PLAINFIELD (WTHR) - A Plainfield wife and mother of two has lost nearly 165 pounds and more than 93,000 people are following her transformation on Instagram.

LeAnne Manuel used to weigh 400 pounds.

"One of the triggers that started my journey is I graduated from Ivy Tech in December of 2014. I bought my graduation gown and it came to my house and I couldn't wear it" Manuel said.

She went to school as an adult and walking in the ceremony with her classmates was a milestone moment she didn't want to miss. She ordered a custom-made gown and went to graduation vowing, "NEVER again!"

"It was really one of those moments that really put everything into motion that...I had to change because, I didn't want to face that again," Manuel said.

To get started, Manuel started searching Instagram for weight loss tips.

"I started looking for hashtags for low carbohydrate recipes to get meal ideas for our family. I started seeing different accounts and how they were doing and holding themselves accountable with posting their meals and workouts and with their transformation and I said, 'I am going to do this'," Manuel said.

At the time she had 33 followers. She changed the name of her account to "LeAnneIsLosingIt" and started posting meal plans, workouts and pictures of herself. The more weight she lost, the more dramatic the photos and more people started to follow her. Right now, "LeAnneIsLosingit" has double the Instagram following of singer Josh Kaufman and thousands more than Olympic Champion diver David Boudia.

"I posted before and after pictures, even in the very beginning when I lost just 30 pounds or even less than that to compare the differences. Slowly, people started to follow me. I was following them too and getting inspiration and getting all their hashtags and seeing what they have to say. It's been a great opportunity to meet people all over the country that are fighting for the same things," Manuel said. "I'm six feet tall. In my everyday life, I don't meet people like me that have 100, 150-plus pounds to lose. Online, I found people that understand what it's like to be over 300 pounds since you were 11 or 12 years old."

Her formula is simple. Manuel plans, a week in advance, protein-rich, portion-controlled meals and when she will workout.

"We spend an average of $110 a week for groceries for a family of four. We pay $10 a month to the gym. I can go there every day of the week to get what I need to get done," Manuel said.

Manuel says she feels dramatically better physically, mentally and emotionally and that is what she wants for her followers.

"It's not expensive to lose weight, you just have to try. It's expensive to eat out every day. It's expensive to pay the medical bills from health problems that you get from being overweight. Before I lost weight, I took medicine for high blood sugar and high blood pressure and now I don't have that expense. I don't have to go to the doctor every three months for blood work. Now, I go once a year," Manuel said.

Mom as a model

Manuel realized when she modified her diet and increased her exercise, her family did, too. The family got off the couch and started heading to the gym at night and hiking together on weekends. Her wife Michelle has lost 105 pounds, daughter Hannah joined the cross country team and uses a fitness tracker to compete with her parents. Hunter, 6, is on the baseball team and says he no longer feels "chubby."

"I didn't want my kids to have to go through what I did. I didn't want my kids to feel like an outsider because their weight limited them," Manuel said.

Stopping scams and silencing critics

The family has learned there are setback to becoming a public figure. Manuel says she added a watermark to her images to prohibit weight loss companies from fraudulently using her picture to make false claims she lost all the weight on their program. Fake Instagram accounts emerged, trying to capitalize on her popularity by featuring her misspelled name. Manuel says many companies have called pursuing endorsements.

"I don't even answer emails for a lot of companies because I look at their stuff and see this brand only goes up to a size large. I know that that isolates people, just like it used to isolate me," Manuel said.

A consequence of her weight loss was excessive skin. Manuel had the skin removed from her abdomen through surgery at Hendricks Regional Health. She posted those pictures, too, and ignores critical comments.

"A common one will be, 'You are just still fat, so I don't even know why you are trying.' That is a common thing people will say," Manuel said.

After two years, Manuel is 35 pounds from her goal weight and knows a global following will keep her accountable.

"I want people to know that anybody can do this and if they want to change their life, it really will change every aspect of your life," Manuel said.

