Real Life Weight Loss: I lost 70lbs and became an online model after a breakup

At 220lbs, Miriam Blanco from Houston, Texas, was body shamed by her first husband, claiming she was too fat and she was lucky he had stuck around. Over time, their relationship broke down; Miriam blamed herself and wished she was slimmer. 

In 2015, Miriam suffered a horrific car crash and was told she had a 50/50 chance of being able to relieve the pain on her spine. 

Miriam told Truly: “I didn’t want the pain medication, I already knew the pain medicine wasn't an option so I decided to beat the pain through exercising and eating right."

Miriam saw this opportunity to get the body she always wanted. After three months, Miriam's weight started to drop, her self-esteem grew and her back pain improved.

“The accident made me change everything. Not only my diet, but patience and dedication." Miriam found new confidence since losing 70lbs from the tragic accident and last year she even started an OnlyFans account. 

Miriam added: “If I could say something to someone who wants to lose weight, you got to think about it as a job. You want a promotion? What do you do? You work harder. The journey is a reward." 

Today, Miriam is living a far happier life with her new husband and four children. She said: “For someone getting body shamed, soak it up like a sponge and use that energy at the gym. You let it all out!”

Our takeaway? Miriam used to starve herself before discovering how to create a sustainable diet, which inevitably made her want to eat even more. It's well worth taking the time to find the diet that's right for you, whether that's browsing the best vegan cookbooks or trying the 16:8 diet plan. 

A great way to begin is to find new ways to incorporate healthy cooking into your diet. Ditch your old grease-laden fried foods, sugary snacks and deep-fried chicken for healthier alternatives. 

Using the best grill for healthier cooking and best air fryers, you can cook food that tastes just as good with far fewer calories. One 2015 study (opens in new tab) showed air fryers added substantially less fat during the cooking process, meaning fewer calories overall.