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'The 30-Day Instagram Program That Helped Me Drop 55kg And Build Muscle'

"It provides me with enough structure to stay on track but also plenty of freedom." - by Emily Shiffer
  • 03 Dec 2019
'The 30-Day Instagram Program That Helped Me Drop 55kg And Build Muscle'
Instagram

I'm Jasmine Parent (@jasminelosingit), 30, of Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada). I’m a former medical social worker turned social media influencer and project manager for a non-profit community food security program. I hit a breaking point and knew I wanted to lose a lot of weight, so I found a food plan on Instagram that ended up helping me drop over 45kg.

I spent my entire life being the "bigger friend." I played sports and always felt that even though I was bigger than all of my peers, that my weight was under control. In 2012, I graduated from university and found myself wondering, what next? But a year later, after graduating and entering the workforce, my father passed away and I quickly turned to food as my comfort. That's where a spiral of weight gain began for me.

I reached my highest weight of 114kg before getting pregnant with my first child. Then I gained over 23kg during my pregnancy. After my daughter was born, I tried numerous crash diets and quick fixes that, of course, didn’t work. I had my second daughter 22 months later and left the hospital at over 137kg.

RELATED: 'Portion Control Helped Me Lose 54kg In 11 Months'

jasminelosingit View Profile
5,699 likes - View Post on Instagram
#transformationtuesday⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ *first things first, yes this is me, and no my tattoo did not disappear.. It is on my other arm. Left pic was taken of me, right pic I took of myself in a mirror *⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ OKAY - moving on .. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ There are EXACTLY 7 weeks left until 2020.. 7 weeks and we enter a brand new decade! Knowing this I decided I wanted to switch things up. I've been in 'maintenance mode' for quite awhile now, and I really want to push myself to finish this year strong. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ I spent the majority of the afternoon designing my own 4 week Meal Plan and workout program. I have to say I'm pretty proud of it and can't wait to try it out. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Goal: fat loss. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ The Meal plan I put together is comprised of the @21daymealplan (of course 😍) with a few of my own additions including @imbuilt bars🍫, falafels 🧆 and protein powder 💪🏾. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ In terms of exercise, I wanted to challenge myself and put together a program to really push me outside of my comfort zone. Tomorrow morning I will take and post my day 1 photos, and check in every 2 weeks! After 4 weeks is up I will reassess and decide if I want to continue the same nutrition / exercise program for the remaining 4 weeks of the year, or switch it up. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ This post is all about accountability and finishing this amazing year with a BANG and entering 2020 ready to tackle anything that comes my way. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Anything you want to commit to for these next 7 weeks of 2019?! Hold yourself accountable and tell me below ⬇️⬇️⁣ ⁣ *tagging some accounts who have had a direct impact on my success thus far - thank you all ❤️* #jazzinto2020

My turning point came in December 2017. My childhood friends came to visit at Christmas time and we took our annual group picture.

Seeing that photo on December 18, 2017, made my jaw drop. I had been avoiding getting my picture taken, and on that particular day I realised why: I did not recognize myself at all.

At that point, I also realised that I had been gaining weight since 2013. I had severe joint pain in my knees, issues with my sciatic nerve that led to my partner helping me out of bed in the mornings, increased anxiety, and depression. That New Years, I made the choice that I would start out on my *permanent* weight-loss journey (on January 1, 2018).

Up until that day, every diet I tried failed. I had tried the smoothie diet (which involved one solid meal a day and two smoothies) that left me starving and binging after a day or two. I also tried to go very low carb and felt awful.

jasminelosingit View Profile
7,373 likes - View Post on Instagram
#motivationmonday ⁣⁣ From a 2XL one piece to a medium bikini 😁👙⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ First of all I apologize if you're tired of bathing suit pics because I have a lot and I don't plan on posting anything else for awhile 😜⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Second I DIDN'T GAIN A SINGLE POUND ON VACAY 🥳 ⁣ ⁣ This is HUGE for me. Our last all inclusive vacation I gained 15 pounds, was ridiculously bloated when we got home and literally almost didn't make it on the ride home from the airport to home 🤮. Basically I over did it and didn't quite know my limits.. or just didn't care. ⁣⁣ ⁣This time around, 1 year in to maintenance, wiser, more in tune with my body, stronger habits, more disciplined - I was able to eat freely, enjoy myself but also be mindful of my portions and get in a few workouts. Not because I HAD to, but because I WANTED to. Being active is just part of who I am now .. it felt great and made each day that much better. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ This journey continues to get better every chapter. Don't quit now .. the best really is yet to come🙏🏾💓⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ *⁣⁣ *⁣⁣ *⁣⁣ Still a few hours left to join my @21daymealplan challenge #nosurrendermpb ! Registration details in my challenge highlight ✨⁣⁣

