A 24-year-old accounting graduate has revealed how she lost 15 per cent body fat by eating a staggering 3,000 calories – or 12,552 kilojoules – each day.
Danica Dedic, from Sydney, said while she wasn’t overweight before, she weighed 70 kilos and had a body fat percentage of 28.8 per cent.
Less than 12 months after switching up her diet and exercise habits, Danica now weighs 59 kilograms and her body fat percentage sits between 14 and 16 per cent.
‘I feel better than ever,’ Danica told FEMAIL.
A 24-year-old graduate has revealed how she lost 15 per cent body fat by eating a staggering 3,000 calories each day (pictured before and after)
Danica Dedic, from Sydney, said while she wasn’t overweight before, she weighed 70 kilos and had a body fat percentage of 28.8 per cent (pictured now)
Prior to changing up her diet, Danica said she was in a typical binge and restrictive cycle of eating extremely cleanly during the week and then allowing herself ‘cheat meals’ at the weekend.
‘I tried cutting carbs, eating organic, removing dairy, meal replacement shakes, you name it – I’ve tried it,’ she said.
Before, Danica said a typical weekday day on a plate would be a ‘protein smoothie for breakfast, chicken with sweet potatoes, asparagus and brown rice for lunch, and salad with chicken or tuna for dinner’.
She then enjoyed more calorie-dense meals at the weekend, and would load up on burgers, fries and milkshakes.
‘I had a bad habit of eating Nutella from the jar with a tablespoon when I was stressed and craving sweet foods,’ Danica said.
Prior to changing up her diet, Danica said she was in a typical binge and restrictive cycle of eating extremely cleanly during the week and then allowing herself ‘cheat meals’ at the weekend (pictured throughout her weight loss journey)
When it came to exercise, the 24-year-old said she was excessively training by going for runs every morning and then weight training each evening (pictured before and after)
When it came to exercise, the 24-year-old said she was excessively training.
‘I’d go for runs every morning at the crack of dawn, and then hit up the gym for an hour and a half training with weights,’ sh said.
‘I believed if I was good for the week, I could reward myself with a dine out meal regardless of the portion or contents of the meal.’
Danica (pictured in the gym) said she realised things needed to change in June 2018, because her clothes were getting tighter and tighter
She now tracks her macronutrients and has a better understanding of food, eating six small meals each day as well as snacks
However, the results she sought were never achieved.
‘In June 2018, I decided it was time to make a change,’ Danica said.
‘I had gone through a rough patch in my personal life, and was on a steady increase in weight due to poor eating habits and unhealthy choices.’
Danica said each day, she would look in the mirror and be unhappy with what she saw, and her clothes were getting tighter and tighter.
After stumbling upon the Equalution Instagram page, she decided the approach was worth a try.
‘Their food comparisons blew my mind,’ Danica said. ‘The post that stood out to me was the Lindt chocolate bunny being 1,050 calories – and comparing that to three meals plus a snack.’
She knew she needed to get a better understanding of food.
‘I am now on 3,000 calories per day,’ Danica said (pictured now) – she has also lost 10 kilograms and 15 per cent of her body fat percentage
Within a week, she had totally changed up her diet and focused on eating the macronutrients her body required.
‘I realised my body worked best on six meals per day – breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and two snacks,’ Danica said.
A typical day on her plate now looks like salted caramel oats with banana for breakfast, a Body Science protein bar as a snack, beef taco boats for lunch, a yoghurt bowl with blueberries, chocolate chips, banana chips and shredded coconut as a snack and a dinner of crispy sweet chilli chicken burger with fries and broccolini.
Dessert is a homemade Smores crepe.
‘I am now on 3,000 calories per day,’ Danica said.
‘My current macro split is 150 grams of protein, 83 grams of fat, 413 grams of carbs and 45 grams of fibre.
‘This is strategically calculated through the Equalution algorithm, each person will have a different intake requirement based on a number of different and unique factors.’
The typical daily requirement for calories is 2,000 for a woman, or 8,368 kilojoules.
Danica couples her new food diary with daily gym sessions and weight training.
After changing her diet, Danica said she noticed physical changes within days – however, the changes are about more than numbers – she said she noticed abs after losing five kilos
Danica (pictured now) said she is now happier and more confident than ever
After changing her diet, Danica said she noticed physical changes within days.
‘But for me, the physical changes far outweigh the number on the scales,’ she said.
‘While in the first eight weeks I had only lost around five kilograms, I had gone from no abs to abs.
‘I’ve lost 10 kilograms since starting the diet and 15 per cent body fat.’
For more information about Equalution, you can visit their Instagram page here.