Tiffany Howard’s Story: She Ditched Yo-Yo Dieting and Reclaimed her Metabolic Health
- laurincampos
- 2 hours ago
- 6 min read
She lost and regained 100 lbs time and time again, then OPTAVIA broke the cycle.
For many, the battle with weight isn’t just about the number on the scale — it’s a lifelong emotional journey filled with peaks, valleys and profound realizations.
Tiffany Howard knows this struggle intimately. After losing 100 lbs twice with DIY diets, her weight loss journey with OPTAVIA has helped her lose (and keep off!) 200 lbs* and shifted her focus from "skinny" to "healthy."
Tiffany’s story, featured in People, offers hope to anyone who feels like they’ve tried everything.
Here's how she turned decades of struggle into a powerful testimony of renewal and resilience.
A Childhood Defined by the Scale
Tiffany’s awareness of her weight began early. While other children in her elementary school played freely, she felt the physical impact of her size. And the emotional impact too. Her private school uniforms had to be handmade because standard sizes didn't fit.
"From third grade on, there was never a time I was not on a diet," Tiffany recalls. Even at such a young age, she was cycling through fad diets, attempting to manage her intake in a desperate bid for control.
However, the psychological pull of food was strong. For Tiffany, food was more than sustenance; it was an "emotional comfort and security blanket." This complicated relationship created a cycle that would follow her into adulthood.
As Featured in People
Tiffany Howard’s life-changing transformation was recently highlighted in People magazine, bringing national attention to her journey of improving her metabolic health, building sustainable habits and reclaiming her life.
The Cycle of Loss and Regain
By the time she turned 18, Tiffany had already lost 100 pounds — twice. But without sustainable habits, the weight always found its way back. Desperate for a solution, she underwent gastric bypass surgery at 18.
While the surgery helped her lose weight initially, it didn't address the root cause: her habits. "I didn’t change any of my habits," she admits. She was battling metabolic dysfunction, high blood pressure, brain fog and a lack of energy. Restrictive dieting was causing her to lose critical muscle mass instead of just fat.
The cycle continued through adulthood. After her daughter Peyton was born with an illness and given less than a year to live, Tiffany’s focus shifted entirely to keeping her child alive. Her own health took a backseat as she poured herself into caregiving (her daughter, now 17, has defied the odds of living past the age of one, thanks to her unwavering care and dedication). Five years later, pregnant with twins and on bedrest, she gained 90 pounds.
"It wasn't until the twins were three that I felt hopeless," she shares. "I felt like there was nothing else out there [that could actually get and keep my health under control]."
The Turning Point
New Year's Eve, 2015. Tiffany found herself in a pizza place, crying to her husband about how miserable she felt. She was suffering from severe chronic conditions.
"Through traumas and trials, food was my archenemy," Tiffany explains. "It was what was causing me so much pain, but it was also my best friend because it gave me comfort."
That evening, she saw a Facebook post from a friend who had found success with OPTAVIA. A small voice inside her head whispered, ‘Why not try one more time?’
Her motivation was simple but powerful: "I didn’t want my kids to be embarrassed of me. I needed to be healthy, alive and strong enough to take care of Peyton — because if I wasn’t, no one else would.”
Related: What is OPTAVIA?
Choosing Health Over "Skinny"
When Tiffany said yes to OPTAVIA, she initially viewed it as just another diet. She expected the same restrictive misery she had known her whole life. Instead, she found something that changed her entire existence.
"It was the most amazing system that improved my metabolic health," she says. "The whole basis of the program is the habits that I created."
And while habits were the foundation, support was the catalyst. With a coach by her side and a community that understood the journey, Tiffany had the accountability and encouragement needed to keep those habits in place — even when motivation wavered.
The results were staggering. Tiffany lost 80 pounds in six months and eventually lost a total of 200 pounds.* She built her body a new foundation, resetting it from the inside out.
Related: How Much Do You Really Know About Metabolic Health? New Survey Reveals Major Knowledge Gaps
The financial investment, which she initially worried about, turned out to be negligible. "It didn’t cost me more than what I was already spending," she realized, noting the science-backed nutritional products helped save on groceries and dining out.