On May 6, Manuel plans to skip the graduation ceremony when she earns bachelors in Business Administration from Ball State. Instead, look for her wearing a graduation gown in WTHR's live coverage of the 2017 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon. She's competing in the race and serving as one of 13 ambassadors.

This time, her large-sized gown is a perfect fit.

Originally posted here:
Plainfield woman turns to Instagram for weight loss tips - WTHR

Prevention.com

This Crazy-Easy Hack Can Help You Avoid Overeating And Lose Weight Prevention.com "I'm not a firm believer in counting calories every day as a weight loss strategy, but we do need to be aware of not overconsuming," says Glassman. "Using the Hunger Quotient is a way to be mindful about eating enough and not overeating, without having ...

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This Crazy-Easy Hack Can Help You Avoid Overeating And Lose Weight - Prevention.com

Atomic Kitten star writhed around on George's lap before giving him a passionate smooch

KERRY Katona showed off her three-stone weight loss as she kissed husband George Kay and gavehim a raunchy lap dance during a night out in Kent.

The Atomic Kitten star put on a passionate display as she writhed around on her mans lap before climbing into his arms for a passionate snog.

Fame Flynet

Kerry, 36, looked more loved up than ever as she locked lips with George during a night on the town inat MooMoo club in Tunbridge Wells.

Thecouple, who appear to have put their previous marital troubles behind them, couldnt keep their hands off each other.

In a skintight orange dress, which put her sensational new figure on display, Kerry turned heads in the club.

Fame Flynet

She has lost three stone in recent months, and she seemed keen to put the results of her hard work on display.

The eye-catching dress featured slashes up the side which went all the way up to her underarms, and showed off Kerrys white bra.

Fame Flynet

Fame Flynet

Kerry recently underwent non-surgical liposuction just weeks after going under the knife.

The 36-year-oldhad four and half litres of fat removed from her body last month and went from a dress size 14 to an 8.

Kerry recently opened up about her incredible weight loss and how she achieved the results.

Fame Flynet

Fame Flynet

The mum-of-four toldReveal Magazine: The doctors pulled four-and-a-half litres of fat out.

I was a dress size 14 and I'm an 8 now. I've lost three stone, from 12-and-a-half stone to nine-and-a-half stone.

While the surgery helped Kerry get the initial weight off, she added she had lost loads since then after exercising non-stop.

She explained: "Because I'm bipolar, exercise is the best thing to do.

Fame Flynet

Fame Flynet

Fame Flynet

Fame Flynet

Fame Flynet

I do exercise every day - about an hour of yoga every morning - that's my time to relax, balance and connect with myself.

I also do cardio in the gym, probably about two hours a week. I've also cut out carbs and alcohol.

Kerry is obviously proud of her achievements andwhile the mother-of-five is keen to expand her brood with husband George Kay, she doesn't want to give up her new body just yet.

She said: George is desperate for one. I'll have one more, but not yet - not after all this hard work.

The couple - who have two-year-old daughter Dylan-Jorge together - briefly split in 2015 before reuniting last year.

Originally posted here:
Kerry Katona shows off her three-stone weight loss as she kisses husband George Kay and gives him a raunchy lap ... - The Sun

A photograph of Eman on Monday, released by Saifee Hospital. He added that detailed medical reports have been submitted to the Egyptian Consul General as well. Her body parts were then running at five per cent efficiency, which has now increased up to 60 percent, he said. She does not need a cargo carrier anymore.

She also said doctors had promised proper toilet facilities but it was a lie. It is now Gods will.

The procedure was pending for long as the scan machine can take the maximum weight up to 204 kg. The doctors revealed that Emans brain had been affected by the treatment. Eman was shifted out of a special room 10 days ago. Brain damage is reversible, but needs neurological rehabilitation therapy. She is around 34 years old, which could be of some help to her, the surgeon had said.

She underwent surgery on March 7. Her face and hands are bluish, says Shimaa, describing her sister as helpless and neglected. We are not specialists in treating other diseases, he said.

