Losing weight is hard, but it’s not impossible. A TikTok creator who lost 10 stone has revealed the secret to making a big change – and transformed her life to become a fitness instructor.
Cheeks, who goes by @big_silver_bird on TikTok and Instagram, has struggled with her weight since her 20s, and while it first affected what she wore and how she felt in it, it soon began to affect her health as well.
To achieve great things, she urged people like her to change their mindset and wake up to themselves.
Cheeks explained that in her 20s, the biggest problem with being overweight was not being able to wear what she wanted and not looking like other people her age, and while she admitted that she was sometimes self-conscious about what others thought of her, she didn’t worry too much about her weight.
In my mid-30s, I got married and had children, and my husband and I discovered we enjoyed eating together, so I started to turn my attention to cooking.
“Oh, this is worth it. Really, really worth it. Let’s do it.”
Instagram / @big_silver_bird
But as she reached her late 30s and early 40s and found herself weighing more than ever before, Cheeks revealed that her biggest concern was no longer how she looked, but how she felt.
She said: “And then I felt awful. I felt sick, I was in pain and things started changing with my body. This is exactly what happens when you’re significantly overweight for a long period of time.”
The weight-loss star admitted her struggle with weight loss was tough because she loves to eat, but some necessary “reality checks” helped her make big changes.
And with her weight leading to a total joint replacement surgery, she decided to make some lifestyle changes – eating large amounts of the wrong foods wasn’t helping her and was causing her “tremendous pain”.
“There’s a ton of information out there about calorie deficits, increasing protein intake, BMR (basal metabolic rate) and TDEE (total daily energy expenditure),” Cheeks told viewers.
“And while all of this is absolutely true, you won’t know what it feels like until you’ve lost a significant amount of weight. And that leads to my biggest weight loss tip.
“My biggest tip for losing weight is that it’s 99 percent mental. You’re no different from me. There’s nothing special about me. I don’t have any superpowers like willpower or motivation.”
“I’m a normal middle-aged woman who has lost a lot of weight by committing myself to the process and being honest with myself about the damage I was doing to my body.
“And what no one can tell you except someone who’s been through it heavily is that it’s really worth it. Really, really worth it. Just do it.”
To help develop a positive mindset around weight loss, experts at Lose It! say that weight loss is as much a mental game as it is a physical one.
They advised dieters to be clear about their motivation for losing weight, be compassionate with themselves during the weight loss process, take time to eat mindfully, set realistic goals, adopt a growth mindset instead of perfection, and focus on building long-term habits instead of chasing short-term results.
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According to diet experts, “weight loss is 99 percent mental”
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As well as cultivating the right mental state, dieters should also look at their diet and lifestyle habits. The NHS offers some key guidelines for people who want to lose weight: Dieters are advised to be active for 150 minutes a week (this can be split into shorter sessions).
When it comes to diet, Brits trying to lose weight should aim to eat five servings of fruit or vegetables a day, with the NHS pointing out that 80g of fresh, tinned or frozen fruit or vegetables counts as one serving.
To make healthier choices, dieters should read food labels and choose products that are color-coded green over amber or red.
You should also replace sugary drinks with water, which has no calories and makes you feel full, and if you don’t like the taste of water, the NHS recommends adding a slice of lemon or lime to give it flavour.
Dieters should also consider making food switches. To cut back on sugary and fatty foods, replace sugary cereals with whole grain alternatives.
People looking to lose weight should aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogram) per week, rather than losing weight rapidly.
