Amandalyn Lost 115 Pounds by Eating Clean and Giving Up Alcohol — Here's How

"I've done every diet, magic pill, or drink you can think of to try and lose weight. I would gain and lose the same 20 pounds for years," Amandalyn shared. So when she was diagnosed with all those health issues, she was terrified. "I didn't know how to lose weight since I've struggled with it for years."

When she reached her highest weight of 265 pounds in June 2013, she tried to lose weight by eating healthier and doing some exercise, but ended up injuring her back eight months later, which took her activity level to nothing.

Amandalyn had had enough of living the way she had been and felt like it was her turn to put herself first. It wasn't until May 2015, at 230 pounds, when she finally started to lose weight by eating clean.

Amandalyn focused on being in a calorie deficit, but ate a ton of green veggies, about 10 to 15 ounces a day ("I felt like a rabbit," she said). Bison, cod, shrimp, chicken, eggs, and turkey were also part of her diet, and she'd eat around eight ounces of protein each day. She also ate two fruits a day, drank a ton of water, and stopped drinking alcohol.

"I was full all the time once I got used to this kind of eating," she said. "I rarely had cravings." She cooked all her foods in water and didn't use oils. She admits that she "went hard with my eating, but I was unsuccessful all the other times."

Amandalyn only ate like this for four weeks, then did a four-week reintroduction phase where she slowly started eating foods she previously hadn't been eating. She says it really helped her look at food differently.

She didn't start working out until she did this clean eating regimen twice. Once she lost around 80 pounds, she changed her diet to a more "normal" routine. "I upped my calories to around 1,500 [a day] and still ate very clean, but incorporated healthy fats," Amandalyn said. "Then I started working out six times a week which helped me lose the other 30-ish pounds."

"I didn't start exercising until I lost my first 50 pounds," Amandalyn said. Then she began looking at food as fuel and not as an emotional escape. Her workouts vary depending on her goals and what she wants to accomplish. "I have done Strongman Training, which is so much fun! It took my strength to another level." She now works out five to seven times a week, and currently does more of a bodybuilding routine to gain some muscle.

Amandalyn had her first skin removal surgery in October 2016. "It was awful; it was very painful and took about six months to recover," she said. In March 2018, she had a second scar revision, and they ended up taking more skin off her lower abdomen. "I am glad I did the surgeries. It was just not what I expected for recovery."

Amandalyn has lost a grand total of 115 pounds! Since her last surgery in March 2018, she's put on 10 pounds of muscle. "So as I sit today, I'm still 100 to 105 pounds lost, which I am still very happy about." We're so inspired!

Amandalyn loves going shopping now and not having to worry about shopping in the plus-size section. She lost a shoe size, too! "I was able to find a passion in trail running, which before there was no way you would ever catch me running." She was also able to wear bikinis, too, something she never would have done before.

"I stay motivated because I do not want to become the girl I was before," Amandlyn said. She spent the majority of her life watching her mother's health deteriorate, and Amandalyn didn't want to follow in her mother's footsteps. "I worked too hard to gain all my weight back."

Amandalyn said if you're on your own weight-loss journey, the most important thing you can do is to take one day at a time. "Each day is different. Some days you lose weight, and some days you have gains."

She also said to take lots of pictures before and during your journey so you can look at those when you are having bad days. "Those will help you remember where you started and how far you've come," she advised. Make small, attainable goals. "Yes, everyone has an end goal, but you need something to look forward to, just to keep you excited about the process. Every five or 10 pounds lost, I would celebrate it with a new shirt or workout outfit."

Now Amandalyn is working on writing a cookbook. "I love to cook! If it wasn't for my cooking skills, I'm not sure I would have been able to eat clean as long as I did," she said. So she's making a clean eating cookbook to help others make tasty meals that won't hinder weight loss.

Amandalyn is going on three years of maintenance, which she admits has been hard to adjust to. Being healthy and fit is still 100 percent on her mind, and she tries to help others by coaching them to lose weight. She even created her own weight-loss program. "I have had many successful clients the last two years lose a ton of weight. I have a passion for helping others, and through my journey it has been amazing to see the impact I had. I never imagined this is where my life would be after weight loss."