How Did Mandisa Lose Weight?

‍How Did Mandisa Lose Weight?

Mandisa wowed audiences when she became a popular contestant during season 5 of American Idol.

As a gospel and contemporary Christian singer,  Mandisa’s voice was unique and her song choices were too. Her voice and outgoing personality gained her a spot in the top ten, and she ended up finishing 9th in season 5.

But that was just the beginning of Mandisa’s story.

The artist went on to record multiple albums after she was eliminated from American Idol, and has continued to stay in the public eye for many years afterward.

Though Mandisa had early success with weight loss after her time on American Idol, the death of a dear friend in 2013 sent her on a downward spiral that caused her to gain back the majority of weight she had lost.

In 2017 she released her 5th and latest album, and came back into the limelight, having lost all the weight again and even more.

She has also been very vocal in the past few years about her weight loss struggles and what she has finally found to be the key for her long-term weight goals to remain intact and for her to stay at an ideal place, both physically and mentally.

1. She Experienced a Major Wake-Up Call

Mandisa’s big break – and big wake-up call – came when she first auditioned for American Idol.

Though she immediately impressed the judges, it was Simon Cowell who berated her behind her back about her weight, mentioning to the other judges that they may need to get a bigger stage in order to accommodate her.

Though Mandisa was not aware of Cowell's comments right away, when she was later back home, watching the auditions with friends and other loved ones that she became aware of his inappropriate comments about her weight.

Later, she told him that she forgave him, but she did not forget.

Cowell’s comments would lead Mandisa to begin a weight loss journey that was challenging, but worth it to her in the long run.

It’s never easy to hear someone say something mean or disrespectful about your size or your weight. But sometimes a hurtful comment will actually be the thing that makes us sit up and realize that it is time to make some changes in our life.

In Mandisa’s case, Simon Cowell saying something negative about her weight behind her back was the wake-up call she needed to get motivated to live a healthier life.

2. She Changed Her Relationship With Food

Once she got serious about weight loss, Mandisa has been honest and has talked openly about her relationship with food.

She’s been known to say that how she interacts with food is quite similar to how an alcoholic interacts with alcohol.

She has called herself a "food addict" and says that even when she’s lost weight in the past, it has always come back because she never took the time to fix the root of the issue, which was herself and her own coping mechanisms.

As she has learned to not use food as a crutch and to address issues as they come up, her relationship with food has had the opportunity to change.

Mandisa may struggle for the rest of her life with how she views food, as many of us struggle with something when we realize we are using it to self-soothe, and our relationship with it is not healthy.

This could be a myriad of things, from food to alcohol to shopping to even over-exercising.

Getting to the root of the problem is the only way we can learn to cope with life’s curve balls.

For Mandisa, it seems she has finally figured that relationship out, and she’s been able to lose weight and maintain it because of the work she’s done on herself.

3. She Quit the “Quick Fixes”

Another big key component to Mandisa’s weight loss is her decision to stop trying fad diets and stick with the tried and true approach to weight loss and better health.

After years of yo-yo dieting, supplements, and other “quick fix” strategies for losing weight, Mandisa finally settled on the plan to eat a healthy diet and turned to exercise to help her shed the pounds that just wouldn’t budge.

Most of us, at one time or another, have probably been guilty of falling into the trap that Mandisa did. We think that there’s going to be something out there that’s going to give us the physique we want, but we won’t have to diet and exercise to make it happen.

Or, we think we can speed up the process, or pick and choose which foods we want to eat to achieve the results we are looking for.

But Mandisa is a perfect example of someone who finally just buckled down and did the hard work to lose the weight she wanted to lose.

And lose she did! Now, having lost 120 pounds, this singer/songwriter would certainly tell you it wasn’t easy, and it didn’t happen overnight.

But if you asked her if it was worth it? She would definitely say yes.

4. She Began Working With a Trainer

Working with a trainer was also key to Mandisa’s success.

For artists who must travel a lot, having a personal trainer may make all the difference in their weight loss goals.

When you are on the road, your eating habits are going to be challenged and oftentimes your ability to work out is going to be compromised.

Having a professional guide you through the ups and downs of losing weight, especially when your daily routine is constantly changing, is going to be key.

For most of us, having a trainer may seem less realistic. They may not fit into your budget and you may convince yourself that you don’t need one – that you can do the hard work on your own.

But – if weight loss is something you’ve been struggling with, and nothing seems to be working, you may want to consider investing in a trainer.

They don’t always have to be expensive, depending on where you live and how often you use them.

Another option is to try online training. This is certainly a more cost-effective option, while still allowing you to take advantage of another person’s expertise to help you move forward in your weight loss journey.

5. She Found Friends Who Help Her Stay on Track

Finally, Mandisa did something else during her weight loss journey that was not expensive – but for some, it might still be hard.

Mandisa realized she needed a support network around herself if she was going to lose weight and maintain it. So she called on her friends for help.

There are few things more powerful than good friends when you are on a weight loss journey.

Sure, maybe at first you are hesitant to tell your friends because you’re afraid they may judge you or you will fail and be embarrassed.

But holding ourselves accountable to other people, as Mandisa did, is one of the best ways to stay the course when we are trying to change our lifestyle.

And let’s remember…almost all of us have been at a place in our lives where we are struggling with something and we could use some friends to help keep us focused on our goals. That’s what good friends are for, right?

Mandisa certainly thought so – it has worked for her as she has managed to keep her 120 pounds off, and has great friends as well!