How Getting Realistic About Portion Sizes Helped Me Lose 20 Pounds
How smart nutrition helped one woman transform her body.
Photographs courtesy Meagan Kane.
Changing your body takes hard work, persistence, and dedication. Here’s one Philadelphian’s story. Want to share your Transformation Story? Email ccunningham@phillymag.com.
Who: Meagan Kane, 28, a communications specialist from near Cherry Hill, New Jersey
What inspired my change: “Prior to my wedding in 2016, I had worked hard to lose weight by limiting alcohol and following Weight Watchers, and I had gotten down to 139 pounds. I felt great on my wedding day and my dress was even a little too big! But after the wedding, I took it upon myself to ‘treat myself’ for all of those months of hard work and deprivation. At the end of September 2017, my husband and I took a two-week trip all over Europe for our one-year wedding anniversary. I remember going through the pictures after the trip and barely recognizing the person in those pictures. I was embarrassed about how much weight I had put on in only ONE year since my wedding and knew I needed to change. As much as I would like to say I had enough willpower on my own, I already felt pretty defeated and down about myself and knew I needed the help of a professional.”
Starting weight: 162
Ending weight: 143 — and counting!
Height: 5’6″
How long it took: “I started working with OnPoint Nutrition at the end of October.”
What changed: “I am definitely happier! I hated going shopping or figuring out what I was going to wear out with friends. I just felt really bad about myself. I’ve definitely gotten some confidence back.”
How I changed my diet: “I think one of the biggest changes I had to make was portion sizes. I really love to cook, but often times recipes make four to six servings. There were many times that ‘four servings’ were equally split between my husband and myself. I always have tried to eat on the healthier side, so I didn’t have to force myself to like certain foods or vegetables, but I definitely had to adjust the ratio of starches and proteins to vegetables. Another HUGE thing for me was increasing my water intake by setting reminders and tracking how much I was drinking throughout the day. Another adjustment I’ve made has been my dairy intake. I never felt great after eating cheeses or ice cream, so instead I’ve been using a lot of dairy alternates such as almond milk. I also recently have started doing ‘meatless Mondays.’ I have been experimenting with tempeh and tofu and even have husband joining in with me!”
How I changed my exercise plan: “I really needed to step up my game. I have never minded working out once I am at the gym, but I often struggle with actually getting there. I’ve been trying to mix in some workout classes and creating goals for myself. Right now I am currently training for the Broad Street Run!”
What I’m most proud of: “I think I am most proud of sticking with this! I am a yo-yo dieter — I will try something new, it’ll work for a while, and then I’ll burn out and totally blow it. I think I’ve been successful this time around because I never feel deprived. I can still go out to eat (my husband and I are avid foodies) but I’ve learned how to navigate the restaurant scene and adjust what I’m eating during the day to accommodate the meal out. Alcohol is often involved when meeting up with friends, and I’ve been able to have a drink or two and still have fun.”
“There are still days where a vat of cookie dough sounds a heck of a lot better than the salad I’ve chosen to eat, but I know I’m putting good food into my body and ultimately will feel better in doing so.”
The hardest part: “Mentally realizing how far I’ve come. I’ve gone down two pants sizes but I am still not quite satisfied yet. I know I’ve lost around 20 pounds and I am very proud of myself for that, but I think I could work on loving this newer, thinner me!”
What’s next: “I am definitely still working on losing some more weight. My best friend is getting married in June and I would LOVE to reach my goal of 130-135 by then. It is definitely motivation!”
What I want everyone to know: “I think it’s easy to feel like ‘diets’ are draining and limiting, but working with OnPoint has never felt like that. I have learned so much about food and myself and how to make better choices, but never limiting my options. Don’t get me wrong, there are still days where a vat of cookie dough sounds a heck of a lot better than the salad I’ve chosen to eat, but I know I’m putting good food into my body and ultimately will feel better in doing so.”
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