Woman who lost 60kg in a year reveals the food swap that made it possible

A woman who shed half her body weight so she could wear a size eight dress to her formal has revealed how chewing mints helped her curb the sugar cravings that saw her snack constantly between meals. 

Josie Desgrand from Hervey Bay, Queensland tipped the scales at 127kg when she was 16 years old which left her struggling after being constantly bullied by her peers.

Her turning point came after she realised she ‘hated myself and the way I looked’ – a feeling which motivated her to lose more than 60kg in under 12 months.

‘People doubting me is what drove me to transform. No one believed I could do it and I wanted to prove them wrong,’ Josie, now 19, captioned a recent before and after photo. 

Josie Desgrand (pictured left, when she weighed 127kg and right, at 60kg) reveals how she shed half her body weight in order to silence her worst critics

The 19-year-old embarked on a weight loss journey three years ago and has remained committed to the process since

The 19-year-old embarked on a weight loss journey three years ago and has remained committed to the process since

Josie (pictured before, left and after, right) said one of her biggest struggles had been ditching sugary foods which she had been addicted to

Josie (pictured before, left and after, right) said one of her biggest struggles had been ditching sugary foods which she had been addicted to

What did Josie Desgrand do shed more than 60kg in under a year? 

* Before losing weight Josie would constantly eat bread and wraps, as well as huge portions and would always go back for seconds and thirds.

* She now eats far smaller portions and eats three regular meals a day.

* Josie has also completely removed sugar and carbohydrates from her diet and said she will use mints as a way to curb sweet cravings.

* She has also taken photos of herself throughout her journey so she is able to get a sense of her progress.

* While she struggled to exercise initially instead focussing on dieting, she has since structured a fitness routine and goes to the gym up to four times a week.

For the past three years, Josie has embraced a lifestyle of healthy eating and regularly exercising, but initially, she struggled because she was addicted to sugar.

‘I started to think that I would be overweight for the rest of my life as I was too lazy to change so I always just gave up,’ she said.

She revealed her problem was she was prone to snacking between meals on ‘anything sweet’, including cookies, chocolate and ice cream.

The svelte teenager said breaking her reliance on sugar was tough, however, gleaning tips from others who’d also undergone a transformation made this easier.

One trick she said she learned was that whenever a craving hit was to chew on a mint and if she needed food, to snack on something healthy.

The sort of foods she said she loves to eat between meals today now include carrot sticks with hummus or a small handful of fruits and nuts. 

During the early stages of her body transformation, Josie only exercised minimally, however, she's now committed to working with a personal trainer

During the early stages of her body transformation, Josie only exercised minimally, however, she’s now committed to working with a personal trainer

Learning from others on the Internet helped Josie figure out a clever way to break her reliance on sugary foods

Learning from others on the Internet helped Josie figure out a clever way to break her reliance on sugary foods

Josie (pictured before, left and after, right) explained that her journey started as a commitment to eat fewer carbs, eliminate sugar and ditch processed foods

Josie (pictured before, left and after, right) explained that her journey started as a commitment to eat fewer carbs, eliminate sugar and ditch processed foods

She revealed she also eliminated processed foods and carbs from her diet as before losing weight she constantly ate bread and wraps and ‘would always go back for seconds’.

Although exercise was something she only dabbled in at first, over the course of her journey she created a routine which consists of three to four gym sessions a week.

Sharing her journey through Instagram has also been something she believes helps keep her on track as well as helping inspire others.

When Josie is hungry between meals she said she chooses to snack on protein-packed hummus and carrot sticks

When Josie is hungry between meals she said she chooses to snack on protein-packed hummus and carrot sticks

While it cane be difficult to look at photos of yourself, Josie said doing so can provide a marker as to how much progress you have made

While it cane be difficult to look at photos of yourself, Josie said doing so can provide a marker as to how much progress you have made 

‘I created this account to inspire and motivate others on my journey, sharing what I have done and the challenges I have faced and how to overcome them.’

Today, Josie remains as committed as ever to maintaining her weight and recently created an online meal planner to help others.

She also recently revealed the reason why her social media feed is peppered with images showing her body before and after – a tip she said helps her stay the course.

The 19-year-old recently announced she is expecting her first child and that she can't wait to become a parent

The 19-year-old recently announced she is expecting her first child and that she can’t wait to become a parent

‘Starting tip: Just do it! Don’t give up because you’re not seeing rapid progress, take progress pictures… the changes will come believe me!’

While there are plans in place to write a book detailing her journey in more depth, for now her focus is on preparing for the birth of her first child.

The 19-year-old recently shared a post which said she was more than halfway through her first pregnancy and she has ‘started to feel little flutters as the baby is moving’.

‘I cannot wait to meet this little blessing and to share this journey with the love of my life. 

‘This is the beginning of a new amazing journey.’ 

To find out more about Josie Desgrand, follow her journey on Instagram



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