Doughnuts, chips and pizza, oh my! If constant thoughts of food get in the way of your health goals, natural GLP-1 can help. Yep, that’s the hormone artificially spiked by drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound and retatrutide—but they aren’t the only way to increase levels. “It’s actually pretty easy to mimic the benefits of GLP-1 drugs without a prescription,” says Fred Pescatore, MD, a Columbia University-trained nutrition expert. He’s helping us explain some of the best natural strategies here. How well do they work? “I’m losing weight without a diet for the first time in my life,” says retired nurse Natalie Foeller, 64. “I’m just not hungry like I used to be!” 

What is GLP-1 exactly?

GLP-1 is a natural hormone released by the gut when you eat, and it’s kinda like a squad of riot police sent to keep appetite and blood sugar levels under control to protect your wellbeing. GLP-1 does its job by bullying other hormones, slowing digestion, even directly signaling the brain to quiet “food noise,” explains Dr. Pescatore, author of The A-List Diet.

Drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound contain synthetic GLP-1, giving you a bigger riot squad that patrols longer. But natural GLP-1 is still powerful on its own, and studies show that certain healthy lifestyle tweaks help your body make more of it. For many, it’s a perfect alternative to pricey drugs with scary potential side effects.

Weight Loss

5 Best High-Protein Breakfasts for Weight Loss—Cottage Cheese Included!

Try a delicious veggie scramble.

4 natural GLP-1 boosters

Natalie swears by science-backed techniques like these:

Morning protein makes natural GLP-1 soar

When a  University of Cambridge team compared equal-calorie breakfasts, meals with the most protein sent GLP-1 soaring highest, and the effect held for four full hours. Separate research shows morning protein even cuts hunger well into the evening.

“Having cereal or toast for breakfast not only promotes a fattening blood sugar response, it means you miss one of your main chances to stimulate significant GLP-1 release,” says Dr. Pescatore. He gives a thumbs up to Natalie, who now gets 50 grams of protein from a daily morning shake made with protein powder and Greek yogurt.

Fiber drinks and gummies nearly double levels 

When soluble fiber ferments inside us, it activates GLP-1 in the intestinal lining. You can get the effect from fiber in chia seeds, oats and beans. But the best-researched option is called polydextrose. Getting at least 4 grams of this fiber supplement daily is linked to a 39 percent increase in GLP-1 production and 31 percent less hunger. Natalie gets polydextrose from a cherry-flavored drink mix (more details on that in a moment).

Polydextrose is also the main ingredient in Target’s Up & Up brand fiber gummies, with 5 grams of polydextrose per 17¢ serving.

Workouts that boost stamina and GLP-1

Exercise that increases endurance—like the deep-water boot camp classes Natalie loves—has been shown to gradually increase GLP-1 secretion. Why? One theory is that this type of exercise enhances gut sensitivity to nutrients that trigger the hormone’s release, says Dr. Pescatore. Good news: Dancing, cycling and even brisk walking all build endurance. Just pick an activity you’re likely to stick with, since consistency is key to GLP-1 benefits.

Ample sleep keeps natural GLP-1 high

Women saw GLP-1 levels plunge after nights they slept four hours compared to nights they dozed for nine hours, according to a study in the journal Sleep. Turns out, short sleep spikes stress hormones, which suppress the gut’s ability to release GLP-1.

Dr. Pescatore notes that adequate sleep also gives your body downtime to better regulate blood sugar, mimicking another key effect of GLP-1 medications. As for Natalie, the former night owl now prioritizes turning in early—so it’s no wonder she’s seeing so many GLP-1 benefits.

Maximizing your results using natural GLP-1 boosters

Does boosting GLP-1 mean you can eat unlimited junk and magically improve your metabolic health to get lean? No. But it can dramatically reduce the struggle many women feel when trying to stick with healthy lifestyle changes long term, says Dr. Pescatore.

To try the approach, aim for at least 30 grams of protein per meal, 20 grams of fiber per day, 150 minutes of exercise a week and eight hours of sleep each night. It’s similar to the routine that had a huge impact for Natalie.

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Natural GLP-1 success: Natalie Foeller, 64, lost 56 lbs

At this point 18 months ago, “food was on my mind all the time,” recalls the Ontario grandmother. “I didn’t know what it meant to not be thinking about food.” She’d gained 50 pounds since her 50th birthday and didn’t feel good in her body. Yet when she tried WeightWatchers and keto, she never got traction.

What changed? Natalie heard buzz about GLP-1 and a Slim Hunger Control drink (the polydextrose-based supplement is part of Plexus brand’s GLP-1 Support System kit, which she now uses regularly). She did research and got inspired. “I thought, I’m not going to count calories. I’m not going to worry about carbs. I’ll focus on being consistent with supplements, something I hadn’t been good at in the past. And I’ll really increase my protein and fiber,” she shares. 

She aimed for 150 grams of protein a day. Her go-to options? Protein shakes, cottage cheese bowls, grilled meat with veggies and potatoes. For snack, she loves Quest chips (“They have 20 grams of protein per serving!”). 

She saw impressive weight-loss results

A month later, down five pounds and chatting with girlfriends, “I remember saying, ‘I feel less interested in unhealthy foods.’” Her food noise just got quieter from there. “I can drive past McDonald’s or my husband can snack in front of me, and it has no effect,” she marvels. “It’s still a wild thing for me.” But she’s loving it.

Natalie is a year in, down 56 pounds and still losing. She can’t get over how good she feels. For years, extra pounds held her back. “Now I’m just so excited for life!” 

This story originally appeared in the August 24, 2026 issue of Woman’s World

For years, the basic bathroom scale has ruled the worldwide weight-loss discussion like a tyrant. But it’s being dethroned for a comprehensive body-composition scan called DEXA, known as the gold standard for bone density tests. Sure, scales can tell us what we weigh, but what we really need to know is whether those pounds are fat worth shedding or muscle worth saving. And discovering exactly what you’re made of helps. This scan reveals where your fat is hidden, giving you a roadmap to your healthiest, strongest body. “A DEXA scan can serve as an important tool in a weight-loss journey,” explains Stanford-trained radiologist Mia Kazanjian, MD.

Just ask Nicole Yelland, 43, who discovered this game-changing approach at exactly the right moment. She’d been stress-eating her way through the pandemic. But one DEXA scan changed everything—revealing not just her weight, but exactly where she needed to focus. The result? She lost 60 pounds and trimmed 27 pounds of dangerous belly fat. Here’s how to use a simple DEXA scan for weight loss.

Why a DEXA scan for weight loss can be life changing

Nicole felt overworked and exhausted. Between work stress and family demands, she’d stopped taking care of herself. “I’d never stress-eaten in my life until COVID.” Suddenly she found herself snacking on Oreos and doomscrolling, waking up tired. “My health took a backseat.”

Then, at a silent auction, Nicole won a gym membership to Xceleration Fitness in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The prize came with a DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) test. The scan was painless. She lay on a table, while an imaging arm glided over her body, using X-rays to measure her visceral (hidden) fat, muscle and bone density.

