The Weight Loss Motivation That Helped These 20 People Lose Weight

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Weight loss journeys are unique

Healthy eating and exercise are two key parts to not only living a happy and healthy life, but also maintaining a healthy weight. How you choose to move and fuel your body is up to you, but if you need some inspiration—especially for weight loss—check out the people who followed influencers on Instagram to find the motivation to get healthier and lose weight. (Psst: Here are things you can do if you’re trying to lose weight but can’t.)

Courtesy Julie Roberts

Julie Roberts lost 35 pounds and half her body fat

Inspiration: Tracy Anderson, multi-platform fitness entrepreneur, celebrity trainer, and author.

“I started my journey with Tracy’s #GYBG (hashtag: Got Your Back Girl) Challenge in January 2016. Over the next 15 weeks, I lost over 35 pounds, and by the end of the year, I had lost half of my body fat. Tracy kept me motivated and supported throughout my weight loss. Since the #GYBG Challenge required participants all over the world to post daily workout clips on Instagram, I began to feel accountable to the community to show up for myself every day by working out. I would have never believed that social media could change my life in so many ways, but it literally did—new body, new friends, new career, new city—new ME.” —Julie Roberts, 43. (Check out these other amazing weight loss-transformation stories.)

Courtesy Sean Cook

Sean Cook lost 15 pounds

Inspiration: Harley Rodriguez, celebrity trainer at Barry’s Bootcamp.

“What helped me on my weight loss journey was seeking not only a group fitness class, but also looking around on Instagram for inspiration. I’ve lost 15 pounds since starting my journey. Instagram was such a motivator for me because I was starting from absolutely no fitness experience and eating whatever. I started doing Harley’s classes at Barry’s and following him on social media and it really changed my body. I also started collecting photos off Instagram of guys I wanted to look like, but instead of being jealous like I always had been before, I started changing my point of view and imagining what I would look like with these specific muscles.” —Sean Cook, 38

Courtesy Renée Greene Murphy

Renée Greene Murphy lost 23 pounds

Inspiration: Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD, and founder of F-Factor.

“The F-Factor and Tanya’s Instagram have been my go-to for quick and easy recipes when I’m tired of eating just high-fiber, low-carb crackers. Through the accounts, I discovered how to use those healthy crackers as a base for making things like truffles and pancakes, which in turn has inspired me to add GGs to my own recipes such as chicken cutlets and meatballs! I look at F-Factor as a healthy lifestyle that I’ve learned to integrate into my everyday life, and it has helped me lose 23 pounds. I was 140 pounds when I began in May and am 117 today.” —Renée Greene Murphy, 37. (Here are some smart carbs everyone should eat.)

Courtesy Cristina Gordon

Cristina Gordon lost 35 pounds

Inspiration: Anna Kaiser, celebrity trainer and founder of AKT in Motion.

“I follow Anna Kaiser and AKT in Motion on Instagram, and she always does Insta-stories about how she stayed fit, which helps me stay motivated. I started taking AKT classes leading up to my wedding when my weight was at an all-time high. I had to go dress shopping when I didn’t feel good about my body or health. After doing AKT and following the social media accounts, for a few months, I will never forget the way I felt at my last dress fitting. I felt so proud because I worked so hard and lost 35 pounds! The social media accounts helped me realize that, even though I was busy, if Anna can find time to work out, I can too.” —Cristina Gordon, 28

Courtesy Nicole Mirabile

Nicole Mirabile lost 24 pounds

Inspiration: Anna Kaiser, celebrity trainer and founder of AKT in Motion.

“I love following Anna on Instagram—she’s such an inspiring person! It’s so fun to see what she is up to on a daily basis. She often posts motivating videos to her Instagram stories of her sweat sessions. It’s a constant reminder to get my butt moving. I also did her 8-week AKTransformation program, which I have continued to stick with. Anna, the AKT staff, and the AKT community have really helped me stay motivated.” —Nicole Mirabile, 27

Courtesy Heather

Heather lost ten pounds and almost three inches off her waist

Inspiration: Stephanie Mansour, health and fitness expert and founder of the free 21-Day Challenge program.

