How She Got Started

Adrienne told POPSUGAR she hit rock-bottom with her self-esteem about six years ago, and her health was at a serious risk. Her weight-loss journey was "touch and go since college," she said, because she tried a few fad diets but nothing stuck. "I didn't really know how to eat healthy, and I never set foot in a gym."

"At the lowest point, while getting way too much food for one person at a fast-food restaurant, I was asked 'What are you having?' and it took me about 30 seconds to realise the cashier thought I was pregnant," Adrienne said. "I did my best to laugh it off and not make her feel awkward while getting my food so I could just go home and be alone."

A couple months later, she started a Weight Watchers program at work. "I was out of excuses and tired of feeling so awful," Adrienne said. She started losing weight and changing her habits with Weight Watchers. "The meetings were great to get ideas for meals that fit the plan and getting my idea of the correct portion size under control," she said.

How Long Her Journey Took

Adrienne lost about 50 pounds (3 stone 7 lbs) in six months with Weight Watchers [4] but kept going on her own and went on to lose a total of 80 pounds (5 stone 10 lbs) in a year. Now, six years later, she's lost a total of 90 pounds (6 stone 6 lbs) and has kept it off. But it wasn't all smooth sailing.

"I've had some backslides," Adrienne said. "I gained around 25 pounds a year after I lost the 80, but I got back into my healthier lifestyle and am still down the 90 pounds six years after I started the journey in the first place. Something I'm the most proud of is that I've stuck around the 85-90 pounds lost for the past four years."

What a Typical Day of Eating Looks Like

"I learned a lot about my portion sizes when I started with Weight Watchers," Adrienne said. "I was eating enough food before that to feed two to three people in reality." Now, she said her eating is pretty flexible. Here's what a typical day looks like:

• Breakfast: "I make sure to eat a filling breakfast that almost always involves a serving of fruit."
• Snacks: "I have healthy snacks throughout the day like a serving of trail mix or an apple and a bit of peanut butter."
• Lunch: "I like to meal prep my lunches because planning ahead is my saving grace, and those are often a lean protein with some of my favourite veggies; broccolini is at the top of my list right now."
• Dinner: "I try to keep dinner smaller since I often eat after my workouts and it's a bit later in the evening for me."

Currently, she focuses more on her macros. "I started looking into the macronutrient path [5] because it gave me a good amount of choices throughout my days," she explained. "If I felt like a glass of wine, I figured out how to fit it in and still eat what I wanted." Some of her favourite indulgences include cupcakes and craft beer. "I always tell my boyfriend I have a second dessert stomach, and I whole-heartedly believe that."

What Her Workout Schedule Is Like

When Adrienne started out, she only did workout videos at home [6], starting with the Walk at Home [7] videos. "I was afraid to go to a gym and ashamed, so working out at home was the only way I was going to do it," she said. Once she lost some weight, she started doing Zumba classes at least three to four days a week. She kept it on a calendar on her wall so she could cross off each day she worked out. "It made me feel accomplished and reminded me if I was falling behind," she said.

Now, Adrienne said her workout schedule is "like a Chinese buffet line at a mall food court" with how much variety she implements. "I hardly ever do the same workout two days in a row, and I love it that way." She aims to work out six days a week, unless something major comes up (like the flu).

Adrienne said she'll try any workout class at least once and right now does a mix of barre, HIIT, Spinning, Zumba, and classes that use a mini-trampoline rebounder. In the last year, she started going to SoulCycle [8] and SLT [9] regularly, which she found to be a tougher challenge.

"I like to stick to a workout class; I need the accountability and support of the other people around me to keep me going," she said. "The crazy array of classes I have open to me keep me interested and on my toes so I am never bored in a workout class."

Her Nonscale Victories

"One of the first nonscale victories I had was getting on stage and dancing during a Zumba class," Adrienne said. "I had a favourite song and my instructor brought me up one day, and after that, I got to go up any time that song came on. It was a big deal for me, though, because prior to that I had never had the confidence to be dancing on a stage in front of a class of 30-40 people."

Adrienne has also gained more confidence in her current workouts. Although she said she was "terrified" to try SLT and SoulCycle, she knew she had come so far on her fitness journey and wanted to see if she could do it. "Since I started going, it's turned into seeing how far I could push myself and could I do one more rep," she said.

Now, Adrienne has more self-confidence [10] than ever in the gym. "I finally feel comfortable in my skin, even the extra skin that hangs out on my stomach," she told POPSUGAR. "I don't even hesitate to do a class in my bra when it's just too hot in the gym to even wear your shirt. I never would have done that even two years ago."

How She Stays Motivated

Adrienne has had an ongoing hip injury since she was 14, which limits what she's able to do and will eventually require a full hip replacement. "One thing that motivates me is this immense appreciation I have for what my body can do right now. I know that one day that won't be the case, and it motivates me to keep pushing myself," she said.

In addition to having a new appreciation for her body, Adrienne's noticed more health benefits, too. "I don't get winded going up the stairs, and I no longer need to be on high blood pressure medicine," she said.

"Looking in the mirror and actually smiling at myself and feeling proud of how far I've come and how far my body has come keeps me motivated," Adrienne added. "I know I have a long life ahead of me and a lot to live for; the healthier I am, the better that life will be."

What's Next in Her Fitness Journey

"My next fitness goal is to complete a 10-mile hike with my boyfriend," Adrienne said. "We did a seven-mile hike over the Summer that took a lot out of me, but it was so challenging in the best way, and I absolutely loved it! I even invested in some good hiking shoes, so I want to see what those bad boys can do."

Adrienne's Advice For Others

Although it's not easy to lose over 6 stone and keep it off, Adrienne's story proves it is doable. Here is her advice for others embarking on their own journeys:

• "Find that support system, because it is absolutely crucial. I would have never gotten to where I am today without all of the people that are in my corner and cheering me on."
• "Be ready to fail sometimes. There are going to be weeks where you miss the gym or you gain a few pounds, but you can't let that be the end of the world. Pick yourself back up, dust yourself off, and face a new week head on."
• "Document your measurements; the scale is not always the best way to measure progress."
• "Lastly, find what works for you. There are a million and one ways to lose weight and get healthy on the internet, but until you find the habits and the lifestyle that matches yours and that you can still enjoy, you won't succeed. It took a lot of trial and error for me, but I found my niche."