'I Joined A DietBet Challenge To Lose Weight—And I Lost 54 Lbs. And Build Strong Abs In The Process'

From Women's Health

My name is Jessica Ashwood (@fitnessnfoodwjess). I'm 27 years old, and I am a kindergarten teacher in Virginia. I joined an incentive-based weight-loss challenge to jumpstart my journey and ended up losing 54 pounds to date.

I have struggled with my weight almost as long as I can remember. I spent much of my adolescent and teen years overweight. I remember being at a friend's house at around 10 years old, and my friend wanted us to weigh ourselves for fun. I weighed significantly more than her. But I didn't think anything of it until she said, "you weigh a lot."

Throughout my high school years, my weight fluctuated up and down. I felt better about myself when my weight was lower; when it was on the higher end, my self-esteem was gone. I couldn't help but feel that way.

I also never felt in control of my weight. In college, I started trying to work out and eat healthier, but the healthy habits never stuck for long, and I would jump right back into my old ways of eating and being stationary. After getting married in 2016 and starting my first teaching job after college, I started gaining weight at a rapid speed.

When I was my highest weight ever in January 2018, I knew that I was only going to keep gaining if I didn't make a change.

So that January, when I was 25, I decided to take control of my health. My choice to overhaul my lifestyle wasn't just about self-esteem, either. I felt tired all the time. I was depressed and using alcohol and food to soothe myself. I just felt crappy. I avoided looking in the mirror. I avoided having my picture taken.

To motivate myself, I started a six-month DietBet challenge, which is an incentive-based weight-loss app and social network. Basically, you bet a certain amount of money that you can lose a percentage of your body weight in a specific timeframe. If you achieve your goal? You earn money. If you don't? You lose it. I hate wasting or losing money, so this helped me set myself up for success when I first started. The challenge I joined gave me six months to lose 10 percent of my body weight.

When I first started the challenge, I just tried to eat stereotypically healthy—I'm talking salads, chicken, rice, broccoli, carrot sticks, etc. I did lose weight but found that my diet choices felt too restrictive.

I then found out about macro counting, which was a game changer for me.

Macro counting is kind of like a variation on calorie counting, where you track your protein, fat, and carbohydrate grams. When I started tracking macros, I began ensuring that I was giving my body what it needed to thrive. It helped me make sure I got the bang out of each calorie, so to speak, allowing me to stay in a calorie deficit without feeling hungry.

I used iifym.com to find out my macros. I only used the free information and didn't pay a dime. I also used the MyFitnessPal app to track my food. I weighed my food with an $8 food scale I bought on Ama zon to ensure I was getting the correct portion sizes. After macro tracking for three to four months, I no longer need to weigh all of my food, as I could eventually eyeball portions.

Now I focus on eating lots of protein and veggies and have everything else in moderation. And I don't avoid *any* foods. I love all kinds: pizza, pasta, ice cream, you name it. I do not believe you have to give up the foods you love to lose weight.

Here's what I typically eat in a day:

Breakfast: I have half a chocolate drink by Powerful in my iced coffee while I work out. Then, when I get to school, I usually have egg whites, rotisserie chicken, or turkey meatballs, as well as broccoli and avocado. Or, sometimes I'll have blueberry or chocolate chip Kodiak Cakes and broccoli on the side.

Lunch: Pasta bake (whole-wheat rotini, ground turkey, marinara, broccoli, and mozzarella cheese); or rotisserie chicken (Costco's is my favorite), broccoli, and sweet potato.

Snacks: Cheese sticks, Greek yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, cooked veggies, raw veggies (like mini bell peppers, carrots, or celery), any fruit, or protein bars on occasion.

Dinner: I have whatever I want for dinner but in a different way than I used to. For example, if my husband and I want to have pizza, I will have one piece of pizza or two small pieces with veggies on the side. Other dinners include a taco bowl with seasoned ground turkey, brown rice, black beans, salsa, shredded cheese, half an avocado, spinach, and a few crushed up tortilla chip; beef stew; orzo cooked in chicken broth with roasted veggies and ground turkey topped with a little mozzarella cheese; or spaghetti and meat sauce made with ground turkey and broccoli.

Dessert: I try to keep my desserts to around 200 calories throughout the day. Sometimes I'll have two small pieces of candy at school and two at home, or I'll have a nice bowl of ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate syrup.

I first started exercising regularly when I got hooked on group classes at the gym.

I knew if I just showed up and was told what to do during a workout, it would be easier for me. I mainly did Spin class and Body Pump (which is a strength training class with weights). Body Pump gave me the confidence I needed with weights to get on the main floor and work out solo. I worked out around five times a week doing the StairMaster and then weights.

I got pregnant in July 2018 with my son, and after having a baby, I now work out at home. I work out for only 30 minutes, five to seven times a week. I barely do cardio—but when I do, I use my stationary bike. I also do strength training with my dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands.

I have found a lot of success with my 30-minute workouts. I am in better shape now than I was even at my fittest even before having my (now 11-month-old) son. I do strength training workouts I find on Instagram and use free resources from popular fitness Instagrammers. Whitney Simmons and her workouts are my favorite!

Consistency was key for me. I still exercised and ate healthy even if I didn't feel like it.

I also stopped giving up at the slightest disappointment. When I weighed myself and the scale told me I gained weight, I kept pushing forward. When I went overboard with my food, I went right back to being on track instead of falling into the trap of the all-or-nothing mentality.

Eating finally feels effortless. I used to binge and eat everything in sight and then feel guilty. It was a constant thing for me. Now, I really enjoy what I eat and I give myself permission to have the foods I love in moderation. I still lose weight, but in a sustainable way that isn't me depriving myself.

I used to hate working out, but now it's my therapy. I've never regretted a workout. I try to do a short workout before my baby wakes up almost every morning. It makes my day so much better! Once you see fitness and health as a lifestyle, you stop rushing the process because you get the whole "this is your whole life" mentality. It's true, this is the only life I get. I want to live a life that makes me feel happy and fulfilled.

Over the years my weight has fluctuated between 156 and 178 pounds. In 11 months, I have lost 54 pounds. But it isn't about the scale number; it's about how I feel, now compared to back when I started.

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