Woman Who Shed 80lbs in One Year Credits the 16:8 Method

"How about getting a family picture?" It was the question that Caroline Mabeus used to dread, and she spent years avoiding being in front of a camera.

As a new mom, Mabeus, from Annapolis, Maryland, would constantly snap family photos, but she made certain that she was never in any of them. With unhealthy habits and eating excessive calories, the stay-at-home-mom, 25, hated her body and felt utterly miserable about how she looked, telling Newsweek that she "refused to have any pictures taken" of herself.

With the pounds piling on, Mabeus reached her heaviest weight of 200 pounds in 2022, wearing a size 14 or an XL in clothes, and she'd never felt more unhappy. Every precious family moment was captured without her in it, but as her daughter grew up, she didn't want to stay invisible.

It was at this point that she knew it was time to make some drastic changes, including implementing the 16:8 method into her diet.

She told Newsweek: "I was so miserable, and I genuinely hated myself. I knew something had to change, and this was a big turning point for me. I had many bad habits, but the main ones were how late I was eating and eating too much most days.

"I was probably eating around 4,000 calories a day, eating takeout multiple times a day, eating as late as 10 p.m., and I was having tons of chips and candy. They are all fine in moderation, but I was excessively overeating them."

The average adult woman usually needs between 2,000 to 2,400 calories per day, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, but Mabeus was consuming far beyond that recommendation.

At first, she started off by following a few fitness influencers on social media and using them as her daily inspiration. This was a great start to encourage her to make healthier choices, and she learned about the importance of portion control, which she thinks was a huge step in the right direction.

"While I tried to stay active, I didn't work out and I lost all the weight solely from diet change. Most of my success came from my calorie deficit and portion control. I cut out fried food and excess amounts of sugar, but I ate whatever I wanted in moderation. I drank lots of water and aimed for 100 grams of protein a day," she said.

"I then started looking into intermittent fasting and used an app to help me know when I was fasting and when it was my eating window. There are so many kinds of fasts you can do, but I did a 16:8 fast, meaning I could eat in an eight-hour window between 10am and 6pm. It was definitely a challenge at first, making sure I ate enough so I was full all day, but fighting the urge to give up was very hard."

Fasting was a significant challenge for Mabeus. When her daughter was born three years ago, Mabeus said that she often "ate [her] feelings and was too tired to put the effort into eating healthily." But now, all that's changed.

After just one month, she already noticed a difference and she felt reinvigorated because there was finally "light at the end of the tunnel."

Is Intermittent Fasting a Healthy Way of Losing Weight?

While there are various fasting regimes which can be very difficult to maintain, many people deem them a necessary challenge in order to lose a substantial amount of weight. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, fasting prolongs the period in which the body burns the calories consumed from the last meal and, in turn, starts burning fat.

Being this regimented has shown evidence of improved memory, heart health, physical performance, and tissue health—but it isn't safe for everyone. Fasting is not recommended for children under the age of 18, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or type 1 diabetics. It's also advised that anyone with a history of an eating disorder doesn't attempt fasting either.

Dr. Phyllis Pobee, a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, cautions that while intermittent fasting can be effective it "isn't a one-size-fits-all solution."

Pobee, the founder and CEO of Slim Signal, which provides personalized coaching and tailored nutrition plans, told Newsweek: "The effectiveness and safety of intermittent fasting can vary significantly based on individual health conditions, lifestyle, and nutritional needs. The 16:8 method, particularly, has indeed shown promising results. By restricting eating to an 8-hour window, it can help regulate calorie intake and improve metabolic processes."

But Pobee stressed that people need to create a rounded weight loss approach that factors in nutrition, exercise and wellbeing. Intermittent fasting may be a useful tool, but it shouldn't be the only thing that people rely on.

"It's crucial to note that sustainable weight loss and health improvements often require more than just dietary changes," she said. "It involves a holistic approach that includes physical activity, psychological well-being, and sometimes, medical interventions. While fasting can be a part of a successful weight loss strategy, it should be approached under professional guidance to ensure it's done safely."

'Weight Loss Isn't a Race'

Since reaching her turning point in November 2022, Mabeus managed to shed 80 pounds in a year, and she's swapped her XL clothes for XS. Now, she consumes an estimated 2,000 calories a day, eating in moderation and sticking to healthier portion sizes.

"I have learned that making weight loss sustainable is the most important thing, along with making sure you have a healthy relationship with food and not restricting yourself. I am at my goal weight now, and I hope to build muscle in the future," Mabeus told Newsweek.

The days of hating the camera are long gone for Mabeus, who has now even set up a TikTok account (@carolineefitness25) to document her weight loss and inspire others that real change can be achieved.

She now showcases her figure in her videos to offer encouragement to those who need it, and her clips have gained millions of views on TikTok.

After finding early inspiration from other fitness influencers, Mabeus said she wanted to create her TikTok to show people "that it is possible and urge the doubters not to give up." So far, she has had a hugely positive reaction to her posts, as she adds that people really appreciate how "realistic and sustainable" her weight loss tips are.

"My biggest obstacles were definitely within myself, but I figured out that you have to love yourself at every stage. Your body might not resemble the expectations that you have in your head, so you have to give yourself grace. Weight loss isn't a race, and you will lose the pounds, but you just have to be consistent."

Do you have an amazing weight loss story? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.