, so we shift gears to handle food whenever its consumed. But if nutrients are not provided for an extended period, a sophisticated series of adaptations takes place to pare down the unnecessary use of energy and loss of essential resources. While we may be conscious of why we are no longer eating, the systems in our body are not in that loop.

One adaptation is a scaling-back of the metabolic efforts involved with digestion, which might explain that queasiness or nausea your friend experiences when food is reintroduced. The discomfort tends to pass, but reintroducing food in this scenario should be done gradually, relying on plant foods such as juices, soups, fruits and cooked vegetables.

A lack of food also causes a slowing of the metabolic rate, which brings about a lowering of body temperature. There will be less circulation near the skin surface, which is one of the reasons why people who go without food are easily chilled and may have a sallow look about them.

Friends and family serve as an invaluable source of support, but an inability to eat lasting for days suggests some professional assistance may be needed. In the meantime, given that the body requires more water than any other nutrient, encourage your friend to consume fluids even something like a sports drink, which provides not only fluids, but also electrolytes and calories. To emphasize this important point: We can last only a few days without water.

The human body can survive for many weeks without food, but much depends on ones state of health and the amount of excess energy (i.e., body fat) at the start. I hope that your friend finds the strength to work through her grief and is spared any testing of the limits of her endurance.

(Ed Blonz, Ph.D., is a nutrition scientist and an assistant clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco. He is the author of the digital book The Wellness Supermarket Buying Guide (2012), which is also available as a free digital resource at blonz.com/guide.)

Send questions to: On Nutrition, Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

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On Nutrition: Weight loss worrisome for grieving friend that can't eat - Tulsa World

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Weight Loss Stomach Pump Market Share, Growth by Top Company, Region, Applications, Drivers, Trends & Forecast to 2025 - News Times

When Heather Pivoras arrived at CrossFit Murray in Kentucky seven years ago, she was down and out.

I was in an abusive relationship. My self-esteem was at an all-time low. I had a hard time looking in the mirror, said Pivoras, now 40 years old. I didnt like myself and I hated my body.

Despite the way Pivoras felt about herself, Coach Angie McCord saw Pivoras as a strong woman committed to changing the way she felt about herself.

She came in and really wanted to set a better example for her children by following a healthier lifestyle said McCord, who is also a Precision Nutrition coach. Right from the start, she was so coachable. Ill say, OK Heather, this is what I need you to do this week, and this is how I want you to approach the workout, and she does. If I told her she needed to run through a brick wall, she would.

This willingness to be coached has played a big role in Pivoras success in the last seven years. Though she isnt sure how much she weighed at her heaviest, she thinks she was close to 250 lb. at one point. But she does know that since starting CrossFit, she has lost 70 pounds and currently weighs 140 lb. Twenty of those pounds she lost in the last year after she reached out to McCord for one-on-one nutrition counseling.

Specifically, the two sat down together and came up with a plan for Pivoras to start counting her macronutrients, which has been a game changer, Pivoras said.

The changes I have seen my body go through (in this past year) have amazed me, and my workout performance is better than ever. Im in a deficit, yet still eating to fuel my workouts, she said.

Today, Pivoras continues to check in with McCord each week.

Just to reassess and adjust based on how her bodys responding, McCord said. Shes in the final five pounds of weight loss. That being said, its not really about the scale anymore. Its about her performance and how her clothes fit.

For McCord, nothing is more rewarding as a coach than watching a transformation like Pivoras.

She sends me pictures of her in a sports bra and shorts and says, Hey, I cant believe I look like this, McCord said, adding that it has been especially rewarding to watch Pivoras start to guide others on their journeys.

She has blossomed so much, and now shes sharing her knowledge with others. Its amazing to see, McCord said.

Though Pivoras is the one who has put in the hard work in the last seven years, she is quick to recognize how her CrossFit community deserves some credit, too.

The community has been some of the best therapy for me. The love and support I receive from (this) place has been an integral piece of the puzzle. CrossFit (has been) my first experience with the mentality that strong is beautiful and skinny isnt the goal, Pivoras said.

Specifically, Pivoras credits McCord.

She has been a huge part of my journey. She sets the example and holds me accountable. Shes the most positive and encouraging human being Ive ever met and is one million percent genuine, Pivoras said.

Though the two started out as having a coach-client relationship, today their bond goes well beyond that.

Shes also my teacher, mentor, encourager and friend, Pivoras said.

McCord added: We have a really close coach-client bond, but we have also become really good friends.

Recently, the two even paired up and competed together in a local competition. It took some coercing, but eventually Pivoras agreed.

She was scared, and I looked at her and was like, You can do this, and it was like she saw that her coach thought she could do it, and she started to believe she could do it, McCord said.

Believing in herself has been one of the biggest contributing factors to her transformation, and it hasnt always been easy, Pivoras said.

