When embarking on a weight loss journey, one of the most effective ways to get started is by seeking advice from others.
A slimmer has shared how she lost 5st and kept the weight off. She explained a mistake to avoid that is often made by individuals starting a weight loss journey.
Ianna Yvonne spoke on her YouTube channel (@IannaYvonne) about why individuals should start “with making smaller changes over time”.
She said: “The mistake I’ve seen people make is drastic dietary changes, which helps them lose weight, but they are not able to maintain it.”
Ianna said a big mistake she sees is slimmers making drastic changes rather than smaller ones
YouTube/Ianna Yvonne
Slimmers often engage in a “yoyo diet”, where they are in a cycle of slimming down and losing weight but then putting the pounds back on.
To avoid this, Ianna advised: “Make small changes over time, replace an unhealthy meal with a healthy one and cut down your carbohydrate intake.
“My recommendation is to make small changes you can sustain. At the end of 2025, you will see a huge difference made without the strain and stress of pushing through.”
Ianna encouraged changing your perspective on weight loss and viewing it “as an overall health and wellness journey”.
She said: “When I was 15st, I was exhausted, tired all the time, and I could not exercise. I did not want to go out, and it really affected my mental health.
“What helped to maintain my overall weight loss was looking at it from the overall lens of health and wellness. Looking at it over the long-term as a health journey really helped me to sustain the weight loss and make changes that made me feel better.”
If possible, train with a partner as it will make your weight loss journey more “fun when doing it with someone, especially for women”.
The slimmer explained: “When you go the gym and have a friend with you, you can talk, and it goes by much faster compared to when you’re just looking at the treadmill, watching the minutes tick by.
Ianna recommended training with another person
YouTube/Ianna Yvonne
By having a partner with you, they can “check-in” and keep you motivated and on track.
Ianna added: “If they’re at a higher fitness level than you, that’s even better because they can teach you some of their tips and strategies they’ve learnt along the way.”
Another woman has shared how she lost 5st 6lb after giving birth to two children, crediting short, intense workouts to her success.
She said: “My body was foreign to me. It was like I was in a stranger’s body, and it felt so uncomfortable. I made the commitment on January 6, 2024, that I was going to commit to a healthy lifestyle.”