How I Lost 11% Body Fat in 30 Days (And Gained So Much More)
Okay ladies, here it is—the most requested post to date:
“How did you lose 11% body fat in 30 days?”
First things first: I’m not a doctor, and this is not medical advice. I’m sharing what I did for myself to reach a goal.
Second: my progress was measured with the caliper pinch test across eight areas of my body. Most stayed the same, but my abdomen and hips nearly halved—exactly where women often store excess estrogen.
Park that in your mind, and let me paint a nine-month picture for you…
The Starting Point
Nine months ago, one year postpartum, I stumbled into Brandon Issac Fitness. My business was thriving, but I was lost in my own body and mind. I was resentful, exhausted, and disconnected from myself. And when I resent my business—the thing I love most after my child—I know something deeper is going on.
Within a few workouts, the fog began to lift. It was the movement. I hadn’t moved like that in almost two years. My old motto used to be movement is medicine. How had I let myself forget that?
At the same time, I had signed up for my first half marathon (because, apparently, identity crises = long runs). Those miles gave me a lot of time to think about how I wanted to feel and what needed to change.
If you know me, you know I never recommend something without testing it first. So I decided: in the name of science, I would change my life. I wanted to create a sustainable framework for women to thrive—without rigid rules, without being boxed in by labels like “postpartum,” “perimenopause,” “hypothyroid,” or “burnout.”
Those are symptoms, not identities. They don’t define us.
What we need is a way to tune into our bodies, notice what’s off, and course-correct with simple, sustainable tools.
So here’s what I did.
Step 1: Something Is Better Than Nothing
If you take nothing else from this post, take this:
Consistency beats perfection.
Life is messy. All-or-nothing doesn’t work.
6,000 steps instead of 10,000.
One homemade meal out of three.
5 minutes of arms. 3 minutes of breathing.
It doesn’t matter. Just do it. We’re creating a habit, and repetition is what wires it in—not duration or intensity.
Research backs this up: studies show that frequency matters more than length when it comes to building lasting habits. The act of doing the thing regularly is what creates automaticity.
So for 30 days, I committed to something. Once that stuck, I layered on more.
Step 2: Walking + Movement
My baseline was 10k steps a day and three workouts a week (beyond walking). Did I hit it perfectly? Nope. But I aimed for it—and I never “started over Monday” when I missed.
Other than 1L of electrolyte water every morning this was my only goal for the first 2 months.
Some weeks I lifted four times, some weeks once. Some days 4k steps, others 26k. The magic wasn’t in the numbers; it was in showing up.
Here’s the key: get morning sunlight. At least 10 minutes on sunny days, 20 on cloudy ones, and try to make this as soon as possible after waking up. This simple habit regulates circadian rhythm which is pivotal during this process. Doing this improves sleep, lowers stress, and boosts energy. Add evening light exposure when you can for even more benefit. Biggest bang for your buck, hands down.
Step 3: Cycle Syncing
During those first two months, I noticed my motivation and energy shifted with my hormones. Instead of forcing myself into a 24-hour “male” cycle, I leaned into cycle syncing—adjusting both my workouts and work life around my menstrual phases.
The result? The anxiety and negative self-talk went silent.
Cycle syncing could fill an entire book (and it does—In the Flo by Alisa Vitti is the bible). I’ll just say this: when I stopped fighting my natural rhythms and started honouring them, everything felt doable.
Step 4: Supplementation, Part 1 (Daily Health)
Supplements can feel overwhelming. The truth is, the only way to know exactly what you need is blood work. I did not do this because I am well versed in what symptoms come from lack of certain vitamins. However, I would always suggest getting a blood test to set a baseline.
I’ve used Ritual vitamins for years (their prenatal was the only one that didn’t make me sick). My daily stack:
Multi + Omega-3
Ritual Synbiotic (pre + pro + postbiotic)
Evening magnesium (CanPrev)
Vitamin D drops in winter
Simple, automated (ritual is subscription based), sustainable.
Step 5: Spiritual Practices
This is the one people want to skip. The one people “don’t have time for.” But here’s the truth: if you don’t address what’s happening in your head and heart, no diet or workout will give you the peace you’re looking for.
A spiritual practice doesn’t have to be full moon rituals and burning ceremonies (though I love those, too). It means dropping out of your head and into your heart.
The easiest place to start? Gratitude. Write down three things daily. Something is better than nothing. This takes two minutes and shifts everything.
Once you nail down this habit you should keep developing your spiritual toolkit. But for now, start here.
Step 6: Supplementation, Part 2 (Gut–Brain Axis)
I know this protocol is the part everyone is waiting for—but I need to be clear: you will not get the results I got without doing everything above first.
I spent eight months laying the foundation, but I was still holding onto excess fat, and my sleep was a mess. Like I said earlier with supplementation, my goal was to eliminate as many symptoms as possible before going down a rabbit hole. At this point, I was still waking up in the middle of the night with my heart racing, unable to fall back asleep because my mind wouldn’t shut off. My energy was inconsistent, and my digestion wasn’t right.
That’s when I turned to the gut–brain axis.
The gut microbiome and cortisol have a reciprocal relationship. In my opinion, you need to treat both at the same time, not one or the other.
Cortisol support:
I increased my magnesium at night.
I added CanPrev’s Adrenal Chill (ashwagandha + L-theanine), which helps increase resistance to stress. You can take it at different times of day depending on the benefits you want, but I used it 1 hour before bed to support my sleep.
Gut support:
I took Organic Olivia’s ParaPro for GI tract detoxification. Let me be real—this is not for the faint of heart, especially if your body truly needs a detox. Start on a Friday so you have the weekend to adjust, and drink plenty of water to support the process.
I also ended my on-again, off-again relationship with gluten. For me, it was non-negotiable: gluten triggered brain fog, low energy, scalp eczema, and sometimes debilitating stomach pain. It had to go.
Within four weeks of this protocol, my body finally released the stubborn fat, and my sleep changed dramatically.
The key here is this: you have to feel how you feel when your body and mind are functioning optimally. Once you experience that, you won’t slip backward. You’ll recognize the early warning signs when things are off, and you’ll know how to adjust before you end up two years later wondering, wtf happened?
The Bigger Picture
This wasn’t just about fat loss. It was about reclaiming my body, my energy, and my peace.
For years I thought, if I just lose 10 pounds, I’ll feel better. But it was never about appearance. It was about alignment.
Through this process, I took my power back. I stopped outsourcing my health to experts or fads and started trusting myself. I listened. I responded. I found confidence I didn’t even know I was missing.
In two days, I’ll turn 37. For the first time ever, I want to celebrate my birthday—not for how I look, but for who I’ve become. This past year has been a rebirth I never saw coming.
Final Word
It’s not too late.
Whether you’re a brand-new mom or a 60-year-old woman ready to reclaim her health, it’s never too late. Nine months will pass anyway. Why not make them count?