Couple Loses A Combined 525 Pounds; Cites 3 Things To Succeed In Losing Weight

A couple who got rid of a combined 525 pounds shares three tips to reach a successful weight-loss goal.

During the height of the pandemic when the government imposed mandatory quarantines, people sometimes turn to food for comfort. Brittany Neff and her husband Dwight would have followed such a habit. However, it turns out that having each other’s back during these tough times helped them maintain their ideal weight and observe healthy behaviors.

Brittany told TODAY she was once an "emotional eater" and often turned to food to calm her feelings. When she was 23, she faced difficulty sitting behind the steering wheel and had to use a fertilizer scale to find out her weight. At that time, she weighed around 514 pounds.

Dwight admitted he has a "harmful relationship with food". He tried shedding off excess weight but he kept on gaining it back. When he married Brittany in June of 2019, the 34-year-old printing press operator resolved to lose all his excess pounds and never gain it again, with the help of his wife who also became his health coach.

Before Brittany married Dwight, she already observed a weight-loss regimen by following Optavia. This is a program where a person eats packaged meal substitutes and relies on health coaches to drop weight and develop healthy habits. After two years, Brittany’s weight dropped from 514 to 178 pounds. Dwight, on the other hand, lost 189 pounds since March after following his wife’s weight-loss program. He now weighs a healthy 194 pounds.

Brittany eats six small meals daily and exercises at least three times a week to maintain her weight. Her husband observes a similar habit.

"Having that person right there that you know has gone through it and knows exactly how you’re feeling, that just helps normalize everything you’re feeling," Dwight said. They also shared three tips for those who have similar weight problems.

Mental health

Dwight said while eating healthy foods and regular exercise is the key to lose weight, adjusting how one thinks will also help a lot.

"The healthy mind aspect is so important in becoming healthy. It’s something I don’t think a lot of people understand," he said. Dwight added that if people are not dealing with the mental health aspect of weight loss, their health journeys will not last.

Finding a tribe

Brittany said surrounding herself with people who supports her helped a lot in her goal of shedding those excess pounds. It also helped her keep her weight at healthy levels and also cope with all kinds of stressors. She believed that having support is essential to those trying to lose or maintain their weight.

"It all comes back to that sense of community and to just find one, whether it's in our household, whether it's a virtual community or an in-person support community," she said.

Discover the purpose

Dwight said having a sense of purpose helped him a lot to reach his weight goals. When he was young, he had wanted to shed off his excess weight because his dad was ill and he wanted to assure his father that he would be okay.

"Just having that strong reason why this time was going to be different meant this time I couldn’t fail," he said.