Not everyone in my life understands my decision to get healthy, or my level of commitment, she said. I decline many dinner invitations. But to me, its worth the sacrifice. Its a lifestyle change that no longer makes food the center of things.

Not everyone understands her commitment, but the people who matter do. Like McCord, and Pivoras son, daughter and sons fianc, who all now train at CrossFit Murray alongside Pivoras.

Theres a whole clan of them now. Its awesome, McCord said.

Clients like Pivoras are the reason McCord got into coaching and the reason she is still coaching, she said.

There are always going to be the clients who come in and check the fitness box for the day. Theyre happy as can be just to be there and workout and thats great, she said.

McCord added: But as a coach, I dont want to just give someone a place to lift weights. I want to be part of their journey, like I have been with Heather. Thats the most rewarding thing in the world.

Photos courtesy Angie McCord

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Meet Heather Pivoras and the CrossFit Coach Who Helped Transform her Life - BarBend

Jamie Oliver returns to British television screens tonight with Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast on Channel 4, where Jamie and co-host Jimmy Doherty tackle a number of celebrity favourite dishes, including a visit to where Star Trek actor, Patrick Stewart fell in love with Mexican food 30 years ago.

As someone who knows a great deal about fine food, Jamie found that over the years, he started to pile on the pounds and to tackle this he revealed he cut out one thing from his diet to lose two stone.

The 44-year-old chef managed to trim down by cutting out one particular type of food from his diet.

The dad of five revealed he swapped regular meat-based meals for vegetarian alternative dishes.

Speaking to Radio Times, Jamie said: I pushed meat down, pushed veggie up, got more sleep and more movement.

First, he traded meat for nuts to meet his fat and protein intake.

They make you half as likely to have a heart attack. Feed them to your kids as well, he told Radio Times.

Jamie has encouraged people to eat more plant-based meals, as according to him there are multiple health benefits.

The chef released a new cookbook, Veg, recently which is dedicated to making meat-free meals that even the most devout steak lovers will enjoy.

Jamie also hosts a cooking show, Meat-Free Meals on Channel 4.

But meat wasnt the only thing Jamie cut out, as he steered clear of alcohol at key times too.

He explained: Your average Brit drinks booze. Im not telling you what to do, but my rhythm now is only to drink at the weekend.

Its about a consciousness and knowing youre doing something and being more mindful.

The Naked Chef found that despite cutting food out, he ate more during his new regime than he did previously.

I lost 12 kilos quite quickly and I didnt do it through not eating," he explained.

Jamie turned to seaweed to help speed up his weight loss. Seaweed is used to help weight loss because it is low in calories and high in fibre, making it filling.

It also contains fucoxanthin, which is thought to contribute to increased metabolism.

Speaking to MailOnline, Jamie said: I thought seaweed was hippy, globetrotting stuff but our ancestors ate seaweed.

It has got a load of iodine and is the most nutritious vegetable in the world."

Jamie took the decision to slim down after realising how unhealthy his life had become.

During an appearance on Loose Women in 2015, he said: I got toward my 40th birthday and I realised I hadnt spent much time looking after myself.

I went back to school and started studying nutrition, started travelling to parts of the world to where people live the longest lives and started looking at their lifestyles. That was the journey and its been amazing.

Jamie is not the only chef to slim down after years of packing on the pounds.

Gordon Ramsay lost an impressive four stone with one simple trick.

The chef caught attention after his huge 3st 8lb weight loss, just six pounds away from a four stone weight loss. What did he do to shape up?

Although many people may choose to cut back on how much they eat when trying to lose weight, Gordon did the opposite.

Opening up about his weight loss in the past, he explained he started eating more meals in a bid to get in shape.

View original post here:
Jamie Oliver weight loss: Chef loses two stone by cutting this one thing from diet - Express

American Heart Association "This was about breaking a family legacy of heartdiseaseand feeling good."

Michelle Emebo's doctor was just as shocked as she was to discover she had high blood pressure during her third trimester of pregnancy. Emebo says she was pretty healthy before becoming pregnant and had been exercising pretty regularly. She was motivated to prevent gestational diabetes and pass her glucose test at the end of her second trimester. However, once she passed the test, eating healthy became less of a priority.

"Once the test was over, my diet just went down the gutter," Emebo says. "I was eating Starbucks breakfast sandwiches on the way to work and then just kept eating once I got to work. I work at an academic center where there is always some kind of celebration, so it would be a donut here, a cupcake there." Emebo said she gained a healthy 10 pounds during her first two trimesters but put on almost 15 pounds in a matter of weeks leading up to her high blood pressure diagnosis. (FYI, healthy weight gain during pregnancy is typically between 25 and 35 lbs, but every woman is different.)

