Sophia’s Success Story

Why did you want to lose weight?

My motivation: I didn't fit into any clothes that I liked and was only buying clothes that best hid and concealed me. I felt uncomfortable around my friends and my partner, felt like people were watching me eat, I avoided body contact and a lot of times I didn't like myself.

The trigger: I had severe pain in my legs (pressure, ice cold feet, no sensation). I went to several different doctors and was sent to a lymphologist and tested for lipoedema. The end diagnosis, however, was obesity.

That was like a slap in the face for me, but it opened my eyes. Since it was shortly before Christmas, I set my start for the beginning of the year and made an appointment at the gym for Jan 10, 2017.

My life before the weight loss: I made a lot of attempts to lose weight, but always for other people and never for myself. I often failed because I would go from 0 to 100 into a crash diet, didn't let myself eat anything and was starving.

I would get frustrated and then eat everything that I had forbid myself from eating. After every diet, I would gain the weight back that I'd lost, plus another 10 to 20 lb.

What did you want to accomplish on your journey?

My goal was to like myelf again and to be happier in my relationship and enjoy clothes shopping again. I also wanted to be able to do activities (swimming, indoor rock climbing, etc.) with friends and family and not to have to make excuses anymore.

I wanted to be able to enjoy beach vacations to the fullest again, without being scared that someone would take a picture of me. More than anything, I wanted the pain in my legs to go away.

How did you reach your goals?

I put together my own diet. Not just "low carb", not just "calorie counting", and not just "a lot of exercise", rather everything together.

At the beginning, I felt a bit uncomfortable at the gym and decided to go jogging instead. I had fun with it and, after 2 to 3 months, I was jogging every day. I didn't just do it because of the fitness aspect, but it became more of a hobby for me and now it brings balance to my day.

---

---

Right now, I'm exercising about 4 to 5 times a week. I go jogging and swimming and do strength training and a Belly, Butt and Thigh course at the gym. When I first started, I added cheat days to help make the transition easier. However, they always gave me setbacks and it was no fun for me. So, I stopped doing them and tried to integrate small "cheats" into my everyday diet instead of for a whole day.

I eat very little to no carbs in the evening now. Not only because it helped me to lose weight, but I also sleep better without them and feel better the next day. Calorie counting was actually the most important for me. I need control over what I eat and this is what worked for me.

How did YAZIO help you?

From the day I downloaded YAZIO, I started weighing my food, studying the nutrition tables and integrating the app into my daily life.

By now, everyone in my circle of friends knows the app and all of them know that I always log my food and drinks before I consume them.

Not only did calorie counting help me keep an overview of my food, but it also helped me to expose and eliminate foods that seem "harmless", but aren't, from my life. For example, cereal from the grocery store. I never would have thought such a small bowl could have so many calories and so much sugar. It's also really helpful to see the amount of carbs, protein and fat you're consuming. Especially if you don't just want to lose weight, but also want to build muscle, YAZIO is a big help.

---

---

Did you have setbacks?

There are always days when you stand on the scale and the result isn't what you were hoping for. On days like this, you think: "Why am I actually doing this?". Those are the exact times that I would look at older pictures of myself or would put on an old pair of jeans or would talk to my loved ones.

It quickly became clear that changes were taking place. Slow or fast, it doesn't matter. Your body changes and when you notice and appreciate these small changes, you will always find new strength for new goals.

What advice do you have for other users?

Never give up. It may be hard, strain your nerves, change the way you live and your daily life, but it's all worth it.

Take a time out every once in a while and enjoy the food that you want to eat. If you're not feeling well, take a day off from the gym. The most important thing is that you keep going the next day and never lose sight of your goal.

Forgive yourself if you've gone a little overboard on a particular day. Don't fall back into old habits and most importantly: set small goals. That way you always have small accomplishments and can set new goals. It's motivating and gives you the feeling that you're making progress.

What are your future goals?

I want to focus more on strength training. Luckily, my skin kept its elasticity well, but like any other woman, there are parts of myself that I like more than others. I want to keeping working on these spots.

I will continue to count my calories, as "maintaining weight" is also a phase of weight loss. It's often the hardest phase.

Why do you want to tell your story?

It was a really big motivator for me to see other people's success and to tell myself: You can to that, too! When you stand in front of the mirror, it's hard for you to imagine what you'll look like with 10, 20, 30 or even 60 lb less weight. That's why it's so great to see the before & after pictures from others and to get a glimpse at their stories.

You realize that everyone was just beginning at some point, that it takes strength and that there are setbacks. I'm excited that I have my own before & after picture now and wish those on their own journeys all the strength in the world!

Start your own success story today.