When people consider losing weight, they might picture having to spend hours sweating it out in the gym, but one woman has shared a tip she says can lead to weight loss for free.
At her heaviest, Therese O'Callaghan, 22, weighed 240 pounds, as she admits that she "suffered with big eating and overconsumption of alcohol." While she wasn't too concerned about the number on the scale, O'Callaghan decided to make some lifestyle changes to feel better within.
O'Callaghan told Newsweek: "I changed everything about my day-to-day routine, as it's the small things that you do every day which make a difference. I wake up earlier, drink more water, became aware of my eating habits, and learned how to eat mindfully."
O'Callaghan, from Northern Ireland but living in London, has managed to lose 50 pounds since transforming her lifestyle. She regularly goes to the gym, but she has also championed the importance of a simple walk. O'Callaghan regularly encourages her social-media followers to move around more and go for a daily walk to reap the benefits.
"Walking is one of the most underrated things, not just for your physical health, but also your mental health as well," O'Callaghan said. "It's low impact, and with a good podcast or playlist, you can get your daily steps up, no problem.
"I walked every day and still do it as a means to keep fit and keep my head clear," O'Callaghan said. "Plus, it's free and you can't beat that. I can tell you that increasing your daily step-count is the best thing anybody could do for physical and mental health."
When it comes to losing weight, people may weigh up the benefits of spending an hour in the gym doing a grueling workout or going out for a nice walk and taking in the fresh air. It's easy to assume that the higher the intensity, the better the results, but that isn't always the case.
The National Institute of Health released a report in 2020 that revealed increasing the daily step-count to 8,000 or more steps reduces a person's risk of death, but the step intensity wasn't an influential factor.
Doing 10,000 steps a day is considered the target to aim for, but the research highlighted that achieving 8,000 steps daily can lead to health benefits. Those who reached that number had a 50 percent lower risk of death to those who did half as many steps.
An increase in daily step-count decreased the risk of dying, but the research also showed that step intensity, which is the number of steps per minute, had no impact. The results suggest that the total number of steps per day is more important than the intensity at which they are done.
As O'Callaghan still tries to fit a walk into her daily routine, she tends to go out for anywhere between 30 and 90 minutes a day. It's become habitual now, and she can feel the positive impacts it has had on her overall health over time.
O'Callaghan often shares clips of her 50-pound weight-loss transformation, and her tips for feeling better, on social media (@thereseoca). One of her most-watched videos was a clip showing the stark contrast between her physique before and after changing her lifestyle. The video was posted on August 22 and it went viral, with more than 400,000 views, and over 26,800 likes on TikTok.
After developing a loving community of followers on social media, O'Callaghan said that she is grateful to help others and connect with people through this journey.
O'Callaghan added: "Weight loss is going to look completely different for everybody. We are all different people, and your journey may look very different to somebody else's. Never compare yourself, and remember that the most important thing is how we feel, not how we look."
Hundreds of TikTok users have commented on the post to praise O'Callaghan for her incredible transformation.
One comment reads: "This video has just sparked something in me, and my entire goal is to look like you – strong and toned!"
Another person wrote: "This is giving me the vibes I need to get going!"
A third added: "The power this video holds girl. Stunning either way, but the confidence in [the] second video, I'm here for it."
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.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
");jQuery(this).remove()}) jQuery('.start-slider').owlCarousel({loop:!1,margin:10,nav:!0,items:1}).on('changed.owl.carousel',function(event){var currentItem=event.item.index;var totalItems=event.item.count;if(currentItem===0){jQuery('.owl-prev').addClass('disabled')}else{jQuery('.owl-prev').removeClass('disabled')} if(currentItem===totalItems-1){jQuery('.owl-next').addClass('disabled')}else{jQuery('.owl-next').removeClass('disabled')}})}})})
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrK6enZtjsLC5jrCmppmeqHq2usOeqauZpJqxbsDIqWSlp6Oeu6h51p6goKCkYsSiuMqipaBlYW1%2FdYGPbw%3D%3D