{"id":459391,"date":"2026-02-10T03:33:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T03:33:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/459391\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T03:33:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T03:33:15","slug":"how-i-changed-my-body-composition-in-60-days-and-10-habits-that-actually-stuck","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/459391\/","title":{"rendered":"‘How I changed my body composition in 60 days \u2013 and 10 habits that actually stuck’"},"content":{"rendered":"

In many ways, setting health<\/a> and fitness<\/a> goals is the \u2018easy\u2019 bit; keeping going is often where it becomes difficult. Life, as many of us are fond of saying, has a habit of getting in the way. And it does get in the way, which is why planning and prioritising are vital \u2013 as Sarah Mackay, known as @liftwsarah<\/a> online, discovered when she set herself a 60-day body recomposition challenge. <\/p>\n

From the nutrition<\/a> tweaks she used to fuel without restriction to the exercise that kept her motivated, below are the 10 lessons Sarah learnt while working towards her goals. <\/p>\n

1. Routine is key <\/p>\n

It might sound like we\u2019re stating the obvious here, but as Sarah explained in the <\/a>video<\/a> documenting her progress, having a routine is crucial. \u2018I always find the most success on my diets when I have a solid routine in place because you don’t really have to think about what you’re doing. You kind of just set it and then go into autopilot,\u2019 she added.<\/p>\n

2. Prioritise meal prep<\/p>\n

So, what did that routine look like? It started, said Sarah, with logging and prepping her meals. While calorie tracking might not be for everyone, it gave Sarah a useful insight into her portion sizes and what she could feasibly change going forward. \u2018Getting back into calorie tracking is tedious but it is unbelievably effective for understanding your portion sizes and seeing real results,\u2019 she added. <\/p>\n

\u2018After week one, I got really serious with my meal prepping and also started planning my meals for the next day the night before in MyFitnessPal,\u2019 she said. \u2018This way, everything was already pre-logged and all I had to do was follow it.\u2019 <\/p>\n

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\"4<\/a>3. Keep food simple and repeatable<\/p>\n

And on the topic of meals, for Sarah, simplicity was key. \u2018For my meal prep, I like to keep things super simple. I\u2019m personally not someone who likes to spend hours in the kitchen, and instead, I simply choose one protein<\/a> and one carb for the week.<\/p>\n

\u2018For example, right now, I\u2019m on my mince and squash hype, but this can be anything from chicken and rice to chicken and potatoes, salmon, tuna, or any other carb that I\u2019m really feeling that week.\u2019<\/p>\n

Sarah added variety by using different fat sources and condiments and changing how she cooked her carbs and protein, making it feel like she was \u2018having different meals every single day\u2019 despite using the same core ingredients. <\/p>\n

Related Story4. Eat more<\/p>\n

To manage her hunger levels and resist the urge to snack, Sarah also ate five smaller whole-food meals throughout the day. \u2018Focusing on whole, single-ingredient foods allowed me to stay fuller for longer and more than fuelled enough to get through my entire day,\u2019 she explained. <\/p>\n

Related Story5. (Temporarily) cut out sugar <\/p>\n

And while she acknowledged that this isn\u2019t necessarily the right approach for everyone, Sarah also decided to temporarily cut out sugar. After a summer of eating lots of sugary foods, she found the cravings so intense that it felt easier to stop sugar completely for a period of time.<\/p>\n

\u2018For me personally, sugar is super addictive and the less I eat, the less I crave it,\u2019 she explained, adding that temporarily cutting it helped her to avoid the energy peaks and crashes which had previously led to her eating more sugar. <\/p>\n

Combined with her whole-food approach, Sarah added that \u2018It also completely changed the way that I look at food. I now no longer look at what I’m restricting from my diet in order to reach a certain goal, but how I can prioritise certain foods that make me feel my best while reaching my goal \u2013 sometimes that’ll be fruit<\/a> and veg and sometimes that’ll be a piece of cake.\u2019<\/p>\n

6. Volume eating <\/p>\n

Being in a calorie deficit<\/a> can, naturally, make you hungry, which can be difficult to deal with energy and motivation-wise. Sarah used volume eating \u2013 consuming large portions of low-calorie but nutrient-dense foods \u2013 to help her manage her hunger and feel satisfied. \u2018I really focused on getting in more protein in order to feel more satiated after my meals,\u2019 she added, alongside high-fibre foods like fruits and vegetables. <\/p>\n

7. Reframing cardio as something enjoyable<\/p>\n

Having previously seen cardio as somewhat of a chore, Sarah decided to switch up her cardio routine by trying something new: running<\/a>. \u2018Looking back, it was the best decision I ever made during this entire challenge,\u2019 she said. \u2018In the past, cardio has been such a chore for me but with running I felt like it was something that I just wanted to push myself further on and burning calories was more like a positive byproduct of that.\u2019<\/p>\n

8. Adjust rather than panic <\/p>\n

Rather than panicking when her progress plateaued mid-challenge and scrapping her plan altogether, Sarah simply adjusted her routine. \u2018All I did was decrease my calories by around another 200 a day and increased my cardio by one more 25-minute session a week,\u2019 she said<\/p>\n

9. Expect fluctuations<\/p>\n

And on the topic of progress not being linear, Sarah also flagged that it\u2019s important to expect fluctuations, particularly relating to your menstrual cycle, largely thanks to temporary water retention.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s why she also advised not focusing on one marker of progress, aka the scales, and considering other factors such as how your clothes are fitting and your energy levels in the gym.<\/p>\n

10. Know when to rest <\/p>\n

Being flexible with rest days also helped Sarah stay on track and avoid burnout. On days she felt tired, for example, she might swap two workouts for a nice long run \u2013 or rest entirely. <\/p>\n

The verdict <\/p>\n

The biggest takeaway from all of this? \u2018That consistency beats perfection every time,\u2019 when it comes to body recomposition, said Sarah. \u2018You have to stop viewing your diet as something that is all or nothing.\u2019 <\/p>\n

In other words, sustainable lifestyle changes also require you to be kind to yourself. <\/p>\n

Related Stories\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women\u2019s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. \u00a0She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner\u2019s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. \u00a0A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She\u2019s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.<\/p>\n