How To Lose Weight in 3 Months: Tools and Supplements I Used

Let’s be honest—I’m the last person you’d expect to write a weight loss post. I’ve been the queen of Monday diets that died by Wednesday, the girl who bought matching gym sets just to take selfies in the locker room, and the master of blaming my “big bones” while inhaling a family-sized bag of chips. But last January, when I saw 208 lbs staring back at me on the scale, something snapped. Not in a “I’m gonna crush this!” motivational meme way, but in a quiet, desperate “I can’t keep living like this” way. Here’s the story of how I lost 20 pounds—without becoming a gym rat, eating sad salads, or selling my soul to a MLM supplement scheme.

Phase 1: The Wake-Up Call (Spoiler: It Was Ugly)

My “aha moment” wasn’t pretty. It happened at 2 AM, post-breakup, wearing sweatpants with an elastic waistband that left angry red marks. I’d just stress-eaten an entire box of Cheez-Its (don’t judge) and Googled “how to speed up metabolism” for the 47th time. That’s when I realized: I wasn’t failing diets—diets were failing me.

I’d tried it all:

• Keto: Lasted 4 days. Missed fruit. Cried over a sweet potato.
• Intermittent fasting: Got hangry, snapped at my dog, ate a whole pizza at midnight.
• HIIT workouts: Quit after 10 minutes. My knees still haven’t forgiven me.

What changed? I stopped chasing shortcuts. No more 75 Hard Challenges or “30-Day Shreds.” Instead, I focused on three words: Small. Consistent. Changes.

The 4 Tools That Saved My Sanity (And My Wallet)

1. MyFitnessPal: The App That Called Me Out

I downloaded MyFitnessPal reluctantly. Tracking calories felt like homework, but within days, I discovered:

• My “harmless” 3 PM office donut? 350 calories. My “just a bite” of my kid’s mac and cheese? 200 calories. Those “little bites” added up to 500+ extra calories a day.
• Protein was my missing link. Turns out, my “balanced” breakfast of oatmeal and fruit had 6g of protein. No wonder I was ravenous by 10 AM.
• The power of scanning: Typing “Starbucks caramel latte” made me face the music: 250 calories. Scanning the barcode of my go-to protein bar? 20 seconds of accountability.

The messy truth: I hated tracking at first. I’d “forget” to log the handful of M&Ms or the “tasting” while cooking. But after 2 weeks, patterns emerged—like my emotional snacking at 4 PM. So I swapped candy for protein-packed Greek yogurt with berries. Baby steps.

2. Fitbit Charge 5: My Step-Counting Drill Sergeant

I’m not a fitness tracker person. But the Fitbit became my passive-aggressive cheerleader:

• 10k steps or bust: On rainy days, I’d pace my living room during Netflix binges. My dog thought I’d lost it.
• Sleep tracking revelations: My “I’m fine on 5 hours!” delusion was shattered. Poor sleep = next-day cravings for carbs. Started a bedtime routine (no screens after 9 PM, herbal tea) and magically stopped sleep-eating cereal.
• 20-minute workouts > 2-hour marathons: Did squats during commercials, lunges while brushing my teeth. No gym required.

Reality check: Some days I hit 5k steps and said “screw it.” But I learned: Missing one day isn’t failure—it’s life.

3. NutriBullet Pro: The Smoothie That Didn’t Taste Like Grass

I’d tried green smoothies before. They tasted like liquified lawn clippings. But this combo saved my mornings:

• 1 scoop Orgain Protein Powder: Vanilla flavor hides the spinach. Pro tip: Add a dash of cinnamon.
• Frozen banana: Creamy texture > chalky protein shakes.
• Chia seeds: For fiber and the illusion of being a wellness influencer.

Confession: I still added a drizzle of peanut butter sometimes. Perfection is overrated.

4. Hydro Flask: The Water Bottle That Became My Emotional Support Object

I used to drink 2 glasses of water a day. Now I lug around a 40-oz Hydro Flask like it’s my child.

• Thirst vs. hunger: Realized my “afternoon slump” was dehydration, not hunger. Chugged water instead of raiding the vending machine.
• Flavor hacks: Frozen berries as ice cubes, cucumber slices, or a splash of ACV (weirdly good?).

Supplements That Didn’t Make Me Feel Like a Sucker

1. Protein Powder: Non-negotiable. Orgain became my afternoon snack hero. Mix it into coffee for a latte dupe.
2. Psyllium Husk Fiber: Saved me during the “Why am I so bloated?!” phase. Mixed with water—chug fast, it turns to gel.
3. Magnesium Glycinate: For sleep and sanity. Less midnight scrolling = less midnight snacking.

But here’s the tea: Supplements didn’t magically melt fat. They just filled gaps in my diet.

The 3 Mindset Shifts That Changed Everything

1. “Healthy” Food Isn’t Always Healthy
   My old “clean eating” was a joke:

• Avocado toast drenched in olive oil (500+ calories)
• “Superfood” acai bowls with enough sugar to rival a candy bar
  Solution: Tracked everything for 2 weeks. No guilt—just data.

2. Strength Training: Not Just for Gym Bros
   I avoided weights, fearing I’d “bulk up.” Joke’s on me—lifting 3x/week:

• Built muscle (which burns calories while I binge Bridgerton)
• Used Amazon Basics Dumbbells in my living room. No makeup, no sports bra—just me and my cat judging my form.

3. Progress > Perfection
   I still ate pizza every Friday. I had weeks where the scale didn’t budge. I cried over jeans that didn’t fit. But I kept going.

The Messy Middle: Plateaus, Pizza, and Persistence

• Week 6: Hit a plateau. Panicked. Ate a pint of ice cream. Then remembered: One bad day doesn’t erase progress.
• Social events: Learned to eat mindfully most of the time, then enjoy birthday cake without guilt.
• Non-scale victories: Walked up stairs without wheezing, finally zipped up my “goal jeans,” slept like a normal human.

Your Turn: Start Here (No Perfect Plan Needed)

1. Pick ONE habit: Track food for 3 days. Notice patterns.
2. Walk 10 minutes daily: No gear needed. Put on a podcast, walk in circles.
3. Hydrate: Drink water before every meal. Add flavor if you hate it.
4. Sleep: Prioritize 7 hours. Your hormones will thank you.

Remember: You don’t need a gym, a chef, or a PhD in nutrition. You need stubborn consistency.

FAQ (For the Skeptics and Overthinkers)

Q: Did you ever binge?
A: YEP. I’d eat a whole bag of popcorn, feel awful, then move on. Guilt wastes energy.

Q: How to handle cravings?
A: Eat the dang cookie. But pair it with protein (cookie + Greek yogurt = less sugar crash).

Q: What about loose skin?
A: Some, yeah. But I’ll take it over feeling trapped in my body.

Q: How to stay motivated?
A: Motivation dies. Build habits so autopilot takes over.

Q: Did you regain the weight?
A: I’ve fluctuated 5 lbs here and there. Life happens. Now I focus on maintaining, not obsessing.

Final Truth Bomb:
Weight loss isn’t linear, glamorous, or easy. It’s showing up on days you feel like crap, forgiving yourself when you slip, and trusting the process. If I—a girl who once ate frosting straight from the tub—can do it? You’ve got this.

P.S. Still eat frosting. Just not the whole tub. Progress, not perfection.