When Nicole saw the color-coded results on paper, she was shocked. At 200 pounds, her body was almost 43 percent fat. “My poor heart, my poor lungs. No wonder I was out of breath. There was no muscle infrastructure supporting my major organs!”

She recalls, “That was a wake-up call. I wanted to see those numbers improve.” She realized, “The scale was a superficial tool. DEXA felt like something I could have a true conversation about with my doctor.”

The lifestyle changes that helped Nicole lose weight

Armed with her DEXA scan insights, Nicole made strategic changes to support her weight-loss journey and overall health. Here are the changes she made—and what you can try too:

Nutrition tweaks

The trainer at the gym took that data from the DEXA scan and told Nicole which macros to eat to reduce harmful visceral fat and build lean muscle mass. Before, Nicole’s approach was “less food, less calories, less weight.” This time it became: “How can I get more protein, more healthy carbs, more fat?” She used the free app NetDiary to track her intake, aiming to eat 120 to 140 grams of protein (about a palm-sized portion at each meal), 100 to 120 grams of carbs and 50 to 70 grams of fat daily.

What did Nicole eat during her weight-loss journey? She started each morning with 2 cups of “proffee” (coffee with chocolate protein powder). For breakfast she enjoyed grilled Ezekiel bread with butter and honey or eggs with toasted kale. For lunch she ate TikTok rainbow salad with peeled carrots and cucumbers, sesame seed oil, rice vinegar and soy sauce, topped with chicken and chili flakes. As for dinner: “A cheeseburger is the perfect macro meal: protein, carb, fat.”

She also found satisfying swaps: Instead of pasta, Nicole chose spaghetti squash with meatballs and cottage cheese whisked into marinara sauce.

Fitness focus

Three mornings a week, Nicole headed to her bootcamp-style gym for weight lifting and high-intensity interval training. Her DEXA body composition scan even guided her workouts. “I learned my left side was stronger than my right side. No wonder my back hurt.” So Nicole lifted five pounds heavier on her right to balance things out. She found, “I’m happier, sharper and smarter when I workout.”

In the process, Nicole’s strength grew. She started out not being able to do a single push-up. Now she can complete a full workout and run a seven-minute mile. Her weightlifting mantra: “Don’t be a baby. You can go heavier.” That tough-love approach to herself paid off when it came to her long-term health.

At 5’3”, now just 140 pounds, Nicole can deadlift more than her bodyweight: 185 pounds. Plus, she is teaching her kids about health. “My 7-year-old asked when she can come to weightlifting classes too!”

She lost 27 pounds of unhealthy belly fat

In six months, Nicole felt her energy and confidence soar, so much she started her own business, GRIT PR. In two years, she lost 60 pounds, switching from size 16 to 4. A follow-up DEXA scan revealed she’d lost 27 pounds of organ-stressing fat, dropping from 42.7 to 33.6 percent—from 137 square centimeters to 64.6 cm2.

At home one day, wearing a dress, Nicole recalls, “My underwear fell off!” More importantly: “I built muscle and cut my disease risk.” Her once-high cholesterol is perfect. She’s proud to be aging well: stronger and healthier. “I often get mistaken for being younger!”

How to get the most out of a DEXA scan for weight loss

Try to get it covered by insurance: DEXA scans are often available through many health centers and gyms. But ask your doctor if you can get one for bone mineral density (which is often covered by insurance.) If not, you can use HSA and FSA funds to cover an out-of-pocket DEXA scan for body composition. (Average cost is about $125.)

Use the same machines: Get a baseline DEXA scan, then an annual follow-up to chart your progress. Using the same machine can ensure the highest level of accuracy.

Track your progress at home: Many smart scales now have technology to measure body fat, muscle and bone at home. Try: RunStar Body Composition Scale for $50.

Make adjustments as needed: When reviewing your follow-up DEXA scan, if you see that you’ve primarily lost water or muscle rather than fat, “Add resistance training, a higher-protein diet and a workup for any underlying health issues,” Dr. Kazanjian advises.

Why DEXA scans give you a fuller health picture

The pounds on our body are not created equal. Some, like muscle, rev metabolism and boost longevity. And others, like deep belly fat, raise our risk of heart disease and fuel inflammation. So when we lose weight, it helps to ditch the right kind.

“The scale can make you think you are winning if the number is lower, when you are losing valuable muscle, which is essential for metabolic health and blood sugar management,” explains orthopedic surgeon Cory Calendine, MD, with the Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee. That’s why many doctors prefer an in-office DEXA scan, which gives you much more detail.

Why losing fat matters more than losing weight

We know getting educated about our specific body composition improves health outcomes. In one BMC Public Health study, women who saw their scan results, in this case for their bone health, were more likely to implement behaviors that drove benefits, leading to annual increases in bone density. The same can work with body-fat insights.

“Chasing a lower number on the scale often forces women into relentless, self-defeating cycles of muscle loss and rebound weight gain,” says preventive medicine expert Michael Doney, MD. DEXA scans are a better gauge of your weight loss and better insights into your body composition. Even when the scale doesn’t move, DEXA results may reveal profound changes in fat loss or muscle growth. “These results completely reframe success from a focus on losing weight to promoting lifelong health.”

Ready to try it for yourself? Talk to your doctor or search “DEXA scan near me” to find body composition testing in your area.

This story originally appeared in the August 17, 2026, issue of Woman’s World.

When Willa Brown first asked her doctor how best to lose weight as a woman in her 70s, the Texas grandmother had no idea high-protein foods and Skinnytaste recipes would change her body and her world. And that’s because her doctor had a pretty bad attitude. Here’s the “advice” Willa got: “Learn to love your body as it is. Women your age can’t lose weight.” 

Luckily, Willa doesn’t suffer fools. “I said, ‘I do love my body, but I can’t stand the way I feel,’” she recalls. When the doctor just shrugged, Willa fired her. We hope for the sake of that doc’s current patients she takes a good look at Willa now: down 113 pounds, type 2 diabetes reversed, mobility restored—all without drugs. Willa feels unstoppable. And she’s sharing her secrets.  

The first steps Willa took to reclaim her health

Willa eventually turned to a new doctor and WeightWatchers. Yet she gives much of the credit for her transformation to Gina Homolka, author of the Skinnytaste cookbook series. Why? “I’d been on and off WeightWatchers since before my wedding in 1968, losing when I followed their different programs and gaining when I stopped,” she explains. “I had to get out of that ‘on or off’ mindset and find a way to make healthy eating my default.” 

As she pondered how to do that, her mind went to Skinnytaste. “I’ve made the recipes for dinner parties, and people always rave. They have no idea they’re healthy,” Willa says. It seemed like what she needed long-term: really good food that was also good for her. So she challenged herself to eat Skinnytaste recipes at most meals. 

