Former beauty queen lost 30 kg after 6 months

Hanoi Ta Thuy Anh, 34 years old, lost 30 kg after 6 months thanks to the rule of eating until 80% full, combined with walking and specialized exercises.

Thuy Anh is currently a lecturer at the Faculty of Information Technology, Phenikaacao University, and won first prize in the Faculty's Elegant Female Student contest while studying at the University of Education thanks to her balanced, slim figure and height of 1.57 m. However, after getting married and having twins, she gained weight uncontrollably, peaking at 85 kg in May 2023, and often had insomnia. Her heavy body also made the mother of two children always tired, making it difficult to hold and play with her children.

"I realized I had to change to be able to live every moment fully with my children," Thuy Anh said.

Thuy Anh with her husband and two children. Photo: Provided by the character — Thuy Anh with her husband and two children. Photo: *Provided by the character*

After a health check, she received the results of blood and fatty liver, risk of diabetes, the doctor warned that she had to lose weight or she would get chronic diseases. With her determination and encouragement from her family, Thuy Anh began to learn and know weight loss methods, including eating 80% full and eating clean.

Eating until you are 80% full is a common principle of Okinawans in Japan, called "hara hachi bu" - meaning stop eating when you are 80% full. This principle is based on the scientifically proven phenomenon that the stomach needs 20 minutes to send a signal to the brain about the amount of food the body has absorbed. "Instead of continuing to eat until you are full, put down your bowl and chopsticks when you are still a little hungry. After a while, your body will feel comfortable and at ease," Thuy Anh said.

At first, when she had no knowledge about the amount of calories in daily meals, the woman felt a little full and would stop, many days she put down her bowl and chopsticks when she was still a little hungry. To do well, she learned and created the habit of eating slowly, chewing thoroughly, deeply feeling the flavor of the food and making her body feel full for a long time. "A moment later, I felt very comfortable and pleasant. Not eating too much also avoids bloating, indigestion, and sluggishness," she said.

In the morning, she usually eats a bowl of bird's nest or a cup of whey protein (a supplement that provides protein and essential amino acids for the body) to provide energy. At noon, she eats a small bowl of brown rice with 150g of fish/shrimp/meat and 200g of vegetables. In the evening, she eats the same as lunch but limits starch. Thuy Anh prepares dishes by steaming, boiling and baking, using olive oil.

According to Timesofindia, one of the reasons why brown rice is loved is because of its high fiber content, which helps the body stay full for longer, helps regulate hormones related to appetite control, thus reducing hunger. Brown rice is also considered a healthy alternative to regular rice, containing minerals such as selenium, calcium, manganese, magnesium.

She is much more confident thanks to her well-proportioned figure. Photo: Character provided — She is much more confident thanks to her well-proportioned figure. Photo: *Character provided*

In addition to eating until 80% full, women combine "eat clean", which means a clean diet, taking in foods in their most original form, unprocessed, unrefined, unseasoned; steaming, boiling instead of grilling, frying, stir-frying to preserve nutrients.

The biggest challenge for the female lecturer is to change her eating habits and put herself in a routine. Many times when she feels hungry and craves her favorite foods, she often drinks a glass of water and encourages herself.

However, Thuy Anh is also flexible in changing dishes, applying indulgent meals, also known as "cheat days", which means one day a week she can consume anything she wants, including foods not on the weight loss list such as hot pot, pho, vermicelli with snails, crispy rice... The woman believes that eating must make her comfortable in order to be able to pursue it in the long term. Stress in this process will lead to failure. Therefore, when she was mentally comfortable, she soon regained her desired figure.

"Sometimes I still change dishes, eat steak or sour fish, hot pot to avoid boredom, but I always follow the rule of only eating until I'm 80% full and then stop," she said, adding that having comfortable meals also makes her happier.

Thuy Anh's balanced body after losing weight. Photo: Character provided — Thuy Anh's balanced body after losing weight. Photo: *Character provided*

In addition to eating, Thuy Anh works out 5 times a week with a trainer after lunch for about an hour. Each session, she starts with a brisk walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes, followed by 45 minutes of intensive exercises, ending with 30 minutes of boxing to help burn more calories and relieve stress.

According to her, the hardest part is when she first starts exercising, her muscles are sore and her whole body is tired, but she encourages herself and exercises according to her strength, then gradually increases the intensity. When she goes to the gym, she often adds a glass of passion fruit juice or unsweetened guava juice, thanks to that, after losing weight, her skin is more beautiful, no more acne and much whiter.

After 6 months, Thuy Anh lost 30 kg, from 85 kg to 55 kg, with a balanced figure. She shared that her husband and children are her biggest motivation. Her husband often reminds her of her student days to motivate her to get back in shape. To encourage her to exercise regularly, he also signed up for a gym membership and encouraged his wife after each workout so that Thuy Anh would not give up.

Thuy Quynh

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