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After losing 175 pounds together, Brian and Erin LeBlanc are enjoying their shrinking bodies and bulging wallets.
Shes still a carboholic, while he enjoys ice cream, but the Edmonton, Alberta, couple shed weight by eliminating most fast food, focusing on portion sizes and becoming passionate about exercise. They're saving money in the process.
Were happier than weve ever been, Brian, 30, told TODAY. Making the changes that we have has really allowed us to live life to the fullest.
Erin and Brian LeBlanc often went out to eat before they started their weight-loss plan.
He weighed 250 pounds when he decided to slim down two years ago. Erin, 31, joined his effort one year ago, topping the scale at 190 pounds. Hes since lost half his body weight and Erin has shed 50 pounds.
They did it by no longer going out to eat, minimizing alcohol consumption, and changing their grocery shopping habits steps that also allowed them to save more than $500 a month, they said.
Brian has lost 125 pounds, half his body weight, and Erin has lost 50 pounds. At Brian's heaviest, this belt would not fit around his waist and now, it can hold both Brian and Erin.
Here's their advice for weight-loss success:
The LeBlancs say one of the most powerful things they did was buy a food scale and weigh everything they ate. The scale should have a golden aura around it because its so magical, Erin said.
Once you start measuring and weighing what youre eating, its shocking how much you can underestimate what youre actually eating, she noted.
For me, it was just portion control, he added.
The couples basic motto is: calories in, calories out. You have a certain amount of calories in the day to work with, and you have to balance what you eat with how much you burn, otherwise youll gain weight.
After previous false starts, Brian believes this weight-loss plan stuck because he and his wife took the time every day to log and measure everything they were eating. Brian has been logging his calories for more than 640 days.
The couple used the MyFitnessPal app to figure out their caloric needs: During the weight-loss phase, they both ate about 1,300 calories a day. To maintain, Brian is now up to 2,200 calories and Erin tries to eat no more than 1,800.
For more inspirational stories, check out our My Weight-Loss Journey page
Erin describes herself as a carboholic who loves cereal and pizza, so cutting out carbs was out of the question. The couple still enjoys ice cream and potato chips, but in sensible portions.
Denying yourself those things that you really enjoy can be really problematic. In our experience, its been a recipe for disaster, Brian said. We still eat food that we enjoy; we just eat less of it.
When it comes to ice cream, theyll have half the serving listed on the label or about a quarter of a cup of ice cream. Theyll add half a slice of cake for a dessert thats about 200-250 calories.
Instead of having a whole Big Mac meal at McDonalds, Erin now enjoys a kid-size Happy Meal once in a while.
RELATED: After relying on comfort food, woman loses 100 pounds by remembering 3 easy tips
Brian tried running in 2015 and really liked it. Running clears his head, helps him deal with stress and makes him feel better, he said.
Erin? Not so much. I am not a runner, I dont get that runners high, she said. She even has a T-shirt with the slogan: I hate running. But she loves lifting weights, finding it rewarding and empowering.
The key lesson: Find an activity you like, look forward to and get satisfaction out of.
The couple eased off fast food slowly to make that change more manageable. Brian started running small distances and counting his steps; he now runs half marathons. Erin began going to the gym twice a week; she now goes almost every day. Pacing yourself is important, they say.
Go for very small, slow changes that built up over a long period of time to be sustainable, they advised.
The LeBlancs used to buy enough fruits and vegetables for a week or two and had the best intentions to eat those healthy foods, but would then get bored and go out and eat fast food instead. Erin estimates about 50 percent of their food would get thrown out, which is insane.
They now go to the grocery store two to three times a week and buy what they are going to eat in the next couple of days for maximum freshness and zero food waste.
Brian and Erin both grew up in places where food was a big part of the culture, with big, big servings for everyone. Their family still practices that food philosophy and its been difficult for some of their relatives to adjust to the couples new lifestyle.
When we go to visit, well say no, we just dont want to eat all that food, Erin said. Were not going to eat a giant plate of food just to make other people happy.
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Couple loses 175 pounds together: Their 7 lessons for weight-loss success - Today.com