Non-Scale Victories and New Horizons
Her transformation wasn't just physical. Tiffany found a new sense of confidence and freedom.
"I felt like I was judged wherever I went," she remembers of her past. "Will I break the chair? Fit into a booth? Today, I'm not judged anymore."
Simple joys, like fitting into a rollercoaster seat at Disney or shopping in standard clothing stores, became monumental victories. "I feel pretty again. I feel comfortable in my own skin."
Her goals have now shifted from weight loss to longevity. "Now that I’m at a healthy weight, what's the next goal I can make?" she asks.
Now, she is chasing muscle growth, understanding now that muscle mass supports overall health and well-being. Since 2019, she has run a half marathon, Spartan races, 5Ks, 10Ks and has plans for much more.
Becoming a Change Agent
Tiffany’s success inspired her to pay it forward by becoming a coach — part of a model where research shows clients who work with a coach lose 10x more weight and 17x more fat than those who go it alone.**
"I had a friend who needed to lose 200 lbs, I felt like I had to become a coach to help her," she says.
For Tiffany, stepping into the coaching role added a new level of accountability and purpose — and opened the door to an unexpected financial opportunity.†
As a coach, Tiffany gained the ability to earn income† while building a flexible, mission-driven business rooted in helping others change their lives.
What surprised her most was how closely purpose and income aligned. By supporting others on their health journeys, Tiffany not only reinforced her own healthy habits, but also created a sustainable way to contribute financially while making meaningful impact.
The benefits extended beyond income. 85% of coaches who successfully kept weight off long-term, say that coaching helped them stay on track and make healthier choices every day.‡
Beyond personal growth and life-changing income†, Tiffany emphasizes the broader impact of her journey. She believes a mother often becomes the “change agent” for an entire family.
“If I didn’t change, my kids would have gone down the same path,” she reflects. “I am proud of the mom I have become.”
Advice for Others
Tiffany’s message to those struggling with their weight is one of compassion and hope.
"It’s not their fault," she insists. "For so long I blamed myself." She wants people to know that metabolic dysfunction is real, but it's reversible. "They can fix it. Health is a never-ending journey; there is always a next level."
Her story stands as a reminder that no matter how many times you have tried and failed, it is never too late to find the solution that works.
"On my worst day, I could do this [program]," she says. "It worked even in the craziest season of life."
Transform Your Health with OPTAVIA
Have you been struggling with your weight, brain fog or constant fatigue? You’re not alone — and for many, these challenges are signs of underlying metabolic dysfunction.
OPTAVIA’s breakthrough science, Metabolic Synchronization™, is designed to support a healthy metabolism by activating a strong and targeted fat burn with science-backed nutrition, habits and one-on-one coaching.
If Tiffany’s story resonates with you, it may be time to try a different approach — one focused on holistic metabolic health, not just weight loss.
Learn how OPTAVIA can support your health journey today.
*Average weight loss on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan® is 12 pounds. Clients are in weight loss, on average, for 12 weeks.
**Those on the Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan with support of an OPTAVIA coach successfully lost 10x more weight and 17x more fat than those who tried to lose weight on their own.
Arterburn LM, Coleman CD, Kiel J, et al. Randomized controlled trial assessing two commercial weight loss programs in adults with overweight or obesity. Obes Sci Pract. Feb 2019;5(1):3-14. doi:10.1002/osp4.312.
†This income testimonial is not representative of the average earnings that Coaches achieve with OPTAVIA; only a very small number of Coaches will achieve income that is within the range of this testimonial. OPTAVIA makes no guarantee of financial success. Success with OPTAVIA results only from successful sales efforts, which require hard work, diligence, skill, persistence, competence, and leadership. Please see the OPTAVIA Income Disclosure Statement (https://optavia.me/IDS) for statistics on actual earnings of Coaches.
‡Coleman, C., Kiel, J., LaCalamita, C., Frye, N. and Provelengios, L. (2022) Healthy Habits Associated with Successful Weight Loss Maintenance on a Commercial Program: Learnings from a Research Survey. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 13, 453-462.