“Steph’s 21 Day Challenge really enabled me to have the foundation and tools I needed to start a new journey with my life and the way I live with a healthy mindset. The Challenge encouraged me to have a healthier relationship with food and not a negative association with food I ate or ‘rewarded’ myself with. I lost almost three inches and ten pounds!”—Heather, 33

Courtesy Bethany Warner

This family lost nearly 240 pounds together

Inspiration: Vanessa Spina, bestselling author of Keto Essentials.

“What a difference a year can make! A combined 238 pounds gone between the three of us! That’s a large person! I’m so proud of my sister, Eryn, and my mom. My sister has lost 98 pounds, my mother 99, and I have lost over 50. We are so thankful for Vanessa’s Instagram account and her program. Her Instagram is where we first found her and it has kept us motivated along the way on our Keto journey.” —Bethany Warner, 35

Courtesy Jacqueline Braunesreither

Jacqueline Braunesreither lost 51 pounds

Inspiration: Vanessa Spina, bestselling author of Keto Essentials.

“I started with Vanessa’s program at the end of June 2017, and my total loss so far is 51.2 pounds. I am so happy with her program and wonderful advice on Instagram!” —Jacqueline Braunesreither, 43. (Check out these easy tips for losing weight without giving up your favourite foods.)

Courtesy Laura Somers

Laura Somers lost 25 pounds

Inspiration: Don Saladino, celebrity and Playbook trainer.

“Don is so encouraging and motivating! He had me start on a no-sugar, no-white flour diet some 35 days ago and I’ve already lost 25 pounds! I use his Instagram page for constant inspiration, and I’m up to 15,000 steps a day; a few months ago I was maybe doing 2,000. I’m looking forward to an incredible and healthy future because of Don!” —Laura Somers, 47

Courtesy Kristine Immediato

Kristine Immediato lost 45 pounds

Inspiration: David A. Greuner, MD, FACS, surgical director at NYC Surgical Associates.

“As a patient of Dr. Greuner’s (hernia surgery), my activities were limited. I turned to his Instagram page for guidance on fitness and healthy lifestyle choices while on the mend. Following him provided me with amazing insight and I lost 45 pounds! He teaches you that what you put into your body is important on so many levels and it made me very aware of how I should be treating my body for overall healing. He really helped turn my life around.” —Kristine Immediato, 47

Courtesy Inbal K.

Inbal lost 22 pounds

Inspiration: Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD, and founder of F-Factor.

“My intro to F-Factor came from Tanya sharing her clients’ success stories on Instagram months ago. I was intrigued by the InBody results, which detail every type of loss (water, fat, etc.) versus just losing pounds on a scale. I started following Tanya on Instagram and watching her lead by example. She shared her Paris vacation and showed the world how you can live a full life on F-Factor, drinking wine, vacationing, and dining out. I’ve never met a diet that agreed with my social life and vacation plans before. I bought the book, read it, marked it up, and the rest is history.” —Inbal K., 35

Courtesy Michael Thompson

Michael Thompson lost over 20 pounds

Inspiration: Emily Hutchins, Nike master trainer, and owner of On Your Mark Coaching + Training.

“When I first joined On Your Mark Coaching + Training (OYM), I weighed over 190 pounds, had a combined cholesterol number of 260, and my doctor recommended meds to lower my numbers. I decided instead to confront my problem through diet and exercise. I found OYM, and embarked on a total lifestyle change. Now, I clock in at 170, my cholesterol is below 200, and I feel great. Life changes had me relocate to another part of the country, but I love keeping up with Emily Hutchins and her workouts that she showcases on social media to help stay in shape.” —Michael Thompson, 54. (If you’re battling cholesterol, try these cholesterol-lowering tricks that doctors use.)

Courtesy Step It Up with Steph

Lauren VanderLinden lost more than eight pounds

Inspiration: Stephanie Mansour, health and fitness expert and founder of the free 21-Day Challenge program.

