A woman shares how she lost 80 pounds with 2 simple exercises

When it comes to dramatic weight loss results these days, many of us assume that medication may be involved. But while treatments like Wegovy and Ozempic are very helpful for some, many people are still dealing with weight loss the traditional way with diet and exercise. Amanda Hindsa 31-year-old New Jersey resident is one such success story: After doing two simple exercises, she lost 80 pounds.

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In an interview with Today.com, Hinds shared that she was first motivated to start her fitness journey before the COVID pandemic, but her plans were derailed when her gym closed during the lockdown. Over the course of a year, Hinds gained 100 pounds, which she said left her “frustrated and disgusted” with herself.

But he had also bought a Peloton bike and had developed a love of indoor cycling before COVID when he took a class with a younger instructor, who was also black and played music that Hinds liked. The Peloton bike didn’t do much during the lockout, but Hinds saw results when he overcame his fears and returned to the saddle in 2021.

“It was a huge pivot in my fitness journey, admitting that something was hard, but it could be done,” she told Today.com. “It’s supposed to be hard, and it’s not going to be hard forever. Our bodies can do it. It’s just our minds telling us we can’t. When you’re trying to grow and challenge yourself, you have to remove all that noise”.

Hinds documented her fitness journey on TikTok, sharing that she had gone from 300 pounds to 245 pounds in August 2022.

While riding the stationary bike, Hinds used her own playlists and recorded herself talking like an instructor. After getting stronger and motivated by a friend, Hinds began auditioning to be a formal instructor at various gyms.

“A gym took a chance on me, even when I didn’t believe in myself yet,” she told Today.com.

Hinds said she dealt with “imposter syndrome” when she first started, but thanks to the support of her assistants, she overcame those fears and felt more confident about herself. By January 2023, Hinds had lost a total of 65 pounds while teaching cycling, and that June she achieved her goal of becoming a CycleBar instructor, she said on TikTok.

“As a plus-size woman of color, it feels very empowering to step up to that podium,” she told Today.com.

In addition to cycling, Hinds also does cardio by jogging, sharing on TikTok that he recently completed a half marathon.

“If you told me last year that I was going to run for an hour, I wouldn’t have believed you. I’m definitely proud of myself in terms of my fitness level,” she told Today.com.

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Hinds also changed her eating habits, but she is less restrictive than when she started her journey.

“I would eat a certain way, or not eat at a certain time, because I wanted to see that number tomorrow,” he said.

Now, strike a balance by eating healthier foods and not feeling ashamed when you want a treat.

However, while her weight loss is impressive, Hinds believes her achievements are more about feeling fit and like her best self, rather than “a number on the scale”.

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