“I went on a diet when I was 10 years old”: how an American woman lost 56 kg and became a fitness trainer

American Kaya Twisselman grew up on a ranch in California that has been in her family for six generations. She admits that she has been overweight all her life and can’t even remember if she ever weighed within the normal range. According to Kai, the only thing she liked about herself were her eyes, “They’re cold blue, like ice. Just like my father’s.” The girl was uncomfortable in her own body, but for a long time she couldn’t find enough motivation to change her life.

Endless diets and breakdowns

Twisselman says that she has been trying to lose weight for as long as she can remember. She even involved her parents and family in the process – once they tried the Atkins diet (a popular low-carbohydrate diet) with her parents. During high school and university, Kaya also tried to lose weight, but constantly broke down.

Many of the girl’s relatives suffered from diabetes and cardiovascular disease. And the older Kaya got, the more she began to worry about her own health. “I just accepted the fact that sooner or later I would get sick too. The question was not ‘if’ but ‘when’,” admits Twisselman in an interview.

I first went on a diet when I was 10 years old.

In addition, she always wanted to start her own family and at some point realized that to become a mother, she needed to start with her own health.

Motivation and decision to change her life

The turning point in the life of a 27-year-old American woman was a trip for work in 2018. On the flight, the girl bought a book by Rachel Hollis “Wake up, baby!” and read it from cover to cover in a few hours on the road. These were exactly the words Kaya had been sorely missing to finally take control of her body, health, and life.

Instead of pretending to be a victim of circumstance – job, income, genetics, I decided to make my own conscious choice to take matters into my own hands.

A simple but effective method of weight loss

With the first steps towards a better version of herself and a healthier life, Kaja was again helped by her idol: Rachel Hollis launched a 90-day challenge “5 to Thrive” on Instagram. The challenge was to do five seemingly simple things every day for the last three months of the year:

• wake up an hour earlier than usual;
• exercise or other physical activity for 30 minutes;
• drink a volume of water equal to half your body weight;
• give up one category of foods that are unhealthy;
• write down 10 things you are grateful for that day.

Kaya made her life-changing decision in October 2018 and had already lost 11 pounds by the end of December.

That year was the first time I realized that my New Year’s promises were not empty words. I will take action.

Healthy lifestyle rules

Although Twisselman decided to take the path of proper nutrition, she did not want every meal to turn into torture for her – she was not going to completely give up her favorite foods. Instead, she identified three basic rules that she tries to adhere to.

Eat during weight loss the way you are going to eat after. The best diet is the one that will become your habit and that you can follow for a long time. It’s pointless to set rigid limits if they soon prove untenable and you’re back to square one.

There is no such thing as “bad” food, there are wrong choices. To get rid of excess weight, it is not at all necessary to give up pizza, wine, chocolate or any other “harmful”. It’s not so much “what” you eat, but “how” you eat it that matters. The key to a healthy body is a balanced and moderate diet.

Organic, gluten-free, lactose-free, etc. foods are not necessarily healthy. Whatever food you prefer, try to incorporate a variety of varied, balanced meals and foods into your diet, regardless of their marketing “label.”

Kaya also shared her sample menu:

breakfast: two eggs, two slices of bacon, cup of coffee with sugar-free nutella;

lunch: quinoa with fried chicken, garlic-yogurt sauce, cucumbers and tomatoes;

snack: fruit, beef jerky;

dinner: green vegetables with thin grilled steak, apples, dried cranberries, walnuts and balsamic sauce;

dessert: a glass of red wine and a piece of dark chocolate.

YouTube workouts and yoga

The girl admits that she was shy to join a gym, so she decided to train at home. Free dance video workouts on YouTube helped her with this. “Even after a year and a half, they are still my favorite,” Kaya notes.

Twisselman began training for a marathon in the spring of 2020, and now tries to run at least three times a week – she chooses scenic routes along the coast or on the family ranch for her runs. She also continues to train at home, sometimes practicing yoga and hiking in the mountains with friends.

In one year, Kaya has been able to get rid of 56 pounds of excess weight. She feels more confident and finally satisfied with her body. To stop at what has been achieved, the girl is not going to stop. Moreover, she launched her own coaching program to help other people come to a better and healthier life.