My Weight Loss Journey: What Worked for Me

In the past two years, I’ve lost a fair bit of weight, and as a result, people often ask me how I did it.

To be honest, I hesitated to write this. Not because I don’t want to help, but because I am not a weight-loss expert. I haven’t worked with hundreds of people navigating the ups and downs of weight management. What I do know is what worked for me.

So please keep that in mind as you read this: this isn’t a step-by-step guide for everyone. It’s not a magic formula. It’s simply what I did—and what ended up working for me.

A note before we dive in

This is not about fat shaming or blaming. The world already has more than enough of that. I was happy at my heaviest, and I am happy now. I joyfully lost weight with a focus on fitness and feeling great—not from a place of self-criticism. I don’t advocate for self-hatred in any shape or form.

1. Caloric Deficit

The foundation of weight loss is simple: you need to be in a caloric deficit. In other words, you burn more calories than you consume.

Simple doesn’t mean easy. In fact, it can be very challenging, especially if done in a restrictive or joyless way.

Forget the fad diets

In past decades, fad diets often encouraged extreme restriction. We now know that’s not sustainable—and it’s definitely not fun. A more realistic approach is aiming for about a 500-calorie deficit per day, which typically leads to around a pound of weight loss per week.

How to figure it out

The first step is to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)—the number of calories your body burns just to stay alive at rest. You can find free calculators online to get an estimate.

But here’s the key: most of us aren’t lying in bed all day. We move, we walk, we work, we fidget. When you factor in daily activity, you get your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)—a more accurate picture of how many calories you actually burn in a day.

From there, you create a deficit. A common guideline is aiming for about 500 calories less than your TDEE. That usually translates to losing about a pound per week, which is a safe and sustainable pace.

My resistance to tracking

When someone first told me I’d have to track calories, I resisted hard. I’ve always disliked “diet culture,” and the thought of obsessing over every bite felt awful.

But that person encouraged me to just try it for three days. I agreed.

And wow—those three days rocked my world.

I was eating what I thought was a very healthy diet: whole foods, cooked from scratch. But my calorie intake was still way too high. The culprits? Generous slabs of butter on my toast, piles of cheese, heavy meats, and so on.

By the way, I used the MyFitnessPal app to track calories. There are many other apps out there. 

Small changes, big results

The good news? I didn’t have to overhaul my entire diet. I just had to make smarter choices: less butter, smaller portions of cheese, and moderation with rich foods.

I also cut back on alcohol. For years, I drank one to two glasses of wine most nights. Independent of weight loss, I decided to stop drinking on weekdays. Pretty quickly, I noticed I felt so much better. Eventually, I cut back even more. That shift made a huge difference—alcohol isn’t just extra calories, it also disrupts sleep and recovery.

Cycles of deficit and maintenance

Something else that helped: cycling between phases. For women especially, staying in a constant deficit can backfire. I aimed for three months of calorie restriction followed by about six weeks of eating at maintenance. This gave my body (and my mind) a break while still moving me toward my goals.

Challenges I faced

• Consistency with tracking—especially when tired or busy.
• Accuracy with tracking—this does mean weighing food and being mindful of “hidden” calories.
• Weekends and celebrations—it’s easy to undo progress with a few indulgent meals.
• Macros—if I didn’t plan protein, I ended up hungry and cranky.

2. Pay Attention to Macros

Calories matter, but so do macronutrients: protein, fat, and carbs.

Protein first

Protein became my priority. A helpful rule of thumb: aim for about 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Protein supports muscle and keeps you fuller longer—especially important if you’re lifting weights (which I highly recommend!).

Fats and carbs

I didn’t cut carbs or fats completely—both are important. Instead, I focused on balance and portion sizes. Carbs were especially helpful before or after workouts, and healthy fats (like olive oil, nuts, and avocado) added satiety without overdoing it.

3. Exercise

While weight loss is often said to be “80% nutrition,” exercise still played a crucial role in my journey.

Zone 2 cardio

I focused on daily Zone 2 training—steady, moderate exercise that builds endurance and improves metabolic health. You know you’re in Zone 2 if you can carry on a conversation, but you wouldn’t be able to sing.

For me, this meant a lot of walking. Which I LOVE. I walk every day—rain, snow, ice, or shine. Some days it’s hours, other days it’s shorter, but walking became such a joy that I eventually went on a solo 11-day walking tour of Ireland. My advice? Fall in love with the process.

Strength training

Strength training was non-negotiable. Building muscle not only makes you stronger but also boosts your metabolism and protects against age-related muscle loss.

I’m lucky to have a personal trainer three days a week, and we do a variety of progressive strength training. It’s a privilege to have that guidance, and honestly, it’s the best money I’ve ever spent on myself. I adore my trainer, and I’m so proud of the strength I’ve built.

If a trainer isn’t in reach, I recommend strength training classes. Not pilates. Not yoga. I love those too, but for building strength, you need to lift actual weights—and increase them over time.

One big reminder

I didn’t “eat back” my exercise calories. For me, treating workouts as a reason to eat more just stalled progress.

4. Herbs and Weight Loss

As an herbalist, people often ask me if there’s an herb that will magically melt away pounds. I wish it were that simple!

There are no magic herbs for weight loss.

But many herbs can support weight loss indirectly:

• Nourishing herbs provide vital nutrients without excess calories.
• Relaxing nervines and adaptogens reduce stress and improve sleep—two key factors in metabolism and recovery.
• Herbs that modulate inflammation calm chronic inflammation, which is often linked with weight gain and resistance.
• Digestive herbs improve nutrient absorption so your body can actually use the food you eat.

Herbs support the whole system—and a healthier system is always more responsive to weight loss. That said, I recommend working with an herbalist for guidance.

Final Thoughts

If you take one thing away from this, let it be this: weight loss isn’t about punishment or deprivation. It’s about creating a lifestyle you enjoy—where food is joyful, your body feels nourished, and progress feels sustainable.

For me, it all began with fitness. Moving my body every day, building strength, and falling in love with walking laid the groundwork. Once I truly understood the role of a caloric deficit, the weight loss followed naturally from that commitment.

This journey hasn’t been quick or linear, but it’s been worth it. I feel stronger, healthier, and more capable of doing the things I want to do each day.

And today, my favorite compliment isn’t about pounds lost—it’s when someone says, “You look like an athlete.” Because that’s exactly how I feel: fit, capable, and proud of what my body can do.

Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Healand co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild and has taught thousands of students through her online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.