How Ria lost (and kept) 10KGS off despite constant travel

Ria had always wanted to get in shape but struggled with staying consistent, especially with her busy schedule. As a professional who traveled often and enjoyed social events, she found it challenging to juggle her lifestyle with her fitness goals. She joined Autonomy to try a new approach, one that she hoped would help her lose weight without turning her life upside down.

Over time, with Autonomy’s guidance, Ria built solid habits. She learned to track her food intake and began focusing on protein, which kept her feeling energetic and strong. Slowly but surely, the weight started to come off. Six months into her journey, Ria had achieved her weight-loss goal, dropping down to 117 pounds and building confidence she hadn’t felt in years.

But as she celebrated her success, she realized there was another challenge ahead: keeping the weight off without falling back into old habits. Maintenance felt daunting—could she stay fit while relaxing some of the structure that had helped her lose the weight? And could she manage the social events, the dinners out, and the busy work schedule that had always made things difficult?

The Transition to Maintenance

Ria and her coach sat down to map out the road ahead. Together, they planned a gradual shift from weight loss to maintenance. Her coach calculated a new calorie target to help her maintain her weight—about 1,800 calories, significantly more than she was eating during her fat-loss phase. To make the adjustment easier, they decided to increase her intake slowly, adding 150 calories each week. This way, Ria could adapt to her new target without overwhelming her body or risking rapid weight regain.

Throughout this transition, her coach emphasized that maintenance wasn’t about strict rules but about consistency and balance. Ria learned that maintaining her weight didn’t mean sacrificing social events or missing out on the foods she loved; it simply meant being aware and making intentional choices.

Learning to Balance Life and Fitness

As she embraced this new phase, Ria found herself facing the same situations she’d struggled with before—travel, dinners with friends, and work events. But now, equipped with the tools she’d developed with Autonomy, she navigated these moments with more confidence.

On busy weeks, Ria started using the “one plate rule,” a simple approach that let her enjoy meals out without going overboard. When she had social plans, she’d balance her meals earlier in the day, leaving some flexibility to indulge later. By sticking to high-protein meals and prioritizing portion sizes, Ria was able to enjoy her life while staying on track.

She also began adjusting her activity levels. While she’d initially set a high daily step goal to fuel her weight loss, her coach gradually reduced it to a more sustainable 10,000 to 12,000 steps. This way, Ria could stay active without feeling pressured to hit high targets every day.

Redefining Self-Love

For Ria, one of the biggest shifts came in her understanding of self-care. In the past, she associated “treating herself” with indulgent foods or skipping workouts. But as she continued her journey, she began to see things differently. Now, self-love meant making choices that aligned with her goals—choices that made her feel strong, capable, and in control.

Her coach encouraged her to let go of all-or-nothing thinking. Now, if she wanted to indulge, she’d do so mindfully, knowing she had the skills to balance it out later. She learned to ask herself: “Is this worth it? Will I feel good about this choice tomorrow?” This shift in mindset gave her the freedom to enjoy life without guilt, confident that she could always bring herself back on track.

Where She is Now

Today, Ria is navigating maintenance with a steady hand. She’s learning to let go of daily tracking and weighing, trusting herself to make good decisions. Her coach has set a plan to gradually reduce these habits over time so that Ria can rely on intuition and habit rather than strict rules.

She still has occasional doubts, but each day she’s building the confidence that she can maintain her results while living the life she loves. For Ria, this journey has shown her that fitness isn’t a quick fix—it’s a lifestyle that adapts with her, allowing her to enjoy her life fully.

If you’re ready to build sustainable results and find your own balance, book a call with our team here and we’ll chat about how we can help: https://calendly.com/d/3qr-dzb-tgh/autonomy-team-game-plan?