The Combination that Helped Me (finally) Lose 18 Pounds

I’m no health expert. I do like to read and listen to others who are experts in the various fields of health and appreciate learning from them. So, I have a basic sense for what is good for us and what is not. I’ve used this to hone my own habits around self-care, diet and exercise. But, for about 10 years, I had a weight loss goal that I just couldn’t get to. I tried all the diets and methods, but nothing worked for very long. It wasn’t until 2025 that I found the right combination for myself and I finally achieved that goal! That is the year that I lost a very stubborn 18 pounds!

I’ll tell you what I did:

1. I cut out most all sugar and replaced it with allulose, monk fruit and stevia, which are shown to have minimal impact on blood sugar. During the weight cutting, I was 100% strict about this. And, I felt more clear-headed, energetic, had less inflammation… all the things they tell you, you’ll experience when you cut out sugar. While I still have sugar in my cabinet, it’s for guests who prefer it and the hummingbird feeder. Nowadays, I do allow myself to have sugar in small quantities once in a while.
2. I used the free MyFitnessPal app to start watching my calories. This was a bit time consuming at first. MyFitnessPal has a vast database of products and ingredients that already list calories and nutrients, so eventually, this didn’t take so much time. The task helped me identify the general calories in foods I consume regularly, so I had a rough idea if I was living within my caloric limit for weight loss. Over time, I no longer needed to use this app.
3. For about three months in 2025, I used intermittent fasting to manage my calories. This might have been the single most important factor in my weight loss journey. I have done fasting before, preferring not eating breakfast (I’m not generally hungry in the morning) and starting my caloric intake from noon through dinner. But this didn’t work. I switched this around so that my calories were consumed from 6:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and that was it. That can be tough for someone who is responsible for feeding their family at night. But, it can be done!
4. In late 2024, I started HRT (hormone replacement therapy) through a knowledgeable gynecologist. I use an estrogen patch and take one progesterone pill nightly. This was a game-changer for improving sleep, eliminating night sweats and brain fog and more. The latest research on HRT is transforming the lives of many women, and I’m grateful to be one of them.
5. On May 2, 2025, I quit drinking alcohol. I enjoyed being a nightly red wine drinker for about 20 years, actually considering it healthy, and it might have been okay if I’d kept to that routine. But, over the years, one glass turned into two, and sometimes, two glasses turned into more. Eventually, my relationship with alcohol was not healthy, especially as I entered menopause. Even after one glass, my heart raced and I had trouble sleeping. I truly do not miss it.
6. I got more serious about my exercise routine. Since the COVID years, I’ve been more deliberate about being active. But, in 2025, I set out to exercise every morning 5 days a week. This meant I had to get up earlier and be careful about how I used my time so that my workout fit in before I had to get ready for work. This habit remains to this day and my tracking shows I’m improving my strength and endurance continually.
7. I became more serious about supplements. I started out taking lots of things like turmeric, various forms of magnesium, CoQ10, and more. I’ve reduced my daily supplements to:
   • Vitamin B complex
   • Calcium (I have Osteopenia, which means I’m on the verge of developing Osteoporosis if I don’t take action)
   • vitamin D3 with K2
   • Salmon oil
   • Magtein
   • up to 10 grams of creatine monohydrate

In addition to these changes, I continued a practice that I’ve been using for many years: Tracking. I write down what I’m going to do – whether it’s meal planning, exercise or other things important to me — and at the end of each day, review what I said I was going to do, understand where I went off track and consider ways to improve. To support this, I use a FitBit to manage and track my heart rate, sleep quality and exercise. I use tracking data to adjust my plan so that I’m poised for success and continuous improvement.

Like I said, I’m no expert. I have simply incorporated ideas that the true experts have suggested. Soon, I’ll go into more detail on some aspects of my journey. In the meantime, I’d love to know what is working for you and where you are struggling. Maybe we can help each other!. Please share in the comments below.