New mom reveals how she dropped over 50 lbs ‘naturally’ in less than a year

A self-confessed binge eater has shared how she dropped over 55 pounds naturally in less than one year.

Living off processed foods such as pizzas, fries, and chocolate, Kalli Baldwin weighed 203 pounds at her heaviest. “I was so fed up of living a lie,” Baldwin told Newsweek, after revealing she couldn’t post a photo on social media without slimming herself down using an editing app.

Typically donning size 14 clothes, Baldwin, from Cambridgeshire, England, felt trapped in a vicious cycle of unhealthy habits, but a turning point came not long after her daughter, Kaia, turned 1.

Now aged 24, Baldwin weighs 147 pounds and couldn’t be prouder of her achievement. A video of her weight loss has more than 2 million views on TikTok under the username @kallibaldwin.

An extract from the clip’s caption reads: “No I have not had surgery, Ozempic or taken any weight loss supplements.”

The business development manager told Newsweek that she embarked on an 11-month journey into a calorie deficit. This means she consumes fewer calories than her body burns, leading to weight loss as her body uses stored fat for energy.

The Cleveland Clinic, a nonprofit academic medical center, says that a deficit of 500 calories per day will allow you to lose 1 pound per week, ensuring weight loss is safe and sustainable while maintaining a balanced diet for health.

Baldwin meticulously managed her intake, starting from 1,800 calories and gradually reducing it to 1,600. Exercise was minimal for the first eight months, and she only went on walks and worked out for no more than 15 minutes at home while her daughter napped.

However, her regimen evolved into achieving 10,000 steps a day and integrating more consistent exercise, attributing 80 percent of her success to diet changes and 20 percent to physical activity.

Baldwin said: “Most of the weight dropped off because I stopped snacking on junk and prioritized a high-protein diet.

“I didn’t count steps at the start as I wanted to ease myself in—some days, I would walk to the local shops; and others, it was four miles or more.

“This January, I joined a gym, and now I go around two to three days per week,” Baldwin added.

Reflecting on her past, Baldwin said that she began to gain weight when she stopped exercising at around 18 years old. But her bad habits spiraled as she faced unemployment during the first six months of COVID-19.

“Looking back, I can now see that I had a problem with alcohol as I couldn’t go a night without it,” Baldwin told Newsweek. “Then I would eat bad food, and continue eating junk the next day as I was hungover.”

Consuming alcohol stopped when she discovered she was pregnant, but the binge-eating continued up until her daughter Kaia was about 18 months old.

“I was so uncomfortable with my appearance; I couldn’t even post a photo on social media without editing it. Then I didn’t want to leave the house in case someone saw me and realized I don’t look like the slim and healthy person I was pretending to be online.

“It was so toxic,” Baldwin said. “Suddenly, a switch flipped in my head and I realized I need to sort myself out.”

Determined to break free from her unhealthy lifestyle, she made a pivotal change in May 2023 by swapping a photo-editing app for a calorie-tracking one.

Baldwin doesn’t know how many calories she was once consuming, but she estimates more than 3,000 per day. Two bottles of wine total over 1,000 alone. A bag of sharing crisps are around 500 calories, and an oven pizza can range from 300 to 700 or more, depending on the toppings.

Today, Baldwin wears sizes 4 and 6, a dramatic shift from her previous wardrobe. More importantly, she has embraced a new lifestyle that enhances her energy and ability to be an active and present mother.

“I wanted Kaia to have an energetic mom. I needed to change for her and for myself,” Baldwin said.

“Not only that but I am confident and no longer feel the need to edit my images. I feel a lot better sharing an unedited version of me online.

“Thinking back to the first year of my daughter’s life makes me sad. I never want her to feel like she needs to edit photos of herself.”

Newsweek previously spoke to a handful of health experts who highlighted simple ways you can boost your metabolism without spending hours in the gym.

Their tips include prioritizing sleep, eating more protein, walking, lifting weights and drinking over two liters of water per day.

Is there a health issue that’s worrying you? Let us know via [email protected]. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.