Dr Lakdawala and Saifee Hospital have denied Selims allegations in statements to Asian News International (ANI), saying that Eman is doing well and that her sister was creating a scene because she did not want to take her sister back to Egypt due to financial reasons. Being a mother, I cant see her in that condition. She has suffered at least eight bouts of epileptic seizures since the surgery. He explained to Mid-Day that Shaimaa does not have funds to continue Emans treatment in Egypt, and that was why she was trying to blame the Mumbai hospital and the doctor. Saifee Hospitals COO, Huzeifa Shehabi, said, The plan is to send her back after two weeks. What if my sister dies due to complications in flight? Her weight has gone down miraculously, faster than expected. She cant remain in hospital forever, he said. But after we saw the videos (of Thanaa and Shaimaa), some doctors think Egypt was more competent to handle the case, he said. Before being brought to Mumbai, the woman was confined to her bed and had not moved out of her house for the last 25 years. Shaimaa claimed that even the obesity treatment had not been fully addressed. Her family, however, has alleged the doctors, led by renowned bariatric surgeon Dr Mufazzal Lakdawala, have lost interest in her recovery as the hype around the treatment has abated. The weight loss has also dramatically improved her health. We didnt just provide medical care, we fell in love with Eman.

Joining the debate, the bariatric surgery section chief Aparna Govil-Bhasker termed Shaimaas allegations as the worst kind of assault that a patients family can do to a doctor. Once word got out past year that Emans family had chosen Mumbai, Egypt had put together a crack team of doctors. Pray for Eman to leave this place safely and also to cure her, she said in the video. If a patients treatment is over, we cant unnecessarily keep her in hospital, said Huzaifa Sahebi, the COO of Saifee Hospital which treated her free of cost. Two nurses and two helpers are always by her side. She has recovered well and only a CT scan is to be done to ascertain her neurological condition. I didnt want to tell her anything as she stays alone and suffers from high blood pressure. There is a language and culture barrier while communicating with Emans family.

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Doctor Resigns From Eman Ahmed's Care Over Sister's Denial Of Any Recovery - Normangee Star

What would be better than losing weight? Easy, that would be losing weight quickly, but everything we hear about weight loss cautions us that healthy weight loss is a long, slow, tedious process. Does it have to be that way?

Well, I guess that depends on your definition of long, slow and tedious. Losing 30 pounds in 30 days is hardly considered slow by anybodys standards. Can it be done, and if so, is it safe and most of all, how likely is it to lose it that fast and keep it off?

The universal diet wisdom tells us rapid weight loss is unsafe, unhealthy, and unsustainable. Interestingly some researchers have challenged that wisdom. They have objectively gathered data to determine if those beliefs are facts.

Dr. Donald Hensdrud repeats the conventional wisdom in, Why do doctors recommend a slow rate of weight loss? Whats wrong with fast weight loss?an article he wrote for mayoclinic.org.

The concern with fast weight loss is that it usually takes extraordinary efforts in diet and exercise efforts that could be unhealthy and that you probably cant maintain as permanent lifestyle changes.

From my perspective and personal and professional experience, hes right. I havent experienced the unhealthy part of the concern about rapid weight loss, but the maintainable concerns applied to me and to a lot of other people Ive helped to lose weight.

I actually did lose 30 pounds in 30 days and I gained 36 pounds in 30 days. So, yeah, the concern about sustainability is valid. The rapid regaining of weight is physical and psychological.

In order to lose a lot of weight quickly it is necessary to eat very few calories. I stayed in the 500-600 calorie range. The problems associated with such a very low calorie diet are real. They include feeling hungry and deprived most of the time (I actually dreamt about eating.)

When I got to my target weight I was more than ready to quit dieting. Physically I was driven to eat until I felt really full. As soon as that wonderful feeling of fullness wore off I would need to eat some more. Then there was the psychological need to eat food that satisfied on all other levels such as taste and texture. That explains why the gain was even faster than losing weight.

