When it comes to finding a healthy lifestyle, Kiah Twisselman of San Luis Obispo, California, said she’s “not special.”
She doesn’t have lots of money or a personal trainer; she doesn’t have energy and motivation to spare. Yet she still managed to lose 120 pounds in one year, all by making a series of small changes to her routine.
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Growing up, Kiah thought she couldn’t make many changes to her health because of a poor metabolism and genetics. It wasn’t until she was 26 and weighed 285 pounds that she realized she could pursue positive habits.
She turned to author and motivational speaker Rachel Hollis and adopted elements of her “five tips to thrive.” First, she began practicing gratitude and drinking plenty of water every day. Then she chose food by using Hollis’ advice to avoid meals that didn’t “bless” her body and kept a food journal so she would know when she was actually hungry. Finally, she built up to going to the gym for 30 minutes a day and woke up an hour earlier to make more time for herself.
“I just started showing up and doing it,” Kiah wrote. “That’s it.”
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It wasn’t long before she started seeing the results she wanted!
Along the way, she also developed a passion for helping others achieve their goals. Today, she’s a weight loss coach and shares motivational videos on her website and Instagram for anyone who is struggling to get and keep moving.
“Everything we do, even if it’s moving the laundry over, is an empowered choice that we GET to make,” she wrote. “Life isn’t happening to us, friends. Life is happening for us. Let’s change our HAVE-to’s to GET-to’s and practice an attitude of gratitude.”
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“I lost 100 pounds in less than a year,” she said later. “It’s been so challenging, so rewarding, and I wouldn’t trade this last year for the world.”
She said the hardest part was getting started. While her lifestyle changes were all small, they had a major impact on her day-to-day habits.
“If I can do it, you can ABSOLUTELY do it too,” she added. “Stop playing small, dream bigger for yourself, and keep showing up.”
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We love Kiah’s “baby steps” approach to making a major lifestyle change! After all, the longest journey begins with a single step in the right direction.
Share this story to encourage someone trying to take that first step.
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