Fitness coach who dropped 20kg reveals most common weight loss mistake

A Sydney fitness coach who lost 20kg to get the body of her dreams has revealed the most common reason people can never lose weight.

A fitness coach who dropped 20kg in a stunning transformation has opened up about the most common reason some people can never lose weight.

It was a mix of “partying too much” and starting a sedentary job located next to a food court that saw Brittany McCrystal’s weight to slowly creep up.

The 27-year-old did not realise what a monumental impact these small life updates could have on her health, until she stepped on the scale a year later.

Brittany – who is originally from Auckland, New Zealand but now lives in Sydney – had reached her heaviest weight of 82kg, and at just 157cm tall, this was starting to have a significant impact on her health.

“It was a real wake up call, I knew I had to get my health in check,” Brittany told news.com.au.

Want to stream your news? Flash lets you stream 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer available for a limited time only >

Brittany did not feel her best when she was at her heaviest weight of 82kg. Picture: Supplied

Brittany feels better than ever after dropping 20kg. Picture: Supplied

“It wasn’t really about how I looked, but I was more concerned at how this could impact my health in the long term. I already felt sluggish, was tired often and easily out of breath.

“I had no energy, and for someone in their mid-20s, I knew that wasn’t normal. I wanted to feel strong and capable.”

After trying “every fad diet under the sun”, Brittany decided to get back to basics and began eating a variety of nutritious whole foods, while she also rejoined the gym.

After transforming her life to drop 20kg and reach just 16 per cent body fat – which is comparable to professional athletes – she now helps others reach their health goals through her work as a fitness and weight loss coach.

She has since dropped 20kg. Picture: Supplied

At her biggest, she felt sluggish and never had any energy. Picture: Supplied

“It is so rewarding being able to guide people who were struggling like I was,” she said.

“I’ve been through it, I’ve been in their shoes.

“I think that experience helps give me the knowledge to understand what my clients are going through, both physically and mentally.”

With New Year resolutions on many people’s minds at this time of year, Brittany opened up about the common mistakes she sees people making on their quest to lose weight.

She also revealed the one “life-changing” habit that she feels was the biggest contributor to helping her lose weight and keep it off.

“Having a plan in place is the key to successful weight loss,” she revealed.

“People who do not have a plan, are 99 per cent of the time going to fail. This is something I’ve seen time and time again.

“During my journey, I wrote a daily to-do list, and would tick things off as I went. Visualising my plan for the day helped tremendously.

“People often just go to the gym and do random exercises, then wonder why they’re not seeing results.

With her experience, she is able to better help her clients through their health journeys. Picture: Supplied

Brittany gave up all the "fad diets". Picture: Supplied

“Every person is different, with their own unique needs for their bodies, there is no one size fits all when it comes to weight loss and fitness.

“You also need an achievable goal, something to work towards.

“Starting any fitness or weight loss plan without a goal is like driving to an unknown destination without putting it in Google Maps.”

Brittany also broke down some common myths surrounding the idea of “motivation” – and what you should be focusing on instead.

“It’s not sustainable, nobody can stay motivated 24/7,” she explained.

“This concept of waiting for the motivation before starting your health journey is a terrible idea. Consistency is the key, that is what will get you results.

“Motivation comes and go, the main thing is you showing up every day and staying on track. This is what people really struggle with.”

She began focusing on eating a variety of nutritious whole foods. Picture: Supplied

She strongly suggests having a solid but achievable plan in place before starting a health journey. Picture: Supplied

She added that far too many people focus solely on their weight, when there are actually many factors that come into play during a health journey.

“My focus is on how I feel, I no longer worry about the number on the scale,” she added.

“People focus too much on how much they weigh, that number. It should really be the last thing anyone should be worrying about.

“It is just a tool at the end of the day. You could also use a tape measure, feeling how your clothes fit, or just analysing your energy and happiness.”

Brittany – who provides 1:1 coaching for people who are wanting to start their health journey – had just two words for advice for those were are struggling.

“You just have to start,” she said.

“Start slow, but start. One of my favourite quotes is ‘nothing changes if nothing changes’.

“One thing at a time, and over time you will see results.”

Originally published as Fitness coach who dropped 20kg reveals most common weight loss mistake