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Skinnytaste recipes helped Willa get off to a fast start

As many of us know, on WeightWatchers, every food has a point value. Options with the most protein and other slimming nutrients per calorie have few or zero points—and Skinnytaste recipes use low-point foods as their base, adding spices and small amounts of higher-point foods make them deeply delicious. 

“I’m a cookbook junkie, and no one else does it like Gina,” says Willa. Gina’s books include point values for recipes, so Willa just chose whatever appealed to her—beef bourguignon, fish dishes, air-fryer chips—and counted it toward her allotment of 28 points per day. It worked like a charm.

Willa shed 26 pounds in seven weeks, her overall health improving and momentum building. She added walks and water aerobics. Plus, she truly loved the food. Her motivation soared. Did she ever hit a roadblock? Yes. A big one. It’s what prompted her to try a game-changing strategy.

Discovering the weight-loss magic of high-protein foods

When Willa hit a long plateau, she was a ways from her goal and not as spry as she hoped to be, “but I started to think, ‘Maybe this is as far as I can go,’” she says. Luckily her daughter Christin is a nutritionist. “She told me about the benefits of going really high protein for weight loss.” 

Christin got her mom to aim for 140 grams per day. “Once you learn where the protein is, it’s easy,” says Willa, who added a morning protein shake and relied on dishes from Gina’s book, Skinnytaste High Protein. 

What happened? Willa kept following the same WeightWatchers plan, but she began choosing a lot more protein within its guidelines. Once she did, her appetite dropped dramatically. She also immediately resumed losing weight. “I never plateaued again.”

High-protein foods also worked wonders for Skinnytaste founder Gina

Willa’s favorite cookbook was inspired in large part by the author’s own menopause journey. “I found myself not only gaining some weight but also feeling out of sync with my body,” shares Gina, 53, who has written seven New York Times bestsellers. “I felt sluggish, my memory wasn’t as sharp and I struggled to stay motivated.” She also noticed muscle loss despite regular exercise. 

Like Willa, Gina found only a high-protein diet seemed to help.

“It was truly a game-changer for me,” says Gina, who set goals with help from a nutritionist. She aimed for meals with 30 grams of protein each that also emphasized fiber and produce, many of which became recipes in her new book. (You can check out Willa’s favorite chicken recipe from Skinnytaste High Protein and find even more yummy options at Skinnytaste.com.) “It’s been a journey, but I’m so happy to finally be at a place where I feel like myself again.” 

Why high-protein foods make weight loss easier 

There’s loads of evidence that, calorie for calorie, protein shuts down hunger better than any other nutrient. Why? Many protein experts believe protein’s amino acids—which are crucial to countless life-sustaining functions—are the main driver of our appetite and cravings. Eat enough protein and the drive goes away, says Satiety Per Calorie author Ted Naiman, M.D. 

Protein also helps us maintain and build muscle that gives us stamina and increases metabolism around the clock. Dr. Naiman adds that since our ability to break down protein diminishes as we age, we actually need more protein to experience this effect as we get older.

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So how much protein is enough to speed weight loss? 

In a Duke University study, older adults in a weight loss program who aimed for about 1 gram of protein for every two pounds of body weight (or 125 grams daily for a 250-pound woman) kept muscles stronger and experienced double fat loss compared to a lower-protein group. But experts agree that’s just one example, not a magic formula. 

Willa—who had already been getting a decent amount of protein during her plateau—saw best results when she aimed for closer to a gram of protein for every pound she weighs. Meanwhile, Gina found that getting a nice dose of morning protein and spreading intake evenly through the day worked best. Experiment to see how your body responds. 

Willa, 79, says: ‘I have a new life’

All told, it took Willa about three years to drop from her high of 256 pounds to an ultra-healthy 145. She is now 79, has been maintaining for a year and is sharing inspiration on her YouTube channel. “I have energy again. That’s the huge, huge difference. I feel like I’m really living now!”  

A groundbreaking University of Queensland discovery promises to turn your next walk into a powerful “HIIT routine for fat loss.” The approach is so easy and so effective, it even helped a group of weak and weight-loss-resistant seniors get lean and strong at double speed. The secret: tucking 16 minutes of effort inside an ordinary stroll. “Almost anyone can do it,” says Milica McDowell, MS, DPT, co-author of the new bestseller Walk: Rediscover the Most Natural Way to Boost Your Health and Longevity—One Step at a Time. “And results are often remarkable!” 

How intervals help you walk off fat two times faster

The double-speed fat loss in the new study was something called high-intensity interval training, or HIIT. Participants (including folks up to age 76!) went back and forth between 3 minutes at an easy pace and then 4 minutes at a high intensity, repeating this pattern 4 times, for a total of 16 high-intensity minutes.

While HIIT isn’t new, this is one of the first times it’s been tested on stubborn age-related weight gain—and it did not disappoint. When scientists measured fat loss, the HIIT group burned twice as much as a group who exercised steadily at medium intensity. And separate research has found that “people often find HIIT feels easier than steady-pace exercise,” says McDowell.

Why walking + HIIT makes fat burning soar

“With HIIT, you go hard, rest, then push again,” explains McDowell. Just as continuously stepping on and off the gas causes your car to guzzle fuel, HIIT causes your body to guzzle oxygen—which makes fat burning surge. 

McDowell adds that there’s also the “afterburn.” Basically, once your body is in fuel-guzzling mode, it stays there for up to 10 hours. That’s compared with just 30 minutes or so after steady-pace exercise, per a European study.

Bonus: HIIT also makes you produce about 450 percent more human growth hormone, which helps build metabolism-boosting muscle. In the Queensland study, the HIIT group gained muscle while the steady-state group lost muscle. Muscle doesn’t directly increase fat burn, but it does make you burn more calories around the clock. And it also gives you more stamina for fat-burning activities.

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An HIIT routine for fat loss gets you so motivated 

HIIT works with most forms of exercise, but many of us favor walking—and McDowell says HIIT is ideal for leveling up the free, convenient activity. Not only will it set you up for weight loss and health gains galore, “it’s more engaging than a mundane steady-state walk—we call it a novel stimulus,” says McDowell. “It can be very good for boosting brain activity and motivation.” So you’re more likely to walk consistently once HIIT is part of your routine.

The smart way to create a walking HIIT routine for fat loss

Since high intensity is involved, McDowell recommends 7 minutes of gentle walking to warm up muscles and joints and help prevent injury. After that, beginners can set a timer and start with 2 minutes at higher intensity followed by 5 minutes of easy walking. Repeat this 3 to 4 times. Very gradually work up to the study’s pattern: 3 minutes easy walking and 4 minutes at high-intensity, repeated four times.

As for what “high intensity” means, you should be breathing very hard but still able to say a few words, says McDowell. Pay attention to your body and adapt your speed accordingly. Don’t push too hard. The ultimate goal, she adds, is to feel good, get fit and create a new routine “that is sustainable for life.”