Ultimately, I found the 21-Day Meal Plan, which is what I have stuck with since the day I committed to losing weight.

After that holiday stretch, I started looking online for weight-loss programs. I searched Instagram for popular hashtags #weightloss #weightlosstransformation and I stumbled across the profile of @myadventuretofit (her name is Tiffany). Tiffany is the creator of the @21daymealplan.

After searching through her profile and the @21daymealplan page, Tiffany's vibe and her program felt like a great fit for me. Everything I had considered prior to finding this meal plan was either too restrictive or not restrictive enough. And for less than $20, the plan felt like a safe investment. (Important: As Tiffany's website says, results are not guaranteed on the plan—it's just what she personally did to lose weight, and she put it into writing. She's not a nutritionist, so definitely consider speaking to your doctor or a dietitian ahead of starting your own weight-loss journey if you're not sure if it's a fit for you.)

jasminelosingit View Profile
View Post on Instagram
#transformationtuesday⁣⁣⁣ The first time I fit back in to a pair of pre pregnancy jeans on the left and last week on the right. Happy in both photos - proud in both photos. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ The picture on the left was a snap I sent to my girlfriends when I finally was able to zip up a pair of pre pregnancy jeans! I was SO excited🥳⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ If you are trying to make a big change in your life I can't stress enough the importance of celebrating ALL victories along the way. If all you ever focus on is the end game, the FINAL result you think you want or need then you are setting yourself up for failure. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ This journey isn't one huge mountain.. but instead a bunch of small hills. Tough, but attainable small hills... keep climbing ❣️⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 💚120lb weightloss in 9 months all from the @21daymealplan Discount code JASMINE link in bio* ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 💕Pink suit from @brianakcollection Discount code JASMINE for 20% off all things*

The plan is very low in dairy and sodium, gluten-free, and full of whole foods.

I eat from a list of foods freely (what I want, when I want!), as long as the ingredients are on the list. It provides me with enough structure to stay on track but also plenty of freedom to not feel overly restricted.

Here’s what I typically eat in a day:

  • Breakfast: Two fried eggs with capsicum, a Veggie Burger, 1/2-cup cottage cheese
  • Lunch: Brown rice pasta, lean ground turkey, and broccoli all mixed together with mustard and nutritional yeast
  • Snacks: A protein bar or a plain rice cake with almond butter
  • Dinner: Falafels, riced cauliflower, grilled peppers, and mushrooms
  • Dessert: Plain Greek yoghurt and blueberries
jasminelosingit View Profile
4,462 likes - View Post on Instagram
#transformationtuesday⁣ ⁣ Caption by Jurnee after seeing this and me asking her "what should Mommy write?" ⁣ ⁣ "You did really great. I gunna give you a nice badge!" *runs to kitchen and gets my medal from my 5K race last year 😭❤️⁣ ⁣ So that's the message for today - you're doing really great🥇!!⁣

The first day I started the 21-Day Meal Plan, I also began exercising—starting with Jillian Michaels' 30-Day Shred DVD.

I needed something I could do with minimal time but that would get results. I had heard great reviews about her program, and with two children under 2 years old, 25 minutes a day of an at-home workout felt really doable.

Now, I exercise six days a week for 1 to 1.5 hours depending on the day. I lift, run, do HIIT workouts, you name it. I really enjoy mixing up my workouts and doing what feels right that week. This lifestyle has become so fun for me, and I think variety in my workouts has been a huge factor in that.

These three tips have helped make my weight-loss journey a success.

