Victoria Lost 100 Pounds in 1 Year with MyFitnessPal
On January 1, 2019, Victoria Feldt’s life changed. That was the fateful day she turned a New Year’s resolution — something she’d tried in the past without success — into a lasting lifestyle change. The seeds were planted one month prior, when she discovered MyFitnessPal. “I decided that on January 1 I was going to start counting calories, eating in moderation and listening to my body.” This decision proved to be the right one, kicking off a 100-pound weight loss that saw Feldt gain strength, mentally and physically.
Feldt, who at her heaviest weighed 272 pounds, says she was probably addicted to fast food. She would eat out 1–3 times per day, and followed her sedentary job by sitting at home on the couch. “I got to the point where I felt so uncomfortable in my own body, I didn’t have that confidence I wanted,” she recalls now at 26 years old. “It was hard finding clothes that fit, my energy levels were very low, and I didn’t have any motivation. I thought, ‘I’m in my 20s, and this isn’t the lifestyle I want to live. This isn’t living, I’m just getting by.’”
Once Feldt turned the corner, she made a conscious decision to start slow and avoid any fad diets. She still ate the foods she liked, but she cut out fast food and soda, tracked calories, and focused on portion size. She also began to exercise three days per week. After one month, she had dropped 17 pounds.
By the third month, Feldt decided to ramp up her workouts and signed up for a 42-day fitness challenge at a local gym. She lost another 20 pounds, gained knowledge and confidence in the gym, and realized that she was capable of so much more than she thought. Within one year, she’d lost more than 100 pounds. She’s proud to have done so naturally, crediting her newfound love for exercise and an assist from MyFitnessPal. “That barcode scanner was my best friend,” she says. “It made things so much quicker.”
Feldt’s original goal was to see 160 pounds on the scale. “Once I got there, I loved how I looked and felt, but I was a bunch of skin because I was so focused on losing weight, not gaining muscle.” That’s when she shifted her attention from being a certain size and instead focused on overall health, strength and stamina. Now about 180 pounds, she feels happier and healthier than ever before.
Today, Feldt works out 6–7 days each week, focusing on strength training supplemented by hiking outdoors in her home state of Arizona. She cooks a lot at home with her fiancé, includes protein in every snack and meal, and controls her portion sizes.
Her success inspired her to help other women to take charge of their own health, balancing weight loss with self-acceptance. She shares her story on Instagram and started Getting Fit with Vic, a group that now totals more than 400 members.
Feldt says that while she has lost weight, she’s gained strength and confidence. “I don’t hold myself back anymore. Before, I wouldn’t do certain things because I didn’t think I could physically keep up, or I would make excuses. My knees always hurt from carrying the extra weight, and I used to be a very picky eater, never wanting to try anything new. Now, I’m open to new things,” she says.
Feldt is a big believer in change, noting you’ll never see progress unless you’re willing to take that first step, no matter how scary it might be. But she’s quick to point out that self-love, not loathing, is the best incentive to finally take that leap. As she tells her clients: “You’re allowed to love your body and still want it to change.”
