Adam Rose/Netflix; Chelsea Blackwell/Instagram
Chelsea Blackwell may not have walked away from "Love Is Blind" season six with a husband, but the show did end up kickstarting her health journey.
The reality star, who had a memorable moment on the show when she said she'd been told Megan Fox was her celebrity lookalike, spoke to Business Insider about her path to getting healthier after wrapping the show.
Blackwell shared her three biggest tips for getting in shape: long walks outside, drinking more water, and increasing her protein intake.
To hydrate, she's been drinking three Stanley cups filled with water daily. Her main physical activity is walking outside, and she even revealed that she's had a surprising walking partner: her "Love Is Blind" ex-fiancé, Jimmy Presnell.
"We actually are neighbors. He's the building next to me," Blackwell revealed. "We were going on walks there for a minute. We keep in touch, I'll give him a pulse check."
Blackwell's recent partnership with Perfect Bar, a brand of fresh, refrigerated protein bars, was an obvious fit given her health goals.
"I am a huge protein girl. Getting my protein in is so important. That's something that has helped me more than anything," she said.
More water, more walking, and more protein might seem basic, but it's rooted in science.
Rajnish Jaiswal, MD, an emergency medicine physician with NYC Health + Hospitals Metropolitan, previously told Business Insider that drinking water can help you feel more full and therefore consume fewer calories. Proper hydration also enables faster recovery from physical activity and boosts metabolism.
In addition to weight loss, drinking water can help improve your skin, prevent joint pain, and even improve cognitive function, Business Insider previously reported. While the recommended daily intake of water varies per person based on lifestyle factors, like how much you exercise, men should generally drink about 3.7 liters (or about 125 ounces) of water a day and women about 2.7 liters (or 92 ounces) of water a day.
Walking, particularly at a brisk pace that increases your heart rate, is an easy and accessible physical activity that can be great for fat loss.
Additionally, many dietitians say eating a protein-rich diet can help you reach weight-loss goals. This is because protein is more satiating than other macros, like fat and carbs, and eating more of it makes it easier to maintain a calorie deficit, which is required for weight loss.
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Despite maintaining a sense of humor about going viral on "Love Is Blind," Blackwell spoke out at the "Love Is Blind" reunion and on social media about the mental toll of being trolled online for months while the season aired. Many viewers bullied Blackwell for her Megan Fox comment and over how she was depicted on the show in her tumultuous relationship with Presnell.
Blackwell said improving her physical health has had a positive impact on her mental health.
"When you prioritize your health, it leads to being mentally healthy as well, so everything's aligned and it definitely makes life a lot easier," she said.
