Woman Shares Her 'Lazy' Tips For Shedding 15lbs In Just Three Weeks

Starting a weight-loss journey can seem daunting, but one woman has explained how three simple lifestyle changes helped her shed 15 pounds in the first 3 weeks.

Having felt unhappy in her body for a while, Norah Harts, from Atlanta, decided she wanted to change her life for the better, despite being a self-professed "lazy girly."

The idea of grueling workouts and restrictive diets wasn't appealing, so Harts opted to cut out certain bad habits and implement new routines—and the positive results were immediate.

She told Newsweek: "I was definitely unhappy with my body before I started making changes. I felt uncomfortable in my own skin, but also in my clothes. I started to notice myself dreading getting ready in the morning because I didn't feel good in the clothes I owned.

"I was unhappy with my outward appearance and also the state of my mental health. I realized I didn't have any structure in my life, and I wasn't prioritizing myself anymore. I was letting myself go and I needed to take back control of my life."

As a result, Harts cut out alcohol, which was an integral part to most of her weekend plans, and she also reduced her intake of fast food, opting to cook nutritious meals at home instead. While they may be small changes, she felt the positive effects straight away, and couldn't believe how quickly they impacted her weight loss.

Harts is undoubtedly happy with the quick turnaround, but it is faster than the recommended weight-loss rate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests losing between one to two pounds per week as it's more sustainable and manageable.

The CDC encourages people to focus on two or three effective goals that are realistic, specific, and also forgiving. It's important to leave some room for any possible setbacks, because weight loss journeys aren't always linear.

"Some of the changes I made during my weight-loss journey are so simple but also made such a huge difference. Alcohol was not only making me bloated, but also contained so many empty calories and I realized it wasn't worth it in the end. Right away, I noticed positive changes just from removing that one simple thing from my diet.

"The second change was limiting my intake of fast food. I made sure to make grocery shopping a priority, I would look up new recipes that were high in protein but low in calories so that I would feel full but still satisfied. Instead of putting harsh boundaries on what I can and can't eat, I just cut out fast food and learned how to make healthy and delicious meals at home."

The third change that Harts has implemented was "to drink 80 ounces of water a day" as a minimum. Adequately hydrating her body has allowed her to feel energized and reduce how much sugary soda she is drinking.

Finally, after seeing almost instant improvements from the first few tips, Harts has encouraged herself to become more active. This was one of the hardest changes at first because of how much she hates physical exercise, but she's reaped the benefits of a healthier and more active lifestyle.

She continued: "Honestly, I really don't like the gym, so I knew there was no way I was ever going to show up to the gym five times a week and weight train. So instead, I started running. I have never been a runner, I could barely run for more than two minutes at a time when I first started, but I kept at it every single day and to my surprise it's something I look forward to.

"It's become so therapeutic to me, but has also accelerated my weight loss. I feel so much better after making these changes. It's the best feeling in the world to see them pay off."

Shedding 15lbs in the first three weeks is just the starting point for Harts, as this has made her more motivated to keep going with this healthier lifestyle. On September 6, Harts shared her experience in a video posted on TikTok (@norah13__) that has been viewed over 495,700 times already and received 50,000 likes.

After seeing so many other people share their difficult and often unattainable weight loss, Harts wanted to show that there are realistic ways to create change, without taking the enjoyment out of life.

Harts said: "All the changes I have made are simple and attainable, but the weight loss results are crazy. I'm never going back to the way my life was before, the results are just too satisfying to ever go back.

"When I started sharing my weight-loss journey with my followers, I was so surprised by the response. I think it really resonated with a lot of people because when most people think of weight loss they think of restrictive dieting, harsh and intense workouts, and failed expectations.

"However, the reality is you can make small lifestyle changes and still get the results you want and enjoy your life. Weight loss doesn't have to be negative."

The outpouring of social media responses has been beyond what Harts had expected, and the viral TikTok post has received over 100 comments so far.

One TikToker commented: "But the eating out tip is so real! Thank you for that."

Another person responded: "Yess! I'm so lazy but those 3 tips are so important. No alcohol, no fast food, and be active!"

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