Before & After: How Amelia Became the Smallest She's Been in a Decade

Australian Amelia Dyer, our next Before & After success story, was tired of being unhappy with how she looked, so she made little changes that turned into big results. "I have struggled with my weight between kids but now have finally gotten down to a weight I haven't been for 10 years," Amelia says. "I went from being lazy and doing very little exercise to working out five to six days a week." Read how Amelia finally found success below!

Amelia: Before

POPSUGAR Fitness: What made you decide to start?
Amelia Dyer: I was so unhappy with how I looked, jumping on the scales and seeing I was over 100 kilograms [about 220 pounds] and being a size 18 creeping up to 20 made me snap and want to do something about it. I had constant conversations with my sister about the Michelle Bridges 12-Week Body Transformation program, and the more information I got from her, the more I was motivated to give it a go.

Amelia: Before

PS: What's your favorite way to work out?
AD: I love my boxing DVD. I find it therapeutic after a stressful day (normally I can juggle workouts at night when the two kids are in bed asleep) and doing running programs on my treadmill.

Amelia: Before

PS: What's your weekly exercise schedule?
AD: Normally I work out five to six days a week. I do a mixture, two to three days of strength training, two to three days of cardio and one day of something low key like yoga or big walk.

PS: How do you keep your workouts exciting?
AD: I work out with friends when I feel I'm lagging — that helps me keep motivated! As I normally work out at home, I'm constantly on the hunt for different workout DVDs, so I have a variety and don't get bored.

Amelia: After

PS: How much weight have you lost?
AD: I've lost about 38 kilograms [about 83 pounds] and still aiming to lose a bit more before the end of the year comes.

PS: What was the first big difference, other than the number on the scale, that really made you feel proud and excited?
AD: Before I lost all this weight, I found a pair of pants I absolutely loved (but at the time, weren't in my size), so I bought them in hopes that eventually I would fit into them. The day came, and they fit. I was so amazed, and that's when it hit me that there is a big difference. Now those pants are baggy on me!

PS: How do you track your weight loss?
AD: I use an app on my phone, MyFitnessPal, which tracks my weight and what I eat daily.

Amelia: After

PS: What's a typical day of meals and snacks?
AD: I aim for low-calorie meals that are around 250 to 300 [calories]. One of my favorites is slow-cooked teriyaki chicken with steamed broccoli. Snacks through the day vary from Greek yogurt, fruit, smoothies, Cruskits, and I sneak in the occasional milk coffee biscuits!

PS: What's the range of calories you eat per day?
AD: I try to stay, on average, each day, [around the] 1,200 to 1,300 mark while I'm still trying to lose weight.

PS: What are the healthy staples that are always in your fridge?
AD: Greek yogurt, low-fat cheese, various vegetables (carrot, cucumber, capsicum, shallots), and fruits (strawberries are a big one at the moment!), whole-grain mustard (LOVE having on my wraps), sliced ham, and minced ginger and garlic.

PS: How do you strategize for meals?
AD: Each week, I make a meal planner for the family and one for myself of what I will have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and what snacks I'll have through the day. By being organized like this and knowing what I'm having and where the calories are separated out, I feel more in control, and my willpower is strong.

PS: What advice do you have for anyone starting out on a weight-loss journey?
AD: Make sure you also take photos of your progress, so when you are feeling weak, you can look back and see how far you have come and why you are, in fact, doing it. It will be hard, and you will feel like you're going to break, but you need to soldier on and give it all you can, because it is worth it. Remember Rome wasn't built in a day.

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