- Bethany Dobson ditched fad diets and learned how to lose weight sustainably using calorie counting.
- Dobson lost 44 pounds by cooking light meals of her favorite foods and eating four meals a day.
- Eating a fourth meal in the afternoon will leave you feeling satisfied and help you stay on track, she says.
Like many women, Bethany Dobson grew up watching her mother and grandmother try one fad diet after another, and for a long time, she felt like she needed to do the same.
But it wasn't until Dobson, 22, from Manchester, UK, learned about calories and macros (protein, carbs and fats) and the appropriate amounts of each that she realised fad diets were ineffective and potentially harmful in the long term.
She put these lessons into practice and made two lifestyle changes that helped her lose 44 pounds in a few months: eating lighter foods of her favorite foods and eating four meals a day instead of three. Now she works as an online weight loss coach and personal trainer, helping others lose weight in a healthy, sustainable way.
“In a way, I've become obsessed with the fact that I can eat whatever I want, but as long as it's macro-friendly and uses obviously good ingredients, it could be a good way to cut down on fat,” Dobson told Business Insider.
The US weight loss market is expected to reach $93.8 billion in 2024, according to market data, and Dobson's approach to weight loss is back to basics, eschewing fad diet plans and supplements.
Dobson started making low-calorie versions of her favorite dishes.
Dobson says that as a child she was “a little heavier” than other kids at school. As a teenager, she thought losing weight would require boring dieting and excessive cardio, so she started boot camp training and running, which she didn't enjoy. By age 17, she was partying, drinking and eating greasy takeaway food, and she wasn't losing the weight she wanted.
That changed when Dobson was about 18, when a new partner introduced her to weight training and healthy fat-burning methods.
While Dobson believed there were “good” and “bad” foods that caused weight gain, he learned that overall caloric intake determined whether weight was lost, gained, or maintained.
Dobson tried to lose fat by gradually cutting back on partying and eating nutritious foods with plenty of protein, counting calories, and making sure she was in a moderate calorie deficit (i.e. taking in less energy than she expends). Protein makes you feel full and helps you maintain muscle.
This is the same approach recommended by many registered dietitians who spoke to BI about healthy fat loss.
“It was the first time I'd ever lost fat without starving myself or going on a diet that involved cutting out food,” Dobson says.
A big part of that was making lighter versions of her favorite foods, like pasta, quesadillas and cookies.
Dobson felt strongly that she didn't want to be restricted or deprived too much while losing weight.
“Food is a big part of my life and even if I'm trying to lose body fat I don't feel like I have to only eat chicken and rice,” Dobson said of her go-to gym-goer's diet.
“Fat loss isn't just about nutrition,” Dobson says. “I always tell people that if you only focus on nutrition when it comes to fat loss, it's not going to work very well, because your mindset has a big impact on fat loss.”
She quickly realized that health and fitness were her passion, became a certified personal trainer, and began posting low-calorie, high-protein recipes on Instagram during the pandemic. Her following grew quickly (she now has 689,000), and Dobson started her own company coaching others on fitness, nutrition, mindset, and accountability.
She has since published several recipe e-books, with her latest due for release on June 5th.
“I went from just doing cardio and dieting to training the right way to lose fat and build muscle the right way,” Dobson said.
Eating 4 meals a day helped me maintain a calorie deficit
Dobson also started eating four meals a day instead of three, which she says helped her maintain a calorie deficit — a tactic she recommends to her clients because it helps curb hunger and keeps you from reaching for low-nutrient, high-calorie snacks.
For example, a 300-calorie whole-grain wrap with chicken and veggies for your afternoon snack might make you feel full. Or, if you can't eat anything until dinnertime, you might be tempted to snack on something high in calories and low in nutrients, like cookies, chips, or candy.
“Your brain perceives you're actually eating a meal, rather than just nibbling, and you leave feeling satisfied,” Dobson says.
That doesn't mean you should never eat your favorite low-nutrient foods — nutritionists don't recommend abstaining from foods because it can lead to overeating — but eating less may help you reach your goals.
“It's important to strategically choose your ingredients based on your hunger levels,” Dobson says, “and this has worked well for me so far.”
