11 year old weight loss journey

• Conditionally
• Newsletter Signup

What I Learned as an 11 Year Old in Weight Watchers

By Aubrey Gordon

When I first read about Kurbo by WW , the new weight loss app designed for teens and children as young as eight, I was suddenly 11 years old again, sitting on the steps of a community center basement, summoned by the failure of my too-fat body. I was somehow both too much and too little.

Growing up as a fat kid meant hearing judgments, derision and outright revulsion of fat bodies at every turn: from family, friends, doctors, media, teachers. And at the center of it all were bodies like mine: the bodies of fat kids. I was a sixth grader, bare in a spotlight, defined by her insufficiency. So I was sent to Weight Watchers.

In those meetings, I heard adult women, one after the next, describe their fear of food, and their fear that they weren’t afraid enough. I heard them talk about the ways they saw their bodies as barriers to the things they wanted most: love, desire, success, money, happiness. I learned to blame my body for every failure. I learned to long for thinness as a pathway to another life, the technicolor world of happiness and success that those women described so longingly, which was just out of reach. I learned to chastise myself like they did. I learned to fear food, over time, coming to resent needing to eat at all.

All of that stands in such stark contrast to my life in adulthood. Today, at 35 years old, I am so proud of who I have become: the professional and academic successes I’ve garnered, the family I cherish, the relationships I’ve built, the ways in which I’ve failed, and the ways in which I’ve grown. Most days, I carry that pride and full heart with me, an awareness of the charmed and ever-evolving life I am privileged to lead. I’ve come a long way from the child that spent so many weeknights in Weight Watchers meetings.

WW—then known as Weight Watchers—was not my first diet, nor would it be my last. Growing up as a fat kid meant memorizing the rules of one diet after another: low fat, low carb, low calorie. Weight Watchers was just one stop on my odyssey through the diet industry, along with other notable stops like the diet pill stop and the meal replacement stop. I would go on to spend another 15 years desperately chasing weight loss that never came, like some cruel absurdist punchline, a preteen Waiting for Godot. But I learned so much from my time there; after all, I was the youngest in a room full of women who also seemed to understand—and repeat—the message that their lives wouldn't be complete until they weighed less.

At 11 years old, week after week, I sat in a room with older women and from them I learned the contours of my failures, and the failures of anyone with a body that’s “too big.” Despite the stark difference in our ages, experiences, needs and wants, these adult women were to be my peers, even as I was in the sixth grade. I worried about how to handle snacks at a sleepover; they worried about reigniting their dwindling sex lives with distant husbands. Their words became the scripts of self loathing I would faithfully recite for years to come. My future and my fortune, I learned, would forever be determined by my size.

I learned as a child in Weight Watchers that the joy of eating was reserved for those who were forever thin. The rest of us, I learned, needed to spend our lives weighing and cataloguing our food intake, pushing our bodies past exhaustion to “earn” foods with higher points values . I learned to expect the public humiliation of being weighed and assessed each week, my weight catalogued in a ledger by our group’s leader. In time, that shame lived within me, long after I stopped attending meetings.

I learned how many calories were in a half-cup of blueberries, a slice of cheese, a piece of toast. I learned to keep a food journal, a skill that I kept as an eating disorder flourished in me later in life. I learned that eating a piece of cake at a friend's birthday party was something I couldn’t do freely or joyfully, as thinner people could. Instead, I had to log it, account for it, explain it, remember it for weeks to come for the points that it added to my weekly quota. And I learned from the older women in the meeting that the appropriate response to such an indiscretion was to publicly bemoan my failure: of willpower, strength, character, and the penitence they so firmly believed was required to become thin. Just barely out of grade school, I had already learned the fundamentals of diet culture and disordered eating alike.

But more than that, I learned that all of my actions, accomplishments and failures would forever be broken, their light refracted through the prism of my body. The personal stories of group members and our group leader alike made it clear that their happiness, relationships, and very sense of self hinged on their ability to become thin. As a child in a room full of adults, these weren’t just individual stories. They were object lessons, frightening foreshadowing of my future life if I stayed fat. Any future relationship that failed would be squarely my own fault, a natural result of living in a body that was categorically undesirable. Social failures, too, would be understood as a direct result of the size of my body. Every aspect of my life, character and relationships would be measured against the yardstick of my soft and growing body.

By Lizzy Briskin

By Ali Finney

By Daisy Maldonado

As I read about Kurbo, I was reminded of what it felt like, not just to be in that room, but to be a child navigating these complicated lessons of eating and bodies for the first time. In adulthood, it’s easy to forget the rigor of childhood. There is so much work in charting our paths through the wilderness of a world that remains new to us. Eight-year-olds— the beginning of Kurbo’s target demographic —are left to make sense of the world around them, circumlocuting every interaction, mining them for meaning. As children, they are already detectives of social interactions: where do they fit in this world? What matters about who they are? Who has power, and how can they claim some influence of their own? And at precisely that moment, childhood weight loss programs reinforce in children what I learned so long ago: that their place in the world will be determined by the shape of their skin.

Of course, Kurbo isn’t the issue here. It is a symptom, but far from the whole disease. We have known for decades that most weight loss diets ultimately fail . Researchers suspect that dieting that results in dramatic weight loss over a short period of time may slow down your metabolism for years post diet—a cruel twist that, for many of us, essentially guarantees a lifetime as a fat person precisely because we’ve tried to escape that fate. According to a study by the National Eating Disorders Association, teens who diet are between five and 18 times more likely to develop eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, and that children and teens are particularly vulnerable to adverse outcomes from dieting. Children can and should access age-appropriate nutrition information, but focusing that education primarily around weight loss can harm more than it helps. And programs like Kurbo teach kids to restrict their eating through labeling some foods “red light” and “yellow light.” No wonder the NEDA published a statement recently airing their concerns about the app.

Despite what countless weight loss maxims and diet advertisements touting “success stories” would have you believe, we simply don’t know how to make fat people thin in the long term through diet and exercise alone. We don’t know what the answer is, but we know it’s not this.

Last year, upon the news of Weight Watcher’s rebrand to WW, I wasn’t angry with the company . They were doing then what they are doing now, and what so much of the diet industry focuses on: creating profit and value for their shareholders. Above all, WW, like the diet industry at large, is charged with the same task as any for-profit business: making money.

On the day in February of 2018 when WW announced they’d be offering free memberships to teens for six weeks during that summer, their stock prices soared, increasing by 16 percent in just one day. And 2018 shares reportedly surged 490 percent over the previous year. Suddenly, a company whose membership and earnings were previously on the decline looked like a promising investment. With their rebrand, WW did what it is designed to do: draw in new customers and new investors alike. I don’t begrudge them that.

But the impacts of these companies don’t begin and end at their corporate bottom line. The diet industry preys on insecurities to lock customers into a model that comes with no guarantees. After all, the diet industry still profits when their products fail us—otherwise the customer base would evaporate, the industry would wither.

I wasn’t angry last year. But today, my emotions are a roiling sea: Sometimes I feel defeated, sometimes angry, sometimes crestfallen, sometimes motivated. The diet industry’s success is predicated on our failure, and it is hard not to be stricken by the cynicism of such blatant hucksterism.

But what hurts more is the painfully ubiquitous narrative that our bodies are to blame for our failures, even in children who are just learning multiplication. Diet advertisements and weight loss shows constantly invoke willpower and work ethic, despite research from sources like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that about 75 percent of our health is determined by social determinants like where we live, what kinds of discrimination we experience, where we access health care, and our income level. But instead of adapting their approach, the diet industry showcases stories of people whose whole lives seem to have fully transformed following weight loss. Instead, they fall back on the same tired and ineffective narratives: that any incompleteness in fat people’s lives owes to our size. That fat bodies are a necessary failure, even as 70 percent of Americans have BMIs that are higher than recommended . That having a fat child is an inherent failure, a disease in desperate search of a cure. And that children as young as eight years old need to learn the shame and failure of their bodies, to prime them for a lifetime living in a world that reviles their shape.

Our children deserve better than shame. They deserve better than tactics we know only cause harm. And they deserve better than the hurt so many of us have already shouldered. Our children deserve better than the shame the diet industry offers them.

Your Fat Friend writes anonymously about the social realities of life as a very fat person. Her work has been translated into 19 languages and covered around the world. You can find her work on Upworthy, Vox, The Establishment, Everyday Feminism and Medium, among others. Most recently, Your Fat Friend was a contributor to Roxane Gay's Unruly Bodies compilation.

• Please Stop Trying to 'Encourage' Fat Athletes When You See Us Exercising
• It Took Me Years to Separate Working Out From Trying to Lose Weight. Here's How I Did It
• My Whole Identity Was Health and Wellness. My Reality Was Disordered Eating

SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

I Put My Kid on a Weight Loss Program and I'm Proud Of It

When I couldn't find a healthy eating app specifically for children, I started one.

A few years ago, when my son was 11, he was diagnosed as overweight. Doctors said he needed to do something about his high BMI, but other than telling him that he could no longer eat the foods he enjoyed, like bagels and French toast, they didn't offer many solutions. We both left the doctor's office feeling frustrated. My son said, Mom, I'm never going to another doctor again.

At home, I started putting restrictions on what he could eat, which just made him angry. My other son could eat whatever he wanted without gaining a pound. Our family was fighting about food all of the time. I would Google "weight loss for kids" but never found any realistic options.

As a parent, it's very scary to realize your child has a serious problem and you don't know how to fix it. You know they're getting teased at school and facing discrimination by their peers and teachers. You know that if their weight problem continues in adulthood, they'll face discrimination by employers. That's not even to speak of the health problems associated with obesity. It's really hard to not be stressed out when a doctor tells you your child's BMI is too high.

Looking for solutions

It was hard discussing my son's eating habits with him in a way that he wouldn't interpret as criticism. I realized there were very few weight-loss programs for children, and those that were available were expensive—our local program charged $3,500—and required in-person visits. What 11-year-old boy wants to talk about his weight in a group setting?

.css-130kfh4{font-family:Queulat,Queulat-fallback,Queulat-weightbold-roboto,Queulat-weightbold-local,Georgia,Arial,serif;font-size:1.625rem;font-weight:bold;letter-spacing:0.015rem;line-height:1.2;margin:0rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-130kfh4{font-size:1.6875rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-130kfh4{font-size:2.1875rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-130kfh4{font-size:2.1875rem;line-height:1.2;}}.css-130kfh4 b,.css-130kfh4 strong{font-family:inherit;font-weight:bold;}.css-130kfh4 em,.css-130kfh4 i{font-style:italic;font-family:inherit;} Calorie counting is dangerous for children because it can lead to obsessive behaviors similar to those of people suffering with anorexia.

I did look into weight-loss apps like My FitnessPal but quickly realized there's a good reason they're off limits to people under 18. These apps revolve around calorie counting, which is fine for adults but very dangerous for children. When I showed one of the apps to my son, he said, "Mom, I could lose weight by eating five bags of potato chips a day." He wasn't saying he was going to do that, but you can see how that mentality would be harmful. We need children to continue eating nutritious foods during their weight-loss journey so that they can keep growing. The other potentially harmful side effect of calorie counting is that it can lead to obsessive behaviors similar to those of people suffering with anorexia.

I emailed a longtime friend, Thea Runyan, who was the lead coach at Stanford's Pediatric Weight Control Program for 12 years, and asked if there was a way my son could complete the program without having to attend in-person meetings. She said no, but that exchange started a dialogue. Eventually it became clear to me that there was an opportunity to do a similar program remotely. This was in 2014 before digital health had really become popular. Thea and I ended up licensing with the Stanford program and founding a mobile system that uses apps and remote health coaching to help children establish better eating habits.

A better way

Health coaches take the "food police" role away from the parents so you don't have to be the bad guy.

Once Thea started working with my son as his health coach, she told me, "You are never again allowed to tell him what he's going to eat or not eat." I remember him coming downstairs one morning and having two Girl Scout cookies for breakfast. Before, I would've gotten mad at him but this time he just looked at me and goes, "Mom, they're my red for the day." And that was it—he had decided with his coach how many reds he could have in a day. It made for a much better relationship between us.

A lot of parents start getting scared when their child is overweight, and they start restricting foods. This usually makes the child angry, and they begin either sneaking food or using food as weapon against their parents. The kids who use Kurbo are assigned a health coach who is trained cognitive behavioral therapy, behavior change, and family dynamics. They check in with their coach once a week over Skype, and can text them whenever. They can talk about upcoming road-blocks, like a friend's birthday party where they know cake and ice cream will be served, and how to handle it. The coaches take the "food police" role away from the parents. Because helping your child lose weight is similar to trying to teach them math: You could do it but you want to bring in a teacher or a tutor so you don't have to fight with them. The Kurbo coach's job is to hold the kid accountable, give them advice, and to take the stress away from the family.

A lot of parents start restricting foods, which usually makes the child angry; they begin either sneaking food or using food as weapon against their parents.

Initially we envisioned Kurbo as a consumer business, sort of like a Weight Watchers for kids, but we've since realized that, in additional to individual families, there are many other people who are concerned about the weight issue in our country. According to the American Heart Association , one in three kids in the U.S. is overweight or obese. Employers in this country spend $14.3 billion on healthcare for overweight children. Overweight kids have more doctors visits than their healthier counterparts, they have more allergies, get sick more often, and miss more school days. It's estimated that childhood obesity will eventually cost society over $1 trillion dollars if all of the children who are overweight today become obese adults. We've learned that businesses are willing to pay for Kurbo as a benefit for their employees. We've starting to work with Medicaid and the Department of Defense to provide to Kurbo to low-income families and those on military bases. It's one way to address the childhood obesity issue in an inexpensive, scalable manner.

Today I'm proud to say that my son no longer has a weight problem. He's very healthy and has a much healthier relationship with food. Our family is much happier. My daughter, who's now in college, wrote a letter to her future self when she was in 8th grade and opened it last year when she was a senior. She had written, "my family fights about food all of the time." When she read that out loud we all laughed. Thankfully we were not doing that anymore!

Follow Woman's Day on Instagram .

.css-2lr79s:before{top:1.4rem;left:calc(-50vw + 50%);width:100vw;height:0.0625rem;z-index:-1;content:'';position:absolute;border-top:0.0625rem solid #CDCDCD;} Family + Friends

34 Best Gift Ideas for Grandparents

45 Best Cheap Mother's Day Gifts

38 Best College Graduation Gifts for New Grads

40 Thoughtful First Mother's Day Gift Ideas

50 Best Amazon Mother's Day Gifts

30 Best Preschool Graduation Gifts of 2024

47 Thoughtful Sympathy Gift Ideas for Loved Ones

15 St. Patrick's Day Gifts for the Irish Hosts

50 Sweet Easter Basket Ideas That Aren't Candy

27 Easter Gifts for Hosts They Can Use Any Day

32 Best Outdoor Toys of 2024

Everyday Health Special Report: Weight Loss Reframed

I help people lose weight for a living — here’s what most get wrong.

