Sometimes, the most challenging part of losing weight, transforming your body, or reaching a certain fitness goal is simply the act of taking that first step to get started. If you crave a dose of pure motivation, you’ll want to read on to learn about one woman’s real (and truly inspiring!) weight loss journey. We talked to 30 years Eat this reader Lisa Maresca, who lost a significant amount of 100 pounds of weight! over a period of two and a half years. Here’s how she did it.
“I wanted to start my weight loss journey for a multitude of reasons. I am someone who has always struggled with my weight, and fluctuated for most of my life. I lost a lot of weight in late 2015 in a way very unhealthy. I was depriving myself of food and alcohol and was eating very little,” says Maresca. “It wasn’t sustainable, and the minute I stopped, I put all the weight back plus more.”
Speed up to July 2020 and Maresca was the heaviest it had ever been. This was also an unprecedented moment in our collective history with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. “Mentally and physically I was very unhealthy,” Maresca explains. “I went to Hershey Park with some friends that month and was too old to ride any of the roller coasters. The level of embarrassment and self-hatred I felt compelled to get off a ride when the ride attendant told me He said I may not be driving safely This ride was enough for me to want to change something.” And so her real journey began.
Not setting a rigid time frame for his ultimate goal was crucial to Maresca’s success.
Maresca kicked off her 100-pound weight loss journey in July 2020. From then until January 2023, her weight loss has been steady, with some plateaus all over the place, which is to be expected. “I haven’t given myself a set time frame to achieve this, and I think that has really helped me remove any unnecessary pressure on myself,” she reveals.
Maresca also stresses that it’s important to “control the controllable” and ask yourself, “What can I control?” For Maresca, it’s his mentality and physical activity. “I think some people think weight loss is just working out and watching what you eat, but there’s a huge mental component,” she tells us.
Of course, Maresca is only human like the rest of us, and there are some tougher days where it’s hard to get to the gym early in the morning, or her body dysmorphia kicks in. “But I’ve learned to recognize those moments and take the actions I need to realign my mindset. I have a great support system of friends and family who are always there for me,” she says.
This meal plan helped Maresca lose 100 pounds.
First of all, it was essential to develop a healthy relationship with food. Having struggled with eating disorders in the past and having tried countless “crash diets” that weren’t easy to stick with over the long term, Maresca recognized the importance of identifying a plan that worked best for her body. “I didn’t want to deprive myself,” she says. “I’ve been trying to eat healthy most of the time by cooking when I’m at home, but when [went] out to eat, I ordered what I wanted without feeling guilty.”
She’s not a big fan of complicated cooking or meal prep, so she prefers recipes that are pretty simple to prepare. A favourite? Seasoned and Baked Chicken Thighs! “Chicken thighs aren’t as healthy as chicken breasts, but I think they’re way tastier than chicken breasts. I’ll cook a piece of salmon with some Dijon mustard on top. I’m also a big fan of lentil paste.” and chickpea paste at Trader Joe’s.”
Plus, Maresca has mostly cut out the drinking at home and saves it for a special treat when out with friends.
She is a big fan of Orange Theory.
Losing weight is a solid combination of diet and exercise. Maresca is a full supporter of OrangeTheory. “I love the coaches and the classes and the community,” she says. “I’m a morning workout person, so I go before work three (sometimes four) times a week. I’m not perfect and I’ve been through waves of not going regularly, but once I push myself to go and get back into my routine, I feel great mentally and physically.”
Of course, what works for one person may not work for someone else when it comes to losing weight, because everyone’s body is unique. But Maresca leaves us all with some good advice. “She. Find what works for you and stick with it as long as it makes you happy,” she advises. “At the end of the day, you need to take this journey for yourself because you want to be healthier physically and mentally. Never, ever, think that your worth is related to your weight. If someone in your life is nagging you to lose weight or want to be in your life only if you lose weight, they are not the kind of people you want around. Check out the controllable ones. We couldn’t agree more.
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Alexa Melardo
Alexa is the Deputy Mind + Body Director of Eat This, Not That!, who oversees the M+B channel and provides readers with interesting fitness, wellness and self-care topics. Read more about Alexa
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