Its true that rapid weight loss causes more fat to be lost, of course, but the down side is a greater percentage of muscle is also lost this way.

Unless you are actively engaged in exercises to build muscle while losing weight,losing some muscle mass is a part of your total weight loss. While you may rejoice in the lower number on the scale, you may not be aware that losing muscle means your body will be requiring fewer calories to sustain itself in other words youll be burning fewer calories at rest. Thats another reason why gaining weight is so easy when you go off a very low calorie diet.

If you really want to take off just fat and do it quickly, you might have to change your definition of what is a fast rate of weight loss. Losing 1-2 pounds a week on average is a fast rate of fat loss. It doesnt sound fast compared to 30 pounds in 30 days and when you think about it, why do you need to lose that fast anyway? What really matters, how fast you get to your goal or how long youre going to stay there?

If thats just too slow, here is more from Dr. Hensdrud on rapid weight loss which refutes some of the dire consequences of losing faster than 2 pounds a week:

In some situations, however, faster weight loss can be safe if its done the right way. For example, doctors might prescribe very low calorie diets for rapid weight loss if obesity is causing serious health problems. But an extreme diet like this requires medical supervision. And it can be difficult to keep this weight off.

In summary, hes going back to the standard recommendation for rate of weight loss and I do too. Thats not to say that some people have lost weight faster, without a doctors supervision, and have successfully maintained the loss. Its reiterating that its not typical and your results may not be satisfactory.

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Take off fat fast - Bangor Daily News

Stephanie McMurry is a registered dietitian who knows nearly every "lose weight fast" trick.

"I've heard of bizarre tips such as sniffing an apple to try to take away a craving," she said.

In her years of experience, she's noticed most people cannot maintain "fad" diets.

With swimsuit season around the corner, WAAY 31 wanted to find scientifically-proven ways to shed pounds, without heading to the gym. WAAY 31 presented those tips to McMurry, to see if the tricks are realistic.

Trick one, sniff a banana or peppermint. Studies found as more people sniffed fruit, they were less hungry. They even lost an average of 30 pounds!

But, McMurry doesn't believe it. She says sniffing fruit would increase your cravings and make you focus more on your food.

Trick two, eat a bigger breakfast than dinner. Studies found people who ate a large breakfast, shed 11 pounds more than those who ate a large dinner.

Trick three, tie a ribbon around your waist.As you eat, the ribbon will tighten and it keeps you conscious of when your stomach is full. McMurry likes this concept, but she says people would be tempted to take it off.

Trick four, eat in front of a mirror. A study found participants reduced their food intake by one-third. But, McMurry says physically monitoring what you eat will keep you from enjoying your meal and would not work in the long-run.

Trick five, take pictures of your food. Nutritionists say a visual account of food helps to curb your appetite.

Trick six, eat wrapped candy.A study found people ate 30-percent less candy when they took the time to unwrap it.

Trick seven, is what McMurry's husband swears by.Instead of chowing down on M&M's, he tears a corner off the bag and eats the candies, one piece at a time.

Then, he lets it melt on his tongue. McMurry says eating candy in this manner, gives your senses time to smell and taste the chocolate and you ultimately eat less.

Trick eight, light a vanilla-scented candle after dinner. "The candle takes the place of dessert. Your senses smell something sweet and it makes you think of a baked good and you will skip dessert," said McMurry. A study found participants lost an average of 4.5 pounds each, by wearing vanilla-scented patches.

Trick nine, use small plates. McMurry says we're used to piling food onto our plates, so by using smaller plates, we would put less food on it and eat smaller portions.

Trick ten, surround yourself with the color blue.Researchers found people ate 33-percent less in a blue room. They say the blue hue makes food look less appealing. On the flip side, the colors red, yellow and orange encourage eating.

Nutritionists also recommend eating under bright lights.

For the best results, make sure you consult a health professional.

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How to lose weight without dieting - WAAY