For one, weight loss is way more mental than physical.

Editor’s note: Sarah Molhan is an employee at Lose It!, which is part of the Everyday Health Group network. She shared her story with Everyday Health writer Jessica Migala .

By the time I was 20 years old, I weighed 315 pounds (lbs). Actually, I don’t know if that was my highest weight. All I know is that that was the weight my scale topped off at.

The day I saw 314.9 lbs register on my scale, I was thrilled. “Oh my gosh, this thing can finally measure me!” I thought. I went on to lose more than 100 lbs.

So when people share their stories of weight loss with me, I know how challenging it is to change your behaviors and mindset. From Everyday Health’s Weight Loss Reframed Survey and Report, released in 2024, it’s clear that these factors play a role in weight loss success. And as a principal product manager at Lose It! , I’ve learned a lot during my decade of working here.

RELATED: Everyday Health's Survey and Special Report: Weight Loss Reframed

My professional and personal growth has happened concurrently — there is no boundary between work and personal with me. I think that’s made the impact I’ve been able to have at my job more potent. I’ve had so much time to think about this problem of weight loss and work to find solutions that help others.

Here is what I’ve realized — and what might help you as you’re on your weight loss journey.

You Have Value, No Matter What Weight

I grew up defining myself as someone who was overweight, and who shouldn’t be. I believed that if my body was smaller, I’d be a more valuable person. I’d have more friends, be more loved, and my value as a human would increase. This led me toward developing an obsession with weight loss. The many failed weight loss attempts enforced that I had very little value, which just led to me grow up with pretty deep-seated feelings of self-hate.

The problem wasn’t that I was eating too much food and becoming increasingly overweight. The problem was that I used food and eating to comfort myself and manage my emotions, and the more overweight I got, the more I needed to comfort myself, so the more I ate. Every effort to hate myself thin resulted in me comforting myself fatter. I didn’t know any other way.

What I know now is that someone's value as a person is not at all related to the size of our bodies. We all deserve to be loved, have friends, and be cared for, regardless of the way our bodies are shaped. We have value, no matter what.

Food and Exercise Have No Moral Value

You are not “bad” if you ate cake. You are not “good” if you ate a salad. Health doesn’t come from restriction, and when you stop considering your food choices as moral or immoral , it’s freeing.

We Come Together When We Aren’t Silent About Our Struggles

There was a time when I wrote a blog, and one of the entries was about my struggle with binge eating. I shared this post on my public Facebook page. So many people responded that they also had experienced binge eating . It shocked me. These were people who I didn’t expect to have disordered eating and they still shared these same problems. That was a great learning experience. There are so many things that people keep secret, but we don’t actually have to be silent about it.

Speaking of binge eating, I learned that the best way to overcome it is to stop restricting. Eat the things that you like, but learn to fit them into your diet plan. My recovery from binge eating disorder occurred after my son was born. It wasn’t just me that I had to worry about, I had someone else depending on me. I wanted to model healthy behaviors for him and take good enough care of myself to be able to raise my son.

The Best Tool for Weight Loss Is Therapy

Thinking about my inner voice and how to improve it is so important. Although I’m not in therapy anymore, it’s so important to address your feelings about yourself and your weight. And we have many of them, clearly. In Everyday Health’s Weight Loss Reframed Survey, 75 percent of respondents reported that their weight affects how they feel about themselves, and 69 percent reported that having a “normal” weight does or could make them happier.

I’ve personally been managing so many emotions with food for my entire life. At the same time, I felt emotionally stunted. I had never learned how to recover from being disappointed or angry or bored without food. So, it was a learning process to stop using food as a coping mechanism — and it’s something I’m still working on. A couple of strategies I use that have helped others are:

• Being reminded that all feelings are okay and that they’re temporary
• Creating space between you and the emotion: For me, I imagined looking at myself and the emotions I was experiencing from a third-party perspective. This helps give me the sense that whatever I was feeling would pass.

The Main Purpose of Exercise Is Not to Lose Weight

I lost 120 lbs in a year. During that time, I was really restricting my diet while following WW . I was obsessed with losing at least 2 lbs per week, and I focused my entire life on eating as little as I could. I was also going to the gym for more than an hour every day after work.

In truth, the thinking around exercise and weight loss is outdated. According to Everyday Health’s Weight Loss Reframed Survey, 65 percent of respondents reported that they turned to increasing exercise or physical activity to lose weight (the second most common weight loss tactic reported, after eating fewer indulgent or high-calorie foods).

In truth, weight loss has a complicated relationship with exercise, because when you move more, you feel more physically hungry. It’s easy to get into the mindset that you deserve to eat XYZ because you exercised that day.

That said, there are other valid reasons to work out for your physical and mental health, such as longevity and confidence. It’s rewarding to see growth and improvements in what I’m able to physically do. For example, thanks to my continued commitment to strength training and managing my weight, I was able to do my first-ever pull-up earlier this year, which was a lifetime goal. Exercise and fitness have changed how I see myself and see what my body can do. I think they were a big part of proving to myself that I have a lot of reasons to love and appreciate my body, which was helpful after decades of hating it and just wanting to be thin.

There Is No ‘Best‘ Diet for Everyone

With so much marketing behind dieting, it’s difficult to come to realize that there is not one best way to eat. People make money convincing you otherwise. The one thing that matters most for weight loss is getting into a calorie deficit. That’s when your body will start to burn your fat stores. There are so many ways you can get into that deficit, and it’s important to find the eating plan that you enjoy and feels sustainable to you — not a trendy diet.

Motivation Alone Isn’t the Key to Weight Loss Success

People think they need to feel motivated to lose weight, and lack of motivation was the most commonly reported barrier among respondents to Everyday Health’s Weight Loss Reframed Survey. Maintaining motivation always is not realistic for most people. Motivation is a great way to kick-start your goal. But if you’re depending on the feeling of motivation all the time, you’ll quickly find out that life happens. You’ll get an unexpected project at work, your child will get sick, it will rain and you won’t take your walk, and so on. It’s all about developing sound habits, coping mechanisms, and the right mindset. Have confidence that you can overcome every obstacle.

Consider what’s maintainable for your schedule — and what you might enjoy. For example, my ideal might be going for a walk and making my breakfast and lunch the night before. If that’s too much, at least I can go for a short walk and have healthy food in my fridge that I can quickly grab or toss together. Motivation might get you going, but once you’re going, you have to figure out the daily habits that help you be the person you want to be.

Regarding mindset, realize that the habits that work for you now won’t necessarily be the things that carry you in the future. Over time, changes are inevitable, so it’s important to be flexible and adaptable with your lifestyle. For me, my child will grow up; I might live somewhere different. For every season of life, it’s up to you to figure out the right combination of healthy habits that work for you.

Realize the ‘Goal Weight’ Is Arbitrary

It’s good to have a goal, but you don’t have to get down to what’s considered a healthy body mass index (BMI) range unless that’s something you and your doctor choose. In my experience, a more doable approach is to get to a weight that you can maintain where you can live a life you enjoy. The other option is to restrict and reduce the fun things in your life to maintain a lower weight. The brilliance of this is you get to choose! You don’t have to get down to a weight that someone else tells you to because you’re the one living your life in your body — not them. You can also choose not to lose any weight at all.

When I was 315 lbs, the idea of reaching a healthy BMI would have required me to drastically change my day-to-day behaviors. At one point, I was down 130 to 140 lbs from my initial weight. That was when I went vegan , and I found I didn’t have many food options to eat, which resulted in extreme calorie restriction and weight loss. Still, I was still swimming in self-hate. My motivation to eat healthy and move my body was still driven by these negative feelings.

Today, I’ve happily maintained a 100-pound weight loss since my heaviest weight. Truthfully, I am working to slowly lose more weight, about 5 lbs at a time. I can see myself maintaining 10 to 15 lbs lower than I am now, but it’s not a high priority. I feel great, my weight and body don’t stop me from living the life I want, and my health biomarkers are all excellent. If I wanted to maintain a lower weight, I’d need to change my lifestyle a bit more than I’d want to.

I’m 37 years old now. Only in the last three years have I found self-love, appreciation, and positive thinking. In the past I was much more focused on being good enough and leaning into perfectionism very hard. I’m focused on enjoying — not changing — who I am and who I can become.

Understand That Weight Loss Is Not Physical

Whoa, I know. So much of weight loss is mental and emotional. My identity was all about being super overweight, and when I lost a lot of weight and I wasn’t anymore, it was also a challenge to figure out who I was again. Going through that identity shift makes this journey complicated. But know that we’re here as a community if you ever need to talk about it.

Important: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not Everyday Health.

I lost 70 pounds in 2 years. Here are 8 things that helped me reach that goal and improve my mental health.

• I spent two years trying to lose weight by listening to my body, and I was able to shed 70 pounds. 
• The secrets to my success were avoiding diets, prioritizing mental health, and taking my time.
• Cutting out cigarettes and alcohol and really taking the time to learn about nutrition also helped. 

I've always been rather conscious of my weight. I was never really bothered about having abs or muscles, as long as I remained slender, I was happy.

Then my mid-20s hit, and I could no longer easily metabolize four boxes of chicken nuggets. 

There's nothing wrong with gaining weight, but I'd totally lost the concept of moderation. Instead, I entered a toxic relationship with food because it became a source of comfort to me.

My diet was atrocious, I was at my worst mentally, and I was desperate to do something about it. So by my late-20s, I embarked on a two-year weight-loss pilgrimage.

Yes, two years sounds like an eternity, and my weight fluctuated a lot during that time. But losing belly fat wasn't my main goal, restoring my mental health was . 

Eventually, I found that overeating wasn't my problem, self-deprecation was. It was time for me to sort myself out on my own terms. That meant no diets, no time frames, and absolutely no feeling sorry for myself. 

Read on for the eight things that helped me lose 70 pounds in two years.

I remained anti-diet throughout my weight-loss journey

I've always been anti-diet.

In the past, I've tried things like keto , Atkins, and even "Veganuary" ( eating vegan through the month of January) to try and shed a few pounds, but I failed abysmally every single time.

For some people, dieting works, but I saw diets as a cause for bouts of extreme binge eating. Just saying no to a bar of chocolate for a few days would result in a midnight snack-a-thon of double chocolate-chip cookies. 

Instead, I listened to my body and its needs, and I made space for my favorite things, like cake, chocolate, and gelato. In the long run, that worked much better for me than constantly restricting and bingeing those treats. 

Learning about the different components of nutrition was absolutely key 

As I grew older and my metabolism shifted , it failed me. The more I looked down at my growing belly bulge in the shower, the more depressed I became.

As part of my job as a luxury travel journalist, I had the privilege to attend a detox program that normally costs thousands of dollars a week. It involved massages, cryotherapy, and a strict vegan diet — but the biggest takeaway I got out of it was information about nutrition that helped me create a strong foundation for everything to come. 

Of course, you don't need a luxury program to learn about nutrition. Everything you need to know about the benefits and drawbacks of the different food groups can be found online or in books.

The mantra "you are what you eat" also really stuck with me as my consultant took me through the major food groups and explained all the benefits that promote healthy weight loss .

Eggs and peanut butter keep you full, leafy greens like kale and spinach increase the volume of your meals without increasing the calories, salmon keeps your metabolism running smoothly with protein and iodine, and avocados introduce healthy fats that can reduce your waistline. 

Eventually, Uber Eats nights gradually became salad nights, carbs were consumed only at lunch (followed by a brisk walk), and my morning green juice became a sacred routine.

It's important to find a fitness regime that works for you

I never used to believe in exercise . I toured gyms in all the corners of the world for work, but I could never muster up the courage to jump on a machine. 

Then lockdown hit London during the coronavirus pandemic, and I was bored. Eventually, I caved and started doing Joe Wicks' workout sessions on his YouTube channel, The Body Coach.

Sweat challenge after sweat challenge the pounds gruelingly began to shed. 

What made it easy, especially for someone with slight confidence issues, is that I could work out and make mistakes in the comfort of my own home without fear of judgment or being watched.

As England came out of lockdown, I pushed myself to get comfortable working out in public and got into electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) training at a local studio. 

EMS is a workout technique where a machine is strapped to your body (think Lara Croft's bodysuit) and delivers electrical pulses that stimulate muscle contractions, which intensify your workout. 

A simple 20-minute EMS workout is the equivalent of a 90-minute regular workout with all the same basic exercises: squats, planks, punches, press-ups, and sit-ups. 

I've completed well over 20 sessions now, and my balance has improved and my muscles are more toned.

Related stories

But if EMS isn't in your budget, my advice is to invest in some weights and find a fitness YouTube channel you like. There are so many great videos out there that are just a search away.

The easy 20-minute videos from Wicks were my go-tos for months. They're suited for all levels, cover all the basic workouts, and provide instructions for safe and proper weight training . 

Discovering the wonders of protein can really make a difference

I was never a big meat eater. I'd reserve the luxury for whenever I was at a swanky restaurant and then pay for it later. For some reason, my gut hated the stuff, and I would spend hours feeling sick after eating a burger .

Needless to say, introducing more protein into my diet — which mostly consisted of carbs and sugar — was a real struggle. 

I started by drinking protein shakes after every workout, which helped massively. A few weeks in, I slowly began eating steaks, eggs , venison (all things I previously hated and now crave), and peanut butter.

Peanut butter in my porridge combined with a post-workout protein shake kept my hunger at bay all morning. Come snack time, things like nuts and apples diminished my cravings until I indulged in carbs, a large bag of cooked spinach, and cold meats at lunch. 

The best part is that I felt fuller for longer , which meant I could consume fewer calories and in a healthy way.

Whenever you're changing things up with your diet, just be sure to listen to your body and know its limits. 

I didn't weigh myself or purposely track my progress

Like dieting, keeping track of numbers works for some people when they're trying to lose weight.

But I think scales are counterproductive . For me, they come with expectations and goals, and it's disheartening when you don't achieve them. 

It may not be a perfect strategy for everyone, but taking mirror selfies and being hyped up by friends helped me track my progress and feel confident.

I said goodbye to cigarettes and booze

I smoked and drank (socially) for well over 15 years.

But before I began my weight-loss journey, I quit smoking . I grabbed all my favorite things from the supermarket, locked myself in my flat for three days, and went completely cold turkey. 

Though it was hard, I got over the cravings within six months and have never looked back. And quitting before I embarked on my weight-loss journey definitely helped me get stronger and fitter faster.

I knew that working out or running while smoking between 15 and 20 cigarettes a day wasn't going to work. Even walking long distances became a real struggle after a while. According to the NHS website , the perks of quitting include everything from increased energy to reduced risks of developing cancers. 

Then there was the booze.

London is full of bars and excellent restaurants. On some nights, I could easily down a bottle or two of Chablis wine, a calorific nightmare .

