Maria Kirkeland before and after losing 159 pounds. Maria KirkelandMaria Kirkeland lost 159 pounds by focusing on consistency over motivation.She learned about calories, protein, and strength training to break free from fad weight-loss diets.Kirkeland realized she wouldn't sustain her results if she relied solely on feeling motivated.Relying on motivation alone to lose weight won't get you very far.That's the biggest lesson Maria Kirkeland learned when she lost 159 pounds.For years, the 37-year-old from Norway tried to lose weight by not eating enough, which would lead her to binge and put the weight back on — and then some.She broke free from that cycle and lost weight in a healthy, sustainable way when she learned more about calories and started eating more protein and strength training.But Kirkeland told Business Insider that over the course of her weight-loss journey, she realized she wouldn't always feel motivated to stick to her new healthy lifestyle.Knowing motivation wouldn't be enough, Kirkeland strove for consistency over perfection and just kept going.Her journey reflects how attitudes toward weight loss are changing as people stop blaming themselves for being unable to stick to unrealistic and unhealthy fad diets.