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Before jumping into how I lost 70 pounds in 12 months AND made money simultaneously, let me share some interesting data I found from NIDDK.
According to 2017–2018 data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
- Nearly 1 in 3 adults (30.7%) are overweight.
- More than 2 in 5 adults (42.4%) have obesity.
- About 1 in 11 adults (9.2%) have severe obesity.
According to 2017–2018 NHANES data
- About 1 in 6 children and adolescents ages 2 to 19 (16.1%) are overweight.
- Almost 1 in 5 children and adolescents ages 2 to 19 (19.3%) have obesity.
- About 1 in 16 children and adolescents ages 2 to 19 (6.1%) have severe obesity.
I want to start my weight-loss story by sharing my weight-gain story. Then we can dive into the 12 weight loss tips I’ve prepared.
It all began back when I started working at a call center. I sat most of the day and enjoyed unhealthy snacks and soda a bit too much.
At that point, I was still on the fast weight-gain track and continued to gain lbs ended up with a big ‘dad bod’ weighing a whole 270 lbs!
I tried many weight loss strategies, such as a low-carb diet, intense intermittent fasting, a low-calorie diet, etc.
Each method was difficult to maintain, and I lost a little weight and then gained it back super fast.
I tried and failed different workout programs. For example, I tried and failed many times to complete the Insanity workout program. Consistency was lacking in my life, and it became very discouraging.
I’m sure many of you can relate to the ups and downs of trying to lose weight.
In 2020, my incredible Son was born, and I realized I had to be in better shape for my Wife and Kiddo.
I became very serious and signed up for a Triathlon with two brothers. I also started 2 HealthyWage challenges, which helped me lose 70 pounds in 12 months and win a total $3,426!
Simply put, HealthyWage is a company that pays you to lose weight!!
Yes, you read that correctly!
You can earn up to $10,000 by losing weight and hitting your fitness goals.
I did 2 challenges with HealthyWage and won a total of $3,426!
So What Is HealthyWage?
HealthyWage is a website that allows you to earn money by losing weight. It is a company that helps people lose weight and get in shape.
People can join teams or go it alone, and if they reach their goals, they can earn money. They are a for-profit business entity. This means that they make money when their clients do well.
They have blended gambling with fitness to create a fun and motivating program.
HealthyWage gamifies the weight loss process to help people stick with it and see results.
How Does HealthyWage Work?
HealthyWage works by allowing you to bet on yourself to lose weight.
You can choose how much money you want to wager and how long you have to lose weight.
If you meet your goal, you get to keep the money!
There are three steps to getting started with HealthyWage:
- First, you create an account and set up your profile.
- Then, you set your goals and make your bet.
- Finally, you start working towards your weight-loss goals.
If you reach your goal, you get to keep the money! If you don’t, you lose your bet. HealthyWage is profitable because they take a cut of the money of the people who lose their bets.
Celebrity fitness expert Jillian Michaels also supports them. Through PR and influencer marketing, HealthyWage has been able to get its name out there and attract attention.
There isn’t a shortage of potential customers, as two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese.
I did two individual HealthyWage challenges back to back and went from 270 pounds to 200 pounds!
If you sign up with my unique link, you can have an additional $40 automatically added to your prize! Check it out HERE!
The weight loss and the prize money are also both great motivators, but you should also be aware of the potential risks before signing up.
Now I’d like to share with you 12 weight-loss success tips I learned myself and have used to lose 70 pounds in 12 months! These tips have also helped me maintain better mental health while losing weight.
1) Find a way to make yourself accountable (and MOTIVATED)
When becoming very serious about weight loss, I found my WHY but dug into my why and kept asking questions until I found my ‘root’ desire to lose weight.
Try searching for your reason or why FIRST, and then find a way to keep you accountable.
I loved the idea of doing a Sprint Triathlon to keep me accountable and motivated.
I was extremely out of shape when signing up for the triathlon with my two brothers.
Many doubts about being able to get ready in time hit me, but I was able to summon up enough courage to sign up. This action kept me accountable and motivated not to give up when things got tough.
2) Be aware of calorie consumption, but don’t over-stress it!
Alright, so I probably tried 20 + calorie calculators to ensure I have the EXACT amount of calories needed to lose weight each day.
Calories are not all created equally, with some calories keeping you fuller for longer.
I tried low-calorie (and low-carb) diets; both left me hungry most of the time. My calories kept running out too fast!
Don’t get me wrong, having a calorie deficit is important for weight loss, but don’t overstress calorie counting.
For example, I have an idea of how many calories I eat each day, but I try to focus on consuming the RIGHT and BEST calories for my body. Some examples include fruits, veggies, lean meats, etc.
If you’re a busy individual looking for a custom meal plan, I highly recommend trying NutriSystem.
NutriSystem is a very reputable company that provides fully prepared meals that have helped millions of people reach their weight goals.
You can start by taking a survey. Then you will have balanced plus nutritious meals and snacks sent to you!
3) When things get tough, take a HUGE step back
Many times during my weight loss journey, I would feel down or depressed. Sometimes the cravings felt too hard to resist.
Taking a HUGE step back and going to a quiet, calm place really helps!
I love getting outside for fresh air and taking deep breaths after calming down and remembering WHY the cravings tend to fade. Spending time with the family was a great way to get my mind off things.