Now you might be wondering how big a difference HIIT walking makes. For Lorelei Navarro, it was huge…

HIIT walking success story: Lorelei Navarro, 49, lost 45 pounds

Like so many of us, Lorelei blames age-related hormonal changes and a love of eating for the spare pounds she carried for years. Did she try to slim down? Yes. “I’d do brisk walks then lose motivation because they tired me out and I saw no real improvement,” shares the Texas mom, 49.

Diagnosed with high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, she took a long look in the mirror. “I wanted to be healthy for my family, age well, be strong and independent later in life,” she says. So she started looking for ways to make it happen.

An Instagram post on “Japanese interval walking” caught her eye. It was a version of HIIT walking created at Shinshu University in Japan. “I was intrigued by how simple it seemed,” Lorelei recalls. 

To do it, “you just alternate between three minutes at a slow pace and three minutes of brisk walking,” she says. Lorelei set two timers on her phone, one for the total time she planned to walk (often 40 to 50 minutes) and another for three minutes (which she restarted for each interval). “I liked the cadence, and there was ample time to relax, so I didn’t get fatigued.”

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Success with interval walking gave Lorelei momentum 

Boosted by her walks, Lorelei felt motivated to find more ways to improve her health. Prime example: She also heard that intermittent fasting might help with her diabetes, so she began aiming to eat healthy foods—going easy on sugar, bread, rice and pasta—between noon and 8 pm each day, consuming only water or black coffee the rest of the time. “I did that Monday to Friday for several months,” she shares. “It made it so much easier to eat better!” 

Lorelei says she saw results after just a few weeks of walking and eating better. But even when plateaus hit, she stayed consistent. After five months, her blood pressure and blood sugar had normalized. At seven months, she was 45 pounds lighter.

Today, she’s more active than ever (even adding Taekwondo classes and rowing to her regimen) and loving life: “I highly recommend interval walking!” 

Daily stress these days feels unavoidable. So you may be wondering, can stress cause weight gain? Yes. It actually creates a biological roadblock, making weight loss feel like an uphill battle. But here’s some feel-good news: There are easy ways to relax your system so you can move toward your health goals without strain. We found proof that you can start shedding more by stressing less. Woman’s World reader Mandy Dorsey even lost 100 pounds! Ready to lose your stress weight? Here’s how.

Why stress can lead to weight gain

“Our nervous system plays a huge part in whether our bodies feel safe enough to let go of excess weight,” says quadruple board-certified integrative physician Betsy Greenleaf, DO. “I always tell my patients [that] all the diets, calorie counting and even all of the GLP-1 medications in the world will have limited success if the body is chronically stressed.”

There’s real science linking your nervous system to the numbers on your bathroom scale. “When you’re chronically stressed, you’re stuck in survival mode, not optimization mode,” explains Dr. Greenleaf. “We switch on our sympathetic nervous system, also known as the fight-or-flight response, which triggers a cascade of changes.” In that setting, the body clings to its reserves of body fat. It’s meant to be temporary to help us quickly dodge danger. But here’s the kicker: “Many people are living in a state of chronic low-grade stress that never switches off.”

The problem with elevated cortisol levels

Here’s why weight loss feels virtually impossible when you’re stressed: Levels of the stress hormone cortisol rise, which can raise blood sugar and insulin levels. In a landmark study of obese premenopausal women in the Journal of Diabetes Research, scientists discovered the presence of this stress hormone isn’t the main problem: It’s having a body that can’t easily switch off its stress response.

High cortisol triggers other changes beyond stress-related weight gain. It promotes inflammation and fluid retention. It can hamper sleep, which increases appetite and cravings. And it diverts blood away from the gut, leading to imbalances in the microbiome that slow metabolism.

Fortunately, everything improves when we practice habits proven to increase activity of our calming parasympathetic nervous system—the body’s rest-and-digest state. When that happens, “the body digests more efficiently, absorbs nutrients better, inflammation lessens, sleep deepens and hormones start to rebalance,” says Dr. Greenleaf. “Sustainable weight loss is about creating a space where the body can finally feel safe enough to prosper.”

Mandy went from feeling stressed to being her best self

Mandy Dorsey, 46, arrived in the emergency room, afraid she was having a heart attack. For months she’d seen countless doctors and spent $10,000 trying to get to the bottom of her distressing heart palpitations, panic attacks, insomnia and weight fluctuations. “I had two overweight doctors tell me I just needed to exercise more and eat less.” But nothing helped.

Then Mandy tried the telehealth diagnostics platform Joi+Blokes, which supports people with a range of health and hormonal symptoms. Mandy was guided to start focusing on soothing her overtaxed nervous system.

How Mandy lost her stress weight

Here are some of the surprisingly simple stress management techniques Mandy used to relax her way to weight loss:

Reset your breathing

Several times a day, Mandy took deep-breathing breaks, inhaling for a count of four and exhaling for eight. “These moments of mindfulness brought me back to the present. It helped me recognize true hunger versus emotional or stress eating.” One form of deep breathing called Senobi breathing is proven to help women lose three percent of their body fat in just 30 days. Mandy also enjoyed sound baths—meditative sessions where you relax and let soothing sounds wash over you.

Enjoy nature

Mandy made a goal to soak up morning sunlight, which not only supports metabolism but also lifted her mood and energy for the entire day. “I tried to do 10-minute walks in nature, phone-free,” she says. “I listened for birds, felt the wind and paid attention to the trees. It reduced my cravings.”

Make exercise fun

Instead of stressing her body with too much cardio, she found what felt like play to her: kickboxing. And getting movement first thing helped so she didn’t have to worry all day about fitting it into her schedule. “If you win your morning, you win your day.”

Not ready for the gym yet? Try passive exercise. Mandy stood on a vibration plate to give her body a workout with no effort. It can improve bone density and lymphatic flow. One to consider: Hypervibe G10 at-home vibration plate.

Ensure quality sleep

The mother of three prioritized rest and tried to go to bed early, around 8 PM. “I feel like fixing sleep is one of the most underrated things we can do for weight loss,” she says.

Shift your mindset

Mandy practiced radical acceptance. “I took ownership for the things that I could change. No more ‘passenger princess’ mentality. I had to get in the driver’s seat of my health.”

Enjoy zero-guilt treats

Mandy didn’t use the old stress-inducing tactic of deprivation in her efforts to reach a healthy weight. “I still have chocolate and fro-yo and my favorite Mexican meals.” Instead, she used the old three-bite rule so she didn’t stress about missing her favorite foods. “You only live once, so have the chocolate cake.” Her advice: On the first bite, enjoy the thrill of saying ‘yes.’ The second bite is to savor the flavor. And on the third bite, practice gratitude, knowing you’ve had enough.

Rely on true food fuel

For meals, Mandy focused on whole, nutrient-dense foods, reduced sugar and cut alcohol. “Eating more of what my body needed made sense versus eating empty calories.” This kept her steady and satisfied so she wasn’t stressing about snacks and cravings.

