Kiah Twisselman, as told to Emily Shiffer

<p>I dont ever remember a time when I wasnt overweight growing up. I battled obesity most of my life. I was raised in rural California on my familys now seventh generation cattle ranch, an hour from the nearest grocery store, gas station, or high school. We were surrounded by wide open spaces, beautiful wildlife, and the most incredible home-cooked meals. </p>

<p>Food was comforting for me. <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a30422591/keto-diet-trainerize-app-emotional-eating-weight-loss-success-story/" id="19d631d8-7fe7-3bd1-a60f-67db872b0a16">  I ate when I was sad, angry, excited, happy, bored </a> you name it. But my weight made doing normal things on the ranch difficult for me, whether that was lifting hay bales or feeding cattle, being able to mount a horse, or keep up with my brothers and cousins.</p>

<h1> The earliest I can remember going on a diet was around 10 years old.  </h1>

<p>I did the <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a27556620/atkins-diet-weight-loss-story/" id="03b74073-7ac7-38e2-aee1-856f475816e4">  Atkins diet </a> with my parents. I <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a32056025/accountability-coach-counting-macros-yo-yo-dieting-weight-loss-success-story/" id="934d975c-4b0d-35ca-aa53-ac410ea7d4b9">  yo-yo dieted </a> off and on through high school and college. After so many failed attempts, I would eventually get to a point where I accepted that I was a victim to the poor genetic hand I was dealt, and that just maybe there was nothing I could do about it.</p>

<p>After college, I moved to Germany for a year. I remember how difficult it was for me to do simple things like walk from my host familys house to the university or even have the energy to explore at all. I love to travel, but my weight made fitting into airplane seats challenging and at one point I even had to ask for a seat belt extender, which felt like a new low for me.</p>

<p>I was also worried about my health. <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a19956435/subtle-diabetes-symptoms/" id="d809f446-1d3b-3842-a5bc-a5abdc36b4f0">  Diabetes </a> and <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/g19947803/heart-disease-need-to-know-facts/" id="afe3ee89-37d4-3480-a0e9-799182c76fd2">  heart disease </a> run in my family. I became complacent and just simply accepted that it wasnt if I were to get diabetes and/or heart disease, but when. I grew up in a big family, and I knew I wanted to have my own someday if possible. I would hear stories about overweight women struggling to get pregnant or stay pregnant, and I knew that if I wanted the best chances of being a mom one day, then I needed to start taking care of myself.</p>

<h1> My turning point came during a squished flight from Kentucky to Arizona for a work conference.  </h1>

<p>I had just bought <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Wash-Your-Face-Believing/dp/1400201659" id="796c5845-2a2c-30e8-aed6-69bfda7e40a9">  Rachel Hollis Girl, Wash Your Face </a> . On that one plane ride, I devoured it from start to finish. It was the words I needed at the time, and I was ready to receive them. It was a wake-up call for me that if I wanted to change anything about my lifemy health, my career, my relationshipsthen it was 100 percent up to me to do it. Instead of playing victim to my circumstancesmy job, my income, my geneticsI knew it was time that I take complete ownership of my choices.</p>

<h1> I started   following Rachel on social media  and saw her Last 90 Days Challenge pop up in my feed. </h1>

<p>She had what she called her <a href="https://msrachelhollis.com/2020/02/11/five-to-thrive/" id="84eed6f0-4c65-3fac-a355-071c8f910f37">  5 to Thrive, </a> or five simple daily habits that she challenged you to do each day for the last 90 days of the year ( <a href="https://msrachelhollis.com/2020/02/11/five-to-thrive/" id="b81aec01-8180-32f7-a5a3-3f76fab43ca1">  read all about it here </a> ):</p>

<ol><li> Get up an hour earlier than you normally do and use that time for yourself. </li><li> Work out for at least 30 minutes. </li><li> Drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day. </li><li> Give up one food category you know you shouldnt be eating. </li><li> Write down 10 things youre grateful for every single day. </li></ol>

<h1> On October 1, 2018, at the age of 25, I decided to start my weight loss journey with those five habits.  </h1>

<p>By the end of December, I had lost 25 pounds. For the first time in my life I didnt feel like on January 1st I was making a bunch of empty promises I knew I wouldnt stick with.</p>

<p>I wanted to find a way to fuel my body with healthy foods that make it feel great while still being able to enjoy the foods I love! Some of my food philosophies include:</p>

<ol><li> <strong> Lose the weight the same way you intend to keep it off.  </strong> The best diet for you is the one you can stick with for the long haul. Dont sign yourself up for the fad diet that has you counting down the days until its over. Its more about creating a sustainable lifestyle that you love, not a temporary one that you despise. </li><li> <strong> There are no bad foods, just choices.  </strong> You can absolutely lose weight while eating chocolate cake, <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/g30294506/healthy-frozen-pizza/">pizza</a> , wine, and whatever other foods you've deemed off-limits because of traditional diet culture. Its about *how* we enjoy foods that make them good or bad, not the foods themselves. Balance and mindful moderation are key. </li><li> <strong> Organic, non-gmo, gluten-free, dairy-free, all-natural, grass-fed, free-range, etc. does not necessarily = healthier.  </strong> Whatever your preference, focus on eating a variety of whole, nutrient-dense foods regardless of their marketing claims. Its a privilege to live in a country with a safe food supply and plentiful options. Dont buy into the hype that you have to spend an exorbitant amount of money on specialty foods to be healthy. </li></ol>

