A Woman Lost 130 Lbs by Changing 5 of Her Habits and She Told Us All About It

Kiah Twisselman’s life-changing story has inspired many others. Kiah, who comes from San Luis Obispo, California tried dieting for years without any results. After years of these failed diets, she was able to lose 103 pounds in just one year, and she did it by changing 5 habits in her daily life. Now, Kiah helps others realize that they can do it too. She became an instructor, and one of her teachings is that you shouldn’t be impatient and want see quick results. Instead, anyone who wants to lose weight should create a healthy and consistent lifestyle that they are willing to commit to for the long run. In the end, you’ll see that it totally pays off!

This remarkable woman told Bright Side her story of transformation in detail and shared the ins and outs of how she overcame the obstacles that stood in her way. We hope you find it as useful as we did!

The turning point

The event that made Kiah want to change her lifestyle and lose weight occurred on a flight from Kentucky to Arizona. When getting to her seat, she noticed that she didn’t fit there anymore. She even had to request a seat belt extender to make sure she could wear the belt safely. But coincidentally, she was carrying with her Rachel Hollis’ book Girl, Wash Your Face. It was Hollis’ book that hit Kiah as the wake-up call she needed to make a change in her life. It also led her to understand that to manage to do this would depend 100% on her will.

Twisselman, then 25, felt it was time to stop victimizing herself and take responsibility for her own actions. “I knew it was time to stop being a victim of my circumstances and take ownership of my decisions, so I could build the life I really wanted for myself,” she said.

Since she was a child, Kiah has struggled with her weight. Her parents had the same problem. She sometimes felt it was hopeless to change and that she was destined to be overweight for the rest of her life. Also, because of her family background, she was aware that she had a high risk of suffering from diabetes and heart conditions. Still, she wasn’t sure she could do anything about it. On top of that, it was so challenging for her to try to deal with the ordinary things she wanted to do in her life, because of her weight.

“My weight stopped me in many ways, both physically and mentally. I could hide in my complacency and choose to not do the things I liked, like going to the lake or to the beach with friends and family, because I was embarrassed to be seen wearing a bathing suit,” she told us.

However, it took Kiah almost one year to lose 103 pounds. And as of today, she has lost over 130 pounds.

Not everything went smoothly all the time...

Kiah said there were weeks when she lost more pounds than others, some when she lost nothing, and weeks when she even gained some weight. That’s why she said that, regardless of the results obtained every week, it’s important to just maintain a positive attitude. It’s a way of remembering that all obstacles can be overcome. In addition, focusing on the “why” you’re making such a sacrifice is the key to remembering that, even when things aren’t going your way, you shouldn’t lose your motivation.

“There were many moments when I felt like giving up. Reaching one of those rock bottom moments during this journey can be very discouraging, like when you don’t see the results that you worked so hard for. I had to keep reminding myself that making my dreams come true would be worth the sacrifice, and I committed to figuring everything out no matter how long it took me,” Kiah said.

Every great journey begins with a first step

These are the 5 daily habits that changed Kiah’s life:

• Wake up an hour earlier than usual and dedicate that time to yourself.
• Make sure you move your body for at least 30 minutes.
• Give up any meal that is not beneficial for your body.
• Drink half your body weight in ounces of water.
• Write down 10 things you are thankful for.

“Holding on to these simple habits helped me to create a solid foundation for a new and healthy lifestyle. Focusing on the baby steps can help everyone climb the highest mountain without getting completely burned out,” she said.

Her transformation inspired her loved ones.

Her family and friends have been very supportive throughout this process. And Kiah is very grateful to be surrounded by people who loved and supported her long before she started losing weight, and who she knows will continue to do so now that she is on this new path she decided to take.

Her process toward a healthier lifestyle also encouraged other people who are close to her to start their own transformation and set their own goals. One of her best friends has lost over 50 pounds so far, and her brother has lost almost 70 pounds. By choosing to change her lifestyle on her own and with motivation as her most important assent, she also inspired others to do so for themselves as well. “As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats,” Kiah added.

The key is to love yourself.

When people look at Kiah’s before and after photos they are all impressed by her physical transformation. But even though her weight loss is truly remarkable, she commented that the biggest transformation actually took place in her mind, and that this journey began with a change in her state of mind and in her way of looking at the world.

“The most important part of this health journey has been the mental part... It wasn’t about hating my old self to lose weight, instead it was about loving myself enough to go out and do the hard stuff,” she said.

When she started her journey, Kiah had a specific target weight in mind. She soon discovered that it was not really about the number that your scale throws out at you every morning, but about the person that you start to become along the way. And of course, loving yourself during the change process and moving toward health and happiness, that’s really what the most important thing is when doing anything, not just when losing weight.

Although, for Kiah, losing weight and being physically healthy has been great, the most rewarding part of this whole experience is the great impact her own change had on the people surrounding her. She said that, looking back at everything, her 25-year struggle with obesity has been her greatest blessing, because it has turned her into the person she is today and because it has allowed her to reemerge and help so many people who are going through the same situation.

Some important tips

Kiah advises people who want to lose weight to start with a low-key goal, because everyone tends to lean toward being impatient and wants to see results immediately. However, she says that focusing on long-term but achievable goals requires you to accept that change takes time.

“Find yourself, think about where you are standing right now, and take small but firm steps forward every day to get a little closer to your goal. It’s not about going on a strict weight-loss diet in the traditional sense. It should be about creating a healthy lifestyle for yourself, something that you’re willing to commit to for the long run,” she said.

If you need daily motivation to see that you can do it, you can always find Kiah on Facebook and Instagram where she regularly shares her many tips and tricks.

What do you think of Kiah’s story? Would you dare to undertake such a great adventure? If you’ve been through a similar process, we’d love to see your before and after pictures and read your story!