My name is Karmen Chenelle Orr (@k_chenelle_fitness), and I am a 30-year-old certified fitness trainer and sports nutritionist in Atlanta, Georgia.
In 2015, my family went through a devastating, life-changing experience when my husband was paralyzed in a hit-and-run car accident. I’d given birth to my daughter two years prior and hadn’t dropped all my baby weight.
During this traumatic time in our lives, I became depressed and started eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I wasn’t into sweets, but I ate big meals without any kind of portion control. I was also drinking alcohol daily. These unhealthy habits caused my weight to spike substantially.
When I first decided to start my weight-loss journey three years ago, I was at my highest weight of 270 pounds.My cousin took a picture of me and posted it on social media, and I did not recognize myself. I knew I had to make a change.
I started my healthy-eating plan by not even acknowledging it was a “diet” because the word has such a negative connotation.
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I decided to abstain from the things that I turned to the most and that hindered me from getting back to me. I made lifestyle changes, as opposed to “diet” changes, that included not consuming alcohol or sodas, and not eating rice, breads, and pork. I used healthier recipes as substitutions for less-nutritious food cravings.
I also got really into making healthy fruit and vegetable smoothies, and they became a big part of my new healthy lifestyle.
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Here’s what I typically eat in a day.
- Breakfast: A fruit and veggie smoothie (berry, pineapple and spinach), two slices of turkey bacon, and one boiled egg
- Lunch: Turkey wrap with veggies
- Snack: Fruit and veggie smoothie, fruit, or a small handful almonds
- Dinner: Chicken breast, steamed asparagus, and sweet potato
- Dessert: Fruit smoothie with maca powder or chia seeds
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I purchased a gym membership and started working out right away.
I started out doing at-home workouts because I wasn’t super comfortable at the gym. Once I grew more comfortable, I went to the gym three days a week for 30 minutes a day.
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Right now, I am back to my at-home workouts, and I work out at least five times a week. I love doing HIIT (high-intensity interval training).
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These three changes made the biggest difference in my weight-loss results.
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Overall, I lost 100 pounds naturally over the course of three years.
Embrace the journey and understand that it takes time. Weight loss is not a race. There is a lot mentally that you have to process through, but trust the process. Most of us have a goal to lose a certain amount of weight, but don’t focus on the scale. Focus on how you feel.The changes will come, but show up every day and put in the work.
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