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Weight loss can be tricky, especially when approaching it without the support of medication.
For India Gants, winner of Season 23 of “America’s Next Top Model,” her weight loss journey led her to lose 50 pounds with what she described as “very little effort.”
In a TikTok video, the Seattle-based model shared the “secret sauce” that led to her weight loss success, including three main lifestyle factors: quitting alcohol, eating more protein and weightlifting.
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No. 1: Quitting alcohol
“First of all, weight loss was not my goal,” Gants said. “It was kind of an afterproduct … a byproduct of quitting drinking … [that] kind of kick-started everything else.”
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Gants commented on how being sober has played a “major role” in her weight loss journey, even leading to the launch of “The Sober Scoop” podcast to help others navigate sobriety.
“I quit drinking because I had a drinking problem, but I stay sober for so many reasons beyond that,” she shared. “Alcohol is a class 1 carcinogen, it slows our metabolism, it affects our brain health and it destroys our internal organs.
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“Not to freak people out, but since getting sober, I’ve learned so much more about the negative effects of alcohol, and I have no interest in drinking ever again.”
Beyond the physical outcomes, Gants credits sobriety with making her happier, kinder, more confident and more successful.
“When you’re a heavy drinker, you give up everything for alcohol; but when you’re sober, you give up alcohol for everything else,” she said. “Everything in my life got better, and I feel like everyone deserves to meet their sober selves.”
Gants encouraged others to seek out sober activities that bring them joy.
“Not everything about sobriety is rainbows and butterflies. It was hard to get here,” she said. “Sobriety is worth the upfront investment.”
No. 2: Ramping up protein
The second change Gants made was adding more protein to her diet.
“For me personally, wrapping my head around eating more of something is so much easier than saying, ‘I’m not eating carbs, I’m not eating sugar,’” she said. “I didn’t cut out anything.
“I allowed myself the sweet treats, I allowed myself the bread, whatever I wanted, really, but I tried to eat more protein, and it is like a magic potion.”
Gants noted that protein helps her stay fuller longer while building muscle.
“Protein is so good for you, and it’s such an easy thing mentally to wrap your head around,” she said.
No. 3: Embracing strength training
For fitness, Gants revealed the third change she made to her routine was weightlifting, which she called the “life hack to fitness.”
“You can do your Pilates, your yoga, your walking … but the weightlifting is truly life-changing,” she said. “You have never seen your body as good as it can look until you’ve tried weightlifting.”
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She added that lifting weights doesn’t require too much time — only 15 to 30 minutes, three days per week at the gym led to changes in her body composition.
“Also, strength is tied to longevity, so it’s just good for you in general,” Gants said. “Give it a try, mix in some walking. Those three things helped me lose the 50 pounds with very little effort.”
‘Somewhere in the middle’
Dr. Peter Balazs, a hormone and weight loss specialist in New Jersey, reacted to Gants’ weight loss routine in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“The truth is somewhere in the middle,” he said. “Weightlifting together with a higher intake of protein creates more muscle mass. Additionally, muscle mass memory can come back easily when you stop drinking and live a healthier life.”
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Alcohol consumption “actively opposes” weight loss by adding empty calories, halting the burning of fat, encouraging fat storage, increasing appetite and reducing inhibitions that lead to poor food choices, according to Balazs.
Drinking alcohol can also disrupt the body’s natural recovery and sleep cycle, which can also interrupt hormones and increase the risk of sleep apnea, he added,
Lasting weight loss occurs through sustaining a calorie deficit, which a high-protein diet can help facilitate, Balazs noted.
“Weightlifting ensures the weight that is lost is fat and not muscle,” he said. “All of this together decreases cortisol, which is the stress hormone and biggest enemy of weight loss.”
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In addition to balanced exercise, Dr. Sarah Towne, a family medicine physician with PlushCare, encouraged a balanced diet with fruits and vegetables for a healthy intake of vitamins, fiber and antioxidants.
“You need protein, but you also need whole, plant-based foods.”
“You need protein but not just protein; you also need whole, plant-based foods,” the North Carolina-based expert told Fox News Digital. “Cutting out junk food helps curb cravings and reduces the … onset of metabolic disasters like diabetes and hypertension.
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“When it comes to sustainable weight management, whole foods and lean proteins (skinless chicken, fish, beans) are crucial,” the doctor added. “Combination exercise, including both weight-bearing and cardio activity, is great.”
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