<p><strong> Heres what I typically eat in a day. </strong></p>

<ul><li> <strong> Breakfast:  </strong> Two eggs, two slices of bacon, and a cup of coffee with sugar-free hazelnut creamer </li><li> <strong> Lunch:  </strong> A Greek grain bowl (grilled chicken, quinoa, garlic yogurt sauce, cucumber, tomatoes, arugula) </li><li> <strong> Snacks:  </strong> Fresh fruit, <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a19915703/healthy-beef-jerky/">beef jerky</a> </li><li> <strong> Dinner:  </strong> Steak salad (mixed greens, thinly sliced and grilled tri-tip steak, apples, dried cranberries, walnuts, balsamic dressing) </li><li> <strong> Dessert:  </strong> A glass of red wine and a piece of <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a32303962/dark-chocolate-power-bark-serena-wolf-recipe/">dark chocolate</a> </li></ul>

<h1> I used to be very self-conscious about going to a gym and working out in public. So I met myself where I was at. </h1>

<p>For me, that meant starting with free YouTube <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a32291923/weight-watchers-high-fitness-dance-workouts-weight-loss-success-story/" id="8438cb16-9ebe-345f-a2d0-d4461571dd87">  dance workout videos </a> in my living room. More than a year and a half later, thats still one of my favorite ways to exercise.</p>

<p>I recently decided to start <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a19915069/how-long-do-you-need-to-train-for-a-marathon/" id="e40520af-835e-3948-a9d5-c8732213752c">  training for a marathon </a> , so I try to run at least three times a week on my favorite trail by the ocean or at my familys ranch. I sprinkle in free <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a30522035/what-is-strength-training/" id="4cef55d3-2689-34e9-ae6a-42821cb19e90">  strength training workouts </a> from YouTube using a set of dumbbells, a few rides on a stationary bike ride while watching my favorite Netflix show, and the occasional <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/g32393284/morning-yoga-routine/" id="26c314b5-a254-36d6-acdb-d259fb5822ef">  yoga </a> or hike with friends in between.</p>

<p>I try to move my body for at least 30 minutes every day, even if some days that just means a simple walk on the ranch.</p>

<h1>  These three changes helped me see the most noticeable results in my weight loss journey.  </h1>

<p><strong> Change one: I readjusted my mindset. </strong> My physical transformation is the most apparent, but my mindset change has been the most impactful. Intentionally choosing thoughts about myself that felt like love instead of hate and judgement was the greatest change I made, and that has led to my success. <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/g21966297/best-self-love-books/" id="fbbef261-996f-3aab-aeb6-aa04aea53c83">  Choosing to love myself </a> and the future self I am always striving to become motivates me to show up and do the hard thing, even when I dont feel like it.</p>

<p><strong> Change two: I adopted <span id="5fc3a5f0-3ab2-346c-a577-05cda6800e7b" itemtype="link" itemscope="itemscope">  intuitive eating </span> . </strong> Our bodies are incredibly intuitive if we take the time to pause and really listen to them. Instead of telling myself that certain foods were off limits, I started listening to my body telling me when it was satisfied rather than finishing everything on my plate and becoming uncomfortably full. This gave me the freedom to enjoy the foods I loved in moderation and in a way that made me feel satisfied without feeling deprived. </p>

<p><strong> Change three: I focused on small baby steps and consistency. </strong>  I stopped beating myself up when I made a mistake and chose to forgive myself and fail my way forward no matter what. It can be frustrating when you dont see results quickly, but it is the small, consistent baby steps along the way that make the biggest impact. Its not about waiting to feel motivated, but about being disciplined enough to keep showing up, especially when you dont feel like itthats where the magic is.</p>

<h1>  I reached my goal of losing 100 pounds just three days before the one-year anniversary of my health journey.   </h1>

<p>Ill admit, I still havent reached my goal weight. What Ive come to realize, though, is that its not really about a goal weight. Sure, its great to set goals, but really this whole journey is more about the person you become along the way. Its about choosing daily to appreciate your body, fuel your body, and strengthen your body to continue striving to be the best version of younot about reaching an arbitrary number on the scale.</p>

<p>When I started my health journey, Ill admit that it was hard to look in the mirror and love myself. I practiced imagining my future self, the best possible version of me, and asking myself what she would be doing, how she would be showing up, and what I needed to do today to get one step closer to her. </p>

<p>I would look in the mirror and say, Okay, Kiah, maybe we dont love the way we look or feel right now, but we are going to love our future self enough to show up and do the hard thing today.</p>

A Rachel Hollis Challenge Helped Me Lose 125 Lbs.

<strong> My name is Kiah Twisselman ( <span id="ce1b9bd2-0a91-31f6-a000-949ca76c4610" itemtype="link" itemscope="itemscope">  @kiah_twisselman </span> ), and I am 27 years old. I live in San Luis Obispo, California, and Im a weight loss coach and owner of a creative marketing company called , as well as a sixth generation cattle rancher at . I was frustrated with my weight, so I decided to make some big changes. I've now lost 125 pounds. </strong>

'I Lost 125 Lbs. With Rachel Hollis' Last 90 Days Challenge And Intuitive Eating'

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Pulse Kenya is the most followed news and entertainment platform in Kenya. It informs and engages young Kenyans around the clock and provides updates by the hour.

Kiah Twisselman, as told to Emily Shiffer

Articles written by the author

'I Lost 125 Lbs. With Rachel Hollis' Last 90 Days Challenge And Intuitive Eating'