A WOMAN has opened up about how she lost a whopping 10 stone in one year after spending her whole life overweight and “struggling to breathe”.
Lizette Watson, 32, admits she was a “chronic” crisp eater and junkie, but now she has transformed her body.
Lizette Watson was overweight from childhood, but when she hit her 30s she knew she needed to make a significant changeCredit: Supplied
She “hit rock bottom” but one key change transformed her relationship with her for good, and no it wasn’t.
“I did the impossible,” Lizette said, admitting that her weight loss journey has been “the hardest thing” she has ever done.
Lizette, who has been sharing her journey in a bid to help other people, lost 152lbs – the weight of a male mountain lion – between last January 19, 2025 and now.
The lightbulb moment came when Lizette and her husband, Qaasim, decided they wanted to start a , and she knew she needed to make a big change.
Lizzie said: “My husband and I were starting to talk about children, he was also bigger, and I couldn’t imagine having kids and passing on the habits to my children.”
She added: “My husband also went on the [weight loss] journey with me, that’s what drove me initially, it wouldn’t have been fair to our [future] children.”
Unsure where to start, Lizette turned to , after years of not knowing how to change her.
She discovered that the number one recommendation that came up repeatedly was to – when you consume fewer calories than you burn in a day.
She explained: “I didn’t know anything about a calorie deficit, but after using ChatGPT and asking for help, I found that was the most efficient way. I cut down my habits as much as I could.”
Lizette found healthy alternatives to the she once adored, like low calorie crisps or ice cream.
Once she changed her diet, she generally ate the same foods most days and followed a strict routine.
She admitted: “When I was in my deficit I was eating for survival not pleasure.
“Sometimes it’s gloomy and you feel like you want to eat something.”
She keeps these habits up today, prioritising getting protein into her diet from first thing in the morning – including a protein coffee in the morning and eggs, a hash brown and three small sausages.
She then has a protein yogurt and a Coca Cola Zero. For lunch she eats cheese and ham on a rice cake, followed by an energy drink and a cereal bar.
At dinner time she enjoys making low-calorie nachos and tacos. She munches on low calorie dried fruit snacks for dessert as well as another Coca Cola Zero.
Lizette said: “I am experimenting a lot more now but not eating lots of junk food, it’s very balanced.”
She admits to being a serial snacker in the pastCredit: Supplied
The determined woman managed to shift 10 stone in one yearCredit: Supplied
She has also found a love for exercise, after trying new things for the first time.
She now enjoys yoga, Pilates, swears by infrared classes, and has discovered a new found confidence in the gym.
Lizette says she hopes to become a coach in the future – and is looking into doing some educational training.
Despite being open about her weight loss journey online, Lizette admits that people keep accusing her of lying, believing that she has lost so much weight in little time through weight loss drugs.
Lizette said: “There are a lot of people who don’t believe me. There is nothing wrong with GLP-1s – if I did that I would have admitted it.”
She has also noticed a significant difference in how people treat her now that she is smaller – and believes “skinny privilege exists”.
She loves infrared exercise classesCredit: Supplied
Lizette explained: “I have been overweight my whole life so I saw the world through the lens of a person who is bigger, now I am smaller I experienced the world through the lens of a smaller person.
“I feel like I am listened to more, the perks are nice but I feel sad for my old self.
“I feel like I get more respect. I noticed people are a lot kinder to people in a slimmer body.”
Lizette, who helps her husband with his business but now plans to make content creation her full time career, hopes sharing her story will help inspire others to follow in her footsteps.
Sharing her advice, she added: “I would say to people to not wait to find motivation. It will come and go.
“You have to fight with your brain to find that discipline and once you find something that works, speak to it and make it your lifestyle and go with it.”
Why you should do weight training when you get older?
As we age, maintaining physical fitness becomes increasingly crucial, and weight training plays a pivotal role in promoting overall health and well-being. One of the primary benefits of weight training for older adults is the preservation and enhancement of muscle mass. Sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength, is a common issue that can lead to decreased mobility, increased risk of falls, and a general decline in physical function. Engaging in regular weight training helps to counteract these effects by stimulating muscle growth and improving muscular strength, thereby enhancing an individual’s ability to perform daily activities with greater ease and independence.
In addition to its impact on muscle mass, weight training also significantly contributes to bone health. Osteoporosis, characterized by weakened and brittle bones, is another prevalent concern among older adults. Weight-bearing exercises, such as lifting weights, promote bone density by applying stress to the bones, which in turn stimulates the production of new bone tissue. This can help reduce the risk of fractures and other bone-related injuries, fostering a more active and injury-free lifestyle.
Weight training also offers substantial metabolic benefits, which are especially important as metabolism tends to slow down with age. By increasing muscle mass, weight training boosts the resting metabolic rate, meaning the body burns more calories even at rest. This can aid in weight management and reduce the risk of metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, weight training has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, enhance lipid profiles, and reduce inflammation, all of which contribute to a healthier metabolic state.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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