With the help of Killerbody, many people in the Netherlands have lost weight. With more than 300,000 copies of books sold, the number of transformations is unprecedented. Enough reason to give these figures a face. Killerbody engages in conversations with various participants about their experiences with the diet. Additionally, psychologist Henrike Weerstand analyzes the interviews and summarizes the principles into practical tips that you can also implement.
In this interview, we talk with Stephanie Elvira. Stephanie is (at the time of this interview) 33 years old, 168 cm tall, and weighed 100 kg. With the help of Fajah and Killerbody, Stephanie has lost a remarkable 36 kg! However, Stephanie has fallen back into her old patterns. This is because she still saw her old weight in the mirror, which made her unhappy. How do you deal with such feelings? And how do you prevent all your hard work from being in vain?
Interview with Stephanie
"I used to be slim and wore size S or M. After having my first two children, I was still slim. When the father of my children and I separated, I got a job in a beachside restaurant. I am a true foodie and love good food, like a nice cheese platter, but because of the hard work, I stayed slim. When I transitioned from working on the beach to the regular hospitality industry, the pounds started piling on. I got a new boyfriend who always told me he liked me just the way I am. I remember being on vacation in Paris after the birth of my third child and going shopping. I couldn't fit into anything; even size XL was too small. It was then that I realized I weighed almost 100 kg. I started the Killerbody Diet in October and maintained it until April. After that, I knew how to continue with the healthy lifestyle on my own and put my own spin on it. My boyfriend noted that I looked better after losing 36 kg. However, I received critical comments from others, questioning whether I was still eating and if it was enough. People looked at me as if I was only eating grass while, for the first time in my life, I was eating healthily with plenty of vegetables and rice. I cooked delicious pasta sauces, for example, with cashews, and I really made an effort.
Yet there was a problem. I did not see that I had lost weight. When I looked in the mirror, I still saw the 100 kg woman. I tried to explain this to my boyfriend, but he said, “You’re crazy, you look amazing.” I genuinely felt upset when people reacted negatively to my weight loss and can't honestly say I felt the happiness that came with such a body. I have now gained back 10 kg and eat everything that comes my way. I find it difficult to get back into healthy eating and to cut down on chips and chocolate. I am afraid that I will weigh 100 kg again."
Analysis by psychologist Henrike Weerstand
Stephanie loves good food and has always eaten like a foodie. When her circumstances changed, this eating pattern no longer suited her activities, work, and life, leading to weight gain. To break this cycle, she consciously chose to reprogram her autopilot to fit her new life circumstances and needs. This worked well for her weight, but things went wrong due to the expectations she had once she lost weight. She did not feel the expected happiness and had not considered the negative reactions from those around her. Moreover, the new eating pattern did not affect how she viewed herself and how she valued herself. Negative feelings overwhelmed her; her inner saboteur told her she was fat and that she wouldn’t be able to maintain this. As a result, she fell back into her foodie lifestyle, and her motivation for healthy eating disappeared. Do you recognize yourself in Stephanie? Then I have some tips for you:
- Write down your expectations before starting a diet. What do you expect during the diet and what do you expect once you have reached your desired weight? Include not only what is important to you but also what you expect from your environment.
- Describe how you think losing weight will affect your feelings and self-image, and then see if those expectations are realistic.
- Describe what you will do once you have completed the diet. How will you maintain it? What will you do differently?
- Describe how you can start today with all the plans and dreams you have after losing weight and begin living your dreams today.
- Think of healthy ways to deal with your disappointments, such as seeking support, talking about it, writing, being creative, exercising, or distracting yourself with a movie.
- Lastly, I have an exercise for your self-image: take two pieces of string long enough to wrap around your waist and hips. Lay the string in a circle, as large as you think your waist or hips are. Take the second string and measure how large your hips or waist actually are, and lay this next to the first. Now lay the pieces of string in a line, side by side, and observe the difference between what you thought the length was and how long it actually is.
Losing weight with the Killerbody Nutrition App
You can also lose weight successfully. In addition to the tips from this interview, the recipes from the Killerbody diet books by Fajah are now incorporated in the Killerbody Nutrition App.
After the success of the Killerbody diet books - over 300,000 sold - and hundreds of beautiful results, the recipes are now housed in the Killerbody Nutrition App. Whether you want to lose weight, maintain your weight or get stronger, with the Killerbody Nutrition App, you will achieve your goal.
This interview is from the book Killerbody Lifestyle by Fajah Lourens (ISBN: 9789021578835).
