A mother-of-three has revealed how she lost an astonishing 125lbs and saw a dramatic turnaround in her health and that of her family after using a $160 (£120) kitchen gadget.
Brittany Williams ditched her unhealthy frozen meals and takeaways and turned to her Instant Pot which she used to cook fresh meals from scratch quickly.
As a result of the diet overhaul, Brittany said her thyroid problem and her young daughter’s rheumatoid arthritis were effectively cured.
The 27-year-old, from San Diego, California, said the turning point came last year when her young daughter was diagnosed with the painful, autoimmune disease – while she herself was at her heaviest at 260 pounds – and she knew it was time for change.
Her husband had bought her the electric pressure cooker, which was launched in 2010 but is now a viral sensation, as it claims to do the work of seven appliances.
Brittany used it whip up meals that fitted in with a strict anti-inflammatory diet within 30 minutes.
Now she and her daughter are off all medications and have been free from flare-ups.
Since then, she has launched a blog to share her wholesome Instant Pot recipes and she has acquired 75,472 members in her Facebook group and 23,000 followers on Instagram.
Brittany Williams, from California, admitted previously she fed herself and her family with frozen meals and takeout
The mother-of-three was suffering a thyroid problem and was at her heaviest at 260 pounds
Instant Pot was created in 2010 but has become viral sensation in the last year
‘My husband bought me an Instant Pot four years ago because I asked for a stove top pressure cooker so I could begin making my own homemade refried beans,’ she told TODAY Food.
‘My Instant Pot quickly became one of my best kitchen companions.’
No more flare-ups
Brittany says that previously, if she did cook, she always made hearty, comfort meals laden with fat.
‘I loved to cook but my dishes were usually full of starchy pastas, cheesy breads, and lots and lots of butter,’ she said.
When she first got the Instant Pot, she she used it to prepare dishes like macaroni and cheese.
But then then her daughter’s diagnosis came in in January 2016 and Brittany says that she too has struggled with an autoimmune disease.
She was also fed up with her size fluctuating significantly after her multiple pregnancies.
She says the difference a cleaner diet made was clear.
‘I would stop taking my medication for a time and while I was eating clean my thyroid would regulate on its own,’ she said.
‘As soon as I began to add processed foods back into my diet, I would have to go back on medication. It was a bit of trial and error.’
The Instant Pot Duo (pictured) is an electric pressure that claims to perform the jobs of seven different appliances – experts say it’s hard for anyone to mess up when cooking
Brittany made cahnges when her daughter was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in January
She overhauled her own diet and her family’s using the device to cook fresh meals from scratch in a quick way
Staggering loss
Brittany began following the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet, which removes foods considered to be gut irritants including processed foods, grains, dairy and refined sugars.
She explains that the Instant Pot removed one of her biggest obstacles to eating healthy – the time it takes to make meals from scratch.
Now thanks to the gadget, from start to finish on the table in less than 30 minutes
By the end of April she had lost a staggering 50 pounds and she now weighs under 140 pounds.
Since making dietary changes Brittany says she and her child are off all medications and have been free from flare-ups
She has launched a popular blog and has acquired thousands of followers online
Brittany has bravely shared a photo showing the reality of how her body has been altered by her weight loss
Overwhelming response
After sharing her success on the Instant Pot Facebook group, Brittany says her post ‘blew up’ and she was inundated with private messages and friend requests.
‘Everyone wanted to know what recipes I was using and how I did it,’ she said.
‘In my first day, my site had 52,000 views. I realized that I could really help a lot of people with this. The messages haven’t stopped since then.’
The overwhelming response inspired the idea for her blog Instant Loss.
Her Instagram shows a selection of the delicious, healthy foods she pulls together with her Instant Pot
Brittany makes blender muffins (left) for breakfast and can whip up a whole grain banana bread using the device
Some of her favorites recipes she shares online include Instant Pot Skinny Enchiladas, Taco Soup and Spanish Goulash. She recommends the Instant Pot for cooking soups or stews, rice and beans.
Brittany wants to make clear that not a paid spokeswoman for the cooker and simply wants to inspire and help others to become healthier.
She says she wants to show that it’s possible to lead a healthier lifestyle ‘even if you’re a busy working mom with a bunch of little guys’.
Brittany plans to launch a Instant Pot cookbook and is currently developing lots of new recipes. To follow her blog visit here.
Brittany’s images show that the family certainly don’t go without tasty treats