After doing more research, I completely cut alcohol out for eight months. Though I was never a big drinker, the benefits surfaced quite quickly. I was much less bloated and my skin looked fantastic, too.

My goal was never to get a beach bod for the summer

I didn't care about getting my body ready for summer. Time frames add unnecessary pressure, and when my lifestyle was already largely dictated by my job, simply finding the time to work out was a feat of its own.

Over the last two years, I've learned that weight loss should be on your terms. Instead of obsessing over strict time frames or seasons, find a schedule that suits you. At the very least, it'll be a more sustainable practice in the long run. 

I preach doing things in stages. If you give yourself too many goals, ambitions, or tasks at the same time, the likelihood of caving in is much higher.

Start as you mean to go on, patiently and productively.

Focusing on the mental boost from exercise over the physical results helped

Throughout this journey, I've figured out that the best thing for squashing all of life's stressors is endorphins. 

I became slightly addicted to the boost that comes after working out. Running , even if it's just for 20 minutes, not only made me feel great, but it also helped my mind function a little bit better. 

The only way you'll succeed in your weight-loss goals and make lasting change is if you enjoy your new lifestyle, and craving that post-workout high made that possible for me.

Eating well, in moderation, and exercising for a healthy heart and mind made me a happier person — the fit body was just a bonus.

Watch: Why you shouldn't rely on counting calories to lose weight

• Main content

• Weight Management
• Nutrition Facts
• Nutrition Basics
• Meal Delivery Services
• Fitness Gear
• Apparel & Accessories
• Recipe Nutrition Calculator
• Weight Loss Calorie Goal
• BMI Calculator
• Body Fat Percentage Calculator
• Calories Burned by Activity
• Daily Calories Burned
• Pace Calculator
• Editorial Process
• Meet Our Review Board

Simple 30-Day Plan for Weight Loss, According to a Dietitian

Learn 8 realistic nutrition and fitness tips to lose weight for the long haul.

Cara Rosenbloom RD is a dietitian, journalist, book author, and the founder of Words to Eat By, a nutrition communications company in Toronto, ON.

Melissa Rifkin is a Connecticut-based registered dietitian with over 15 years of experience working in the clinical setting.

Verywell Fit / Amelia Manley

• Setting Goals

Creating a Nutrition Plan

Meal planning, physical activity, hydration and sleep, tracking progress, coping with challenges.

Healthy weight loss plans include eating well, being physically active, and getting enough sleep so you feel your best now and for the long term. Health is about more than a number on the scale, so this weight loss advice looks at the bigger picture.

There are no quick fixes or fad diets that are known to sustain weight loss in the long term. These weight loss plans and fad diets are based on restricting calories or removing specific food groups. Most of the time, it's impossible to follow these plans in the long term, so weight loss is not maintained over time. That's why this article offers sensible nutrition, exercise, and sleep goals, that can be sustained for life. A healthy lifestyle can help you feel your best now while preventing chronic diseases in the future.

Instead of going "on a diet" which you eventually go "off," this sustainable plan includes realistic goals and small changes that can last a lifetime. It also includes a variety of delicious and nutritious foods, as well as exercise that's fun and enjoyable, and tips on healthy sleep.

Setting Realistic Goals

First, decide if weight loss is the right strategy for your health. It's common to have an unrealistic view of what a healthy weight really is. Use this guide to determine what your ideal weight is so you can set an appropriate goal.

If you need to lose weight, aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week (or 4 to 8 pounds in 30 days). People who lose weight slowly and gradually are more likely to keep the weight off long term compared to those who lose a lot of weight very quickly.

Set SMART goals that are:

• M easurable
• A ttainable
• Ti me-bound

A goal such as "I will lose 10 pounds" is not time-bound (no timeline is set) and may not be attainable, since weight fluctuates based on many factors, such as hydration, hormones, medications, food intake, and activity level.

A SMART goal that contributes to weight loss may be: "I will replace my daily can of sugar-containing soda with water for the next 30 days." It's more important to set goals about sustaining a healthy lifestyle than about reaching a target number on a scale. The goal of reducing sugary drinks is more realistic than "I will lose 10 pounds," which is harder to control or achieve.

Eating well plays an important role in weight loss and maintenance. A winning strategy for weight loss includes both caloric restriction and adequate exercise. While calories are part of weight control, it's too narrow to think that energy-in and energy-out is the only factor to consider in weight loss. These factors are also involved:

• Medical conditions
• Physical activity levels
• Medications
• Environment
• Mental health

Your best bet is to work with a health care professional for a personalized weight loss plan. If that is not possible, you can follow the general information in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans about the role of nutrition in weight loss. It recommends a varied diet that includes:

• Vegetables and fruit
• Grains (including whole grains)
• Protein foods

The amount (portion) of food that you should eat is specific to your current weight and your weight loss goals. Learn more about how to set calorie goals here . Even if you cut back on calories, it is important to eat a variety of foods to get all of the protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals that your body requires. It's also vital to focus on aspects beyond food. Physical activity, hydration, sleep, and other components are all interconnected in your weight loss journey.

Your body requires nutrients every day so it functions properly. The Dietary Guidelines were designed to ensure that nutrient needs are met with a variety of foods including vegetables, fruit, protein, and grains. You can plan meals using the five food groups in the USDA's My Plate model. When you plan meals, consider these plate proportions:

• Make half your plate vegetables and fruits.
• Make a quarter of your plate grains. Choose whole grains at least half of the time.
• Make a quarter of your plate protein from foods such as poultry, fish, eggs, meat, legumes, nuts and seeds.
• Have a serving of calcium-rich foods such as milk, soy beverage, or yogurt.

The exact amount of food you will need depends on your goals (see section above). In addition to eating more whole foods like vegetables, you can also cut back on heavily processed foods like fast food, packaged snacks, baked goods, and candy.

A simple meal plan may look like this. You can repeat this 5-day plan 6 times to complete a 30-day plan.

• Breakfast : Plain Greek yogurt with strawberries and low-sugar (3 grams of sugar or less per serving), oat-based granola
• Snack : Almonds and grapes
• Lunch : Tuna melt sandwich with cheese and tomatoes on whole grain bread, served with carrots, red peppers, and an apple on the side
• Snack : Cucumber and hummus
• Dinner : Chicken with brown rice and stir-fried vegetables.
• Breakfast : Chia pudding with Greek yogurt and fruit
• Snack : Cheddar cheese and an apple
• Lunch : Poke bowl: fish (or tofu) with brown rice, mixed vegetables, seaweed and sesame seeds
• Snack : Trail mix
• Dinner : Pesto shrimp and broccoli served over whole-grain pasta
• Breakfast : Mashed avocado and ricotta cheese on whole grain toast with a side of berries
• Snack : Fresh peach, granola, and Greek yogurt
• Lunch : Turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato and sweet peppers; banana
• Snack : Plain popcorn
• Dinner : Chickpea and cauliflower curry with quinoa
• Breakfast : Oatmeal with banana, peanut butter, and soy or cow's milk
• Snack : Hummus and carrots
• Lunch : Black bean and cheddar burrito in whole grain tortilla, with lettuce, tomato, sweet peppers, and avocado
• Dinner : Stir-fried chicken and mixed vegetables on soba noodles
• Breakfast : Scrambled eggs, whole grain toast, and tomato
• Snack : Medjool dates with peanut butter or almond butter
• Lunch : Chicken Caesar salad with parmesan cheese and croutons plus a pear
• Snack : Small portion of your favorite ice cream
• Dinner : Lemon-butter halibut with green beans and potatoes

It's easier to stay on a meal plan if you grocery shop and plan in advance. Learn tips for meal planning here .

Being physically active is associated with weight loss because exercise it burns calories. The CDC suggests 150 minutes per week of physical activity for health benefits. However, this amount may not be enough for weight loss. International guidelines recommend 300 minutes of exercise per week for people trying to lose weight.

Nutrition and exercise are both important factors in weight loss. Studies show that exercise only—without dietary changes — may help with a small amount of weight loss, but is not likely to result in meaningful weight loss. Diet and exercise are both important and should be paired together for the best results.

It's important to choose physical activities that you enjoy so you are more likely to stick to them for the long term. Choose a combination of both aerobic (biking, walking, dancing) and strength-building activities (weight lifting, resistance bands, push-ups) for the best benefits.

As a beginner, start by taking a walk every day and lifting light weights. Walk for longer and do more reps with your weights as the weeks go by. Consider these exercise tips for beginners .

Other factors that affect weight include hydration and sleep. When it comes to fluid and hydration, many Americans rely on sugar-sweetened beverages. However, excess intake of sweet beverages is linked to weight gain.

Water is a better choice than sweet beverages when trying to manage weight since it contains no calories or sugar. Replacing sugary or calorie-rich beverages with water can help with weight loss. Some studies indicate that drinking water before meals may decrease food intake during meals, which may help eaters feel more satisfied with fewer calories. Staying hydrated is important because studies show that consistently being under-hydrated is associated with increased body weight.

Studies also show a connection between sleep patterns and weight. Poor sleep is linked to increased calorie intake, mostly from snacks that are high in fat and refined carbohydrates. Poor sleep also may affect hormones involved in weight, appetite regulation, and metabolism.

Some evidence suggests that people who sleep less than seven hours per night are more likely to have obesity. If you don't sleep for at least seven hours per night, consider working with a sleep specialist as part of your weight loss program. Here are some tips to help with better sleep .

If you set measurable goals, it's easier to track your progress. For example, if your goal was to drink water instead of soda at lunch for 30 days, you can mark each day on a calendar to check your progress.

Some people like to keep a food or exercise journal to monitor progress or use a mobile app to count calories or steps. Make sure to celebrate your successes. If you falter, start again as soon as possible.

One caution for tracking progress: try not to gauge your progress based on a number on the scale. Making lifestyle changes such as improving your eating habits or being more active has so many benefits beyond weight control.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recognize that losing weight is not easy and is best achieved with a commitment to lifestyle change over the long term and with the help of medical professionals.  

You will have a better chance of sustaining long-term weight loss if you make slow, steady progress that includes a combination of nutrition, fitness, sleep, and hydration changes.

In order to see real progress, don't make too many changes at once. Build up slowly instead. Perhaps the first 30 days of the journey may have progress such as:

• In the first week, you drink water instead of a soda at lunch.
• In the second week, you have water instead of soda and walk 10 minutes per day.
• In the third week, you continue the first two activities and add weight training twice a week.

Remember, 30 days is just the start of this journey. Maintaining these new habits lifelong is how you will see real progress.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Losing Weight.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.  Setting goals and developing specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives .

Damon L. Swift, Joshua E. McGee, Conrad P. Earnest, Erica Carlisle, Madison Nygard, Neil M. Johannsen, The Effects of Exercise and Physical Activity on Weight Loss and Maintenance . Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, Volume 61, Issue 2, 2018. Pages 206-213, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2018.07.014.

Wharton S, Lau DCW, Vallis M, et al. Obesity in adults: a clinical practice guideline .  CMAJ . 2020;192(31):E875-E891. doi:10.1503/cmaj.191707

 USDA. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020

USDA. My Plate .

USDA My Plate. Protein Foods .

USDA My Plate. Dairy .

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How much physical activity do adults need?

O'Donoghue G, Blake C, Cunningham C, Lennon O, Perrotta C. What exercise prescription is optimal to improve body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness in adults living with obesity? A network meta-analysis .  Obes Rev . 2021;22(2):e13137. doi:10.1111/obr.13137

Teixeira DS, Rodrigues F, Cid L, Monteiro D. Enjoyment as a Predictor of Exercise Habit, Intention to Continue Exercising, and Exercise Frequency: The Intensity Traits Discrepancy Moderation Role . Front Psychol. 2022 Feb 18;13:780059. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.780059. PMID: 35250719; PMCID: PMC8894246.

Malik VS, Hu FB. The role of sugar-sweetened beverages in the global epidemics of obesity and chronic diseases .  Nat Rev Endocrinol . 2022;18(4):205-218. doi:10.1038/s41574-021-00627-6

Bracamontes-Castelo G, Bacardí-Gascón M, Jiménez Cruz A. Effect of water consumption on weight loss: a systematic review . Nutr Hosp . 2019;36(6):1424-1429. doi:10.20960/nh.02746

Corney RA, Sunderland C, James LJ. Immediate pre-meal water ingestion decreases voluntary food intake in lean young males.   Eur J Nutr . 2016;55(2):815-819. doi:10.1007/s00394-015-0903-4

Kerksick CM, Wilborn CD, Roberts MD, et al.  ISSN exercise & sports nutrition review update: research & recommendations .  Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition . 2018;15(1):38. doi:10.1186/s12970-018-0242-y

Papatriantafyllou E, Efthymiou D, Zoumbaneas E, Popescu CA, Vassilopoulou E. Sleep Deprivation: Effects on Weight Loss and Weight Loss Maintenance .  Nutrients . 2022;14(8):1549. Published 2022 Apr 8. doi:10.3390/nu14081549

Primack C. Obesity and Sleep .  Nurs Clin North Am . 2021;56(4):565-572. doi:10.1016/j.cnur.2021.07.012

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Changing your habits for better health.

By Cara Rosenbloom, RD  Cara Rosenbloom RD is a dietitian, journalist, book author, and the founder of Words to Eat By, a nutrition communications company in Toronto, ON.

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes
• Special Diets
• Weight Loss
• Transformed

These 7 Small Changes Helped Me Lose 110 Pounds

By embracing one new habit at a time, I’ve transformed my health and lost an average of 25 pounds per year for the past four years.

Design elements: Getty Images. Collage: Cassie Basford.

In 2015, I sold everything I owned to travel the world. Already at an unhealthy weight for me, I believed traveling would help me “get fit.” Daily, for four years, I awoke in incredible spots in 25 countries around the world, but I struggled to explore them. Being 5 feet, 5 inches tall and 350 pounds made simple routines a challenge, let alone exploring new worlds. My nomad dream ended in 2019 in a Sicilian rooftop terrace apartment, where the 88 steps up to my suite left me in agony daily. I realized I needed to stop traveling and change my life.

I had a new dream: staying alive. I wanted to be healthy. My mother died when she was 57 years old, and here I was at age 46. Was I nearing my final chapter, or could I change my future? I decided I could. My goal was to be healthier at 50 than I was at 40. It was a hell of a mountain to climb, but I started with one good new habit at a time, starting with moving back to Canada.

So far, I’ve lost 110 pounds and I recently bought my first large-sized shirts in 15 years, after previously reaching size 4X. Once unable to walk a half-mile without breaks, now I can walk 7 miles or more without pain or consequences. I’ve got further to go, but I created a healthy lifestyle I enjoy, and I look forward to decades of new adventures. Here’s how I got here:

1. I live a walking lifestyle.

Like many others, I moved in the early months of the pandemic. I went home to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and now live a 15-minute walk from downtown and shops, and just 5 minutes from a park and the ocean. My feet take me to most places, but I supplement my lifestyle with a car-share membership and buses. Shopping is a breeze with my “granny cart,” which painlessly hauls a week’s groceries home in a single trip. I stretch and do light qigong while watching TV, and I’m fitter than I’ve been in 15 years.

