How I Lost 15kg in One Year – My Honest, Sustainable Guide

Okay. So this is something I get asked about all the time. Friends, people I know, even acquaintances. “How did you lose 15 kilos in a year?”

And I always feel like it’s not one dramatic secret. It’s not some crazy diet. It’s not suffering. It’s actually way more simple than people expect.

So I wanted to put everything into one proper guide. Exactly how I did it. In my way. What worked for me.

And first things first:

Step One: Be Clear About What You Actually Want

SAVE IT

Before anything else, you need to ask yourself:

What is your goal? What do you actually want to look like?

For the longest time, I was kind of “skinny fit.” I went to the gym a lot. I lifted weights. I tried to turn fat into muscle. I was sporty, I had muscles, I looked athletic.

But I always felt like actually losing weight was really hard for me.

Because when you train a lot, especially heavy weightlifting or intense workouts, your hunger goes up. A lot. I was always hungry. Or craving something. Or just never fully satisfied with what I ate.

And at some point, I realized that I didn’t actually want the super athletic, muscular look. I didn’t want to be ultra toned with visible muscle mass. What I personally wanted was more of a lean, slim, toned body type.

And that changes everything.

Especially as a woman, I really recommend thinking about this properly. Do you want:

• A sporty, muscular aesthetic?
• Or more of a lean, soft, slim, toned shape?

Both are beautiful. But they require different approaches.

Once I realized I wanted the second one, it became so much easier to define my next steps. Because then I didn’t need to train like a bodybuilder anymore.

If you’re unsure, go on Pinterest. Seriously. Look up some inspo you feel drawn to. And then reverse engineer it.

Ask yourself:
What kind of lifestyle does this body type likely require?

That’s where it starts.

Movement: 10,000 Steps a Day (Non-Negotiable)

The biggest shift for me? I stopped going to the gym all the time.

Instead, I switched to walking and Pilates.

I walk at least 10,000 steps every single day. Non-negotiable. I do it next to work, around work, after work – I just fit it in.

And at some point, it simply became a form of therapy for me.

It clears my head. I get new ideas. I process things. I feel refreshed. It doesn’t feel like punishment. It feels good.

It usually takes me 1–2 hours depending on the day.

And I really recommend doing it outside if you can. Not just on a treadmill. Go outside. Fresh air. Different surfaces. Walk through a field, a forest, uphill, downhill.

When you walk outdoors, your body works differently. You naturally engage more muscles. You move more dynamically. It’s just a different experience.

And the best part?
Walking doesn’t spike your hunger the way high-intensity workouts do.

Why Less Intense Workouts Helped Me More

This might surprise some people, but for me: less was more.

When you do very intense workouts, you’re exhausted after. And automatically, your hunger increases. And then you justify eating more because you “burned it.”

I’ve been there.

You think:
“I worked out so hard, I deserve this.”

And suddenly you eat more than you actually need.

With walking and Pilates (I do Pilates around 2–3 times a week, either at home or in a studio), I feel toned, strong, feminine – but not constantly starving.

And that made a huge difference.

Nutrition: I Eat Two Meals a Day

SAVE IT

This was another major shift.

I eat two meals per day. Not three.

My first meal is around 1pm. My second around 6–7pm.

And here’s the important part:
Both meals are proper meals. I eat until I’m satisfied.

Lunch (My Absolute Favorite)

I eat bread rolls. Yes. Bread.

Usually with chicken breast cold cuts. And I love it. I genuinely love it.

I’m such a bread person. My friends laugh at me because I call myself a “bread junkie,” but it’s true.

My favorite are walnut rolls. So I get some healthy fats from the walnuts too.

And here’s the key:
Two rolls keep me full for hours. Completely full. No snacking. No cravings.

So my biggest tip is this:

Find a meal that truly satisfies you.
Not something tiny. Not something you “should” eat. Something that makes you feel full and happy.

Because what many people do is eat a small breakfast, then they’re starving at lunch and overeat.

If your first meal truly satisfies you, your whole day changes.

Dinner

Dinner is usually some version of chicken with rice and vegetables. Often spinach because I love spinach.

Sometimes I switch it up: chickpeas instead of rice, quinoa, something similar. The base idea stays the same – protein-focused, filling, simple.

And yes, I basically eat the same things most days.

And I actually recommend that.

Find meals you genuinely love. That you could eat almost every day. And build around that.

Before, I loved pasta. I’m a pasta girl. But now I eat more rice.

If you’re obsessed with pasta, try red lentil pasta. It’s high in protein, super filling, and gives you that pasta feeling. You can still eat it with Bolognese. It doesn’t feel like diet food.

That’s the point. It shouldn’t feel like punishment.

The Most Important Rule: Be Actually Full

After each meal, you should be satisfied.

Not painfully full. But full.

To the point where you don’t want dessert.
Not because you’re restricting yourself. But because you’re genuinely good.

Most snacking happens because:

• You weren’t full enough.
• You weren’t satisfied.
• Your meal wasn’t enjoyable.

If your two main meals are delicious and filling, you don’t even think about snacks.

And hidden calories in snacks are usually the real issue.

For me, having two strong, satisfying meals changed everything.

I literally look forward to my lunch every day. I’m excited for my bread rolls. Same with dinner. That makes it sustainable.

And sustainability is everything.

I Don’t Count Calories

I don’t count calories and I also wouldn’t recommend it long term.

Instead, I focus on:

• Walking daily
• 2–3 Pilates sessions per week
• Two strong, protein-based meals
• No random snacking
• Meals I actually love

No crash diets. No extremes. No cutting everything out.

Because you don’t want something that works for 8 weeks.
You want something that works for years.

Final Thoughts

Losing 15kg didn’t happen overnight.

It happened because I simplified everything.

I stopped chasing the “perfect fitness routine.”
I stopped overtraining.
I stopped eating tiny meals and then overeating later.

I got clear about the body type I wanted.
I built habits that felt good.
And I repeated them daily.

That’s it.

If there’s one thing I want you to take from this:

Find something sustainable.
Find meals you love.
Move your body daily in a way that doesn’t exhaust you.

And be honest about what you actually want.

Everything else becomes much easier after that.