Maria Kirkeland
It's rare to lose fat without changing your eating habits — after all, a calorie deficit (consuming less energy than you burn) is the only way to lose weight.
However, you don't need punishing diets or to cut out all your favorite foods.
For many people, small tweaks like focusing on protein and eating smaller portions make big differences.
Five people — each of whom lost between 50 and 200 pounds — told Business Insider how their diets changed.
Courtesy of Clark Valery.
Clark Valery, an assistant manager at a pharmacy chain in New York, lost 140 pounds by cutting down on fast food and cutting portion sizes.
Before he lost weight, a typical meal could be two Big Macs, 20 chicken nuggets, two large fries, and a soda from McDonald's, or eight tacos from a Mexican restaurant. "The portions could've fed four people," he said.
To lose weight, Valery ate meals like scrambled eggs on a whole-grain English muffin with a small piece of sausage, or grilled chicken with salad or vegetables.
Maria Kirkeland
Maria Kirkeland, a teacher from Norway, lost 159 pounds in two years by counting calories. She made some small changes to her diet too. For example, she replaced the salami and cheese on her bread with cottage cheese and low-sugar jam, and started making her own salads with less dressing than those in her work canteen.
At dinner, Kirkeland started eating leaner cuts of meat and opting for boiled or baked potatoes over fries. "They're not very calorically dense, they're very filling, they're very satiating, and they're so nutrient-rich. I love potatoes. I eat them for almost every dinner I have," Kirkeland said.
Quianna Marie/Tara Dunn
Leah Mancuso, a photographer in Scottsdale, Arizona, hates cooking but still made changes to her diet to help her lose 200 pounds. Previously, Mancuso mostly ate drive-thru meals and freezer food but she's now developed new staple meals like cottage-cheese bowls and chicken with potatoes.
"I try to eat mostly at least minimally processed foods, but also make it very, very easy because I don't like cooking," Mancuso told Business Insider.
Dr. Betsy Grunch
Betsy Grunch, a neurosurgeon from the outskirts of Atlanta, lost 50 pounds when she quit fad diets and educated herself about nutrition. Before losing weight, she regularly ate fast food, such as pizza or Chick-fil-A, and had energy-dense drinks like sodas and frappuccinos.
Now, she intermittently fasts by skipping breakfast, then she eats a large, high-protein lunch and a light dinner. Grunch focuses on whole foods and protein, with carbs in moderation, she said.
Benji Xavier
Benji Xavier, a content creator from New Jersey, lost 100 pounds by making healthier versions of his favorite meals. Xavier used to eat a lot of fast food for convenience. To lose weight, he meal prepped on Sundays so he had healthy dishes ready to go during the week.
Xavier focused on high-volume, high-protein meals such as turkey and eggplant lasagne, or chicken-fajita-stuffed bell peppers.
