After Years of Yo-Yo Dieting, Maria Completely Transformed Her Body With This Eating Plan

Maria weighed 190 pounds when her daughter was born, and because her daughter was extremely sick, she spent a few weeks in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). "I found myself alone with a sick baby and on a forced extended maternity leave. When she turned 1, I [weighed] 265 [pounds]," Maria told POPSUGAR.

"I knew that to set a good example for her," she said, "I had to make changes; if I wanted to decrease her chances of going through all the weight-related issues and drama I went through, the only way would be to teach her by example."

Maria was able to lose 80 pounds in the first year of her journey, but it didn't really feel like a victory to her. "The weight was gone, but the battle to keep it off began: the yo-yo dieting, the endless hours of cardio, the guilt trips directly associated with foods that were 'bad,' then hours of cardio to compensate, followed by days of extreme restriction to undo the 'damage.' Rinse and repeat," Maria said.

Fast-forward to July 2016, and Maria had been doing CrossFit for almost five years and eating strictly Paleo for six years. She was 175 pounds when she started CrossFit but didn't feel totally healthy, and after five years of CrossFit, Maria said, "I was over the 200[-pound] line again. I thought it was all muscle." Sure, she had gained a certain physical and mental strength she never would have known, but she also found an excuse to eat more.

Maria learned about Renaissance Periodization (RP) on social media right when she was about to get married and when her daughter was 10. Maria got a DEXA scan, which said she was 207 pounds with 43 percent body fat.

"I tell you without a shadow of doubt: had I not run into RP when I did, I'd still be trying to pin the tail to the donkey blindfolded and in a very dark room. That's exactly what my previous attempts at weight loss felt like compared to now," Maria said.

She's had a coach for the last two and a half years, and Maria said the coach's professionalism, knowledge, and willingness to help are unparalleled. "Yes, there's a cost associated with it, but it pales in comparison to the thousands of dollars I lost over the years on fad diets and quick fixes."

Around the time Maria found RP, she also injured herself and needed to take a break from CrossFit. She felt kind of lost in terms of deciding her next step. "In my mind, there was nothing after CrossFit." Lucky for Maria, RP also offers training templates, so she committed to a full training cycle, choosing to make an informed decision afterward about what she'd continue for her workouts.

She fell in love with RP! Now Maria is working out four days a week, which she finds is a good balance since she works full-time and is a wife and mom. She does weightlifting with a progressive overload focus, "which basically means I aim to make it a tiny little bit harder as time goes by."

On days that Maria doesn't train, she goes for a walk or gets on the rower for some low-intensity cardio. "I've managed to make sure I don't have excuses not to work out. I have equipment at home, and I have a membership to the gym at work, and another one at the gym at the facility where my daughter trains taekwondo twice a week. It basically doesn't leave me a way out," Maria said.

Maria trains four to five days a week. Her protein intake is the same for both training and nontraining days, but she eats more carbs on training days. "I'd lie if I said that some of my workouts have been solely motivated by the fact that I get to eat more carbs that day," Maria said.

Here's an example of a typical day of eating on Maria's training days:

First meal (around 6 a.m., before Maria leaves the house): egg whites with a handful of spinach and some salsa.

Second meal (midmorning/noon): protein ("I usually cook three different proteins and three different carbs when I prep, and mix and match throughout the week") and veggies.

Third meal: protein, carbs ("as I'm approaching training time") and veggies. "I like my veggies cooked fresh, so steam bags are my go-to, or a colorful salad with calorie-free dressing. It's usually chicken [for protein], sweet potatoes or butternut squash [for carbs], and broccoli or cauliflower [for veggies]."

Right before her workout: about 40 grams of carbs, such as a few dates or a little under one cup of brown rice — "something that allows me to pack in the amount of carbohydrates that I need, but at low volume so I don't feel stuffed when I'm working out," Maria said.

During her workout: protein shake (just protein powder and water).

Fourth meal: Maria usually isn't hungry after she works out, so she makes a protein shake and has some whole-grain cereal for carbs.

At bedtime: "I make a scrumptious casein protein pudding with peanut butter and whole-grain cereal."

Maria doesn't snack outside of these mealtimes because eating periodically throughout the day eliminates her hunger or craving for snacks.

Since beginning the RP diet and workout program, Maria has lost 40 pounds. "But forget about the weight," she said. "The body recomposition has been the real MVP in this game." Maria continues gaining strength, which is another nonscale victory. She hasn't lost any lean mass, in spite of multiple "cutting" phases and the fact that she's going to be 40 years old this year.

"But the greatest nonscale victory for me has been breaking the guilt cycle triggered by food. I no longer see foods as being 'good' or 'bad.' Food is what it is. I'm aware of its nutritional content, and it is that knowledge that drives my decisions. I am in control now, not the food. I no longer feel deprived when I choose not to eat something or guilty if I eat it. If I can describe that feeling with one word, it would be: freedom," Maria said.

"Motivation is not a state of being; it's what gets you started," Maria said. "Once you start, you have to have a plan. Preferably one that includes pit stops. Can you imagine trying to climb Kilimanjaro not knowing where or when your next camp is? Or starting college without a degree plan? Stick to the plan and you will reach the summit or obtain a degree or reach your goal weight or body fat eventually."

Maria reminded us that it's 100 percent OK to ask for help, and your support network will help you stay on track. It was a hard pill to swallow for Maria, having to admit she had absolutely no clue about nutrition, because obviously her methods, theories, and fad diets had failed her in the past. There are registered dietitians and certified fitness trainers who help people lose weight for a living, so use their expertise!

She said to let motivation get you started, but once you start, define your goals and lay down a plan. Know that you will make mistakes, and that's 100 percent OK too! "Those mistakes will be your greatest teachers," Maria said.

"And no matter what, be consistent!" she added. "What you do most of the time matters more than what you do some of the time. As long as you hang in there, the changes will come!"