2. I don’t drink calories—or count calories, for that matter.

I love eating, but living in Europe for two years and guzzling wine like it was my life force is partly how I reached my heaviest weight. Not “drinking calories” means I don’t fret about counting them either. Smoothies might taste good, but they never satisfy my hunger. I don’t tend to worry about day-to-day totals because I find my consumption tends to work itself out over the course of a week. I may eat lighter vegan meals one day and have a rib-eye steak the next. That’s where the next point comes in.

3. I cook almost everything I eat.

Years of traveling without having access to a proper kitchen and constantly eating out left me longing for a well-stocked kitchen. When my nomad life ended, I dove into cooking. I learned to make pasta in Rome, so when I came home, I made pasta from scratch. I kneaded and shaped loaves of bread while stews simmered all day on my stove. From there, I stumbled into a passion for scratch-made food—everything from yogurt and salsa to chili crisps and complex curries. And when I recently realized I was gluten-intolerant, I saw it as a challenge to find a few good recipes—not a radical new lifestyle designed on deprivation—and I’ve had great success. The additional time I spend in the kitchen may be comparable to time others spend in the gym, but it’s something I enjoy—and a habit I can keep for life. 

4. I am always watching cooking shows.

We weren’t all born with the gift of parents or family who appreciated the finer points of vegetable cookery. I grew up in a ’70s meat-and-potatoes home. Eating boiled veggies was the way to eat veggies. While travel helped open my eyes to new vegetables and preparations, my real inspiration has been cooking shows. At the start of the pandemic, a Portuguese Twitter buddy got me hooked on MasterChef Australia, with its 50-plus episodes a season set in a vegetable-loving nation. It helped me think of meat as the side and vegetables as the star. Recently, I seared harissa-rubbed cauliflower steaks in a cast-iron pan and served it with a walnut-and-parsley salsa, inspired by recipes by Simon Toohey (one of the Aussie MasterChef finalists) and famed cookbook author Yotam Ottolenghi. Afterward, I immediately had an identity crisis. Who have I become? Someone healthy, it turns out.

5. I started growing my own herbs.

My 5-by-15-foot balcony is home to a mini-jungle of 20 herbs, salad greens, ever-bearing strawberries and a few 10-gallon bags of tomatoes. All I have to do is step outside and snip chives to sprinkle over scrambled eggs , or tarragon to rub over a chicken before I roast it. For a few months each year, a fresh salad is always at my fingertips. It feels fancy, but it’s so easy. Plus, nothing recharges me more when working from home than five minutes on my balcony in the spring and summer surrounded by my container garden of produce.

6. I’m mindful about what I eat or drink after dinner.

I’m not strict about an end-time for eating because life is beautifully inconsistent, and flexibility is important. But if I eat at 9 p.m. or so, I won’t nosh till 10 or 11 the next morning. (I work from home, so I have that flexibility.) Call it intermittent fasting if you want, but for me it’s less about cutting calories than it is about ending destructive behavior. For example, as a traveler, I drank a bottle of wine a night, which led to “a little taste won’t hurt” attitude when it came to snacking along with my vino. Today, I may have fruit after dinner or bitter hot cocoa, but that’s all, if I want good digestion and peaceful sleep.

7. I focus on feelings, not numbers.

The scale isn’t my friend. The wrong meal, the wrong calibration, and suddenly self-worth can go out the window because of a number. If I worried about the scale, I’d have given up long ago! My weight can fluctuate as much as 5 pounds in a day, and it took years to understand why—and to stop judging myself for it. Instead, I focus on how I feel: how walking feels, how roomy that chair is, how my clothes fit. That feeling is what success feels like.

I’m glad I allowed myself to be present in the worst of how I felt, before my fitness journey began. I’ll never forget hitting my rock bottom that sunny day on a rooftop in Palermo, Sicily, overlooking a centuries-old world with a broken heart because I was in far too much pain to explore it. There, I gave up on what was then the adventure of my lifetime. 

Today, I have a new life. I long to return to that city, those cobblestones and the possibilities within those twisting old alleys, because the joy of exploration never needs to elude me again. 

Related Articles

• Search the site GO Please fill out this field.
• Newsletters

Here's How 15 Women Lost 50+ Pounds

Learn tips from these weight loss success stories—complete with before-and-after photos.

Having trouble sticking to your weight loss goal ? You might want to adopt a few lifestyle habits to keep you motivated. Watch this video for all five tricks to help manage your weight.

These 15 women each lost over 50 pounds. Here, they share their weight loss journeys and tips for achieving their goals. Their creative approaches include everything from building an Instagram following to keeping motivated by wearing neon.

Paige Jackson

30, 5'7", New Orleans

BEFORE: 220 lb., size 18

AFTER: 155 lb., size 4

TOTAL LOST: 65 lb., seven sizes

Paige's weight loss tips:

Keep inspiration everywhere : I have my phone background set to a motivational quote. Words of wisdom like "If you want it, work for it" offer a little pick-me-up every time I look at the screen.

Don't fixate on pounds : Throughout my journey, I have always relied on active goals , like running a 5K or building muscle, to measure my progress. Working toward real-life results is way more rewarding than obsessing over a number on the scale.

Find delicious swaps : Instead of completely giving up my favorite comfort foods, I make them healthier. For example, for my good-for-you hash browns, I cook one shredded sweet potato in a tablespoon of coconut oil until it's soft and crispy, then I top it with cinnamon and sea salt. Talk about yummy!

Emily Liedtke

40, 5'2", Beaverton, Ore.

BEFORE: 340 lb., size 26

AFTER: 129 lb., size 2

TOTAL LOST: 211 lb., 12 sizes

Emily's weight loss tips:

Aim for 15 : When dreading a workout, I tell myself to try to make it through the first 15 minutes. After that point, I almost always feel more energized and want to keep going.

Find a unique reward : Instead of celebrating with food when I hit a goal, I treat myself to something like a hike with my husband or a massage.

Change your vocab : I used to tell myself that I "couldn't" have something, which made me crave it even more. Now I say I "don't" engage in an unhealthy habit. It's a little trick that makes the behavior seem less like a choice and more like part of my lifestyle.

Nail down your emotion : I created my own mood emojis to help monitor how I feel after every workout and meal. This lets me keep tabs on what's working for me and what's not.

Laura Mictich

25, 6'0", Jackson, Tenn.

BEFORE: 304 lb., size 26

AFTER: 190 lb., size 10

TOTAL LOST: 114 lb., eight sizes

Laura's weight loss tips:

Instagram it! : After I lost my first 40 pounds, I created an Instagram account to track my fitness. As my number of followers grew, so did my motivation. Being part of a community kept me accountable.

Score free fitness : Many weight-loss programs cost big bucks, but there are also plenty of reputable online resources that give you the same benefits for free. One of my faves: Blogilates by Cassey Ho.

Buy a band : When I cannot get to the gym, I turn to my resistance band; it's an easy and portable way to add strength training on the go.

Read the menu : I love eating out, but restaurants offer too many options and don't always list ingredients. To keep from consuming more than I'd planned, I choose a healthy option from the menu ahead of time.

43, 5'4", Marietta, Penn.

BEFORE: 209 lb., size 20

AFTER: 133 lb., size 2-4

TOTAL LOST: 76 lb., nine sizes

Casie's weight loss tips:

Bag it up : I portion out all my snacks , like almonds or sliced apples, ahead of time in ziplock bags. This lets me take my healthy eats anywhere while keeping my serving sizes in check.

Crush a quickie workout : On extra-busy days, I do a Tabata sequence—in just 20 minutes, I can get a full-body workout. It revs up my heart rate.

Write it out : When I dread the gym, I grab a pen and paper and map out my workout. Having a game plan prevents me from wasting time during my session.

Find sweet swaps : I love peanut butter. To avoid some of the fat that comes with it, I mix the powdered kind, PB2, into Greek yogurt. It gives me that nutty, creamy taste.

Shannon Mateo

34, 5'1¾", Reno, Nev.

BEFORE: 198 lb., size 16

AFTER : 115 lb., size 2

TOTAL LOST : 83 lb., seven sizes

Shannon's weight loss tips:

Rock your motivation : I wear bright clothes at the gym with fun sayings like "Drink coffee, put on some gangster rap, and handle it." It sets my workout tone.

Judge your labels : I always peruse food labels. Whenever there's something listed that I can't grow or make myself, I put the item back. It makes weeding out unhealthy processed foods much more straightforward.

Indulge wisely : Many people have weekend "cheat" days. Instead of depriving myself all week and potentially bingeing on the weekend, I choose sweets that fuel my body throughout the week, like Trader Joe's Coconut Cashews.

Erica Calderon

34, 5'8", Phoenix

BEFORE: 230 lb., size 14

AFTER 145 lb., size 6/8

TOTAL LOST: 85 lb., 3-4 sizes

Erica's weight loss tips:

Schedule sweat sessions : Raising two girls keep me busy, so I have to be creative about fitting in exercise. My ideal window: when my youngest goes down for her nap and the other is at school. I treat workouts as meetings that I absolutely cannot miss.

Hang out far from the kitchen : I always crave sweets after dinner while watching TV. Sometimes, I'll go upstairs to watch my shows instead of sitting in the living room, which is attached to the kitchen. That way, I'm less likely to scavenge.

Invest in a slow cooker : It's the ultimate time-saver. First thing in the morning, I throw in something simple, like turkey and sweet potatoes, and at the end of the day, I have a delicious and nutritious meal waiting for me.

Maribel Contreras

38, 5'6", El Monte, Calif.

BEFORE : 217 lb., size 16

AFTER: 140 lb., size 6

TOTAL LOST : 77 lb., five sizes

Maribel's weight loss tips:

Pick a power playlist : Starting my workouts with pump-me-up songs like "Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift keeps me motivated throughout the session.

mantraFind a : On days when I want to give up, I repeat these words: "I'm very strong; I can do this." Just saying the sentence out loud stops me from feeling weak.

Broadcast your goals : I decided to register for a 12-week body transformation contest at my gym. When I joined the challenge, I told everyone about my plan to win. That motivated me to keep going.

Jennifer Lasher

41, 5'6", Hauppauge, N.Y.

BEFORE: 210 lb., size 16

AFTER: 135 lb., size 6

TOTAL LOST: 75 lb., five sizes

Jennifer's weight loss tips:

Set challenging goals : My goal is to run 100 miles in a month. I finally hit it (and then some) this past August with 104.

Spiralize it! : As an Italian-American, I find it tough to cut out pasta, but I use zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash instead.

Carry a Mary Poppins purse : My bag is always packed with healthy snacks like nuts, apples, and hard-boiled eggs. It stops me from getting so hungry that I overeat.

Danica Bellini

25, 5'3", Bradley Beach, N.J.

BEFORE: 183 lb., size 12

AFTER: 123 lb., size 2

TOTAL LOST: 60 lb., five sizes

Danica's weight loss tips:

Bring your gym anywhere : I love the Cardio Sculpt and Black Fire videos on DailyBurn. They're amazing for tightening my abs!

Pump the beats : I'm a music writer, so I always add to my workout playlists. Social Distortion's "Highway 101" is an old fave!

Get good grains : My power pick: quinoa . It's versatile and filling. I add it to salads with sliced grapes.

Natalie Jill

43, 5'2", San Diego

BEFORE : 175 lb., size 10-12

AFTER : 113 lb., size 2

TOTAL LOST : 62 lb., four sizes

Natalie's weight loss tips:

Inject some fun : When looking for workout motivation, I pull out my favorite neon exercise clothes for a burst of energy. Plus, yellow and pink make me feel upbeat!

Hit the floor : My go-to: plank-based moves. They're great for shaping your abs and upper body. Make sure you're engaging your core , keeping your glutes tight, and tucking your pelvis under to protect your lower back.

Think: Healthy fats : I eat a lot of protein-packed meals filled with good fats . My favorite is shrimp with a ton of veggies, all cooked up in coconut oil.

Bianca Valdez

35, 5'3", Waco, Texas

AFTER: 132 lb., size 4

TOTAL LOST : 78 lb., six sizes

Bianca's weight loss tips:

Get grilling : I love grilled shrimp tacos on corn tortillas. They're flavorful, low on calories, and easy to make.

Pump up your playlist : My workout jams are super eclectic—Latin, pop, and contemporary Christian music! Right now, I love "Soul on Fire" by Third Day, for when I hit the stair climber.

Try a training plan : After doing Jamie Eason's free 12-week LiveFit strength-training program at bodybuilding.com, I wore a bikini for the first time since I was 5!

Suheily Rodriguez

27, 5'7", North Wales, Penn.

BEFORE: 236 lb., size 18

AFTER: 140 lb., size 2

TOTAL LOST: 96 lb., eight sizes

Suheily's weight loss tips:

Eat yogurt for a flat belly : When I have more Greek yogurt (I like Yoplait's tropical flavors), even for just a week, my tummy is instantly flatter.

Get your probiotics : It's a Korean stew made of kimchi, tofu, chili pepper, pork belly, red pepper paste, sesame oil, and scallions, and it's pretty low-cal, too.

Annabelle Goetke

26, 5'8", Chicago

BEFORE: 328 lb., size 28

AFTER 154 lb., size 4

TOTAL LOST: 174 lb., 12 sizes

Annabelle's weight loss tips:

Track with an app : MyFitnessPal helped me become more aware of what I was putting into my body.

Pack DIY snacks : My go-to pumpkin-spice cream cheese muffins are protein-filled to keep me satisfied longer.

Lighten up meals : I make low-cal versions of my fave gourmet foods, like stuffed portobello mushrooms.

Find a better indulgence : I top berries, nectarines, and cherries with homemade whipped cream, nuts, and dark chocolate.

Erika Cataldi

32, 5'9", Reading, Penn.

BEFORE : 205 lb., size 16

AFTER: 135 lb., size 4/6

TOTAL LOST : 70 lb., six sizes

Erika's weight loss tips:

Snap your progress : I'd take photos of myself and send them to my mom to record my progress. I still send her selfies occasionally!

Say yes to seltzer : Swapping soda for sparkling water made a big difference. I especially like Walmart's Clear American in key lime flavor. It's like lemon-lime soda—without all the calories.

Cook with coconut oil : It's a must in my kitchen. When I lightly fry food, like my homemade chicken fingers, it gives a slightly sweeter flavor.

Erica Stepteau

30, 5'3", Fairburn, Ga.

BEFORE: 174 lb., size 14

AFTER: 114 lb., size 0/2

TOTAL LOST: 60 lb., six sizes

Eat chocolate : Sweets are an everyday necessity for me. I treat myself to a bit of chocolate at each meal, so I never feel deprived.

