Ree Drummond has surpassed her weight loss goals and has lost 55 pounds after one year of focusing on a healthier lifestyle. After reaching her initial goal weight during summer 2021, Ree continued to keep up her newly-formed habits, and has shed even more lbs. In a new blog post, she reflected on her one year of healthier living. Ree’s journey began in Jan. 2021 ahead of her daughter’s wedding, and she’s opening up about what she’s learned in the 12 months since.
The Pioneer Woman has been open about how she lost the weight, which she reiterated in her new post. She once again made it clear that she didn’t follow any specific diet or training program. Instead, she focused on cutting calories by weighing her food, eating smaller portions and eating more protein. She also started weight lifting to build muscle, in addition to going on walks.
Ree said that being extremely strict for the first five months of her diet allowed her to loosen up a bit over the summer and still maintain her weight loss. “I generally put away the food scale last July and never looked back,” she admitted, explaining that she had become aware of portion sizes without having to use it anymore. Ree also continued to put an emphasis on exercises that build muscle. “As I watched the number on the scale continue to decrease through the summer and fall, I knew without question that it was largely due to the muscle I’d built,” she revealed.
When it comes to alcohol, Ree is back to drinking in moderation, but she said she generally avoids sugary drinks. Instead, she opts for drinks spiked with water and lemon or lime juice. As for food, Ree no longer “bans” anything from her diet, but she’s more aware of portion sizes, especially with items that she considers “wasted calories” (like sweets). “There’s no hard and fast rule, but I’m more mindful of it now, and I try to factor [unhealthier foods] into the day as a whole,” she explained.
Even though Ree lost 55 pounds, though, she said she is still the same person she was a year ago. “A year ago, my life was comprised of living on the ranch, filming my cooking show, working on cookbooks and my product line, and being a wife and slightly weird mom,” she wrote. “Today, my life is comprised of living on the ranch, filming my cooking show, working on cookbooks and my product line and being a wife and slightly weird mom.”