Starting at Over 200 Pounds, Kate Lost 82 Pounds With These 30-Minute Workouts

Over the years, Kate tried everything to lose weight; she even tried weight-loss pills and appetite suppressants. They didn't work. She wanted to lose a few pounds but really didn't know where to start on her own. She didn't know how to cook or about healthy eating or appropriate portion sizes.

Kate also had more than a dozen leg surgeries as a kid, and by her mid-20s, she was suffering from knee pain. "I had definitely never attempted anything like a burpee or a lunge." She needed guidance and a simple plan she could implement on her own.

One day, Kate saw a Facebook memory photo of herself from three or four years earlier and 50 pounds lighter. "It was a shock," Kate said, but it was just the thing she needed to spark a fire inside her to make a change.

"I grabbed the only sports bra I owned, only to find out it didn't fit over my chest. Not even close. I marched upstairs to the elliptical anyway — but had to get back off within eight minutes because my legs were burning and I was so out of breath."

As she stood there panting, she looked down at her phone and a post popped into her Facebook feed. Her friend Lauren mentioned the 21 Day Fix program — "30-minute workouts I could stream at home with a simple nutrition program that included chocolate and drinking wine. I was in."

They started on the same day together: Aug. 24, 2015. Kate liked that it was a simple game plan with no tricks:

-30-minute workouts for 21 days
-Proper portion sizes
-Accountability to stick to it

The 21 Day Fix program provides a nutritional guide with small, color-coded containers. Kate said it was like "food education 101, teaching me how to choose more nutritious foods and learn appropriate portion sizes." She found success with this eating plan because it was so simple. "It was real food, and no one expected me to spend hours in the kitchen cooking or googling a strange ingredient."

Her diet still included many of the things she used to love, like pizza, spaghetti, tacos, and pancakes — but was now homemade, with some healthy swaps.

Here's an example of what Kate eats in a day as a vegetarian:

"I don't follow eating at certain times of day," Kate said. Rather, she eats when she feels hungry.

Kate began with workout videos that were 30 minutes long, seven days a week. Five days a week, there was a mix of cardio and strength training, and two of those days were active recovery — Pilates and yoga. "It just became a daily part of my routine," Kate said.

"The workouts were tough. They challenged me both mentally and physically," Kate shared. "There was a woman on the video who modified the moves. Sometimes I even had to modify her modified moves," Kate said. "I cried more than once, frustrated by my body."

But when the workout was done, she had such an amazing feeling of accomplishment. And as a bonus, by the time she got to work, she felt so much more awake and ready to go!

It wasn't just the workouts that were taxing, but it was an adjustment sticking to the eating plan. "It was mentally exhausting to put energy into my food for the first time."

By the third week, though, Kate started to get into the swing of things. Her energy was picking up, so she committed to 21 more days.

The results? Within the first 10 months, she lost 70 pounds. She held steady there for about two years before realizing she needed to switch out of weight-loss mode. "I actually increased how much food I was eating and then dropped 10 more pounds of fat." To date, Kate is down 82 pounds, and she went from a size 16 to a size zero or two.

Kate also got her body fat percentage taken before and after, and she went from what was considered obese to athlete standard. "It's still hard for me to believe that I went from couch potato to weighing in at athlete-level fitness!"

Over the first year, Kate noticed numerous nonscale victories:

All the nonscale victories Kate experienced kept her motivated. "I could see in so many ways that my life was improving, and I was feeling better inside and out." Her accountability community was also a huge inspiration.

Another huge motivator? Her husband decided to join her. "So now we have 30 minutes together every day, where our goal is simply to be better versions of ourselves."

That kind of empowerment is actually why Kate decided to become a Beachbody coach. She said she fell so in love with the process and how good she felt that she decided "to pay it forward and now mentor other women through the programs."

She added, "I spent so long feeling like there was no hope for someone with my schedule or my body. I know how lonely and, at least for me, embarrassing it can feel to want to get started but have no idea how to start on your own." She wanted to let other women know they weren't alone. "It's turned into this incredibly rewarding journey in so many ways."

If you feel overwhelmed, especially if you have a significant amount of weight to lose, just focus on short-term goals. When it feels within your reach, you're less likely to give up. Those small victories will add up to big results.

Try to set one goal for the week, like working out for 10 minutes a day three times. Remember that all it takes is one healthy choice each day and you're one step closer to your goal.

"Know that it will be tough. This isn't easy for anyone, so don't expect it to be easy for you, either," Kate said. Keep your eye out for small changes and victories to inspire you to stick with it.

Maybe your pants are zipping up more easily or you have an easier time sleeping, or you notice the tiny muscle in your arm you didn't have before or the smile in the mirror — that one is huge! Be kind and patient with yourself, and always remember how far you've come.