Ree Drummond began her weight loss journey about a year ago.
American blogger, author, and TV personality Ree Drummond uploaded content on her website, The Pioneer Woman, about her weight loss journey. In June 2019, she published the blog titled “How I Lost Weight (More Importantly: How I Got Healthier!)”.
Ree details her weight loss journey, which includes the things and food she eats and avoids. Her primary goal is not to be skinny but to feel better and have more energy. First, she discussed in the blog the things she didn’t do to lose weight.
The Pioneer Woman revealed that she didn’t do keto or intermittent fasting. Ree admitted that she had tried these two methods before, but both did not work well for her. In addition to that, she doesn’t buy “specialty diet foods” and prefers real food instead.
The blogger didn’t also want to have her own personal trainer aside from her husband, Ladd Drummond. The last one on her no-to-do list is not joining any weight loss program. The simple reason here is that she knows herself, saying “she not good with programs, logging, checking in, and so on.”
Ree Drummond's Weight Loss Tricks
The main keys to Ree’s successful weight loss are:
- She reduced her calories intake
- She walks 2-3miles, doing rowing, and Pilates
- She also does lunges, squats, straight-leg deadlifts, and calf raise
- She upped her protein consumption to build more muscle
- Her favorites are low-fat plain Greek yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, lean beef, chicken, turkey, salmon, cod, and egg whites
- She reduced sugar intake and avoided alcohol
Related Weight-Loss Posts
Moving on with what she did in her weight loss journey, Ree Drummond shared tips on how to lose weight.
The first one on her list is that she reduced her calories intake. The Food Network star said that it was essential for her to count her calories, which she described as “eye opening.” And to be precise that she’s consuming fewer calories, she weighs her food using a digital food scale.
Ree is also into regular exercising because it is a way for her to move her body and make her not feel she’s out of shape. She walks 2-3 miles, doing rowing machines and Pilates – but not with the traditional machine. She usually does this in their house, along with her husband.
However, the author shared that she hit “a major weight loss plateau” a few weeks after Ladd’s accident. Ree said she stopped losing weight and got a little frustrated with it. Yet, rather than dwelling much on it, she researched what else she needed to do – that’s building muscle.
The Pioneer Woman asked her husband what she needed to do to build muscles. Ladd told her that Ree should work on her legs and butt muscles first since those are bigger than her arm muscles. After a few months of doing lunges, squats, straight-leg deadlifts, and calf raise, she got a good result.
During her weight loss plateau, the blogger also increased her protein consumption, which is essential to building muscle. Some of her favorite high-protein foods include low-fat plain Greek yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, lean beef, chicken, turkey, salmon, cod, and egg whites.
Ree also reduced her sugar intake, which contributes to gaining calories. Aside from the sweets, the Food Network star avoided drinking alcohol, as well. Both could significantly impact the weight and cause a significant setback in the process.
As for what else the author did, she began switching to a standing desk and continued working on her weight loss journey. Lastly, to track her progress and see how far she has come, Ree shared she used the Happy Scale app, a weight loss tracker.
What did Ree Drummond learn one year after her weight loss journey?
In a blog she published in February 2022, the author revealed that she lost 55 pound. The first part of the journey was the hardest, but she said the “intense stage” doesn’t last forever. Since she also weighs her food, her body is now accustomed to eating smaller portions.
Drinking alcohol is also fine, as long as it’s being taken in moderation. Ree said she began having social drinks during the summertime, but certain drinks are off-limits. These include daiquiris, margaritas, and cocktails with syrups or fruit juice.
The Pioneer Woman also learned that it is important to move and keep your body active even if you don’t do regular exercise. She also weighs herself daily – first thing in the morning – to keep track of how much she gains or loses.
But while losing weight and becoming healthy is a lifestyle change, Ree said it hasn’t changed her life. For her, lifestyle change meant that “one’s day-to-day life would be totally different and unrecognizable.” It would be best to deem it as perspective change instead of lifestyle change.
Ree Drummond shares what changes after she hits rock bottom.
At some point, Ree revealed that she had hit rock bottom – it was a night of chips and salsa. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight in September 2021, the blogger said that everything was creeping up, and they had to take her son, Bryce, to college.
“And I tell this story, but I basically hit rock bottom eating chips and salsa one night. I went a little overboard, but I thought that night, ‘I am going to start tomorrow, I am doing something different.’ And I just started and I almost lost 60 pounds now,” she revealed.
Now, she said that she feels great and heading in the right direction. She realized that it was never about losing a certain amount of weight – but more about what you really feel. It does not matter how much you lose as long as you feel great and strong.
“Even when I was thinner, I don’t think I ever have been a squatter or a lunger before. Not since my ballet days. So it’s really nice to just kind of feel the muscles that I thought were gone forever.”
Ree Drummond says her style didn't change even after losing weight.
In an interview with People in October 2021, the Food Network star talked about her Fall clothing line for Walmart and discussed her personal style after her weight loss. At first, she thought she would like to wear tight clothes, but she still loves the same clothes.
“My size may be a little bit smaller, but I still love the [loose] silhouettes,” Ree explained. “A little ruffle here and there. Empire waist. I still like the relaxed fit with enough fitted little details that it doesn’t look like I’m wearing curtains. It’s still very flattering. I’m still loving the same style.”
When asked what’s her favorite from the Fall collection, she said blouses are her “love language.” Ree explains, “I took the same approach that I take with my housewares line, which is if I don’t absolutely love, love, love it, I don’t think it should be in the line.”