Maria Kirkeland at the start of her weight loss journey, and in the summer of 2024.Marie KirkelandMaria Kirkeland lost 159 pounds sustainably by counting calories and eating more protein.Kirkeland struggled with her weight for over a decade and felt stuck in a binge-restrict cycle.Strength training and working on her mindset helped her lose weight healthily.Maria Kirkeland had been trying to lose weight for over a decade, but always ended up over-restricting, bingeing, and putting more weight on.It wasn't until the 37-year-old from near Oslo, Norway, learned about calories, protein, and strength training that she finally started losing weight sustainably.Kirkeland lost 159 pounds over the course of two years, and, she told Business Insider, never once felt hungry.She attributes this mostly to two strategies: calorie counting which stopped her from undereating, and consuming plenty of protein to stay full.The rise of weight loss drugs has begun to change perceptions, with more people understanding that there's more to maintaining a healthy weight than willpower.