Millions of Americans struggle with losing weight, which can be an incredibly difficult thing to do. Amanda “Mandie” Wood is one woman who knows exactly how hard it is to lose weight, but she did not let anything stop her from achieving her goal of getting healthy.

At 37 years of age, Mandie weighed 375 pounds and wore a size 28, and she wanted her life back.

In the fall of 2015, Mandie contacted a nutritionist who gave her three simple pieces of advice to lose weight.

“I follow balanced macros, which for me means that I try to ensure I am getting 35 percent of my calories from carbs, 25 percent of my calories from fat, and 40 percent of my calories from protein,” she explained.

Mandie learned that exercise was going to be an important part of this process, as it would take even longer for her to lose weight if her body was not burning any calories. After consulting a personal trainer, she was surprised to learn that she actually likes working out!

“Now going to the gym is one of my favorite times of the week,” Mandie said.

Thinking about getting down to her goal weight of 200 pounds was overwhelming for Mandie, so she instead set smaller goals for her to achieve on her way to her big one.

“Five pounds is much more manageable than the 200 pounds,” she explained.

Mandie also found that drinking water was a crucial part of dropping the pounds.

“Before I start d my weight loss journey I drank maybe 1L of water a day and never felt thirst. I have now worked my way up to about 4L of water per day and crave it all the time,” Mandie said. “I’ve replaced all my calorie-filled beverages with zero-calorie options, keep my body well hydrated and feel so much better! I have way less headaches, more energy, less hunger pangs, clearer skin…there are tons of benefits of staying hydrated.”

“The trick for me was to find the right type of bottle – some like small ones, others large. Some with a narrow opening, some with a wide one. Find what works for you,” she continued. “This is my favorite bottle – metal so it keeps the water cool even without ice, 40oz and a wide mouth. I fill this at least 3 times a day at work and carry it with me to all my meetings!”

Though it wasn’t easy for Mandie at the beginning, it has now become her overall lifestyle. Two years later, she has lost 150 pounds and is feeling better than ever!

Mandie wants to inspire others to lose weight as well, as she believes that if she can do it, anyone can!

“You will have days where you want to give up, where you get off track, or where you struggle,” she said. “Just don’t give up. Grant yourself grace and get back on track with your next meal or next workout.”

What an inspiring young woman!

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