Celebrity hair and makeup artist Pureness shares her body transformation and reveals how she managed to lose over half her body weight naturally in 2 years. Behind the glitz and glam, she was experiencing major health issues and this made her determined to commit to making healthier lifestyle decisions to help her lose weight. Pureness reached her goal weight by going keto, practicing the One Meal A Day (OMAD) version of intermittent fasting and increasing her steps.
What was your motivation to lose weight?
So as a celebrity hair/makeup artist as you can imagine things get hectic.. Serving my clients promptly and with care is always my first priority. Now it seems my story and lifestyle have put me in front of the cameras and on the red carpet more lately; which is so amazing and demanding too. Basically, I have been living a double life. Well, not the way many would think, but being behind the camera and in front at the same time, can be challenging, but everyone wants to hear my story and here’s why….
I decided to make a lifestyle change a bit before the pandemic and with much success, however, it didn’t fully stick at the time. When the official lockdown happened I was down in weight but with no real plan or mental strength on the path ahead. I finally got serious a couple weeks into the lockdown. I then created a mental space for myself to heal from past traumas and allow myself to be the love of my life. That is when my life took a major turn – for the best! At that point I still had major health issues and I was determined, if nothing else, I would rid myself of them, and that I did!
What changes did you make to your diet?
I chose to live a Keto lifestyle while intermittent fasting. I told myself that whatever lifestyle I chose, would have to be attainable for life, to lose weight and maintain a healthy future for myself.
Why did you choose to go extreme?
So when I tell people I chose the most extreme intermittent option OMAD (one meal a day), I don’t always get favourable responses. I went extreme because I knew I needed to cut carbs entirely from my diet, so I wouldn’t be triggered. The reason why I went even more extreme and decided to OMAD, was because I knew with my schedule if I took in all of the right calories and nutrients in one sitting, I wouldn’t be left to snack or overeat on the road.
What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
I have gone about it the healthy way and went from almost 400lbs to 148lbs in approx 2 years. I was in a size 30 and now wear fit into small/size 4 or 5. In the beginning, I never set goals or demands on myself. I thought as I was getting close to 170lbs I would be happy to stop there, but I realized I wanted to no longer be “overweight”. So I kept going until I got to my recommended weight, and I love the energy I have. Now being behind and in front of the camera is demanding on my time but not on my body. I never in a million years would have thought I would fit into single digit size clothing, but I did it and I did it with self love, determination, love for my family and naturally!
Since losing the weight, do you still practice one meal a day/Keto?- what are the challenges if any at all.
I still follow the same lifestyle change that I started out with. In the beginning I made sure that the choices I made were something I could do for life, so once I started I knew Keto/Intermittent fasting was it for me. I will continue to do this for the rest of my life. Don’t get me wrong there were hard days -mostly in the beginning- however, I got through them with the mental and emotional training I was giving myself day in and day out. I told myself I would never quit and that meant even after I got to my desired weight.
Yes, to answer your question I did have “cheat“ days. At first I stuck to two slices of pizza once a week and still just had one meal. Now my cheat days carry on for 24 hours or a little more and I eat just about whatever I want. I sometimes hold off on cheat days until I’m out of the country so I can try different things or have date nights with my significant other (about once a month).
What would you say helped you sustain an OMAD/Keto lifestyle?
Because I will continue to be on Keto and have been for some time, it is much easier now. I can eye ball my portion sizes, and I am also able to eat out with no fear of falling off. It wasn’t always that easy, however, with the lockdowns there weren’t many outings happening; so there were no added pressures back then when I wasn’t as secure in my new lifestyle. What helped me transition into the position of comfort I have now, was repeating meals, and getting to know them inside out. Once I knew all about one meal and repeating it day after day for a few months I could go on to the next. So far this has given me much success!
Did you exercise and what exercises did you do? Do you train differently now you’ve lost the weight?
I worked out and lifted in the past, but after getting into my journey, I realized I really wasn’t doing enough especially for all the calories I was taking in. I learned that working out wasn’t always only about going so hard that I couldn’t breathe, but also taking walks etc. Once I found my personal balance in my cardio and weight training I loved to do it even more and now workout daily vs once a month like in the beginning of my journey.
What’s the current state of your health?
My health is much better. I rid myself of many pains and diabetes as well. I am so happy and proud that I was able to take my health into my own hands, that I once thought was impossible to do.
I got so many tips and resources online and compiled them to help me figure out a great meal plan. That way I knew what to add to my one meal to help me take in my needed nutrients. I started off with eggs salmon and avocado. I ate that exact meal for about a year. One meal on repeat everyday and guess what… I loved it. Day in and day out I made it to my liking and even looked forward to it. Making sure I loved my food and it was also filling, made it just that much easier to stick with it. Later I would switch my proteins and still have about the same portion but instead of eggs and salmon, I would eat beef ribs, steak, chicken wings, or even oxtail.
What impact did your weight loss make in your professional and personal life?
My weight loss has changed every part of my life for the better. I have more energy for my career as a hair/makeup artist. I sweat less in the presence of clients. I am more comfortable going out to industry events and mingling with the elite. My personal life became stronger because I was stronger. I was able to love even more, because I wasn’t down about how felt.
What do you want everyone to know?
For so many years I wanted to or “tried” to lose weight. Nothing worked because I had a warped sense of what would help me take off the weight. I hated to hear that it just took a good diet and exercise. I wanted the quick, easy way out. The problem is I would take the longer, harder and more expensive way to go about it, and it would fail every time. The one thing I would say that many forgot to advise me is it isn’t just fitness, and healthy eating at all – It’s a new way of thinking.
If you have ever wanted to be in a better place, no matter what that place is, please look within. No, I’m not a professional so please take my advice with a grain of salt. However, from experience and from now helping many people on their life journeys, I know it all starts in your head. Getting an entire new mindset is what did it, and for me was the cheat code to my weight loss success. Clearing negative self talk or self sabotage, all starts with you. Whatever it takes to heal or grow, if you wish to be in a happy place in the end, be sure to do your work. I did and I will never look back. It wasn’t just about the weight for me. It was about loving me the right way. And now that I feel and understand true self love -beyond just saying it- I want to share it with the world.
Connect with Pureness HERE:
Instagram: @facesbypureness