Take supplements that help

The telehealth provider used Mandy’s lab work to pinpoint the supplements she needed most. Some standouts: L-theanine (an amino acid in green tea that promotes calming brain waves) and ashwagandha (an adaptogenic herb that helps balance the body’s stress response).

Check your hormone levels

Mandy felt better once she got her hormones checked by a doctor to explore hormone replacement therapy, also known as menopausal hormone therapy. (She started with a patch.) This medication is not just for hot flashes, it can help mood too.

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Mandy’s inspiring 100-pound transformation

By making healthy changes and learning how to reduce her stress levels, Mandy transformed her health and life. She shed 27 pounds and 30 total body inches in the first 90 days. She ultimately lost 100 pounds, which she’s been able to keep off for seven years. And she traded her size 18 clothing for 2s. “Having a regulated nervous system and feeling that sense of safety and peace inside my body was key. All of those little pieces added up to make a really big difference,” says Mandy, who now inspires people on Instagram @BeautyAndBeastModeFit.

She realized, “Weight loss isn’t always about willpower, but also about biology. We can learn to work with it.” Even streamlining those doctor visits helped. “It sounds dramatic, but telehealth changed my life. I should have used it upfront. It would have saved me so much in the long run, not just financially, but time, stress, tears, the guessing games.” Now, the Dallas empty nester is a health coach for the company. “I feel so grateful. This work is personal. I felt like a stranger in my body. This has been an awakening!”

The bottom line on stress and weight gain

Mandy’s inspiring journey proves what’s possible when you stop fighting your body and start supporting it. Start with just one technique today. Your stress-free success story awaits!

This story originally appeared in the July 17, 2026, issue of Woman’s World.

We lose, we gain… Oh, the diet highs and lows are frustratingly familiar to so many of us, including Rachel Paul, 47. She lost an amazing 145 pounds on a weight-loss reality TV show years ago, only to watch those pounds bounce back onto her body. But what if the secret wasn’t cutting out your favorite foods, but eating them strategically? Rachel discovered that switching between high-carb and low-carb days—while enjoying delicious high-protein ice cream every single night—kept her metabolism fired up and the pounds melting off. Here’s how using Rachel’s delicious diet-cycling approach works wonders for women over 40—with no deprivation!

Why deprivation doesn’t work

Back in 2015, Rachel participated on the TV show Extreme Weight Loss and ditched almost 150 pounds with the help of trainer Chris Powell. “It was quite a year,” she gushes. But her story didn’t end there.

“Pretty much immediately after we shot the finale, I started celebrating,” she reveals. “I went back to exactly what I was doing before.” And before long, she was back up to 365 pounds. She tried new diets, but nothing worked.

As she aged, she discovered that hormones play a major role in locking stubborn pounds on our bodies, and many diet strategies backfire. She explains, “If you go into too much of a calorie deficit, your cortisol goes crazy.” That’s the stress hormone linked with belly fat. She needed a better way than slashing calories.

How carb cycling reignited Rachel’s metabolism

In 2022, Rachel had a lightbulb moment: What about the carb cycling strategy that had worked on the show? So she gave it another try. Each week, counting her macros, she ate four high-carb days in a row, followed by two low-carb days. The seventh day was a reset day meant to mimic future maintenance.

Rachel paired comfortable carb cycling with exercise. She started hiking and later returned to CrossFit. “It’s like recess for adults,” she says.

Within four months, Rachel was down 50 pounds. After two years, she was down 165 and today she’s happily maintaining a total loss of 193 pounds! “I’m the leanest I’ve ever been,” says the Mesa, Arizona, former dance teacher, who traded size 24s for 6s and melted off 23 belly inches. And she did it all naturally. “No GLP-1s!”

High-protein ice cream made eating healthy more fun

This time around, Rachel truly looked for a sustainable way to eat. That included finding sweet treats that wouldn’t spoil her progress. “This is my life and not a TV show. If I want a cookie, I have one,” she says. “It’s not about extreme weight-loss methods. I can go to dinner and do things I love. There’s no end date.” Case in point: “I have protein ice cream every day,” she says. “It’s very filling!”

What Rachel ate on high-carb vs. low-carb days

Here’s what Rachel enjoyed for snacks and meals on her weight-loss journey:

On a high-carb day, she started with a protein shake and Parmesan cheese bagel for breakfast. For lunch she enjoyed lean ground beef or grilled chicken, rice and veggies. For dinner, she reached for chicken or beef tacos with peppers and onions. Snacks included veggies or fruit. And she treated herself to homemade high-protein ice cream every night. In the beginning, all that food translated to 155 grams of protein, 214 grams of carbs and 53 grams of fat.

On a low-carb day, Rachel enjoyed a protein shake and a waffle with peanut butter for breakfast. Then a Cobb salad with chicken for lunch and a Mexican-inspired dinner with meat and cheese, but no tortillas. Her snacks were string cheese, almonds or Greek yogurt. Oh, and again she enjoyed high-protein ice cream made in her Ninja Creami machine on her kitchen countertop. That added up to 170 grams of protein, 76 grams of carbs and 89 grams of fat per day to start. As she lost weight, she adjusted these high-carb and low-carb numbers down to match her shrinking body. (Want to calculate your own macros? Rachel recommends working with a coach or using an online macro calculator based on your current weight and goals.)

The mental freedom of diet cycling

Carb cycling got Rachel away from the roller coaster of deprivation and bingeing. “Every time I did something extreme, I gained the weight back,” she recalls. But this is different and sustainable. “It gives me so much joy, hope, confidence and peace,” she shares. “Everything I’ve done this time to lose weight, I’ve enjoyed. And I look forward to doing it for the rest of my life. It feels too good to be true. I love my lifestyle and the fact that I get to continue it feels so good!”

Rachel’s entire life transformed. “I just had a physical and my health is great.” No more high blood pressure or prediabetes. Plus her mindset is healthier. Also impressive, she says, “I’m 10 years sober.”

Today, Rachel is a transformation coach with TransformNation, helping people alongside Chris Powell achieve their weight goals. “I’m on the other side now. It’s so cool!” she says.

Science proves carb cycling works for lasting weight loss

Rachel’s experience is backed by research. The MATADOR study in the International Journal of Obesity compared people who practiced consistent calorie restriction with folks who took frequent diet breaks and ate more calories. The results: The less strict cycling group lost 55 percent more weight in 16 weeks than the others.

Another study in Advances in Nutrition found that alternate-day eating patterns targeted belly fat better than other diet approaches. Scientists suggest the power of diet cycling may be in helping women dodge deprivation so they stick to healthy changes longer rather than quit.

“Carb cycling isn’t a diet, it’s a metabolic strategy,” says Anna Cabeca, DO, author of MenuPause, which teaches women to switch between low-carb days and feast days to keep their metabolism on its toes. “Carb cycling isn’t about restriction, it’s about metabolic flexibility. Your body thrives when you signal that food is abundant, even as you’re creating the conditions for fat loss.”

Turns out, the body tends to burn fewer calories after the stress of prolonged dieting. But diet cycling can disrupt that scientific phenomenon. “For women over 40, you skip that trap,” the doctor explains.