Prep meals on Sundays : I precook my meals every Sunday, storing four to five days' worth of salads in Tupperware. This simplifies my life.

Snack like the Greeks : My go-to is a mix of tomatoes, cucumbers, olive oil, fresh garlic, and a little lemon juice. Yum!

A Quick Review

Still enjoying foods you love like chocolate, adopting a mantra, and prepping meals are just a few weight loss tips that helped these 15 women lose over 50 pounds each. If you are starting a weight management journey, talk to a healthcare provider you trust to help develop a plan that works for your lifestyle. Your best bet is one you can sustain that still lets you enjoy your food!

29-pound cat named Smokey starting weight loss journey

(KSNV) - An adorable 29-pound cat is one step closer to finding a home.

Smokey, a 10-year-old feline, has been up for adoption in Las Vegas.

But he has a bit of a weight problem.

So, the Animal Foundation says Smokey will be heading to a foster home where his temporary owner will help him on a weight loss journey.

Those interested in helping Smokey or for adoption information can contact the animal shelter.

Copyright 2024 KSNV via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.

Former local basketball player arrested in Sean “Diddy” Combs investigation

FIRST ALERT: Heavy rain & strong storms Monday and Tuesday

Woman arrested after escaping police custody while restrained

Man killed father, 12-year-old brother, shot mom before killing himself on Easter Sunday, deputies say

Marion County Man Admits to Federal Firearms Charge

Latest news.

Pete Buttigieg makes 'major rail safety' announcment

College will cost up to $95,000 this fall at multiple universities

Community shocked 13-year-old would stab mother to death after getting phone taken away

Au pair charged with murder shot man after employer told her to, attorney says

Landscaper goes after robbery suspects with weed whacker, police say

• U.K. Showbiz
• Meghan Markle
• Jeremy Renner
• Taylor Swift
• Kim Kardashian

Rebel Wilson DID use Ozempic during her 80lb weight-loss journey, but no longer takes the trendy semaglutide injectable: 'Those drugs can be good'

By Cassie Carpenter For Dailymail.Com

Published: 19:48 EDT, 31 March 2024 | Updated: 11:27 EDT, 1 April 2024

View comments

Rebel Wilson has finally confessed to having used the trendy type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic to help her shed 80lbs during her 'year of health' back in 2020.

The Australian 44-year-old - who's no longer taking the semaglutide injectable - admitted to The Sunday Times : 'Someone like me could have a bottomless appetite for sweets, so I think those drugs can be good.'

Rebel - whose polycystic ovarian syndrome affects fertility - originally decided to slim down at the urging of her IVF doctor in 2019.

'Basically no one apart from my mom wanted me to lose weight ,' Wilson recalled.

'People thought I'd lose my pigeonhole in my career, playing the fat funny character, and they wanted me to continue in that.'

2021 vs. 2015: Rebel Wilson has finally confessed to having used the trendy type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic to help her shed 80lbs during her 'year of health' back in 2020

The Australian 44-year-old - who's no longer taking the semaglutide injectable - admitted to The Sunday Times: 'Someone like me could have a bottomless appetite for sweets, so I think those drugs can be good' 

The SAG Award nominee and her fiancée Ramona Agruma eventually welcomed their 16-month-old daughter Royce Lillian Elizabeth Wilson via surrogate in November 2022.

Rebel (born Melanie Bownds) previously claimed to have successfully reached her 165lb goal weight through high-intensity interval workouts with fitness trainer Jono Castano Acero, long hikes, and a high-protein/low-sugar diet.

In the past four years, Wilson has admitted to gaining some of it back including 20lbs from 'stress eating' leading up to the release of her upcoming memoir Rebel Rising.

'I feel strongly that young women shouldn't try to obsess over looking like Victoria's Secret models — they should just look like themselves,' Wilson - who's an 'emotional eater' - said.

'I know that my relationship with food is complicated.'

The Pitch Perfect alum - who enjoyed a lavish vacation to Nobu Hotel Los Cabos this weekend - is satisfied with her current 5ft4in figure as it's 'still curvy and solid.'

Other celebrities who've admitted to taking Ozempic include Elon Musk, Chelsea Handler, Amy Schumer, Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood, Lauren Manzo, Dolores Catania, Jennifer Fessler, Golnesa 'GG' Gharachedaghi, and Remi Bader.

Obesity expert Dr. Andrew Kraftson said most people taking these medications will hit a plateau around the 18-month mark after starting treatment.

Rebel - whose polycystic ovarian syndrome affects fertility - originally decided to slim down at the urging of her IVF doctor in 2019 (pictured Saturday)

Wilson recalled: 'Basically no one apart from my mom wanted me to lose weight. People thought I'd lose my pigeonhole in my career, playing the fat funny character, and they wanted me to continue in that' (pictured in 2020)

The SAG Award nominee and her fiancée Ramona Agruma (L, pictured November 6) eventually welcomed their 16-month-old daughter Royce Lillian Elizabeth Wilson (M) via surrogate in November 2022

Rebel (born Melanie Bownds) previously claimed to have successfully reached her 165lb goal weight through high-intensity interval workouts with fitness trainer Jono Castano Acero (L, pictured in 2020), long hikes, and a high-protein/low-sugar diet

In the past four years, Wilson has admitted to gaining some of it back including 20lbs from 'stress eating' leading up to the release of her upcoming memoir Rebel Rising (pictured last Friday)

Wilson - who enjoyed a lavish vacation to Nobu Hotel Los Cabos this weekend - is satisfied with her current 5ft4in figure as it's 'still curvy and solid' (pictured Sunday)

The Pitch Perfect alum's 336-page autobiography Rebel Rising: A Memoir hits shelves this Tuesday, and she'll appear at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan this Wednesday for a reading event (pictured last Thursday)

'You could tell someone that they're going to lose 15 percent of their weight, potentially, on Ozempic or Wegovy. But once they get to 15 percent, it is not like they're like, "Oh, now I'm satisfied, great,"' Kraftson told the New York Times last September.

'I don't try to come across as the dream killer, but sometimes you really wonder, what is the hole we're trying to fill? And will additional weight loss really fill it?'

Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus, Mounjaro, and Victoza should only be prescribed to severely overweight patients suffering from type 2 diabetes - and only one of them (Wegovy) has been approved for weight loss by the FDA in 2021.

The Novo Nordisk-brand injectable can cost $25/month for qualified patients under insurance, but it costs anywhere in between $600-$1,300 for a month supply of four weekly pens out-of-pocket.

Rebel's 336-page autobiography Rebel Rising: A Memoir hits shelves this Tuesday, and she'll appear at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan this Wednesday for a reading event.

'I think once this press tour is over for the book, I'll just go back to a bit more of a normal schedule and working out how I can be a mum and also take an hour or two in my day to be healthy,' Wilson claimed to People on Sunday.

The blonde funnywoman's upcoming films include Simon West's spy comedy Bride Hard, JK Youn's road trip comedy K-Pop: Lost in America, and Timothy Scott Bogart's Verona musical based on Romeo & Juliet.

Rebel will also make her feature directorial debut with the Australian-set musical comedy The Deb, in which she stars as Janette.

• Rebel Wilson on sex, weight and working with Sacha Baron Cohen
• Does Ozempic Stop Working Over Time? Why Weight Loss Can Plateau - The New York Times
• FDA Approves New Drug Treatment for Chronic Weight Management, First Since 2014 | FDA
• Rebel Wilson Admits to 'Shameful Behaviors' Around Food

Share or comment on this article: Rebel Wilson DID use Ozempic during her 80lb weight-loss journey, but no longer takes the trendy semaglutide injectable: 'Those drugs can be good'

• Add comment

Femail Today

• Follow DailyMail
• Subscribe Daily Mail
• Follow @dailymail
• Follow MailOnline
• Follow Daily Mail

• Today's headlines

• MORE HEADLINES
• Princess of Wales was forced to disclose her cancer diagnosis after news threatened to leak: Sources say Kensington Palace was contacted about Kate's illness and needed to get ahead of the story… so who revealed her secrets?
• America's best public schools RANKED: The 20 secret suburbs YOU need to move to for a great taxpayer-funded education
• South Carolina couple are left STRANDED in Africa along with five other Americans after their cruise ship left without them when their tour guide was late back to the vessel
• Teenage kidnapping victim Savannah Graziano is gunned down by cops while running towards them for help as one officer is heard pleading with deputies to 'stop shooting her' in horrific new helicopter footage
• Conjoined twin's husband slapped with paternity suit by woman he had kids with two years before marrying Abby Hensel
• 'I didn't do that': Biden says it wasn't him who designated Easter Sunday as Transgender Day of Visibility and calls Speaker Mike Johnson 'thoroughly uninformed' for his furious response
• Family of Missouri teen Maurnice DeClue - charged with bashing Kaylee Gain's head into pavement - says 'cruel' people have wrongly reported fundraiser for legal fees as a scam
• Rishi Sunak backs JK Rowling's right to free speech as Scotland's hate crime laws come into force: PM says 'people should not be criminalised for stating simple facts on biology' after author dared police to arrest her for 'misgendering'
• America's unhealthiest cities REVEALED: From junk food to costly clinics and few gyms - find out if YOUR city is putting you in an early grave
• Texas man who was left paralyzed after being struck by WAVE on Mexico beach says doctors at hospital demanded RANSOM money in exchange for life-saving surgery
• Trump's potential VP pick Tulsi Gabbard, 42, and husband Abraham Williams, 35, buy $675,000 rustic single-story home in Texas - 18 months after Hawaiian native sensationally quit Democratic Party
• At least 100MILLION in path of severe storms bringing 'significant risk' to lives and property as hail and 70mph winds move across the US
• Investment banking student, 22, is found dead at his Bucknell University frat house
• What a vile April Fools! JK Rowling could now face jail for 'misgendering' a male rapist... Biden stumbles with a trans Easter insult... and sports lunacy prevails! MAUREEN CALLAHAN rages: When WILL the gender insanity end?
• Furious protesters stage rally outside Scottish Parliament in anger at SNP's new hate crime laws - as JK Rowling dares police to arrest her for calling trans women 'men'
• NYC squatters use Shake Shack receipt as PROOF they should get legal protections for taking over family's $950k home
• Jay Leno's wife Mavis, 77, 'sometimes does not' recognize him or remember her birth date amid heartbreaking dementia battle - as court-appointed lawyer recommends conservatorship
• Meet the Squatter Squad: California crew taking on home invaders who are turning multi-million dollar mansions into strip clubs and hosting all-night raves - as court system drags its feet
• 'Killer' OnlyFans model Courtney Clenney is seen in new bodycam begging to see crypto trader boyfriend moments after 'stabbing him to death', telling cops she tried to save his life despite being 'scared'
• Missouri schoolgirl Kaylee Gain, 16, 'does not know why she is in hospital' - as lawyer makes shock admission about vile WWE social media posts
• Missing four-year-old Washington boy Ariel Garcia is found dead as his mother is charged with killing him and dumping body on side of road
• Trump posts $175 million bond in New York civil fraud case to avoid having his assets seized as he sets his sights on appealing massive $464 million judgement
• Latest Boeing flightmare as Alaska Airlines plane from Hawaii to Alaska is forced to turn around due to the cabin FLOODING - as flight attendants use paper towels to desperately mop it up
• US national is among World Central Kitchen staff killed in Israeli airstrike in Gaza as charity's founder celeb chef Jose Andres says he is 'heartbroken and grieving for these angels' who he worked with in Ukraine and Indonesia
• Chilean gang raids wealthy Detroit suburb mansions as chilling surveillance catches them loot $800,000 worth of jewelry and cash
• Hope Hicks 'set to testify' in Trump's Stormy Daniels hush money trial: One of former president's closest White House aides could take stand in blockbuster court case
• Iran vows 'harsh' retaliation after 'Israeli airstrike' destroys Tehran consulate in Syria 'killing and injuring everyone inside' including Revolutionary Guard military commander
• Terrifying footage shows paranormal hunters investigating remote Wyoming building where a 15-year-old girl was hidden and found in a coffin 50 years later
• Dali owners DENY fault and demand lawsuits be capped at $43.6million - the cost of the boat that crashed into the Baltimore Key Bridge sparking deadly collapse
• MOST READ IN DETAIL

• Back to top

Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd

Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group

Here's How I Lost Nearly 40 Pounds and Got Shredded in 11 Weeks

Now I feel like I can achieve anything.

Ibby, 33, from Manchester in the United Kingdom, tells Men's Health how he lost weight, built muscle, and changed his outlook on life by pursuing an 11-week transformation program.

When I was at my heaviest, I felt depressed and very unhappy. I was 31 years old, and I was 196 pounds. The weight had piled up slowly over time due to overeating and an overall lack of activity, as I had become incredibly complacent in my unhealthy habits.

I remember just waking up one day and thinking, what am I doing here? I needed to make drastic changes to get my health and wellbeing in order otherwise I was going to fall into a horrible trap of bad habits, poor food choices and weight gain. My motivation came from a holiday to Dubai, which I had planned for my birthday. I wanted to be in the best shape I could possibly be in time for the trip. This motivated me, and in that journey, I found my "why".

David and I worked out three times a week; these were total-body sessions with lots of compound exercises and heavy weights. We performed two exercises back-to-back in a superset structure, and each workout contained three or more of these supersets. One example of a superset we performed was a Barbell Romanian Deadlift and a Dumbbell Bench Press. I also performed calisthenics-based training, and did light cardio two to three times a week, and most importantly stuck to the goal of hitting 10,000 steps every day.

I was motivated by achieving weekly and monthly targets which David set, but above all I was driven by my “why”. I wanted to be in the best shape possible for my 32 nd birthday and this was my main motivation. David provided me with a meal plan that recommended servings of lean meat and fish, lots of vegetables, and complex carbohydrates such as rice and sweet potato. A special emphasis was placed on consuming adequate protein to help me recover from the resistance training sessions that I was doing. I was also educated in terms of portion sizes and food choices that would help me achieve my goals as quickly as possible.

My training also changed in that a greater focus was placed on progressing my performance in the gym each session. All training loads were tracked, rest times were monitored, video analysis was performed on certain exercises, and of course training intensity increased massively. I learned that progress in the gym is not just adding weight to the bar, but it can mean doing each repetition with better technique or doing more work in less time.

I lost a total of 37 pounds in 11 weeks, and finished off the transformation with a professional photoshoot. The photoshoot put me outside of my comfort zone, but was a brilliant experience and showcased all the hard work I put in. The process was hard at times, but I guess in life nothing worthwhile is easy. This makes the achievement more satisfying, so you can eventually appreciate the hard work you have put in when you get where you want to be.

There were so many positive side effects to training. My day-to-day activities became much easier, and I began to resolve issues with more confidence. I have a positive impact on people around me, my energy is super positive, and mentally I feel great. I feel like anything I want to do is achievable.