I also learned it’s ok sometimes to have sweets or have them in small amounts. Restricting anything 100% is tough and not healthy in the long run.
4) Being consistent MOST OF THE TIME is key
Too many times, I would start BIG. I would try an intense workout or diet, but each time I would fail.
I highly recommend starting small, super small. Find something achievable that can be accomplished regularly.
The key is being consistent MOST OF THE TIME with small, achievable habits when first starting.
When building muscle, I started with 5-10 minutes of floor workouts but would MAKE SURE to be consistent.
5) Remember, you can always start fresh
It’s okay to slip up. Try not to be too hard on yourself, love yourself, and use positive self-talk.
Go back to the basics, and remember those small achievable goals you’ve set.
I’ve also learned the importance of NOT waiting for Monday to come around! Too many times I would put off my health goals until the next week.
Small achievable goals make it much easier to start again immediately – a fresh start is always available.
6) Don’t require perfection; it’s not gonna happen
Getting out of the ‘I’ve completely failed’ mindset is difficult and can still be challenging.
I’ve learned that we should not expect perfection from ourselves but expect improvement.
This also goes back to not restricting anything 100%. This makes cravings more intense and binging more likely to happen. It felt harder to change whenever I had tons of sweets or unhealthy foods.
Remember to love yourself and be forgiving if you make a mistake.
Finding joy in the journey is most important.
7) Exercise takes many forms
Exercising doesn’t always have to be for a specific time or exercise/program. Don’t get me wrong; exercise programs can be great and provide structure/accountability.
What I would like to emphasize is it’s important to be flexible.
I worked full time while going to school full time for a long while and would be hard on myself if I didn’t get in a certain exercise or amount of time in for exercise.
I believe it’s good to have structure and set aside time for exercise, but I would often not have a lot of time, so I would make sure to walk more that day or at least do something.
Try doing exercises that you enjoy, and get creative! Going on an outing or playing sports with family or friends is just one example of an enjoyable form of exercise.
8) When I say start small, I mean small!
This tip goes hand in hand with tip #7 – exercise takes many forms. An example of starting really small is that I would go on many outings with our kids or work on finishing our basement.
At first, I wouldn’t count these activities as exercise and felt I needed to run a mile to get a good workout, but I realized I was walking and moving a lot.
When first creating a new habit, it’s important to start small and acknowledge your successes.
My body was in an ACTIVE STATE, so I knew I was doing something good.
Try building small habits first.
Another example is how I didn’t start running, cycling, or biking every day to prepare for my triathlon. I would start with a 5-10 minute designated walk, then slowly work my way into a jog as the weeks continued.
9) Limit sugar, bad fats, processed foods, and fried foods
It’s best to cut out these types of foods, or at least for the most part.
The truth is, they don’t provide you with the necessary nutrition.
I try to limit these foods and only have them as part of a cheat meal once a week. That way, I didn’t worry about never having them again.
When you eat healthy foods instead of sugars, processed foods, etc., the calories don’t seem to matter very much and do not add up as fast as having a large hamburger with fries – save that for one cheat meal (NOT cheat day, not cheat week).
10) Find alternatives – focus on what you CAN eat
Focusing on alternatives was a great way to help me lose weight.
Finding alternatives is a great way to help train your mind to change.
Instead of saying, “I can’t eat that,” I would try to tell myself, “I can have THIS instead”.
This is a list I used while losing weight that really helped me realize there are many healthy and yummy alternatives out there.
| Whole Foods |
| Fruits |
| Veggies |
| Protein Shakes |
| Zero sugar drinks |
| Grilled food |
| Vitamins |
| Water, water, water |
| No added sugar foods |
| Soups (low sodium) |
Try writing a list of your favorite alternatives and put it somewhere you can see it frequently to remind you that losing weight shouldn’t be that hard!
The list I provided is more generic, but there are many specific foods (or drinks) for each one that I love.
11) Beware of items labeled “low fat.”
You’ll see lots of items in the supermarket labeled low fat.
I found out that many times they can even be worse for you. For example, reduced-fat peanut butter lacks important healthy fats for your body. Instead, I use “no added sugar” peanut butter.
Any time I see something labeled as reduced or low fat, I will do more research before risking my health.
Many times these types of items have MORE sugar than the regular product.
12) Change your relationship with food
It’s important to have a positive outlook on ALL foods.
Find foods you love to eat, and try new things!
One thing I’ve tried recently that I love is hot lemon & honey water. It’s delicious and refreshing.
Remember, it’s okay to eat unhealthy foods once in a while! Just work on putting more healthy foods into your body.
Extra Thoughts & Summary
Another weight-loss method I used was intermittent fasting which really accelerated my fat loss.
The quote below is simple yet powerful. It helps me remember failure only happens once we give up entirely.
“You never fail until you stop trying”
Albert Einstein
If you are on your journey of losing weight and becoming healthier, remember I’m rooting for you!
Be flexible with your exercise – including when, where, and what type of exercise you do.
Remember the importance of finding healthy alternatives to unhealthy foods.
Focus on getting the RIGHT and BEST calories into your diet. They will give you more natural energy and help you feel fuller longer.
Start with small, achievable habits and work on being consistent most of the time with those habits.
Above all else, love yourself and try to focus on the positives.
