- General Cohen spent nearly a decade trying fad diets, only to end up gaining weight.
- The 21-year-old decided to take a different, more sustainable approach.
- Instead of hating her skinny self, Cohen decided to love her healthy self, she said.
General Cohen spent almost 10 years, starting at the age of 12, in various endeavors. fad diet I tried to lose weight, but all I ended up doing was yo-yoing.
“I’ve struggled with my weight my whole life,” Cohen, now 29, told Business Insider.
After entering college and gaining weight, Cohen no longer recognized himself. She decided to change her mind and go on a fitness journey, but she wanted to do things differently this time.
Mr. Cohen is based in San Diego. high protein diet Gently calorie deficit,continue 80/20 principleThat means she didn’t cut anything out of her diet and enjoyed snacks and alcohol in moderation.
nevertheless cohen I didn’t lose weight for 3 months, but I stayed steady and lost 50 pounds in a year. She continued to lose weight for 7 years.
Cohen went on a diet for the first time at age 12.
Cohen grew up in a small town in Connecticut, where health wasn’t a top priority, she said. She was active and played sports, but after that she always went to McDonald’s with her teammates.
Cohen remembers going on her first diet at age 12, which she now recognizes contributed to her negative body image.
When she attended college in San Diego, being able to eat out for every meal was a novelty. So she did that and quit sports.
“I ended up gaining about 30 pounds and couldn’t figure out how to lose the weight for the life of me,” Cohen said. “I was frustrated and sad and everything I read was telling me to eat 1,200 calories, so I felt really duped by the media and the weight loss industry.” cut out carbs“Don’t eat fat, buy protein shakes and supplements,” but the more products and quick-fix solutions you try, the more damage you’re doing. I thought so. ”
She said if you lose 10 pounds, you’ll gain 15 pounds back, and if you lose 20 pounds, you’ll gain 30 pounds back. Her experience reflects the way her research has shown. unsustainable weight loss These methods can stress your body and lead to weight rebound.
“I lacked a certain level of self-love, which caused me to feel physically awful after eating very large amounts of food,” Cohen said.
Cohen’s 21st birthday was a turning point.
On Cohen’s 21st birthday, her mother flew to visit her. They went to beautiful scenic spots and took lots of photos, but when Ms. Cohen later looked back at her photos, she was shocked at how she looked.
“I physically felt my heart drop into my stomach because I didn’t really notice the girl looking back at me,” Cohen said.
When I got home and stepped on the scale for the first time in a while, I had weighed 205 pounds.
Instead of going out to a bar to celebrate her 21st birthday like many Americans, Cohen spent the rest of the night crying on the bathroom floor, feeling upset, disappointed, confused, lost and scared. Felt.
“If I’m gaining weight so fast without even realizing it, when will it stop?” I thought. she said. She said: “I had tried to lose weight so many times in the past that I thought I had no cause.”
But Cohen realized he had a choice. She can either “sit on the bathroom floor for the rest of her life and accept her fate, or she can try again,” Cohen said.
Cohen decided to ‘move towards health and self-love’
The next day, she and her mother went to the mall to buy workout clothes, protein powder, and a mixer.
She knew she had to do things differently, so she began educating herself, devouring information about nutrition, fitness, and mindset. There are no quick fixes, gimmicks, or shortcuts this time.
“I vowed to myself that instead of hating myself for being thin, I would love myself for being healthy,” Cohen said. “Every time, I tried to do this. lose weight, I’ve tried doing it for guys, for holidays, for special events, for New Year’s, but this was the first time I’d really done it for myself. ”
Cohen meal was prepared and eaten with a mild calorie deficit
Cohen knew she needed to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight, but unlike many previous attempts, she wanted to maintain a sustainable calorie count, so she didn’t lower her calories too much. I decided not to. nutritionist and commonly recommended by nutritionists).
Rather than cutting out carbs and fats, as she had previously tried, Cohen aimed for a healthy balance. What she noticed was proteinprotein helps maintain muscle and keep you feeling full, ensuring you’re getting it in at every meal and starting meal prepping.
Cohen had never cooked chicken breast before, so she learned about cooking and nutrition at the same time.
Every Sunday morning, Cohen would write out a meal plan for the week, go to the grocery store, then go home and prepare the meals.
She tracked, weighed, and measured everything. calculate calories Weighing your food can serve as an educational tool, helping you learn what different foods provide and how much your body needs, but this may not be suitable for everyone, and you may need to Nor is it the only way to reduce it.
Importantly, Cohen was not overly strict with his diet, aiming to follow the “80/20” principle. This means that 80% of what Cohen was eating was nutritious and balanced, and 20% was what she imagined. Nutritionists recommend this approach so you don’t feel like you’re being deprived of something you enjoy. Sustainable.
Due to his injury, Cohen was unable to do any serious exercise, but he was well-fed.
Cohen didn’t lose weight for three months
During the first three months of her new lifestyle, Cohen didn’t lose a single pound.
“I felt devastated, confused and betrayed,” Cohen said. “I had blood tests, I had my thyroid checked, and I was exploring all the different methods and options.”
Cohen made the decision to use birth control. copper IUD — was removed even though doctors said it would not affect weight. Within seven days after the surgery, Cohen’s weight decreased by 10 pounds.
Copper IUDs, also known as copper coils, are non-hormonal contraceptives and weight gain is not listed as a side effect. There is some anecdotal evidence from women who claim this device has led to weight gain, but here’s the scientific evidence: It is insufficient.
Cohen doesn’t know if having the IUD removed affected her weight loss or if it was a coincidence. This is because it may take some time before you notice weight loss.
Cohen, who is now a certified nutrition coach, suspects that years of yo-yo dieting put her body under high stress, which is why it took so long to recover.
Over the next nine months, Cohen lost another 40 pounds. “She says it took her 12 months to lose the weight because she had been trying for months,” she said.
Cohen has maintained his weight loss for seven years.
After losing all the weight he wanted, Cohen moved on. maintenance, it wasn’t easy. She said it took a bit of trial and error to figure out how much to take to give her body enough energy and keep her weight stable.
Learning how to make healthier versions of her favorite takeout foods has allowed Cohen to enjoy snacks while controlling her weight, and has helped her work on her mindset and self-love, which has helped her make all her meals more enjoyable. I enjoyed it and didn’t feel guilty afterwards.
She enjoys drinking in moderation, but has learned to make lighter choices while losing weight. For example, a tequila shot instead of a margarita or a vodka soda instead of a Red Bull vodka slushie, she said.
Since recovering from his injury in about a year after cutting weight, Cohen has strength training I walk 2-3 times a week.
“I’m not your typical fitness girl who has to go to the gym six or seven days a week,” Cohen said. “The gym is not my therapy. The gym is my insurance.”
Her most consistent form of exercise is just walking.
“I walk every day,” Cohen said. “It’s a big part of my life.”