  1. Drink water. I have *never* been a water drinker, and it was hard starting out. But I started slow and I now drink four litres or so a day without even having to think about it. This little tweak has helped alleviate my headaches, up my overall energy levels, and also helps me know the difference between hunger and boredom.
  2. Tell a friend (or thousands, like I do). Starting out, I *had* to tell people I was on a weight loss journey. In the past, I wouldn’t tell people out of fear of them finding out if I quit or failed. This time I knew I needed the accountability to help me stick to it. You’d be surprised at the amount of support and inspiration you receive from those who love you, and even from complete strangers online. It’s a wonderful feeling when you know people are rooting for you!
  3. Find a variety of ways to measure your success. Don’t let the scale be the only thing you use to measure your success. How clothes fit, body measurements, and side-by-side photos can all be extremely helpful when the scale may not be moving.
jasminelosingit View Profile
4,015 likes - View Post on Instagram
It's Friday. I had an awesome workout and I achieved a huge #nsv I've literally been DREAMING about wearing a seamless set to the gym for a very long time (might seem silly to some lol) but honestly just over 1.5 years ago as a 300 pound mom of 2 I didn't think I'd ever be confident enough 🤷🏽‍♀️.. today I did it! Scale victories can be fun for sure (down 8lbs since Monday😝on the @21daymealplan) BUT this #nonscalevictory is by far my favourite. That feeling of confidence, pride, and STRENGTH .. 😭💪🏾That's the feeling I longed for for so long 💕 The @brianakcollection power seamless set is EVERYTHING and I can't wait to buy every colour 😍 This set drops September 14th ! Discount code JASMINE saves you 20% off everything @brianakcollection 🤗 HAPPY LONG WEEKEND 🎉 #shopbrianak #brianakbabe

Ahead of my weight-loss journey, I wish I had realized that food is *fuel.*

Before starting the plan I follow now, I always thought, eat way less, lose way more. But anytime I did that, I ended up quitting because my body was tired because it had no fuel and I would become so hungry I would just give up.

Food is the fuel that makes your body and mind operate as it should. It's not about cutting food out; it's about finding the ingredients that make you feel strong and powerful and keep you going.

jasminelosingit View Profile
9,593 likes - View Post on Instagram
Because some days you just want to #showout and that's ok 🗣🙌🏾⁣⁣⁣ Celebrate YOU. Have goals, tell the world and CRUSH them. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ As someone who shares the majority of my life on social media .. I get it - People are going to ask questions, give their opinions, and offer up advice. That's FINE, it comes with the territory. But just know that society will have your mind racing a million miles a minute and doubting yourself if you let it. ⁣⁣⁣ Some examples of regular messages: ⁣⁣⁣ *Lose weight - but not TOO much. ⁣⁣⁣ *Get in the gym and build some muscle - but not too much or you'll look "manly" ⁣⁣⁣ *Your body is perfect, you should stop now. ⁣⁣⁣ *Loose skin is gross but why did you get a tummy tuck? I thought you preached self love ?⁣⁣⁣ *I love your confidence lately, but don't forget you're a mom. (My fave 😂🙄)⁣ And so on and soooo forth. ⁣⁣⁣ Luckily throughout this journey my confidence has grown, my self doubt has virtually disappeared - I KNOW myself - I believe in MYSELF. This journey has to be for YOU FIRST not anyone else. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ Moral of the story be respectful of others, be exactly who you want to be, and live your life the way you want to live it. There will be those who support you, love you and encourage you along the way and those who don't🤷🏽‍♀️. ⁣⁣⁣ Like the old saying goes:⁣⁣⁣ "Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind" ⁣ HAPPY FRIDAY😘

Overall, I have lost 54kg since I committed to a healthy lifestyle back in January 2018.

I want other women to know that this journey has never been about self-hate, but rather, self-love. It’s required loving myself enough to change, loving myself enough to put myself first, and loving myself enough to stick to it!

I did *a lot* of soul searching before that day on January 1st, 2018—a lot of writing in a journal and asking myself the tough questions. The way I see it, though, is that your happiness is *always* worth the time and effort.

Jasmin Parent, as told to Emily Shiffer. This article originally appeared on Women's Health US. 

RELATED: Jillian Michaels Makes A Compelling Case For Only Snacking Once Per Day

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Emily Shiffer
Emily Shiffer
Emily Shiffer is a former digital web producer for Men’s Health and Prevention US, and is currently a freelancer writer specialising in health, weight loss and fitness.

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