Dr. Cabeca has seen cycling work for countless patients, and it can work for you too. “Women over 40 who’ve hit a plateau discover that their body responds to variety: You protect your hormones and fat loss finally moves again!” she says.

Rachel’s high-protein vanilla pretzel ice cream recipe

Try Rachel’s favorite vanilla dessert, which she makes at home using a Ninja Creami machine.

Ingredients:
1 (10 to 12 oz) ready-to-drink protein shake (like Costco’s vanilla Nurri)
1 Tbs. zero-sugar vanilla Jell-O powder
1 tsp. stevia
1/2 tsp. liquid vanilla extract

Directions:
Mix ingredients in a shaker bottle.
Transfer to a Ninja Creami pint jar, cover and freeze.
Run it through a Creami machine.
Add in optional mix-ins like Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps (+24 grams carbs) and zero-sugar Hershey’s syrup (+6 grams carbs).

Serves 1.
Nutrition info: 175 calories, 3 grams fat, 30 grams protein, 8 grams carbs.
Storage info: Rachel preps several jars at once and stores them in the freezer to enjoy later.

The bottom line

The beauty of diet cycling: It’s not about sacrifice, it’s about strategy. Give it a try for yourself. Your transformation story could be next, and it might just start with a spoonful of something sweet. Rachel says her high-protein ice cream tastes “like Ben & Jerry’s!”

—Additional reporting by Beth Weissman

This story originally appeared in the July 13, 2026, issue of Woman’s World.

The most inspiring celebrity weight loss stories aren’t really about the before-and-after photos—they’re about the everyday habits that made the changes last and improved their health for the better. From walking breaks to portion control to mindful eating, these seven stars have shared exactly how they transformed their wellbeing. And the common thread? Consistency, self-compassion and a focus on feeling good, not chasing a number on the scale.

Inspiring celebrity weight loss transformations

Every weight-loss journey is different. But often the ones that leave us feeling our best long-term involve realistic diet and exercise routines that are easy to stick with even on busy days. Here’s how some of our favorite celebs have done it:

Al Roker

The Today show weatherman lost 150 pounds after gastric bypass surgery in 2002—and he’s kept it off for more than two decades. Al Roker’s secret is daily movement: 20 to 30 minutes on the treadmill or in Central Park, about 10 minutes of weight training each morning using the Start TODAY app, and what he calls “walking snacks,” short bursts of activity at his walking desk or through 30 Rockefeller Center.

“There’s no magic bullet. You’re still going to have to put in the work,” Roker said. He even still enjoys ribeye and apple crisp—just in moderation.

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Ree Drummond

The Pioneer Woman shed more than 50 pounds by counting calories, cutting back on sugar and alcohol and sticking to a consistent exercise routine. As Drummond shared on her blog, she walked her dogs daily, used a rowing machine and did floor Pilates six days a week.

When she hit a plateau at six weeks, she added strength training and bumped her protein from 15 to 20 percent of her calories to 30 to 40 percent. “The way I feel today, it isn’t about the weight loss,” she wrote. “Feeling good is really all that matters.”

Kathy Bates

The Oscar-winning actress lost 100 pounds over seven years, with Ozempic helping her drop the final 15 to 20. A type 2 diabetes diagnosis in 2017 was her wake-up call. Kathy Bates learned to listen to her body’s hunger cues, stopped eating after 8 p.m. and leaned on determination instead of willpower.

“People say, ‘Well, it was the Ozempic.’ F**k you, it was the Ozempic! It took me years to do this,” Bates told Variety. She went from a 3X to a size 10 by tuning in to the subtle “involuntary sigh” her body makes when it’s satisfied.

Adele

The British singer lost 100 pounds over two years—but weight loss was never the goal. Mental health was. “I realized that when I was working out, I didn’t have anxiety. It was never about losing weight,” Adele told British Vogue.

Adele splits her workouts into three sessions: weight training in the morning, hiking or boxing in the afternoon and cardio at night. She doesn’t deny herself either—McDonald’s is still a weekly treat. The routine eased her back pain and significantly reduced her anxiety.

Lizzo

The Grammy winner reduced her body fat by 16 percent and lowered her BMI by 10.5 points through a calorie deficit and weight training. Lizzo, who calls her approach “weight release,” told the Just Trish podcast, “It’s just the science for me: calories in, versus calories out.”

She also overhauled a vegan plan that had her eating 3,000 to 5,000 calories a day in processed foods. Switching to whole foods like beef, chicken and fish finally left her feeling genuinely full.

Chrissy Metz

The This Is Us actress lost 100 pounds in under five months in 2010 with two simple strategies: a 2,000-calorie diet and 20 minutes of walking a day. Chrissy Metz has been open about how childhood trauma and emotional eating shaped her relationship with food.

“I always say our bodies don’t define us—they just happen to be our vessels,” Metz said. She credits self-love and mental health work as the foundation of her transformation.

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Jennifer Hudson

The EGOT winner lost 80 pounds and went from a size 16 to a size 6 by joining WeightWatchers in 2009 and embracing portion control. “I used to deprive myself, thinking that was healthy. I didn’t eat pasta, fried food, red meat. I hadn’t had pizza in 10 years,” Jennifer Hudson told Self.

Now, Hudson eats balanced meals all day and fits in small bursts of movement. “I just get up and walk. Do something. Something is better than nothing,” she shared.

Imagine losing and gaining 1,000 pounds over the course of your lifetime—the weight of a baby grand piano. That’s what Geneen Roth, 74, endured through decades of compulsive eating, yo-yo dieting and crushing body shame. But here’s the game-changing truth she discovered: Her struggle wasn’t really about food at all. It was about the stories she was telling herself in her head. And once she learned to rewrite those stories with six simple steps, everything improved. Now, she’s sharing her breakthrough method that’s helping thousands of women finally escape compulsive eating—and science proves it works.

Geneen Roth battled with compulsive eating for decades

For years, Geneen heard cruel comments about her weight and let them shape how she saw herself. As a result, she hated her body. “I never spent a day in which I wasn’t either on a diet or a binge.” At times she starved herself, surviving on a “brown diet” (only cigarettes, coffee and diet soda). She also swung between wildly different advice—plant-based, Atkins, intermittent fasting. During one bout of compulsive eating, she gained 80 pounds in five weeks.

What did Geneen get from all that struggle? Loads of emotional and physical pain that was affecting her long-term health. The malnutrition even led to an osteoporosis diagnosis. “I’d wake up every morning with a kind of heaviness, sadness, a feeling that something was wrong with me. I kept looking through life with wounded lenses.”

How Geneen quit yo-yo dieting

Then Geneen finally had a reckoning with disordered eating and vowed to change her eating habits—by changing her mindset. She quit dieting, found better tools and started educating women. The key to recovery and lasting joy? Rewriting the outdated stories stuck in her head about her body, weight and worth with new wisdom. That’s how the compulsive eating finally loosened its grip on her life.

