I was a junk food junkie but I lost 100 pounds with hacks that are healthier

A woman found a way to eat her fast food favorites while dropping a whopping 103 pounds. 

Georgia Tulk, 30, from Hampshire, England, said she once weighed 357 pounds and frequently ate McDonald’s and Starbucks food from various drive-thrus, South West News Service reported.

Ever since beginning her weight loss journey in November 2022, Tulk managed to lose 103 pounds by creating healthy versions of her fast food meals at home. She has since dropped 6 dress sizes and gained more than 16,000 followers on Instagram, with whom she shares her healthy recipes. 

“I’ve made healthy versions of McDonald’s breakfast muffins, KFC chicken and a Chinese takeaway,” she said. 

“I make pizzas, tacos, burgers, cheese toasties — nothing is off limits. I’ll swap out butter or cheese for low-fat versions and use lean meat,” she added. 

Her creative, healthier choices seem like their calorie counts should be much higher, and they run the gamut of tastes, including a 3% fat double cheeseburger (623 calories), chicken tikka bagels (336 calories), an “absolute HEAVEN” teriyaki chicken (788 calories), a creamy sausage and leek gnocchi (885 calories), faux chicken double burger with onion rings (834 calories) and Christmas tree air fryer pizzas (773 calories).

Before adopting a healthier lifestyle, Tulk said she was a “secret eater” who was frequently bullied for her weight. She recalled one time on a flight to Dubai when she said she held in her pee for seven hours because she was too ashamed to walk down the airplane aisle. 

On another flight, she said she was too embarrassed to ask for a seatbelt extender because her belt didn’t fit.

In August of 2010, she said she was made to get off a rollercoaster at Thorpe Park in Surrey because the ride strap wouldn’t fit over her.

“I could never wear nice fashionable clothes because of my size,” she said.

“I made excuses not [to] join in and do things like paintballing because I feared the overalls would fit. I’d had enough and was determined to make a change,” she added.

In 2022, she realized she needed to change her diet and lifestyle. In addition to swapping her food for homemade versions, she trained at a gym and downloaded My Fitness Pal, a calorie-counting app.

Her life had a major overhaul, but she didn’t need to give up her love of food. 

“I didn’t want to eat bland, boring food for the sake of losing weight,” she said.

“I loved junk food, all the things that are bad for you, so I decided to make my own healthy versions,” she added.

Her food tastes great but is made with less fat, sugar and salt. 

“I do desserts too like ice cream sundaes with low-calorie ice cream and sugar-free sauces,” she said.

“I get creative too — I recently made a Nando’s inspired cheese toasting with lean chicken breast and low-fat cheese,” she added. 

Not only does she feel healthier — but she feels more confident, too. 

“I genuinely have confidence now, and my mindset has completely changed. I’m still on my weight-loss journey, but I’m actually enjoying the process this time around,” she said. 

“I always tell people to find what works for you and run with it. Weight loss isn’t a spirit — it doesn’t matter how it takes you to get there,” she added

She had a word of advice for those hoping to follow in her footsteps.

“Allow yourself freedom to enjoy food — and don’t beat yourself up if you slip up,” she said. 

“Just keep going and don’t give up.”