Georgia Malbrough, a stay-at-home mom in Houma, Louisiana, spent most of her life overweight.
“We had to special order my cheerleading uniforms because I was a size 10 at age 6 years old,” Malbrough, 27, told TODAY Health.
By the time Malbrough welcomed her third child in Feb. 2018, she was carrying 231 pounds on her 5-foot-3 frame and wore a size 18.
“I’d have a 30-minute breakdown before getting dressed,” Malbrough recalled. “It wasn’t a habit I wanted to carry into my 30s.”
That’s when Malbrough decided she’d had enough and decided to take control of her health. In 13 months, she lost an astonishing 100 pounds.
Malbrough, who now weighs 128 pounds, opened up to TODAY's Hoda Kotb on Thursday about her inspiring journey and how it started with just one simple step.
“I baby wore my newborn and walked about a mile at first and then I graduated to two miles,” Malbrough explained. She then started researching workout routines on Instagram and fell in love with kettlebell exercises.
Today, she does 40 minutes of strength training and 20 minutes of cardio, six days a week at the gym.
Malbrough, who used to consume six waffles for breakfast, also started living by the CICO (calories in, calories out) plan.
“The only way that your body can eliminate body fat is by burning more calories than you consume,” she explained.
Keri Glassman, a registered dietician, stressed that while counting calories works for Malbrough, it may not be the best plan for everyone.
“You do want to remember that all calories are not equal. One hundred calories of jelly beans is not going to be the same as 100 calories of apple slices and peanut butter,” Glassman noted. “One is going to provide healthy nutrients and satisfy you, and one may increase cravings and not provide you with any beneficial nutrients.”
Though Malbrough still indulges in traditional Louisiana dishes including gumbo and king cake, she makes protein a priority.
“I also try to make sure there’s not a ton of ingredients in whatever I’m eating,” she said. “If I want ice cream, I just follow the portion size.”
For those who are ready to begin their own transformation, Malbrough recommends starting out slow.
“Take one step at a time,” she said. “That’s all you have to do.”