Rachael did not count the calories, ate what she wanted, and lost 50 pounds - that's how it works
"Before
I started losing weight, I had a terrible relationship with food," Rachael
Alles, 25, (rn_crossfit on
Instagram) told POPSUGAR. At the age of 19, Rachael was nearly 200 pounds, and
a comment from a family member induced her to make a change. She said, "I
wanted to prove to people that they are wrong and no longer be the fat
girl." Click through the slideshow above to find out how Rachael changed
her diet, found CrossFit,
and lost 50 pounds.
Rachael's story about food, weight, and diet
Rachael
ate large amounts of unhealthy fatty foods in the past. She told POPSUGAR that
she would eat out all the time, including Taco Bell, and often at the Olive
Garden because she worked there. "I only ate for pleasure," she said.
"I ate because it made me happy, and I ate because the food tastes
good."
Why Rachael has decided to make a change
"I
remember hearing from a family member that I would end up in the series My
600-Pound Life if I continued on the path I was on," Rachael said.
"It was so difficult for me, I knew I had to lose weight and I wanted to
prove that people are wrong and no longer the fat girl."
Rachael
had reached 195 pounds and said, "This was the last weight I can remember
when I stopped weighing myself because I did not want the scale to hit
200."
Rachael's journey began, and it was a slow start
So
Rachael started her journey in 2013 when she was just 20 years old after she quit
her job at Olive Garden. She admits that her original goal was to be "just
a skinny girl". When she started to lose weight, she thought, if she only
ate salads and skinny turkey burgers every day, she would grow thin.
"Well, I lost weight, but I did not build muscle and I did not feel
better," Rachael said. "I would also eat binge because I was holding
back from all the food I loved."
Like
many women, Rachael struggled so long without understanding what she needed to
do to be healthy. At that time she met an online nutritionist from Working Against Gravity.
Rachael diet
Rachael's
Nutritionist has created her macros and she does not count calories. Instead,
it counts fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, and weighs their entire food
accuracy. Rachael rarely eats out, but if she does, she
knows how to stay on the track.
While
she does not drink alcohol unless it's a special occasion, Rachael said working
with the nutritionist has given her the freedom to eat whatever she wants every
day. "I eat ice cream every night: Halo Top Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, I
can eat what I love and still look like me." Rachael feels she has finally
found some kind of food that is a long-term answer to the nutritional issue,
not a quick fix.
What Rachael eats in a day
Here's
an example of what Rachael eats in a day:
Breakfast:
egg white, turkey sausage, American cheese, with a side of Kodiak Cakes
chocolate cake and syrup
Lunch:
boiled broccoli, cauliflower mashed potato and a protein like pork or chicken
Dinner,
Snacks: strawberries, blueberries, cherries or any kind of fruit; Thin pop
popcorn; Sugar-free pudding for craving chocolate; Thinkthin Brownie Crunch
Bars; Peanut
butter when it needs the fat; or a protein shake if it needs protein.
"Every
day is different, but ice is every night - I can not live without my ice!"
Said Rachael.
Rachael's
workouts
Rachael
is doing CrossFit now,
but when she started training, she did the Beachbody programs Insanity and 21
Day Fix at home and trained six days a week. As soon as she could afford a gym,
she went to Anytime Fitness and hired a personal trainer who was more expensive
for a coach than CrossFit. When Rachael went to her first CrossFit class, she
quickly learned that CrossFit was suitable for everyone. "I wish I had
done that first!" She said.
Rachael's training and progress now
"Because
of my work schedule, I work out four days a week and sometimes I go to the gym
in the mornings and evenings, depending on what my body tells me and how much
strength I want to invest in the gym," Rachael said.
Between
2013 and 2019 Rachael has lost about 50 pounds. "I'm actually not that
heavy because my nutritionist and I realized that the
scale does not define my progress," Rachael said. "My pictures
and how I feel is my success."
Rachael's Thoughts on CrossFit
"I
want people to not be afraid of CrossFit," she said. "So often do I
hear people say, 'I can not do CrossFit because X, Y, Z.' Anyone can do
CrossFit. "No matter how tall you are, how old you are or whether you're
injured, anyone can exercise - you just scale to your level of performance.
Rachael said the coaches help you and push you to the limit, not someone
else's. "I really encourage people to try CrossFit for at least a week and
understand CrossFit before you say it's not for you," Rachael said.
Rachael's Nanoscale Victories
Rachael's
biggest win
has nothing to do with food. "Finally, I feel like I can eat and I'm
not afraid of eating," she said. She loves being able to eat normally and
not feeling bad because there is no "good" or "bad" food.
It's just food.
"Being
able to understand my diet was even better than losing weight - without feeling
guilty about eating out," Rachael said. "Having someone to cheer me
on and not shame me was the biggest help on my journey."
Rachael
added that another serious victory is that she is in amazing health. "As a
nurse, in good health, with excellent labs and an incredible feeling, this is
such a big win," said Rachael.
How Rachael remains motivated
What
is Rachael's biggest motivation? Herself! "When I started, I was motivated
by others," she said, but she learned that this does not prevent them from
working toward their goals or making them happy. "I had to find my
motivation in myself, I keep on doing to love my body, knowing that I'm going
to be healthy in my future," Rachael said.
Rachael
is also motivated to eat properly and do sports because she really has a
passion for it - she loves the gym and the food she eats. She said losing
weight or getting in shape should never be because somebody told you; that will
not motivate you in the long run. "You need to change, and
you want it for you," Rachael said. "When I found that out, it
was easier to stay on track, and proper training and eating is now a lifestyle
I could never do without."
Rachael's advice
If
you're thinking about quitting or it's just too hard, Rachael said, "Keep
going, do not stop, it's hard - really hard - but do not give up, you get a
life and a body, and you want me for it To take care of. "
It's
okay to ask people for help, and it's fine if your progress comes to a halt.
Just stay strong and stick to your plan. Rachael said, "I've had so many
highs and lows on this trip, and each time I remember why I'm here and I
need to stay up to date, even if I do not want to."
Rachael's last thoughts
"My
history of weight loss started with the idea that I just wanted to be a skinny
girl," she said. But when she had lost a good deal, got CrossFit and got a
nutritionist, she realized that it was no longer just about being thin. "I
want to be happy, healthy and fit," she said. "I want to go up and
down stairs and not be tired or sweaty, I want to lift heavy things and feel
like the strong girl, my goal is to prevent disease and lead a healthy life
around." It looks like Rachael has reached this goal - how inspiring!
Tags:
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