Liana Lost 180 Pounds Naturally by Making These 3 Changes to Her Daily Routine

POPSUGAR: What made you embark on your weight-loss journey?

Liana Sims: I remember being made fun of for being the fat kid in school as early as third grade. From the third grade until the age of 20, I pretty much bore the shame of the external results of my addiction to food. One day I decided I wanted more from life. I wanted to change the trajectory of my life. I was afraid of being obese forever and the implications of that obesity. Obesity was both an internal and external prison and I wanted freedom more than anything else in the world. After an encounter with God on a mountain one day I decided to pursue that which seemed impossible to me. Over the course of four years, that one courageous decision resulted in losing 180 pounds.

PS: How did you lose the weight? Did you follow a specific diet or do a specific workout?

LS: My first decision of change was to stop drinking soda. Next, I stopped eating fast food, unless it was Subway, Chipotle, El Pollo Loco, or one of the other few healthy fast food options. I was living in an apartment across the street from campus, so I decided to start grocery shopping and cooking my own meals. Occasionally, I would eat in the cafeteria, but instead of burgers and fries, I went to the salad bar [and would eat] chicken, veggies and foods that were healthy and high in protein and fiber. I stayed clear of my favorite weaknesses such as root beer floats and french fries.

I didn't begin with a gym membership or a detailed workout routine. Instead of driving to school, I began riding my bike. Small, gradual changes really added up and impacted my weight loss. Small beginnings led to lifelong victories. I began to walk more, park further distances, and use the stairs instead of the escalator or the elevator. I also picked up a swimming class at school. Eventually, I bought a gym membership and I incorporated a buddy system in my life. Some days I would work out alone, but other days I would have friends join me at the gym for some accountability. Spin class became one of my favorite and most effective workouts.

PS: What does a typical day of eating looking like for you?

LS: I am a creature of habit, especially when I am in a season of life. Currently, I am on a pescetarian diet because my body seems to respond well to this type of diet.

Breakfast options:

Lunch and dinner options:

PS: Do you count calories? Why or why not?

LS: Initially, I didn't count calories. I became much more conscious of my caloric intake though. For example, I started to look at the back of a package to see how many calories were in the item to determine if it was worth eating. I never realized one muffin could have 600 calories until I started doing this. It caused me to become more conscientious of what I was putting in my mouth. When I realize I have picked up some weight and I need to be more focused, diligent, and accountable about what I am eating, I do count calories. It helps me to be honest with myself about what I am putting into my body and the portions.

PS: What are some nonscale victories you've experienced?

LS: I wrote my first book ever about my weight-loss journey, Monday Never Comes. I've completed three half-marathons. I had the privilege of being featured on Oprah and the Today show. I can wrap a towel around my body. I can tie my own shoes without being winded. I can use the seat belt on the airplane without an extension. I can dream bigger because I conquered something that I thought would be impossible for me.

PS: What has been the most challenging aspect about your weight-loss journey? How did you overcome it?

LS: I battle food addiction so the most challenging part of the weight-loss journey is denying my flesh and keeping the weight off. Sometimes I win the battle and sometimes I lose, but I keep going because I never want to live life obese again. Once I faced the scale and had that honest conversation with myself it created an accountability/support system to help myself move forward. There's a website called DietBet that allows me to create weight-loss challenges and invite other people to join the challenge. This keeps me accountable but also connected to others who are fighting for their health as well. Also, I use an app called Lose It. It is a calorie counting app and I log my meals and snacks into the app. Also, social media is a platform I use to be completely transparent about where I am in the journey. Lastly, I have a few close friends who I text throughout the week and we share our goals (fitness and non-fitness related) and hold one another accountable. I don't see "overcoming" as a one-time affair. It's not something you do and then it's over with. Overcoming is an ongoing process.

PS: What keeps you motivated?

LS: At the beginning of my weight-loss journey I wrote out my list of whys. I talk about this in my book. I emphasized that having the list of reasons why I began the journey is what keeps me going, even after I have setbacks.

PS: Do you have any advice or tips for people on their journey?

LS: My greatest advice is to move. Just make one decision today that you didn't make yesterday. Don't look at the overwhelming task in front of you. Instead, consider one thing that you can do towards the accomplishment of that goal. Once you complete that one task, pursue the next and the next. Eventually what once seemed impossible begins to feel real and attainable, but that only happens with momentum. Climb the mountain one step at a time. I encourage people to start small and make progressive changes.