My name is Jeanne DeClue (@ finessecurves314) and I’m 32 years old. I live in St. Louis, Missouri, and am a professional copywriter. After struggling with my weight for years, I started on a ketone diet, then switched to a plant-based diet and started paddling to lose about 55 pounds during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first time I realized that my weight was starting to rise was at the end of high school. I was used to playing sports and being active, but my life became a little more sedentary after I graduated. My weight continued to increase for much of my adult life – so much so that my doctors suggested that I have surgery to lose weight.
But I decided against it. I was too scared to go under the knife because I had never done it before, so I was more interested in losing weight through diet and exercise. Still, committing to changing my diet and routine took a while.
Only after the pandemic hit did I seriously commit to losing weight.
When the COVID-19 pandemic started last March, I was in a job transition. At the time, I really wanted to feel better, so I started to focus more on my health. As I learned more about the new coronavirus, I was also afraid of what it meant to be considered high risk, so I felt even more pressure to start getting healthier right away, which meant being more aware of my weight.
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First, I switched to the ketone diet and recorded what I was eating using MyFitnessPal.
I used the app to help control my calories and macros. I tried to stay within my calorie range by eating no more than 50 grams of carbohydrates a day. I would do this by taking low-carb shakes in the morning, salads for lunch, and a protein-rich meal for dinner. I did this from the end of March until June. I quickly lost 11 kilos and it was great to reach that milestone.
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I saw that weight loss as a victory, but soon after I didn’t feel so good about the ketone diet, so I stopped counting macros and switched to a plant-based diet. Although I noticed that the weight didn’t drop so easily, I had a lot more energy and felt healthier.
I still eat cheese and eat what is considered junk food occasionally, but the way it looks to me is very different from what it used to be. I monitor everything I eat to make sure I have a calorie deficit.
Here’s what I eat a day.
- Breakfast: Green Smoothie Shred Juice
- Mid-morning snack: Fruits or nuts
- Lunch: A salad
- Dinner: A type of strong bowl of vegetables or zoodles; sometimes I add cheese or shrimp, but I really try to limit animal products
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I also learned a lot about rowing as a form of fitness, and it really helped me to have a more active lifestyle.
My exercise routine started in August 2020, when I was introduced to Row House Chesterfield. After being sedentary for a long time, working out was really intimidating for me. So when Row House Chesterfield came to me to try a class, I was very nervous and almost didn’t go. But during my first class, I felt very empowered and surprised at how much I liked it. It was not about who was doing the best, but about giving the best of yourself.
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Certain segments of the class also focused on working together as a unit to achieve targets, which was really cool. I also found it very relaxing, falling into a certain trance with the neon lights and the rhythm of the rowing movement. It was the first time in a long time that I felt I could do something and not feel ostracized or totally out of shape afterwards. It’s a full-body workout, but it’s also low-impact, which was perfect for me, considering that I hadn’t exercised in years.
Now, rowing is my favorite exercise. I paddle a few times a week. I like it because you can keep track of your personal statistics (division, distance rowing) and see how they improve over time, which motivates me to keep improving. It is so good to get new PRs.
Since November 2020, I also do aerobic dance and strength training. Aerobic dance is also fun because it pushes me in a different way than rowing. I don’t have a set schedule, but I try to row twice a week and I also try to go to one or two aerobic dance classes a week.
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Changing my eating style and starting an exercise day helped me lose 55 pounds.
I started with 420 pounds and am currently 365 pounds. I think the biggest thing that really helped with my weight loss was limiting my caloric intake for breakfast and lunch, which allows me to have a little space to tinker with dinner. I know you heard that you should eat more calories earlier in the day, but this is what really works for me. I think changing the types of snacks that as well helped. Now, I try to get the fruits instead of the high fat snacks that I would eat while on the ketone diet.
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The other important thing is that I learned to be consistent. It wasn’t until I saw the changes in my lifestyle, even though I blew it, that I really started to see the results. I learned that bad days are inevitable, but that you just need to keep pushing.
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