7 Women Share Exactly What They Ate To Lose 50+ Pounds

Erica, 32, found that a little patience goes a long way. She lost 60 pounds over the course of two years by cutting out fast food, sugar, and liquid calories like soda and alcohol. (Here are 8 things that happen when you finally give up diet soda.) “The weight came off slowly, but it’s stayed off,” she says. “I went from being obese, binge drinking, and chain smoking to a three-time marathoner, yoga instructor, and online personal trainer.”

A typical day’s meals:

• Breakfast: zucchini oatmeal
• Snack: fresh fruit
• Lunch: homemade burrito bowl
• Snack: a scoop of peanut butter 
• Dinner: protein smoothie made with a frozen banana, a cup of spinach, chocolate whey powder, almond milk, ice, and a touch of honey

Related: 7 Things That Happen When You Stop Eating Sugar

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