Body image complex, young woman reduces waist by 40 cm in 11 months

Once haunted by her appearance at 116 kg, Trinh Tra Giang successfully lost 48 kg and 40 cm from her waist through scientific eating and consistent exercise.

Looking at a quick photo taken during a trip to Tam Dao in 2/2025, Trinh Tra Giang, then 20 years old, was horrified by her reflection. "Do I really look this bad?", she asked herself. This question became a powerful reminder, pushing the 116 kg young woman, who stands at 1,58 m, to change. It was the moment the third-year student resolved to overcome the body image issues that had plagued her since she was 4 or 5 years old.

Giang when she weighed 116 kg. Photo: Provided by subject

Giang explained that her weight gain stemmed from uncontrolled eating habits and a lack of physical activity. Simple daily routines became obstacles. Climbing a few stairs left her tired and breathless. Choosing clothes was also a challenge, as even oversized or plus-size items were difficult to find in her size.

"For a while, I couldn't look directly into a mirror, because the person I saw there was always the person I wanted to avoid most", Giang shared.

Before this, Giang had attempted weight loss many times but always gave up. She recalled forcing herself into strict diets and exercising to exhaustion. She drastically cut food intake and spent 4-5 hours daily exercising, but after only three days, her body lacked the strength to continue. These repeated failures not only discouraged Giang but also eroded her confidence, causing her to withdraw, avoid social interaction, and shy away from cameras.

Determined to change after the Tam Dao trip, Giang began with the basics: adjusting her diet, maintaining activity, and creating a calorie deficit. Instead of meticulously calculating every gram of food or calorie count, she adopted the plate method: one-half vegetables, one-quarter carbohydrates, and the rest protein.

She continued to eat three meals daily, without completely eliminating any food group. Instead, Giang focused on eating bland foods, eating slowly, chewing thoroughly, and increasing her intake of green vegetables to feel full longer and curb hunger between meals.

This plate method, recommended by many health organizations such as Harvard Medical School and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN), aims to help quantify nutrients and prevent overeating. For Giang, portioning food onto a plate helped her control her intake. If she was still hungry, she only added more soup or vegetables, which are low-energy foods.

Giang's daily menu primarily consisted of familiar dishes, prepared at home. For breakfast, she chose steamed buns or half a hamburger. Lunch often included rice or brown rice vermicelli with boiled chicken thighs and green vegetables. For dinner, she ate with her family but adjusted her food portions according to her established principles. Her menu was not limited to boiled or steamed dishes but varied flexibly.

On her days off, she prepared favorite dishes like fried fish and fried shrimp. When busy, she prioritized boiled dishes to save time and easily control oil content. "I realized that the more I forbade myself from eating a certain food, the more I craved it. Therefore, I didn't set overly strict limits; that's how I could sustain it long-term", Giang said.

Alongside dietary adjustments, Giang gradually built an exercise routine. Before joining a gym, she tried walking, cycling, hula hooping, and jump rope, but often overexerted herself and quit. Later, Giang began gym training with a personal coach, learning basic techniques and bodyweight exercises before transitioning to weights. Her lifting weights gradually increased over time.

Giang maintained a workout schedule of 5-6 sessions per week, each lasting about 60 minutes, combining resistance training and cardio. After each session, she walked for an additional two hours on the treadmill. Resistance sessions focused on full-body workouts. During cardio sessions, she performed 5 sets, each comprising 5-6 exercises such as inchworm, crunches, and jumping jacks.

Giang's transformation after weight loss. Photo: Provided by subject

In the initial months, her weight consistently decreased, providing significant motivation. However, after more than three months, the weight loss slowed. She frequently craved food and worried about losing control. Instead of trying to resist, she scheduled "cheat days", allowing herself to enjoy her favorite foods.

Experts suggest that when dieting, the body adjusts its metabolism to slow down and adapt to lower calorie intake. Having a "cheat day" can provide enough calories to "trick" the body, bringing the metabolism back to an optimal level for a period.

After 11 months of perseverance, Trinh Tra Giang lost 48 kg, now weighing 68 kg. Her waist circumference decreased from 113 cm to 74 cm. She feels like she has started a new chapter, more confident in communication, comfortable taking photos, and actively seizing opportunities she once missed.

"From this weight loss journey, I realized that the hardest thing is daring to start. Once you begin, everything gradually becomes easier. Give yourself a chance to love yourself more", she advised.