Emebo says her doctor was reassuring that her blood pressure would go back down to the 120/80 she was used to having after giving birth. She tried to cut back on the sweets, but between anxiety at work preparing for maternity leave, moving into a new home and her husband finishing residency, there was a lot of stress going on in her life that continued to impact her health. She said all she had the energy to focus on at the time was delivering a healthy baby and making sure her blood pressure didn't continue to trend upwards.

Turns out, Emebo's blood pressure didn't go down after giving birth or after breastfeeding. Her doctor put her on blood pressure medication after several months, but that didn't seem to have much of an impact.

"That's when I realized I'd had enough, that I was going to have to do something as far as exercise and diet," Emebo says. "I knew it was possible for me to get back to normal since I was there before pregnancy. Finally, a year and a half later, I started making a change."

Taking Control of Her Health

Emebo was a collegiate athlete and the natural first step towards a healthier lifestyle was bringing exercise back into her routine. The local mom's group she's a part of had a meetup at OrangeTheory Fitness one day, and she knew she needed to come back for more.

"I got my butt kicked that first class, but I thought, 'I need to be in here' and signed up for a membership that day," she says.

Changing her diet wasn't as simple, however. Emebo was attempting to eat the way she did when trying to lose weight for her wedding several years prior, and her methods just weren't working for her. She had her doctor refer her to a nutrition professional.

Emebo admits that nutrition was the hardest part for her. She says, "You don't realize how much convenience food is a part of your life when you have to change your schedule to cook and grocery shop."

As difficult as it was to start cooking more often, she says this is when she saw the biggest change in her healthand blood pressure. Emebo says her dietitian played an important role in teaching her portion control, cutting back on added sugar and sodium and learning new cooking methods. She started using spices and DASH seasonings to bring flavor to her meals without salt, and learned to caramelize sweet potatoes, so she no longer needed brown sugar to enjoy them.

Choosing a Lifestyle Over a Diet

Emebo was able to normalize her blood pressure and lose 20 pounds within six months, which inspired her to keep going. She lost 75 pounds and has kept it off after three years. Emebo says that while she could have lost weight faster, she was pursuing a healthy lifestylenot a restrictive diet or a number on a scale.

"I didn't have a goal weight," Emebo says. "Everyone would ask what size I wanted to be, but it wasn't about that. I would tell them 'whatever weight gets me off my medications and keeps me healthy.'"

Emebo continued to dial back on sodium and added sugar while increasing her intake of vegetables and other high-fiber foods. She also began meeting with a trainer to help her meal plan around her workouts as she was growing stronger in the gym.

"I never felt deprived in that year and a half, and that's probably why it took me a little longer to get to where I needed to be," Emebo says. "I enjoyed birthdays, holidays and my family's favorite foods, but if I could stick to healthy eating 80% of the week, I could feel good."

Video: 7 incredible results you'll get from walking 30 minutes a day (Courtesy: Prevention)

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Both of Emebo's parents have struggled with high blood pressure and survived strokes, so she knows her family history of cardiovascular disease puts her at increased risk.

'I really wanted it to be about my health, and not just physical health but mental healththis was about breaking a family legacy of heart disease and feeling good," she says.

Emebo also cut back on alcohol after participating in Dry January in 2018. She now reserves imbibing for special occasions and feels more energized than ever.

"I don't have anything against [alcohol], but I began to notice drinking a glass of wine at night made me sleepy in the morning and hungrier during the day. Once I cut out my glass of wine or two each week, it helped me get up in the morning and I wasn't having food cravings at night anymore."

Trust the Process

Today, Michelle is eating more carbs and calories to keep up with her workouts, while still being mindful of her intake of salt and added sugars. She says this health journey has really turned into a way of life for her and her family and has left her feeling empowered.

"There was a time where I didn't know what I needed to do to get healthy," Emebo says. "It wasn't until I realized i had to take control of my healthand it had to start today that I was able to realize it was possible to get healthy and that I really could do this. I've never been as fit as I am now since being a student athlete."

Emebo says she is surprised by how many people say they don't like their doctor, as finding the right provider who can encourage you in the right direction is extremely important for getting healthy. If you don't know your numbers, ask about your cholesterol, glucose and blood sugar levels and other metrics to figure out a game plan. She says if you don't start knowing where you are, you won't be able to move forward. She also says to be patient, as a health journey should be just thata journey.

"It's not an overnight thingespecially if you're a new mom trying to figure your job, marriage and parenting out," Emebo says. "A lot of people do not believe them when I say there was no secret potion. I just ate healthy food and did the exercises. Slow progress is still progress and that's what matters."

Michelle Emebo is part of The American Heart Association's Go Red for Women Movement.

Slideshow: Shannon lost 85 lbs. in 10 months with barely any exercise (Courtesy: PopSugar)

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This Woman Lost 75 Pounds and Got Off Her Blood Pressure Medication by Curbing Salt and Sugar - msnNOW