How Intermittent Fasting Helped Me Lose Over 100 Pounds
Andrea Washington cut out sweets, did more cardio, and tried intermittent fasting during her transformation journey.
For this week’s Transformation feature, Andrea Washington shares her intermittent fasting weight loss story. Photographs courtesy Andrea Washington.
Changing your body takes hard work, persistence, and dedication. Here’s one local’s story. Want to share your Transformation Story? Email ccunningham@phillymag.com.
Who: Andrea Washington, 35, a social worker from North Philly
Why I wanted to make a change: “A year and a half ago, I woke up gasping for air, and I knew if I didn’t change I was going to die. After, I followed up with my doctor and completed a sleep study, which confirmed I had obstructive sleep apnea.”
Height: 5’9″
Starting weight: 316
Current weight: 213
What else changed: “I have more energy to interact with my children. I’m happier and I don’t get tired easily.”
How I changed my diet: “I cut out sweets, bread, and rice. Then recently, I started fasting where I don’t eat before 12 p.m. and no later then 7 p.m. Nowadays, for breakfast I will eat two boiled eggs, half of an apple and green tea. For a snack, I will eat the other half of an apple and 20 pistachios. For lunch, I will eat a stir fry with grilled chicken. For an afternoon snack, I will eat sugar-free jello, and then for dinner, I eat a chef salad with green tea.”
How I changed my workout plan: “I work out three times a week for an hour (cardio twice a week and Zumba once a week), and on Saturday I walk/run Kelly Drive all the way to the Art Museum. I also walk to work everyday, which is a little over a mile.”
“If you want it, you have to put in work! It took me over a year to get where I’m at, and it’s so worth it.”
The hardest part: “The hardest part was when the scale stopped moving and trying to figure out how to restart the weight loss. I ended up switching up my workout by doing cardio daily and didn’t eat after 6 p.m.”
What I’m most proud of: “As simple and crazy as it sounds, I love my thigh gap. When I was bigger, I hated the fact that my thighs would rub together and start chafing.”
What I want everyone to know: “It’s HARD work and there’s no secret pill or potion. If you want it, you have to put in work! It took me over a year to get where I’m at, and it’s so worth it.”
Let’s get social! Join Be Well Philly at:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | NEWSLETTER | TWITTER
