Mom Sheds 107lbs After Challenging Herself To Walk 10,000 Steps a Day

A mom-of-two has shown off her epic transformation after consistently hitting 10,000 steps a day helped her to shed 107 pounds. For many years, hairdresser Kelly Wynne, 39, didn't realize there was a problem with her diet and lifestyle. She would regularly skip breakfast, go to McDonald's for lunch, drink alcohol in the week, and exhibited no control over what she was eating. She told Newsweek that her portion sizes at home "could probably feed two people." As a result, her weight continued to escalate and at her heaviest, she tipped the scales at 274lbs. She was deeply unhappy about her weight, however, and at her largest she wore a U.S. clothes size 18 (U.K. size 22). "I would tend to hardly eat in the day and eat way too much in the evenings, and have way too many takeaways," Wynne, from the U.K, said. "Drinking in the week didn't help either because one glass of wine after a long day turned into an entire bottle."

During her second pregnancy, Wynne came to realize just how bad things had become. Her relationship broke down and her perspective completely transformed. She came to see that she'd given up caring what she looked like and that what she was doing to her body was making her feel miserable. Wynne said: "It opened my eyes to how I was looking. I've never felt so big or rejected in my life. I hated myself, and that's when I knew I needed to learn to love myself again." Wynne knew that something had to change, so during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the country was in lockdown, she set to work on achieving her goals. Britons were allowed out of their home for an hour every day to exercise, so Wynne made the most of that by power walking and ensuring she clocked 10,000 steps before returning home. Aside from going for a walk every day with her daughters (now aged 7 and 5) in the stroller, Wynne also changed her diet. She started meal prepping for the week ahead and monitored her calorie intake.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, from the Department of Health and Human Services, suggests that adults should consume anywhere between 1,600 and 3,000 calories a day. Every individual will have different requirements, based on their weight, gender, height, and activity level. When trying to lose weight, The Cleveland Clinic suggests a calorie deficit of 500 per day to help shed 1 pound per week. This is in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendation to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week, as people who lose weight at this steady pace are more likely to keep it off. "While we were in lockdown, I would put both my kids in their double stroller and power walk with them every morning," Wynne told Newsweek via email. "I also learned how to make low calorie meals, which was a massive change at the time, but the longer I did it for, the easier it got." She continued: "Now, I probably eat a lot more than I used to, but it's cleaner and healthier food. I eat lots more fruit, less carbohydrates, and no more takeaways. I do still enjoy eating out with friends though when I can."

Feeling Like a New Person

After walking consistently for five months, Wynne was able to shed 70lbs which was hugely rewarding. Seeing how much progress she was making only encouraged her to keep going and continue putting the work in. Eventually, she joined the gym and now she works out five times a week, doing a mixture of cardio and lifting weights. Since starting her weight loss journey, Wynne has now lost an astonishing 107lbs, and now she feels "like a totally new person." She's also dropped several dress sizes, now wearing anything between a U.S. size 6 to a 10 (U.K. sizes 10 to 14). But Wynne isn't finished yet though, as she still wants to shed another 20lbs. Wynne said: "As soon as I started seeing progress, it just felt even more addictive, and it motivated me to keep going. I literally can't stop smiling when I try on smaller new clothes. "After I lost about 85llbs, a mom called Lucy came up to me on the school run and congratulated me. I told her that I hated my loose skin though, and she said I should join her gym, and she'd help me. Now, every day, she trains me out of the kindness of her heart. I don't think I could have done it without her."

Using TikTok to Inspire Others

Her journey might have started with daily walks, but Wynne has come so far since then and managed to tone up. She no longer hates looking in the mirror or resents her appearance because she's filled with confidence now. Wynne started documenting her weight loss on social media (@kellyforthewynne on TikTok) and hopes to inspire others to take the leap and achieve their goals. "People comment on my posts every day telling me that I've motivated them to want to lose weight, and that keeps me going. It still doesn't feel real when people tell me how good I look now," she told Newsweek. Many of Wynne's TikTok posts have gone viral and racked up hundreds of thousands of views already. A post shared in October showing her unbelievable weight loss has gained more than 243,300 views and 6,800 likes at the time of writing. Hundreds of social media users commented on the post to praise Wynne's dedication and for inspiring them too. One comment reads: "Hard work has paid off, now conquer the world." Another person wrote: "Thankfully someone showing the natural way." While another TikToker commented: "Awesome achievement, well done." Is there a health issue that's worrying you? Let us know via health@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.