Now that I am in a place where I am happy with my physique, I am pursuing strength goals. I set goals of doing a chin up with 110 pounds attached to me, deadlifting 400 pounds and bench pressing 265 pounds. I reached the chin up and deadlift goal last week and expect to hit the bench press goal in the next month. However, I am not finished with achieving exercise goals. Exercise and training are now a central part of my life, and between myself and my trainer, we will come up with new targets in the near future.

If I could give one piece of advice to anyone looking to make a change in their own personal fitness, I would just say: don't hold back, take action today. Don't wait until tomorrow, because tomorrow never comes.

.css-1fpt53b{height:1.25rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-1fpt53b{overflow:unset;line-height:1.25rem;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-1fpt53b{line-height:1.25rem;}}.css-1fpt53b:before{background-color:#D2232E;color:#fff;margin-right:0.625rem;width:1.25rem;height:1.25rem;content:'';display:block;} Men's Health MVP Exclusives

This PDF Program Will Build Better Abs

Pick the Right Rep Range for Your Workouts

Try This 20-Minute Arms and Abs Assault

This Kettlebell Complex Will Help You to Muscle Up

Making a Commitment to Himself Changed Everything

Alan Ritchson's Favorite 'Reacher' Moves

This Guy Got Shredded by Trusting a New Process

How to Clear Up Annoying Sinus Problems

How to Retrain Your Nonexistent Attention Span

Build a Superhero Chest With This 4-Week Program

Try This Total-Body New Year Workout

29-pound cat named Smokey starting weight loss journey

(KSNV) - An adorable 29-pound cat is one step closer to finding a home.

Smokey, a 10-year-old feline, has been up for adoption in Las Vegas.

But he has a bit of a weight problem.

So, the Animal Foundation says Smokey will be heading to a foster home where his temporary owner will help him on a weight loss journey.

Those interested in helping Smokey or for adoption information can contact the animal shelter.

Copyright 2024 KSNV via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.

Pastor defends 150-foot cross that cost $200,000 to build as ‘message of hope’

April 4th Community Supplemental Food Program Distributions postponed by one week

Over $500,000 has been awarded support homeless youth in Aroostook County

Astronomer Party in Hodgdon

Rain Showers Transition to Snow, Greater Chance for Accumulating Snow Late

Latest news.

Pete Buttigieg makes 'major rail safety' announcment

College will cost up to $95,000 this fall at multiple universities

Community shocked 13-year-old would stab mother to death after getting phone taken away

Aroostook County road work plans may be impacted by the mild winter

Channel X Radio has a new owner

Current Weather

Partly Cloudy

Latest Weathercast

Interactive Radar

29-pound cat 'Smokey' heading to foster home for weight loss journey

by News 3 Staff

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A big cat is one step closer to finding their forever home.

29-pound and 10-year-old cat Smokey was looking for an owner to help him lose some weight.

The Animal Foundation says he is now heading to a foster home.

MORE ON NEWS 3 | Enjoy reduce animal adoption fees this Easter at local pet rescues

His temporary owner has fostered over 270 animals and will help him on his weight loss journey while they look for his permanent home.

Anyone interested in adopting Smokey can visit The Animal Foundation or click here .

All About Jazz Jennings' Weight Loss Journey: She's 'So Proud' Of 70-Pound Weight Loss In A New IG Post

The 23-year-old first started her health journey back in 2021.

Jazz shared the news with an Instagram post that featured a picture of her posing on the beach in a bathing suit .

“Feeling happier and healthier than I’ve been in years,” she wrote in the caption . “I still have a ways to go, but I’m so proud to finally be taking the necessary steps toward bettering my mind, body, and spirit💜💜💜.”

Jazz first started talking about wanting to start her health and weight loss journey back in 2021. So, what has helped Jazz reach her health and wellness goals? Here’s everything to know so far.

She started her weight loss journey in 2021.

In June 2021, Jazz posted two side-by-side photos of herself on Instagram, showing a before and after weight gain comparison, with a caption that explained where she was feeling mentally at that point.

“I’m posting this photo because it’s time for me to address my weight gain and hold myself accountable,” she wrote. “I’m ready to change my ways; I’ve been saying I’m ready to turn over a new leaf, but I’m running out of trees now. I’m ready to take the initiative and create positive changes when it comes to my health and body.”

She ended on this note: “Love you all, and thanks for understanding the battle I’m fighting to win❤️❤️❤️.”

She has been open about her eating disorder.

Jazz has binge-eating disorder, something she also addressed in her 2021 post.

“As many of you have noticed, over the past few years, I have gained a substantial amount of weight,” she wrote. “I suffer from binge-eating disorder, a disease in which I’m not only addicted to food, but I eat it in large quantities.”

Jazz also said that bingeing, along with an increased appetite she experiences from some of the medications she takes, caused her to gain almost 100 pounds in less than two years.

How did she lose weight?

While Jazz hasn't shared her exact diet and fitness routine in the intervening years, she has shared several Instagram posts demonstrating some of the steps she’s taken to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which includes working out and playing lots of sports.

In January of 2024, she shared a video of herself running with her dad, who is a total hype man. “There she is….the 2024 Jazz,” he cheered as they ran together.

Jazz has also shared photos of herself posing next to a tennis court, writing, “one step at a time,” in the caption .

Oh, and the star even joined a club lacrosse team at Harvard, where she goes to college. “Had my first lacrosse game with the Harvard club. It was so much fun!🌟❤️” she captioned a photo of herself on the field.

She has done “boot camp” workouts with her brother.

In 2022, Jazz shared a video of herself doing “boot camp” workouts with her brother, Sander. In the clip, Jazz and Sander do jumping jacks, planks, wall sits, and a half mile run. She wrapped things up by carrying Sander on her back.

It's not clear how often they did these "boot camps," but they definitely seemed like they were working hard while also having fun together.

How much weight did she lose?

Jazz said in her latest post that she’s lost 70 pounds, and plans to lose more.

How UFC's Tatiana Suarez Gets In Fighting Shape

Dentists Say This Electric Toothbrush Works

11 Reasons Your Eyes Are So Puffy Right Now

Christina Applegate Health Updates: What To Know

Halle Berry Experienced This Perimenopause Symptom

The 10 Best Multivitamins For Women, Per Doctors

Is Plan B The Same As The Abortion Pill?

Comstock Act Is Cited In SCOTUS Abortion Pill Case

Anne Hathaway, 41, Opens Up About Past Miscarriage

Cameron Diaz Used A Surrogate To Have First Baby

Kate Middleton's Cancer Diagnosis Timeline

What to know about the deadly Rockford, Illinois, stabbing spree

A 22-year-old suspect was arrested in the incident that left four people dead.

A 22-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a stabbing rampage Wednesday afternoon in Rockford, Illinois, that left four people dead in 20 minutes, including a U.S. postal worker and a teenage girl, and seven other victims injured, police said.

Following his arrest in the frenzied attack, the suspect, Christian Soto, waived his Miranda rights to remain silent and told investigators he was high on marijuana he claimed was given to him by one of the slaying victims that he believed was laced with a strong narcotic, Winnebago County State's Attorney J. Hanley said at a news conference Thursday.

But Hanley said Soto was conscious throughout the entire rampage and recalled details of each attack in his interview with investigators.

"I don't have a real answer for that," Hanley said of the possible motive. "And I'm not sure we will."

Soto faces four counts of murder and seven counts of attempted murder, as well as two counts of home invasion with a dangerous weapon, Hanley said. Soto is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday afternoon.

Holding back tears, an emotional Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara identified those killed in the attacks: 15-year-old Jenna Newcomb, 49-year-old Jay Larson and 63-year-old Romona Schubach and her 23-year-old son, Jacob Schubach.

"Jenna's mom wants the community to know that Jenna died saving her sister and her friend, and protecting them from further harm," McNamara said.

Hanley said Newcomb was beaten to death with an aluminum softball bat after warning her sister and their friend that a man had broken into their home.

Officials said one of the seven survivors of the attack remained in critical condition Thursday, with four others in serious condition.

Ruth Mendonca, the inspector in charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago, identified Larson as the mail carrier who was killed in the attacks.

"A 25-year veteran of the U.S. Postal Service, letter carrier Jay Larson was taken from his family and from this community yesterday," Mendonca said at the news conference. "This tragedy occurred while Jay was doing his job like many of us were at that exact time. Jay was doing what he loved, serving his community delivering mail to customers whom he has served for 25 years."

Lawrence Steward, president of the local chapter of the National Association of Letter Carriers, echoed Mendonca's description of Larson, telling ABC News, "Jay was not just a coworker. Jay was not just a letter carrier. Jay is, was, and will always be a representative of the best of us."

"He constantly had a smile and a kind word," Steward said. "He gave us all of his best all the time, in life and leading to his death. Jay gave us his best. We will always remember that about him."

President Joe Biden released a statement Thursday afternoon saying that he and first lady Jill Biden were "horrified to learn of the brutal attack carried out in Rockford last night."

"We are praying for the families of those who lost loved ones, and hoping that all those injured make a full recovery," Biden said. "We are also grateful for the heroic actions of local law enforcement, who confronted the suspect and prevented the loss of more innocent life.
Federal law enforcement have offered all available assistance to local law enforcement as they investigate this heinous act. In the meantime, my Administration will do everything in its power to help the people of Rockford and the broader community recover from this traumatic event."

Biden added, "Families across America want the same thing: the freedom to feel safe in their community. That is my priority and the reason we’ve made major investments to provide communities with resources and law enforcement officers to prevent and fight crime. This tragic event is a reminder that we must continue to ensure that our police and first responders have the support they need to do their jobs and keep us safe.
"

Police initially said there were nine victims of the attack, including the four who were killed. The Winnebago County Sheriff's Office confirmed Thursday that two additional victims connected to the violence were subsequently located.

The attacks unfolded around 1:14 p.m., local time, in a residential neighborhood in southeast Rockford, which is about 88 miles northwest of Chicago, according to authorities, who noted this was a "multi-jurisdictional crime scene."

Hanley said the killings started at the Schubachs' home, where Soto was visiting his longtime friend, Jacob Schubach. Hanley said Soto allegedly told investigators that he and Jacob Schubach smoked marijuana that he believed was laced with an unknown narcotic.

“Soto said he became paranoid after the drug usage. He said he retrieved a knife from the kitchen at Jacob’s house and proceeded to stab Jacob and Romona to death," Hanley said.

A witness told investigators he saw the suspect chasing Jacob Schubach out of the house and across the street, where he knocked the victim to the ground and began hitting or stabbing him with an object in his hands, Hanley said. The witness said the suspect got into his pickup truck and ran over Jacob Schubach, Hanley said.

Hanley said that, according to the witness, Schubach managed to get up and run back into his house and that the suspect stopped his truck, got out and went back into the home, where the Schubachs were later found dead from stab wounds.

“Soto stated that he then left the residence in his vehicle and he recalled ‘taking out the mailman,'" Hanley alleged.

The mail carrier, Larson, was attacked in the front yard of a home. Another witness said he heard a commotion going on in his front yard and saw the suspect on top of his mail carrier, punching him, according to Hanley.

The witness told investigators he saw the assailant allegedly go back to his truck, retrieve a knife with an orange handle and proceed to stab Larson repeatedly, Hanley said. He said Larson yelled out to the witness to call the police.

The witness said the suspect started to approach his front door, prompting him to close the door and lock it, Hanley said. The witness watched from his window as the suspect got back into his truck and allegedly ran over Larson before putting the vehicle in reverse and backing over Larson, Hanley said.

The prosecutor alleged Soto then got out of his truck and ran to a nearby home, where he forced his way in and stabbed a woman and her two children, all of whom survived the attack with non-life-threatening injuries.

Hanley alleged Soto then went to another home nearby, where he fatally beat Jenna Newcomb with the softball bat and injured her sister and their friend in the basement of the home.

MORE: Illinois parole board chair, member step down after 11-year-old's stabbing death

After leaving the Newcomb home, Soto allegedly broke into yet another residence and attacked a homeowner, identified as Lindsay Craig, with a knife, Hanley said. He said Craig ran from the home, but Soto allegedly caught her in her front yard and continued stabbing her in an attack that was caught on a security camera.

As Craig was being attacked outside her house, a good Samaritan, Keith Fahrney, was driving by in his Jeep and stopped to help Craig "without hesitation" by placing himself between Soto and Craig, Hanley said.

Hanley said Soto stabbed Fahrney, inflicting multiple injuries, and attempted to steal the Jeep. Fahrney chased after Soto and was trying to pull him from the Jeep when a Winnebago County sheriff's deputy arrived and intervened, Hanley said.

Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana said the deputy chased Soto on foot and arrested him after a brief struggle, in which the deputy sustained cuts to his hands.

Hanley said Soto was "covered in blood" at the time of his arrest at about 1:35 p.m. local time.

MORE: 3 people killed, 3 injured in random shooting at Illinois bowling alley: Police

Court records reviewed by ABC affiliate station WTVO in Rockford show Soto listed at an address in a neighborhood near where the killings occurred.

Within minutes of the attacks, police, paramedics, and sheriff's deputies responded to multiple crimes that spread from Rockford into an unincorporated area of Winnebago County, authorities said.

Police said they do not believe any other suspects are at large in the attack. Rockford Police Chief Redd said that federal agents, including U.S. Postal Service investigators, also are assisting in the probe.

This story has been updated to correct the misspelling of Keith Fahrney's name.

Top Stories

Why April's total solar eclipse will be a historic event in the US

• Apr 2, 5:30 AM

Trump secures $175 million bond in New York civil fraud case

• Apr 1, 10:44 PM

Bankman-Fried speaks after sentencing: 'I'm haunted, every day, by what was lost'

• Apr 1, 11:38 AM

'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" roars to an $80 million box office opening

• Mar 31, 2:12 PM

World Central Kitchen pauses Gaza aid, saying 7 members killed during IDF attack

• 2 hours ago

ABC News Live

24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

• Share full article

For more audio journalism and storytelling, download New York Times Audio , a new iOS app available for news subscribers.

Ronna McDaniel, TV News and the Trump Problem

The former republican national committee chairwoman was hired by nbc and then let go after an outcry..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Michael Barbaro. This is “The Daily.”

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Today, the saga of Ronna McDaniel and NBC and what it reveals about the state of television news headed into the 2024 presidential race. Jim Rutenberg, a “Times” writer at large, is our guest.

It’s Monday, April 1.

Jim, NBC News just went through a very public, a very searing drama over the past week, that we wanted you to make sense of in your unique capacity as a longtime media and political reporter at “The Times.” This is your sweet spot. You were, I believe, born to dissect this story for us.

Oh, brother.

Well, on the one hand, this is a very small moment for a major network like NBC. They hire, as a contributor, not an anchor, not a correspondent, as a contributor, Ronna McDaniel, the former RNC chairwoman. It blows up in a mini scandal at the network.

