11 Habits That Helped Me Lose 25lbs 🌱 | My Fit Girl Glow Up |

Key wellness + weight-loss/fat-loss strategies from the video

Understand the goal: weight loss vs. fat loss

• Weight loss = total scale weight change (fat + muscle + water + food/glycogen, etc.)
• Fat loss = specifically reduce body fat while preserving muscle
• To look “toned,” you need muscle (otherwise weight loss can leave you looking “flat”)

Use a “softer” calorie deficit (for sustainability)

• Avoid extreme restriction/crash dieting (can reduce energy, harm adherence, and trigger rebound)
• Aim for a deficit you can sustain long-term
• Watch for red flags:
  • Always hungry
  • Drained / low energy
  • Food constantly on your mind
• Small changes can work (example: remove a small item like a banana rather than slashing by huge amounts)

Volume eating (if you need more fullness)

• Add high-volume, low-calorie foods to increase meal satisfaction
• Examples mentioned: vegetables and fruits

Meal prep the “bare minimum” way (reduce fatigue)

• Batch cook components (e.g., protein + carbs + vegetables) and assemble meals as needed
• Prefer fewer containers/steps to avoid burnout
• Recommended plate structure every meal:
  • Protein
  • Veggies or fruit
  • Carbs

Prioritize protein (especially in a deficit)

• Use a protein-first mindset:
  • Identify protein on your plate and eat it first
  • At restaurants: only order meals that include protein (or adjust your choice)
• Goal: hit your protein target to help retain muscle and maintain a lean look
• This supports the “toned/structured” look and helps prevent “flatness”

Strength training as the foundation

• Strength training is described as the core of the program
• Pilates is positioned as an add-on for enjoyment/extra movement—not the main driver of results
• Goal: don’t chase “bulking”; it’s presented as difficult to gain mass in a deficit

Find a workout routine that fits your real life

• Don’t copy someone else’s plan if it doesn’t match your schedule
• Prefer movements you enjoy and that don’t aggravate pain
• Example structure used by the presenter:
  • Strength training 4 days/week
  • Pilates 1 day/week (Saturday)

Make walking/steps your baseline activity

• Set a baseline step target (she references 10k steps, or 7k as a lower baseline)
• Treat steps like a game:
  • Check step progress often (she mentions using an Aura Ring app)
  • Make it competitive with friends/family
• Why it helps:
  • Low impact, more sustainable
  • Less likely to spike hunger cues compared to high-intensity activity
  • Supports digestion (she suggests a 15–20 minute walk after meals if constipated/digestive discomfort)

Don’t rely on motivation—use non-negotiable routines

• Motivation fades; consistency comes from planning and scheduling
• Think of fitness like school/work:
  • You don’t “skip class,” so you don’t skip workouts/routines
• Make it a priority even when energy is low

Sleep and recovery are part of progress

• Track and protect sleep; sleep affects mood, stress, and workout/fitness adherence
• Practical tools:
  • Set consistent bed/wake times (example: 10pm bedtime, 7am wake)
  • Use a device/app blocker (she mentions a “brick” that locks social media apps)
  • Place the blocker somewhere inconvenient to force getting up
• Use sleep tracking (Aura Ring) to gauge sleep debt and adjust behavior

Track progress beyond the scale

• Scale alone can mislead during fat-loss + body recomposition
• Use multiple metrics:
  • Photos
  • Measurements
  • Clothing fit
• She recommends checking on a schedule (examples):
  • Every 2 weeks (her preference)
  • Or weekly on weekends before eating (and after bathroom habits)
• Consider timing changes with cycle tracking since weight can fluctuate

If you want strong data: consider DEXA

• She mentions getting a DEXA scan to measure body composition more accurately
• Notes that alternatives (InBody/skin folds) can be less accurate
• Mentions DEXA as a “gold standard” approach for detailed body composition info

Mental “non-negotiables” (habits that show up automatically)

• Examples she uses:
  • Hit step count by parking farther away / taking stairs
  • Build meals with the protein baseline by default
• Framing: living healthy is a skill—you practice it until it becomes automatic

---

Presenters / sources

• Presenter: Tia (“Tia” / “Spinx” channel)
• Tools/Devices mentioned (not video sources):
  • Aura Ring (sleep/steps/sleep debt tracking)
  • A social media lock device she calls a “brick”
• Medical/testing source mentioned: DEXA scan (body composition measurement)