6 steps to heal from compulsive eating

Ready to try Geneen’s life-changing approach for yourself? Geneen admits, “I’d been in 40 years of therapy and spiritual practice and neither one of those unbound me like these six steps did.” Follow these steps when you feel stuck in a destructive eating pattern…

Step 1: Recognize a trigger
Step 2: Accept your role in the scenario
Step 3: Name the feeling driving it (such as unworthiness, inadequacy, loneliness, shame)
Step 4: Look back to the first time you felt that feeling
Step 5: Identify the false belief you formed about yourself in that moment
Step 6: Forgive yourself for that false belief and move on

Learn how to use this process to change your thought patterns with more detailed step-by-step instructions here.

How these steps work in practice

Here’s a real-world example: Geneen heard a cruel comment about her weight as an adult that sent her down an emotional spiral where she recalled the first time—as a child—when she felt judged about her weight. Back then, she felt inadequate and started telling herself she was unworthy. It triggered compulsive eating as a soothing technique and a survival mechanism. But it was all based on an untrue story she was telling herself in her head.

“This six-step process gives us permission to question the lies,” Geneen explains. “After realizing the hurt was about a mistaken interpretation I’d made decades ago, the self-hatred began to dissipate.” It takes practice, but this mental shift changes everything, forever.

The radical results: 1,000 lbs gained and lost!

“I want women to take heart that what they believe is impossible is not impossible,” urges Geneen. This six-step tool allows you to never get lost in your head, or lost in unhealthy patterns, ever again. Instead, you can feel safe in your own body and safe in your decisions around food. She sums it up this way: “Once you know where home is, you never un-know.”

Over 17 years, Geneen reveals, “I lost, in pounds, the equivalent of a small horse or a baby grand piano.” But the bigger transformation was her mindset. “Losing weight is not the answer to anything but losing weight,” says the bestselling author, whose experience turned into 11 books and a career teaching women to heal their thoughts on food and self-worth. “Dropped pounds couldn’t erase the buried shame and lies I believed about myself.”

Today, Geneen has a healthier, happier relationship with her body and her life than ever before.

Why intuitive eating alone isn’t enough to stop compulsive eating

We’ve all heard of intuitive eating. It’s about getting in touch with our natural hunger cues and stopping when we feel full. But without first completing Geneen’s six steps, we often can’t solve our eating challenges. Why? Mentally, we’re still stuck at the age of our earliest emotional hurts. “My relationship with food stopped developing at the age at which I was first shamed for my body—12,” Geneen says.

So when a woman tells herself to eat intuitively, she’s really asking a scared kid how to survive around food, which may involve sneaking, binge eating episodes or starving. “Now I understand that for intuitive eating to truly be a reflection of what best takes care of you, there has to be an adult present in the thought process,” she says.

Instead, try this quick reframing trick to bring your current wisdom into the situation. To truly nourish your body, ask yourself: “What do I need today, not back then?”

Geneen shares the complete journey of her transformation in her new book, Love, Finally, where she offers even more guidance on rewriting your story and finding lasting peace with food and your body.

Science proves this compassion-based approach works

Obesity medicine specialist Betsy Dovec, MD, is working to erase shame-based narratives that are holding women back from achieving their health goals. She says, “Performing more than 6,500 bariatric surgeries has taught me that every patient carries a story far heavier than the number on a scale. True healing begins the moment you feel safe, believed and supported.”

Geneen’s mental trick for beating compulsive eating is research-backed. Dieters who received compassion-focused therapy showed significant improvements in depression, emotional eating and self-criticism compared with standard obesity treatment alone, finds a 2026 PLoS One study.

And healing can happen remarkably fast. Just one 15-minute session of self-compassion improved feelings of body image shame and boosted self compassion in women, finds research in Behavioral Therapy.

What you can do today to start healing from compulsive eating

True healing from compulsive eating is within your reach—starting today. You don’t need to wait for the perfect moment or the perfect plan. Geneen’s journey proves that healing is possible and joy is available to you when you address the stories in your head, not just the food on your plate. “I know that inconceivable change is possible!” Geneen promises.

And Dr. Dovec confirms she sees patients fully heal. “When shame is lifted, people advocate for themselves and finally live fully.” By adding mindset work to other weight related tools, “we see life-changing results.”

A version of this story originally appeared in the June 29, 2026, issue of Woman’s World

What if one simple food swap could help you lose weight, reverse diabetes and feel decades younger? That’s exactly what happened to Janice T., 70, when she discovered the secret behind a fresh approach to vegan diets. Simply skipping cooking oils transformed her health—and it’s working for hundreds of thousands of others too. Her doctor even took her off diabetes medication! Sound too good to be true? Keep reading for more inspiring details, plus a delicious recipe to get you started.

Meet Javant Benton: The new voice behind vegan, no-oil diets

Plant-based, no-oil eating? That’s the message behind the new bestselling cookbook Make Your Own by Javant Benton, who lost 85 pounds and restored his health.

Years ago, Benton was struggling with high blood pressure, high blood sugar and a cancer scare. A diet heavy on meat, fried foods and cooking oils was stealing his health. But then he made a miraculous switch to wholesome vegan eating without a drop of cooking oil. The transformation was remarkable—he lost 85 pounds and got his health back! Now he’s on a mission to share this gift with others through his inspiring YouTube channel and Instagram platform. (Learn all about his eating advice here.) Now Benton has nearly 1 million loyal followers online. Keep reading for success stories from two of his fans.

Janice lost 36 pounds and reversed her diabetes

Janice T., 70, started eating more of Benton’s vegan diet recipes and cut her meat consumption in half. Then she saw the type of quick results people dream about. She lost 6 pounds the first month and went on to drop 36 pounds and two pant sizes total. She also improved her blood pressure and lowered her diabetes A1C from 7.2 to 5.2—her doctor even took her off medication!

Janice shares, “My favorite Javant-inspired recipes are the white bean chili with Cajun cornbread, vegan buffalo sandwich with spicy mango buffalo sauce, sun-dried tomato pasta salad and German chocolate cake. However, there are so many delicious, healthy recipes!”

Diana dropped 30 pounds after heart surgery and cancer

And Janice is not alone. All across the world, women are discovering the power of Benton’s vegan, no-oil eating approach. Each one has her own inspiring journey. Want to hear about more real-life results? Meet Diana, who improved her health and is now paying it forward to help her community…

After major open-heart surgery and a cancer diagnosis, Diana Morgan Burgess gained weight even though she ate clean, avoided meat and exercised. She needed to shake things up a bit. So she cut out oils and tried Benton’s dishes. “That made a huge difference.” As a result, she lost more than 30 pounds and is now cancer-free. She also improved her sleep quality and eliminated the chronic mucus in her throat. “People think I’m lying about being 64. Health is wealth!”

