Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs A woman described how the results of a genetic test sparked a dramatic weight loss journey that has seen her shed over 200 pounds.Obesity is a serious cause for concern in the U.S., with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimating 40.3 percent of all U.S. adults over age 20 fall into this weight category.For most of her life, Tori Phillips, 39, from the San Francisco Bay Area of California, fell into that group. “I have always been a big person,” Phillips told Newsweek.”I was a 10 pound preemie (born prematurely) so large is all I have lived until my late twenties when I had my first experience with extreme weight loss.”That initial “aha moment” came during a trip to Coachella with friends. “That weekend made me realize that if I truly wanted to experience life as I wanted to, I needed to make changes,” Phillips said.From 2012 to 2014, Phillips lost around 190 pounds. Sadly, for Phillips, it didn’t last and by 2021, she found herself effectively starting from scratch, weighing 428, having only recently given birth to her daughter.”I was 3 months postpartum and trying to lose not only the baby weight, but by this time I had put on the majority of the weight I lost previously,” Phillips said.Though, physically, Phillips was back where she had started, mentally, a great deal had changed. It was a change that began in May 2014 when, at 28, Phillips was told she had the BRCA1 gene.It meant her chances of developing breast cancer were significantly higher than average. In 2013, actor Angelina Jolie publicly revealed she was a BRCA1 carrier, which means she had a 60 to 90 percent chance of developing breast cancer. Jolie was reported to have had an 87 percent chance of developing the disease, so opted for double mastectomy surgery, reducing her risk to around 5 percent in the process.”I knew that in my near future that I would be having a preventative double mastectomy,” Phillips said. “With that knowledge I knew I needed to make changes within myself to go through that journey.”
Tori Phillips was determined to change things after the results of a genetic test. She felt losing weight was a crucial part of the journey she would need to embark upon.
Tori Phillips was determined to change things after the results of a genetic test. She felt losing weight was a crucial part of the journey she would need to embark upon.
Instagram/finding_torikins
It was a journey that began in November 2021, when Phillips climbed aboard an exercise bike for the first time.”I knew that I would be having my surgeries within the next two years and I wanted to show up strong,” Phillips said. “Not only for myself but for my newborn who would be watching me go through it.”Phillips spent much of the next year “just riding” on the indoor bike. In September 2022, she underwent bariatric surgery to help further manage her weight and keep it off for good. Once she had recovered from that procedure, she started to gradually add strength training to her busy riding schedule.”An average workout day for me depends,” Phillips said. ” If it’s a strength training day I would do a 10-20 minute ride to warm up and then the 30 minute program I selected from the fitness app.””If it’s a non strength training day I would usually do a longer ride (30-45 minutes) and add in yoga or stretching to help recover from the strength day.”Phillips said that while the amount she is able to eat has “changed dramatically” following her bariatric surgery, she strives for a diet that “satisfies my cravings but is also fueling my body.” “I refuse to restrict or put a moral value on food,” she said.Fast-forward to January 2024 and Phillips is a woman transformed. “I’m down over 215Ibs from my heaviest. I had 34 pounds of excess skin removed in August 2024 and I am seven weeks post my final reconstructive surgery from my preventative double mastectomy,” Phillips said. “I finally feel like I can enjoy and learn what my body is truly capable of.”
Tori Phillips, before and after her weight loss. At her heaviest, Phillips weighed 428 pounds.
Tori Phillips, before and after her weight loss. At her heaviest, Phillips weighed 428 pounds.
Instagram/finding_torikins
It’s a remarkable transformation and one Phillips has been documenting on social media with regular posts to her Instagram Finding_Torikins. One before and after video uploaded to her profile has already been watched over 1.3 million times.If there’s one thing Phillips gets asked more than anything, it’s how she has been able to make the changes. Her advice is simple: Take it slow.”If you try to change everything about your routine at first you most likely will feel overwhelmed and stop before you can adjust,” she said. “Make one change at a time. Add in a 5 minute walk a day or change up one of your daily meals. I like to say ‘you have to take small bites or you are going to choke.'”