But to me, it represents a much larger issue that’s been there since that moment Donald J. Trump took his shiny gold escalator down to announce his presidential run in 2015. This struggle by the news media to figure out, especially on television, how do we capture him, cover him for all of his lies, all the challenges he poses to Democratic norms, yet not alienate some 74, 75 million American voters who still follow him, still believe in him, and still want to hear his reality reflected in the news that they’re listening to?

Right. Which is about as gnarly a conundrum as anyone has ever dealt with in the news media.

Well, it’s proven so far unsolvable.

Well, let’s use the story of what actually happened with Ronna McDaniel and NBC to illustrate your point. And I think that means describing precisely what happened in this situation.

The story starts out so simply. It’s such a basic thing that television networks do. As elections get underway, they want people who will reflect the two parties.

They want talking heads. They want insiders. They want them on their payroll so they can rely on them whenever they need them. And they want them to be high level so they can speak with great knowledge about the two major candidates.

Right. And rather than needing to beg these people to come on their show at 6 o’clock, when they might be busy and it’s not their full-time job, they go off and they basically put them on retainer for a bunch of money.

Yeah. And in this case, here’s this perfect scenario because quite recently, Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee through the Trump era, most of it, is now out on the market. She’s actually recently been forced out of the party. And all the networks are interested because here’s the consummate insider from Trump world ready to get snatched up under contract for the next election and can really represent this movement that they’ve been trying to capture.

So NBC’S key news executives move pretty aggressively, pretty swiftly, and they sign her up for a $300,000 a year contributor’s contract.

Nice money if you can get it.

Not at millions of dollars that they pay their anchors, but a very nice contract. I’ll take it. You’ll take it. In the eyes of NBC execs she was perfect because she can be on “Meet the Press” as a panelist. She can help as they figure out some of their coverage. They have 24 hours a day to fill and here’s an official from the RNC. You can almost imagine the question that would be asked to her. It’s 10:00 PM on election night. Ronna, what are the Trump people thinking right now? They’re looking at the same numbers you are.

That was good, but that’s exactly it. And we all know it, right? This is television in our current era.

So last Friday, NBC makes what should be a routine announcement, but one they’re very proud of, that they’ve hired Ronna McDaniel. And in a statement, they say it couldn’t be a more important moment to have a voice like Ronna’s on the team. So all’s good, right? Except for there’s a fly in the ointment.

Because it turns out that Ronna McDaniel has been slated to appear on “Meet the Press,” not as a paid NBC contributor, but as a former recently ousted RNC chair with the “Meet The Press” host, Kristen Welker, who’s preparing to have a real tough interview with Ronna McDaniel. Because of course, Ronna McDaniel was chair of the party and at Trump’s side as he tried to refuse his election loss. So this was supposed to be a showdown interview.

From NBC News in Washington, the longest-running show in television history. This is “Meet The Press” with Kristen Welker.

And here, all of a sudden, Kristin Welker is thrown for a loop.

In full disclosure to our viewers, this interview was scheduled weeks before it was announced that McDaniel would become a paid NBC News contributor.

Because now, she’s actually interviewing a member of the family who’s on the same payroll.

Right. Suddenly, she’s interviewing a colleague.

This will be a news interview, and I was not involved in her hiring.

So what happens during the interview?

So Welker is prepared for a tough interview, and that’s exactly what she does.

Can you say, as you sit here today, did Joe Biden win the election fair and square?

He won. He’s the legitimate president.

Did he win fair and square?

Fair and square, he won. It’s certified. It’s done.

She presses her on the key question that a lot of Republicans get asked these days — do you accept Joe Biden was the winner of the election?

But, I do think, Kristen —

Ronna, why has it taken you until now to say that? Why has it taken you until now to be able to say that?

I’m going to push back a little.

McDaniel gets defensive at times.

Because I do think it’s fair to say there were problems in 2020. And to say that does not mean he’s not the legitimate president.

But, Ronna, when you say that, it suggests that there was something wrong with the election. And you know that the election was the most heavily scrutinized. Chris Krebs —

It’s a really combative interview.

I want to turn now to your actions in the aftermath of the 2020 election.

And Welker actually really does go deeply into McDaniel’s record in those weeks before January 6.

On November 17, you and Donald Trump were recorded pushing two Republican Michigan election officials not to certify the results of the election. And on the call —

For instance, she presses McDaniel on McDaniel’s role in an attempt to convince a couple county commissioner level canvassers in Michigan to not certify Biden’s victory.

Our call that night was to say, are you OK? Vote your conscience. Not pushing them to do anything.

McDaniel says, look, I was just telling them to vote their conscience. They should do whatever they think is right.

But you said, do not sign it. If you can go home tonight, do not sign it. How can people read that as anything other than a pressure campaign?

And Welker’s not going to just let her off the hook. Welker presses her on Trump’s own comments about January 6 and Trump’s efforts recently to gloss over some of the violence, and to say that those who have been arrested, he’ll free them.

Do you support that?

I want to be very clear. The violence that happened on January 6 is unacceptable.

And this is a frankly fascinating moment because you can hear McDaniel starting to, if not quite reverse some of her positions, though in some cases she does that, at least really soften her language. It’s almost as if she’s switching uniforms from the RNC one to an NBC one or almost like breaking from a role she was playing.

Ronna, why not speak out earlier? Why just speak out about that now?

When you’re the RNC chair, you kind of take one for the whole team, right? Now, I get to be a little bit more myself.

She says, hey, you know what? Sometimes as RNC chair, you just have to take it for the team sometimes.

Right. What she’s really saying is I did things as chairwoman of the Republican National committee that now that I no longer have that job, I can candidly say, I wished I hadn’t done, which is very honest. But it’s also another way of saying I’m two faced, or I was playing a part.

Ronna McDaniel, thank you very much for being here this morning.

Then something extraordinary happens. And I have to say, I’ve never seen a moment like this in decades of watching television news and covering television news.

Welcome back. The panel is here. Chuck Todd, NBC News chief political analyst.

Welker brings her regular panel on, including Chuck Todd, now the senior NBC political analyst.

Chuck, let’s dive right in. What were your takeaways?

And he launches right into what he calls —

Look, let me deal with the elephant in the room.

The elephant being this hiring of McDaniel.

I think our bosses owe you an apology for putting you in this situation.

And he proceeds, on NBC’S air, to lace into management for, as he describes it, putting Welker in this crazy awkward position.

Because I don’t know what to believe. She is now a paid contributor by NBC News. I have no idea whether any answer she gave to you was because she didn’t want to mess up her contract.

And Todd is very hung up on this idea that when she was speaking for the party, she would say one thing. And now that she’s on the payroll at NBC, she’s saying another thing.

She has credibility issues that she still has to deal with. Is she speaking for herself, or is she speaking on behalf of who’s paying her?

Todd is basically saying, how are we supposed to know which one to believe.

What can we believe?

It is important for this network and for always to have a wide aperture. Having ideological diversity on this panel is something I prided myself on.

And what he’s effectively saying is that his bosses should have never hired her in this capacity.

I understand the motivation, but this execution, I think, was poor.

Someone said to me last night we live in complicated times. Thank you guys for being here. I really appreciate it.

Now, let’s just note here, this isn’t just any player at NBC. Chuck Todd is obviously a major news name at the network. And him doing this appears to just open the floodgates across the entire NBC News brand, especially on its sister cable network, MSNBC.

And where I said I’d never seen anything like what I saw on “Meet the Press” that morning, I’d never seen anything like this either. Because now, the entire MSNBC lineup is in open rebellion. I mean, from the minute that the sun comes up. There is Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski.

We weren’t asked our opinion of the hiring. But if we were, we would have strongly objected to it.

They’re on fire over this.

believe NBC News should seek out conservative Republican voices, but it should be conservative Republicans, not a person who used her position of power to be an anti-democracy election denier.

But it rolls out across the entire schedule.

Because Ronna McDaniel has been a major peddler of the big lie.

The fact that Ms. McDaniel is on the payroll at NBC News, to me that is inexplicable. I mean, you wouldn’t hire a mobster to work at a DA’s office.

Rachel Maddow devotes an entire half hour.

It’s not about just being associated with Donald Trump and his time in the Republican Party. It’s not even about lying or not lying. It’s about our system of government.

Thumbing their noses at our bosses and basically accusing them of abetting a traitorous figure in American history. I mean, just extraordinary stuff. It’s television history.

And let’s face it, we journalists, our bosses, we can be seen as crybabies, and we’re paid complaining. Yeah, that’s what we’re paid to do. But in this case, the NBC executives cannot ignore this, because in the outcry, there’s a very clear point that they’re all making. Ronna McDaniel is not just a voice from the other side. She was a fundamental part of Trump’s efforts to deny his election loss.

This is not inviting the other side. This is someone who’s on the wrong side —

Of history.

Of history, of these moments that we’ve covered and are still covering.

And I think it’s fair to say that at this point, everyone understands that Ronna McDaniel’s time at NBC News is going to be very short lived. Yeah, basically, after all this, the executives at NBC have to face facts it’s over. And on Tuesday night, they release a statement to the staff saying as much.

They don’t cite the questions about red lines or what Ronna McDaniel represented or didn’t represent. They just say we need to have a unified newsroom. We want cohesion. This isn’t working.

I think in the end, she was a paid contributor for four days.

Yeah, one of the shortest tenures in television news history. And look, in one respect, by their standards, this is kind of a pretty small contract, a few hundred thousand dollars they may have to pay out. But it was way more costly because they hired her. They brought her on board because they wanted to appeal to these tens of millions of Americans who still love Donald J. Trump.

And what happens now is that this entire thing is blown up in their face, and those very same people now see a network that, in their view, in the view of Republicans across the country, this network will not accept any Republicans. So it becomes more about that. And Fox News, NBC’S longtime rival, goes wall to wall with this.

Now, NBC News just caved to the breathless demands from their far left, frankly, emotionally unhinged host.

I mean, I had it on my desk all day. And every minute I looked at that screen, it was pounding on these liberals at NBC News driving this Republican out.

It’s the shortest tenure in TV history, I think. But why? Well, because she supports Donald Trump, period.

So in a way, this leaves NBC worse off with that Trump Republican audience they had wanted to court than maybe even they were before. It’s like a boomerang with a grenade on it.

Yeah, it completely explodes in their face. And that’s why to me, the whole episode is so representative of this eight-year conundrum for the news media, especially on television. They still haven’t been able to crack the code for how to handle the Trump movement, the Trump candidacy, and what it has wrought on the American political system and American journalism.

We’ll be right back.

Jim, put into context this painful episode of NBC into that larger conundrum you just diagnosed that the media has faced when it comes to Trump.

Well, Michael, it’s been there from the very beginning, from the very beginning of his political rise. The media was on this kind of seesaw. They go back and forth over how to cover him. Sometimes they want to cover him quite aggressively because he’s such a challenging candidate. He was bursting so many norms.

But at other times, there was this instinct to understand his appeal, for the same reason. He’s such an unusual candidate. So there was a great desire to really understand his voters. And frankly, to speak to his voters, because they’re part of the audience. And we all lived it, right?

But just let me take you back anyway because everything’s fresh again with perspective. And so if you go back, let’s look at when he first ran. The networks, if you recall, saw him as almost like a novelty candidate.

He was going to spice up what was expected to be a boring campaign between the usual suspects. And he was a ratings magnet. And the networks, they just couldn’t get enough of it. And they allowed him, at times, to really shatter their own norms.

Welcome back to “Meet the Press,” sir.

Good morning, Chuck.

Good morning. Let me start —

He was able to just call into the studio and riff with the likes of George Stephanopoulos and Chuck Todd.

What does it have to do with Hillary?

She can’t talk about me because nobody respects women more than Donald Trump.

And CNN gave him a lot of unmitigated airtime, if you recall during the campaign. They would run the press conferences.

It’s the largest winery on the East Coast. I own it 100 percent.

And let him promote his Trump steaks and his Trump wine.

Trump steaks. Where are the steaks? Do we have steaks?

I mean, it got that crazy. But again, the ratings were huge. And then he wins. And because they had previously given him all that airtime, they’ve, in retrospect, sort of given him a political gift, and more than that now have a journalistic imperative to really address him in a different way, to cover him as they would have covered any other candidate, which, let’s face it, they weren’t doing initially. So there’s this extra motivation to make up for lost ground and maybe for some journalistic omissions.

Right. Kind of correct for the lack of a rigorous journalistic filter in the campaign.

Exactly. And the big thing that this will be remembered for is we’re going to call a lie a lie.

I don’t want to sugarcoat this because facts matter, and the fact is President Trump lies.

Trump lies. We’re going to say it’s a lie.

And I think we can’t just mince around it because they are lies. And so we need to call them what they are.

We’re no longer going to use euphemisms or looser language we’re. Going to call it for what it is.

Trump lies in tweets. He spreads false information at rallies. He lies when he doesn’t need to. He lies when the truth is more than enough for him.

CNN was running chyrons. They would fact check Trump and call lies lies on the screen while Trump is talking. They were challenging Trump to his face —

One of the statements that you made in the tail end of the campaign in the midterms that —

Here we go.

That — well, if you don’t mind, Mr. President, that this caravan was an invasion.

— in these crazy press conferences —

They’re are hundreds of miles away, though. They’re hundreds and hundreds of miles away. That’s not an invasion.

Honestly, I think you should let me run the country. You run CNN. And if you did it well, your ratings —

Well, let me ask — if I may ask one other question. Mr. President, if I may ask another question. Are you worried —

That’s enough. That’s enough.

And Trump is giving it right back.

I tell you what, CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldn’t be working for CNN.

Very combative.

So this was this incredibly fraught moment for the American press. You’ve got tens of millions of Trump supporters seeing what’s really basic fact checking. These look like attacks to Trump supporters. Trump, in turn, is calling the press, the reporters are enemies of the people. So it’s a terrible dynamic.

And when January 6 happens, it’s so obviously out of control. And what the traditional press that follows, traditional journalistic rules has to do is make it clear that the claims that Trump is making about a stolen election are just so abjectly false that they don’t warrant a single minute of real consideration once the reporting has been done to show how false they are. And I think that American journalism really emerged from that feeling strongly about its own values and its own place in society.

But then there’s still tens of millions of Trump voters, and they don’t feel so good about the coverage. And they don’t agree that January 6 was an insurrection. And so we enter yet another period, where the press is going to have to now maybe rethink some things.

In what way?

Well, there’s a kind of quiet period after January 6. Trump is off of social media. The smoke is literally dissipating from the air in Washington. And news executives are kind of standing there on the proverbial battlefield, taking a new look at their situation.

And they’re seeing that in this clearer light, they’ve got some new problems, perhaps none more important for their entire business models than that their ratings are quickly crashing. And part of that diminishment is that a huge part of the country, that Trump-loving part of the audience, is really now severed from him from their coverage.