How Diana conquered her sweet tooth

Diana had a huge sweet tooth. But Benton taught her to quiet cravings by snacking on medjool dates. “It makes a difference in my appetite.” Plus, eating vegan with no oils hasn’t stolen Diana’s “food joy.” She says, “I totally enjoy my food. You can be creative with it.”

Diana, a business owner in Jamaica, admits she started out as a skeptic. But after improving her health, she’s a believer. Now she gives people copies of Benton’s vegan, no-oil cookbook. “Obesity is a real problem in my community. I’m helping people get healthy!”

Try this recipe: Vegan strawberry shortcake protein bars

Enjoy for yourself one of Benton’s vegan diet, no-oil dessert recipes that are helping women lose weight and restore health.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup nut or seed butter
1/4 cup plant milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
8 medjool dates, pitted
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened plant-based protein powder
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1/4 cup ground chia seeds
1/4 tsp. salt (optional)
2 cups freeze-dried strawberries

Directions:
• Line an 8-inch pan with parchment paper.
• In a food processor, mix butter, milk and vanilla. Add dates and process until smooth.
• Add rolled oats, protein powder, flax, chia and salt to form a thick dough. (If too moist, add a bit more protein powder. If too dry, add a splash more milk.)
• Fold strawberries into the mixture.
• Press mixture into the prepared pan. Place in the freezer for 1 hour. Cut into 8 equal pieces.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

The bottom line on vegan eating without oils

You can still enjoy your favorite desserts and comfort-food eats with a healthier approach by following Javant Benton’s recipes from Make Your Own. Weight-loss success stories like Diana’s prove the approach is deliciously successful!

This story originally appeared in the June 15, 2026, issue of Woman’s World.

Summer means BBQs, potlucks and parties where we gather around family and food. All that fun can foil our best weight-loss intentions. Until now. Bestselling cookbook author Javant Benton found a way to make all of your favorite foods deceptively healthy and keep them delicious. The proof: He lost 85 pounds and has more than 1 million fans enjoying his dishes. His approach is perfect for women who love food, don’t want to feel deprived and want to enjoy summer socializing. Keep reading to learn about Javant’s healthy-food diet plan to lose weight and keep it off long term.

How Javant discovered healthy food swaps to lose weight

Growing up in the South, enjoying his grandma’s fried cooking, Javant became prediabetic, prehypertensive and overweight, like many of his relatives. But when he had a cancer scare, he embraced advice from nutrition pioneer Joel Fuhrman, MD. He swapped his usual heavy fare for plant-based meals. He lost 85 pounds eating nutrient-dense foods and transformed his health.

Inspired, Javant became a certified nutritarian cook and health coach, sharing plant-based recipes online. Now fans can’t get enough of his nostalgic dishes made with a healthy twist, like cauliflower “wings,” carrot cake breakfast cookies and homemade Fig Newtons. Fans also devour his “veggie ground” recipe— it’s like ground beef but made with finely chopped walnuts, cauliflower, onions and spices and works in everything from lasagna to burritos. It’s big on flavor, with zero deprivation.

“If you’re eating the standard American diet, you’re going to have good results switching to healthy vegan dishes,” he promises. “Don’t change what you make—change how you make it!” Javant, the author of Make Your Own, knows firsthand how a healthy diet change requires two things: tweaking recipes and practicing self-care in social situations. Here’s how to master both…

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6 tips for making healthy food swaps to lose weight

Ready to transform your summer meals? Here are the healthy eating practices that Javant lives by:

Choose whole, unrefined grains

Swap out rice for millet or quinoa. Bake with nutrient-dense flours made with almond, chickpea or arrowroot. Javant also chooses to avoid ultra-processed wheat since it causes blood-sugar spikes and contains few nutrients.

Focus on fiber

Get it from foods such as fruits, vegetables and legumes. Javant says, “Fiber does wonders for your colon, helping prevent gut imbalances.”

Get healthy fats

Find them in nuts and seeds. Javant also recommends skipping cooking oil. “The healthiest fats on the planet are polyunsaturated fats from nuts and seeds,” he says. “Extracted oils, including olive oil, are absorbed quickly by the body, leading to rapid fat storage.”

Sweeten with dates

To avoid added refined sugar and reduce cravings, he recommends sweetening recipes with medjool dates, which contain healthy antioxidants.

Fill up on nutrients, not empty calories

It’s possible to be a junk-food vegan, relying on processed carbs, Javant says. The real goal: “You want to take in the foods that contain the most micronutrients per calorie,” explains weight-loss expert Dr. Fuhrman. “Micronutrients are vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals; they do not contain calories, but they have vital functions in the body.”

You can still eat meat

Not ready to switch to a fully plant-based eating plan? That’s completely okay! Javant wants you to know this approach works for everyone: “There are so many people I love and care about who are never going to be vegan,” Javant says. “Even if you’re a meat eater, you can still improve your health with vegan side dishes and desserts.”

Expert tips for healthy eating in social situations

What we eat is only part of it. “One of the top stumbling blocks is the peer pressure around food,” says Javant. Here’s what the research tells us: Gaining weight is a social activity. We mirror the meal behaviors of our loved ones. A New England Journal of Medicine study shows that if they eat unhealthily, it puts us at a 57 percent increased risk of gaining weight.

The good news: This peer pressure works both ways. When we dine with people who eat healthy, we’re more likely to follow their lean lead, reveals new Swiss research looking at the eating habits of 38 million people. We can positively influence others too.

Javant’s motivation came from a personal place, as he shares: “I had something that was more powerful than peer pressure—‘fear pressure’ of dying.” But rather than let fear control him, he discovered the antidote was self-care. He viewed preparing healthy plant-based dishes like cheesecake, meatless burgers and pineapple kebabs and taking them to gatherings as an act of self love. “When we consistently nourish ourselves with a healthy diet, it not only makes us feel better physically, it also makes us feel better mentally.” In short: more confident!

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Why social support matters for weight loss

“In my 25 years as a bariatric surgeon, I’ve realized that I can fix a stomach, but I can’t fix a social circle,” says metabolic surgeon Wiljon Beltre, MD. The good news? You don’t need to “fix” your social circle—you just need a few simple strategies to stay on track while still enjoying time with the people you love.

3 tips to enjoy foodie gatherings while staying on track

• Eat before you go. “Never ever show up to a social event with an empty stomach,” says Dr. Beltre.
• Tweak your talk. “Instead of saying, ‘I cannot have that,’ which makes you sound like a victim, say, ‘I’m good’ or ‘I’m still full from earlier.’ It’s harder for people to argue with you being full than it is for them to argue with your diet.”
• Stay the course. “Once people see your results, they usually stop pushing and start asking for your secret!”

The bottom line about healthy food swaps to lose weight

You have everything you need to feel vibrant, energized and confident—without giving up the foods and gatherings you love. Javant’s journey proves that transformation doesn’t require perfection or deprivation. It simply requires making choices that honor your body and your joy. Start with one simple swap at your next meal and watch how good it feels to nourish yourself.

This story originally appeared in the June 15, 2026, issue of Woman’s World