No two weight loss journeys look the same. However, with numerous approaches to choose from, mastering a few fundamental rules can help beginners set themselves on the right path to achieving their dream body.
Alexandra Filandrianos recently opened up about her inspiring transformation, dropping 4st 1lb in just eight months through the OMAD diet - that's one meal a day.
In a recent TikTok video, she shared her journey to help others struggling with similar feelings.
"There's probably few worse feelings in the world than waking up not loving yourself, knowing that you have unhealthy habits and want change, but not knowing how to change," she told viewers.
The dieter lost over 4st in eight months
|TIKTOK / @ALEXANDRAFILANDRIANOS
Rather than keeping her mistakes secret, Alexandra decided to share what went wrong during her weight loss journey. She's hoping her honesty will help others avoid the same pitfalls she encountered along the way.
When Alexandra first started OMAD, she went all in but made a crucial error with her food choices.
During her single daily meal, she'd feast on whatever she fancied - one day an entire Domino's pizza, the next McDonald's or Dave's hot chicken.
"I followed the rules. The rules of OMAD are just one meal a day, the quantity doesn't matter, the quality of the food doesn't matter. And it worked," she explained in her video.
Initially, the weight came off despite the junk food, because her body entered ketosis at night due to her blood sugar levels not spiking throughout the day.
But after shedding 25lbs in about two months, Alexandra hit a wall after noticing her fast food approach had taken her as far as it could, and her weight loss stalled completely.
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Alexandra's plateau became a turning point. She ditched the fast food and embraced whole foods instead, finally breaking through her weight loss stall.
Looking back, she wishes she'd made another change sooner - drinking more electrolytes. "They're good for you, salt is your friend. I wish I got that in my head sooner," she admitted.
While she'd always seasoned her meat with salt, Alexandra realised she needed to be drinking it too. The problem got worse when she started drinking coffee during her fasting periods.
"Once I introduced coffee into the equation, it depletes you. You're just going to be peeing it straight out. And it's going to cause you to be more dehydrated," she explained.
Alexandra switched up her diet after her weight loss plateaued
|TIKTOK / @ALEXANDRAFILANDRIANOS
"You can mess up a thousand times, but start now, start today, and your quality of life will be one day closer," she urged her followers.
"You can live in any body you want to live in, anything is achievable."
OMAD is a type of intermittent fasting that research suggests can help with weight loss and reduce chronic disease risk.
Personal trainer Jim Richard recommends sticking to water, black coffee or green tea during fasting to maintain ketosis.
But it's not for everyone, as with eating disorder histories, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, or people with chronic conditions should speak to a doctor first, as it can affect blood sugar and medication needs.
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