They see the press as actually, in some cases, being complicit in stealing an election. And so these news executives, again, especially on television, which is so ratings dependent, they’ve got a problem. So after presumably learning all these lessons about journalism and how to confront power, there’s a first subtle and then much less subtle rethinking.

Maybe we need to pull back from that approach. And maybe we need to take some new lessons and switch it up a little bit and reverse some of what we did. And one of the best examples of this is none other than CNN.

It had come under new management, was being led by a guy named Chris Licht, a veteran of cable news, but also Stephen Colbert’s late night show in his last job. And his new job under this new management is we’re going to recalibrate a little bit. So Chris Licht proceeds to try to bring the network back to the center.

And how does he do that?

Well, we see some key personalities who represented the Trump combat era start losing air time and some of them lose their jobs. There’s talk of, we want more Republicans on the air. There was a famous magazine article about Chris Licht’s balancing act here.

And Chris Licht says to a reporter, Tim Alberta of the “Atlantic” magazine, look, a lot in the media, including at his own network, quote unquote, “put on a jersey, took a side.” They took a side. And he says, I think we understand that jersey cannot go back on him. Because he says in the end of the day, by the way, it didn’t even work. We didn’t change anyone’s mind.

He’s saying that confrontational approach that defined the four years Trump was in office, that was a reaction to the feeling that TV news had failed to properly treat Trump with sufficient skepticism, that that actually was a failure both of journalism and of the TV news business. Is that what he’s saying?

Yeah. On the business side, it’s easier call, right? You want a bigger audience, and you’re not getting the bigger audience. But he’s making a journalistic argument as well that if the job is to convey the truth and take it to the people, and they take that into account as they make their own voting decisions and formulate their own opinions about American politics, if tens of millions of people who do believe that election was stolen are completely tuning you out because now they see you as a political combatant, you’re not achieving your ultimate goal as a journalist.

And what does Licht’s “don’t put a jersey back on” approach look like on CNN for its viewers?

Well, It didn’t look good. People might remember this, but the most glaring example —

Please welcome, the front runner for the Republican nomination for president, Donald Trump.

— was when he held a town hall meeting featuring Donald J. Trump, now candidate Trump, before an audience packed with Trump’s fans.

You look at what happened during that election. Unless you’re a very stupid person, you see what happens. A lot of the people —

Trump let loose a string of falsehoods.

Most people understand what happened. It was a rigged election.

The audience is pro-Trump audience, was cheering him on.

Are you ready? Are you ready? Can I talk?

Yeah, what’s your answer?

Can I? Do you mind?

I would like for you to answer the question.

OK. It’s very simple to answer.

That’s why I asked it.

It’s very simple. You’re a nasty person, I’ll tell you that.

And during, the CNN anchor hosting this, Kaitlan Collins, on CNN’s own air, it was a disaster.

It felt like a callback to the unlearned lessons of 2016.

Yeah. And in this case, CNN’s staff was up in arms.

Big shakeup in the cable news industry as CNN makes another change at the top.

Chris Licht is officially out at CNN after a chaotic run as chairman and CEO.

And Chris Licht didn’t survive it.

The chief executive’s departure comes as he faced criticism in recent weeks after the network hosted a town hall with Donald Trump and the network’s ratings started to drop.

But I want to say that the CNN leadership still, even after that, as they brought new leadership in, said, this is still the path we’re going to go on. Maybe that didn’t work out, but we’re still here. This is still what we have to do.

Right. And this idea is very much in the water of TV news, that this is the right overall direction.

Yeah. This is, by no means, isolated to CNN. This is throughout the traditional news business. These conversations are happening everywhere. But CNN was living it at that point.

And this, of course, is how we get to NBC deciding to hire Ronna McDaniel.

Right. Because they’re picking up — right where that conversation leaves off, they’re having the same conversation. But for NBC, you could argue this tension between journalistic values and audience. It’s even more pressing. Because even though MSNBC is a niche cable network, NBC News is part of an old-fashioned broadcast network. It’s on television stations throughout the country.

And in fact, those networks, they still have 6:30 newscasts. And believe it or not, millions of people still watch those every night. Maybe not as many as they used to, but there’s still some six or seven million people tuning in to nightly news. That’s important.

Right. We should say that kind of number is sometimes double or triple that of the cable news prime time shows that get all the attention.

On their best nights. So this is big business still. And that business is based on broad — it’s called broadcast for a reason. That’s based on broad audiences. So NBC had a business imperative, and they argue they had a journalistic imperative.

So given all of that, Jim, I think the big messy question here is, when it comes to NBC, did they make a tactical error around hiring the wrong Republican which blew up? Or did they make an even larger error in thinking that the way you handle Trump and his supporters is to work this hard to reach them, when they might not even be reachable?

The best way to answer that question is to tell you what they’re saying right now, NBC management. What the management saying is, yes, this was a tactical error. This was clearly the wrong Republican. We get it.

But they’re saying, we are going to — and they said this in their statement, announcing that they were severing ties with McDaniel. They said, we’re going to redouble our efforts to represent a broad spectrum of the American votership. And that’s what they meant was that we’re going to still try to reach these Trump voters with people who can relate to them and they can relate to.

But the question is, how do you even do that when so many of his supporters believe a lie? How is NBC, how is CNN, how are any of these TV networks, if they have decided that this is their mission, how are they supposed to speak to people who believe something fundamentally untrue as a core part of their political identity?

That’s the catch-22. How do you get that Trump movement person who’s also an insider, when the litmus test to be an insider in the Trump movement is to believe in the denialism or at least say you do? So that’s a real journalistic problem. And the thing that we haven’t really touched here is, what are these networks doing day in and day out?

They’re not producing reported pieces, which I think it’s a little easier. You just report the news. You go out into the world. You talk to people, and then you present it to the world as a nuanced portrait of the country. This thing is true. This thing is false. Again, in many cases, pretty straightforward. But their bread and butter is talking heads. It’s live. It’s not edited. It’s not that much reported.

So their whole business model especially, again, on cable, which has 24 hours to fill, is talking heads. And if you want the perspective from the Trump movement, journalistically, especially when it comes to denialism, but when it comes to some other major subjects in American life, you’re walking into a place where they’re going to say things that aren’t true, that don’t pass your journalistic standards, the most basic standards of journalism.

Right. So you’re saying if TV sticks with this model, the kind of low cost, lots of talk approach to news, then they are going to have to solve the riddle of who to bring on, who represents Trump’s America if they want that audience. And now they’ve got this red line that they’ve established, that that person can’t be someone who denies the 2020 election reality. But like you just said, that’s the litmus test for being in Trump’s orbit.

So this doesn’t really look like a conundrum. This looks like a bit of a crisis for TV news because it may end up meaning that they can’t hire that person that they need for this model, which means that perhaps a network like NBC does need to wave goodbye to a big segment of these viewers and these eyeballs who support Trump.

I mean, on the one hand, they are not ready to do that, and they would never concede that that’s something they’re ready to do. The problem is barring some kind of change in their news model, there’s no solution to this.

But why bar changes to their news model, I guess, is the question. Because over the years, it’s gotten more and more expensive to produce news, the news that I’m talking about, like recorded packages and what we refer to as reporting. Just go out and report the news.

Don’t gab about it. Just what’s going on, what’s true, what’s false. That’s actually very expensive in television. And they don’t have the kind of money they used to have. So the talking heads is their way to do programming at a level where they can afford it.

They do some packages. “60 Minutes” still does incredible work. NBC does packages, but the lion’s share of what they do is what we’re talking about. And that’s not going to change because the economics aren’t there.

So then a final option, of course, to borrow something Chris Licht said, is that a network like NBC perhaps doesn’t put a jersey on, but accepts the reality that a lot of the world sees them wearing a jersey.

Yeah. I mean, nobody wants to be seen as wearing a jersey in our business. No one wants to be wearing a jersey on our business. But maybe what they really have to accept is that we’re just sticking to the true facts, and that may look like we’re wearing a jersey, but we’re not. And that may, at times, look like it’s lining up more with the Democrats, but we’re not.

If Trump is lying about a stolen election, that’s not siding against him. That’s siding for the truth, and that’s what we’re doing. Easier said than done. And I don’t think any of these concepts are new.

I think there have been attempts to do that, but it’s the world they’re in. And it’s the only option they really have. We’re going to tell you the truth, even if it means that we’re going to lose a big part of the country.

Well, Jim, thank you very much.

Thank you, Michael.

Here’s what else you need to know today.

[PROTESTERS CHANTING]

Over the weekend, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in some of the largest domestic demonstrations against the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since Israel invaded Gaza in the fall.

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

Some of the protesters called on Netanyahu to reach a cease fire deal that would free the hostages taken by Hamas on October 7. Others called for early elections that would remove Netanyahu from office.

During a news conference on Sunday, Netanyahu rejected calls for early elections, saying they would paralyze his government at a crucial moment in the war.

Today’s episode was produced by Rob Szypko, Rikki Novetsky, and Alex Stern, with help from Stella Tan.

It was edited by Brendan Klinkenberg with help from Rachel Quester and Paige Cowett. Contains original music by Marion Lozano, Dan Powell, and Rowan Niemisto and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Michael Barbaro. See you tomorrow.

• April 2, 2024   •   29:32 Kids Are Missing School at an Alarming Rate
• April 1, 2024   •   36:14 Ronna McDaniel, TV News and the Trump Problem
• March 29, 2024   •   48:42 Hamas Took Her, and Still Has Her Husband
• March 28, 2024   •   33:40 The Newest Tech Start-Up Billionaire? Donald Trump.
• March 27, 2024   •   28:06 Democrats’ Plan to Save the Republican House Speaker
• March 26, 2024   •   29:13 The United States vs. the iPhone
• March 25, 2024   •   25:59 A Terrorist Attack in Russia
• March 24, 2024   •   21:39 The Sunday Read: ‘My Goldendoodle Spent a Week at Some Luxury Dog ‘Hotels.’ I Tagged Along.’
• March 22, 2024   •   35:30 Chuck Schumer on His Campaign to Oust Israel’s Leader
• March 21, 2024   •   27:18 The Caitlin Clark Phenomenon
• March 20, 2024   •   25:58 The Bombshell Case That Will Transform the Housing Market
• March 19, 2024   •   27:29 Trump’s Plan to Take Away Biden’s Biggest Advantage

Hosted by Michael Barbaro

Featuring Jim Rutenberg

Produced by Rob Szypko ,  Rikki Novetsky and Alex Stern

With Stella Tan

Edited by Brendan Klinkenberg ,  Rachel Quester and Paige Cowett

Original music by Marion Lozano ,  Dan Powell and Rowan Niemisto

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

Ronna McDaniel’s time at NBC was short. The former Republican National Committee chairwoman was hired as an on-air political commentator but released just days later after an on-air revolt by the network’s leading stars.

Jim Rutenberg, a writer at large for The Times, discusses the saga and what it might reveal about the state of television news heading into the 2024 presidential race.

On today’s episode

Jim Rutenberg , a writer at large for The New York Times.

Background reading

Ms. McDaniel’s appointment had been immediately criticized by reporters at the network and by viewers on social media.

The former Republican Party leader tried to downplay her role in efforts to overturn the 2020 election. A review of the record shows she was involved in some key episodes .

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Jim Rutenberg is a writer at large for The Times and The New York Times Magazine and writes most often about media and politics. More about Jim Rutenberg

Advertisement

Hunter Schafer Reveals the Famous Celeb She Dated in 2019, Has Simple Response to 'Euphoria' Season 3 Rumor & More

Beyoncé Channels Her Inner Country Queen While Being Honored with Innovator Award at iHeartRadio Music Awards 2024

Angie Harmon Says Her Dog Was Killed by Instacart Driver, Shares Heartbreaking Story

Rome Flynn Breaks Silence on Shocking 'Chicago Fire' Exit, Explains Why He Left

Rebel Wilson Reveals She Used Ozempic for Weight Loss

Rebel Wilson is getting candid about her weight loss!

The 44-year-old actress has often been open about her weight loss journey . She is also preparing to release her memoir Rebel Rising on April 2.

Rebel recently revealed that she tried using Ozempic to lose weight.

If you aren’t aware, Ozempic is an injectable medicine meant to help adults with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar. However, some have used the drug solely for its weight loss effects.

Keep reading to find out more…

Rebel told The Sunday Times that she used Ozempic to maintain her weight after losing 80 pounds in recent years.

“Someone like me could have a bottomless appetite for sweets, so I think those drugs can be good,” she said.

The Pitch Perfect star clarified that she no longer uses Ozempic.

Find out which stars have denied and admitted to using Ozempic for weight loss!

JJ: Latest Posts

• Instacart Releases Statement After...
• Talk Show Renewals for 2024: What's...
• Hunter Schafer Confirms Past Romance...
• The Wealthiest 'Live with Kelly &...
• Colin Farrell Applauds Recent Success...
• Alyssa Raghu Fails to Make 'American...
• 'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon' Debuts...
• Zoe Kravitz Reunites with 'Rough...
• 'Freaky Friday 2' Plot Details Make It...
• Richest Stars of 'The Resident,'...
• These Videos of Flavor Flav Meeting...
• Christian McCaffrey Gets Hot &...
• Benedict Cumberbatch & Olivia...
• 'Jersey Shore' Star Sammi Giancola...

Just Jared Jr.

• 'Fright Krewe' Star Sydney Mikayla...
• Woody Woodpecker Returns In New...
• Olivia Colman Exits 'Heartstopper'...
• JoJo Siwa Announces 'Karma' Release...
• 'Zombies 4' Cast Revealed - 4 Stars...
• Finn Wolfhard Explains How He'd Like...
• Get to Know 10 Fun Facts About 'Davey...
• © 2005-2024 Just Jared, Inc. ||
• Accessibility
• Privacy Policy
• Manage Cookies
• Return to Mobile

29-pound cat named Smokey starting weight loss journey

(KSNV) - An adorable 29-pound cat is one step closer to finding a home.

Smokey, a 10-year-old feline, has been up for adoption in Las Vegas.

But he has a bit of a weight problem.

So, the Animal Foundation says Smokey will be heading to a foster home where his temporary owner will help him on a weight loss journey.

Those interested in helping Smokey or for adoption information can contact the animal shelter.

Copyright 2024 KSNV via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.

4-year-old girl dead, 8-year-old boy, 4 adults injured in crash on Hwy 211 near Woodburn

$6M worth of Oregon houses used by interstate drug trafficking organization seized

Vancouver police find missing mother, 5-year-old daughter

Property owner stunned after $500,000 house built on wrong lot: ‘Are you kidding me?’

Fight ends with gunfire at SE Portland gas station Easter morning

Latest news.

Pete Buttigieg makes 'major rail safety' announcment

College will cost up to $95,000 this fall at multiple universities

Community shocked 13-year-old would stab mother to death after getting phone taken away

Au pair charged with murder shot man after employer told her to, attorney says

Landscaper goes after robbery suspects with weed whacker, police say