“I follow @stepitupwithsteph on Instagram for daily confidence boosts and reminders that I can commit to myself and make myself a priority. It’s so motivating to check Steph’s page every day for ways that I can step it up in my daily life. Her challenge was so much more than a diet or a workout. She helped me create habits and routines that last, and have helped me to keep the weight off! I’ve lost eight pounds and went from a size 8 to a size 4.” —Lauren VanderLinden, 22

Courtesy Blair Helwig

Blair Helwig lost 38 pounds

Inspiration: Kira Stokes, celebrity personal trainer, fitness expert, and group fitness coach.

“Kira’s passion for helping others to do movements correctly is extremely inspiring! The way she creates circuits, putting certain movements together is what makes the Stoked Method unique and successful. While I’m away, I can find Kira’s inspiration on Booya Fitness, a streaming service, which helps re-create it with a familiar voice and pre-programmed workouts that I know are effective. It’s very motivating to see her #SMOTD (aka Stoked Move of the Day) on Instagram where she proves you literally have access to try something new and challenging anywhere!” —Blair Helwig, 27. 

Courtesy Ryan Cunningham

Ryan Cunningham lost 110 pounds

Inspiration: Kira Stokes, celebrity personal trainer, fitness expert, and group fitness coach.

“When looking for inspiration that makes a difference in my life, I find it in the same place again and again with Kira. She challenges me to change negative behaviours while inspiring me to make the decisions to initiate positive action that drive great results. Kira is constantly reminding me what it is to stand up and perform with the best. However, the biggest challenge is when I’m not there in person, but I know I can always rely on my daily Booya Fitness and Instagram. I’m down to 210 from 320 pounds.” —Ryan Cunningham, 37

Courtesy Lyssie Lakatos

Jupiter Otazo lost 80 pounds

Inspiration: The Nutrition Twins, Lyssie Lakatos, RDN, CDN, CFT and Tammy Lakatos.

“Lyssie and Tammy’s methods are effective, easy to follow, and sustainable. The pounds slipped off easily and I didn’t feel like I was starving or compromising my love of food. They taught me the skills I needed to deal with emotional eating and how to strategize for everyday meals and obstacles, and when I need new healthy recipe inspiration, I check out their Instagram and cook up the recipes since they’re easy and link to their blog for directions.” —Jupiter Otazo, 30. (Try these surprisingly effective tricks to control your emotional eating habits.)

Courtesy Courtney Paul

Amanda lost 12 pounds

Inspiration: Courtney Paul, celebrity fitness trainer, wellness expert, and fitness coordinator at LIFTONIC.

“I don’t know how it took me three years of working out in NYC to find Courtney Paul, but I’m so happy I did. I was slowly progressing towards my goals but decided to finally give it my all and commit to 30 days of working out and eating well via Paul’s LT30 program. He is always available to answer questions whether in person or through Instagram. I lost 12 pounds doing LT30, and even though I haven’t been on the program or seen him regularly since, he continues to motivate me on Instagram to keep working towards my goals!” —Amanda, 26

Courtesy Nadia Murdock Images

Marlie Massena lost 25 pounds

Inspiration: Nadia Murdock, fitness and lifestyle expert.

“Nadia maintains that fitness doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Her page wasn’t full of bulky weights, staged gym pictures, and tasteless protein shakes. Showing me how attainable a balanced and fit lifestyle is consistently keeps me moving and enjoying all aspects of my busy life.” —Marlie Massena, 32

Courtesy Nadia Murdock Images

Adriana Dushaj lost over 20 pounds

Inspiration: Nadia Murdock, fitness and lifestyle expert.

“Nadia’s great quick tip exercises on Instagram gave me the courage to pursue my workout journey. She is helpful and gives you the reassurance you need to hit your weight goal!” —Adriana Dushaj, 25

Courtesy Joshua Berntsen

Joshua Berntsen lost 143 pounds

Inspiration: Kelly Chase, health coach and fitness trainer.

“I follow almost every Aaptiv trainer on social media—I like having my feeds full of inspirational and helpful posts with regards to living a healthy life. Trainer Kelly Chase is one of my favourites because she takes the time to message me directly and to follow up on my nutrition and exercise goals. I think that’s just awesome. Having that regular motivation has given me more energy and a new love for fitness that I’ve never experienced before. I’ve now run three 5K races and am down 143 pounds!” –Joshua Berntsen, 35

Next, check out this list of motivating mantras to help you lose weight.