Mom Lost 41 Pounds After Gaining Weight 'Kaka-K-Drama'

The enhanced community quarantine was a chance for moms to indulge in extended hours of self-care a.k.a. watching all the K-dramas they want. But for mom Rachel Rhose Bellec, it became a wake-up call to be healthier for the sake of her two-year-old son.

READ MORE INSPIRING WEIGHT LOSS STORIES

• How This Single Mom Lost 12 Pounds And Trimmed 5 Inches Off Her Waistline At Home
• Mom Of Two Toddlers Loses 48 Pounds Doing YouTube Workouts At Home

“I thought at first lumabo mata ko dahil kaka-K-drama ko ng Itaewon Class at inaabot ako ng madaling araw. ‘Yun pala taas na ng blood sugar ko!” the 31-year-old writes in a post on our Facebook community, Smart Parenting Village.

Rachel shares that whenever she watches K-dramas, she would also eat midnight snacks, which included rice. When she experienced having blurry vision in May 2020, she got scared after finding out that it was due to high sugar levels.

The road to 66 kilos

Last August, Rachel finally started her weight loss journey. Back then, she weighed 85 kilos or 187 pounds.

The mom says that she was motivated to lose weight for her son, Raphael. “Honestly, natakot ako [kasi] ang laki-laki ko na and I might not be able to keep up with his energy. Hirap na hirap ako to even go up the stairs. I can’t carry him dahil napapagod kaagad ako. Ang bigat-bigat ng katawan ko,” she shares in an interview with SmartParenting.com.ph via Messenger.

The first step was to stop binge-watching on Netflix, “kasi na-t-trigger ako kumain.” The next part was even harder: convincing herself to work up a sweat.

Rachel says that she doesn’t have a specific workout routine, but she did follow workouts on YouTube and TikTok. “I started off with some cardio or Zumba with The Fitness Marshall and TML Dance Crew. Afterward, I would do core workout by following TikTok videos,” she shares.

She adds that she doesn’t push herself because she knows her body’s limits. What was important was that she was able to exercise consistently. Luckily, she had a friend who stayed with their family for two weeks. Rachel says they encouraged each other to continue working out.

“Whether it takes two hours or one hour, as long as I keep moving, I still feel accomplished,” the mom shares.

Committing to a diet

Apart from exercise, Rachel credits her weight loss to apple cider vinegar and intermittent fasting. “Sa umaga, on an empty stomach, I take two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 1 tablespoon honey mixed with a glass of water,” she shares.

For intermittent fasting, she would fast for 16 hours and eat for 8 hours — her first meal would be at 12 noon and her last meal at 8 p.m. “I still eat everything but trying to limit it now. I still eat rice but red rice. And I still give in to my cravings once in a while,” she shares.

Rachel stresses, however, that while this diet worked for her, it does not necessarily mean that it will also work for others. It is still important to do your research and to consult with a doctor first if you plan to maintain a healthy diet. (Read more about intermittent fasting here.)

Achieving a healthier body

After almost two months, Rachel has already lost 41 pounds. She now weighs 66 kilos or 145 pounds.

Of course, she had to overcome challenges along the way. “At first, ang hirap because I have to feed my son his breakfast so sometimes I am tempted to eat. But when I’m reminded of how far I’ve come, I choose to stick [to my diet] until it’s eating time,” she shares.

Like any busy mom, Rachel’s main “enemy” is herself. After all, she is a hands-on mom without a yaya, plus she and her husband, Jerome, manage several small businesses — a laundry shop and two food cart franchises. But she manages to accomplish her workouts in the evenings whenever she has free time.

“I mostly do my workouts late at night, like at 11 p.m. I find peace during those times. I work out while my son is sleeping and when my husband is working (at home),” she says.

Rachel hopes that by sharing her story, she can inspire other moms to make their health and wellbeing a priority as well. “To all those who are struggling with their weight, believe me when I say I know the feeling. Every day is still a struggle, but just find your deepest ‘why’ and do something about it,” she says.

She still has a long way to go in terms of her ideal weight, but Rachel is happy with what she has achieved so far. “I was happy at 85 kilos but I am happier now. Mas hindi na hingal, mas nakakagalaw-galaw na. Overweight pa rin ako but I’m in the process of taking care of myself,” she says.

READ MORE INSPIRING WEIGHT LOSS STORIES

• How This Single Mom Lost 12 Pounds And Trimmed 5 Inches Off Her Waistline At Home
• Mom Of Two Toddlers Loses 48 Pounds Doing YouTube Workouts At Home

How come popular diets that have worked for others don't work for you? Click here for the possible reasons.

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