A nurse who shed seven stone in a year without using weight loss medication has hailed the protein-heavy breakfast she ate every day as a key driver of her life-changing fat loss. 

Melanie Koz, 21, from Canada, lost almost half her weight last year, reaching a healthy 11st, and has showcased her incredible transformation in a TikTok video that’s so far amassed more than 2million views.

Her secret, she explained, was switching her carbohydrate-heavy diet of burgers, crisps and bread to an eating plan focused on low-fat proteins like dairy and chicken.

Key to this, she said in a series of social media videos, was the breakfast she ate ‘every single day’ for a year: a bowl of non-fat Greek yoghurt and honey topped with fruit.

Not only did the meal keep her fuller for longer, protein helped her to ‘build muscle’ and become ‘tighter and toned’. 

Her transformation, which began in 2023, came after years of failed attempts to lose weight, most of which involved a strenuous exercise routine, with little change to her diet. 

After leaving school and beginning her career as a nurse, she developed an unhealthy habit of eating cheeseburgers and bags of crisps as a coping mechanism after stressful shifts.

But then, she enrolled on a nutrition course during her training, which dramatically changed her understanding of what constitutes a healthy diet.  

Ms Koz encourages slimmers to incorporate snacks into their diet, but emphasises that the higher in protein, the better

 ‘From there I used my newfound knowledge, and the rest is history,’ she said. 

As well as her filling breakfasts, Ms Koz also overhauled the selection of snacks she’d use to get through a busy shift. 

Crisps and chocolate bars were ditched in favour of high-protein alternatives like edamame beans and cottage cheese. 

These nibbles are low in calories but ‘fill your hunger’, Ms Koz said in a video. 

‘Edamame is a great source of plant-based protein. It can help in building and maintaining muscle. It is [also] a great source of fibre which can help you feel full longer’, she explained.

Her meals, meanwhile, were classic favourites with a high-protein twist – like chilli with extra beans and homemade ‘high protein pizza’ with zero-fat yoghurt added to the dough, and low-fat cheese.

She also spoke of eating puddings with a healthy twist, incorporating collagen and protein powder into a bowl of vanilla ice cream.

Key to her weight loss, she said, was ensuring a calorie deficit – but it was easier to stay full with protein-heavy meals.

What’s more, this eating plan meant she didn’t have to ‘torture’ herself with exercise. 

She invested in a home treadmill and went for long walks, before eventually joining a gym for some strength exercises.

Now, she shares her simple weight loss hacks on social media in the hope of helping others who feel like they’ve hit a wall when it comes to transforming their health. 

‘I know how it feels to be on the other side of the screen wishing for a different body,’ she said.

‘I know the feeling of hopelessness after failing to lose weight countless times. For those reasons, I share my journey. 

‘I continue to hope that in some way, what I’ve shared and continue to share, has helped and will help at least one individual.’

High protein diets have long been recommended by some health experts as an effective weight loss tool.

This is thought to be because protein-heavy foods like meat and dairy take the body a while to process, keeping you fuller for longer and less likely to snack. 

Many high-protein snacks are also lower in calories than those that are high in carbohydrates, like bread-based treats.

Studies have previously found that high protein diets can aid weight loss by reducing appetite. 

Protein is a key nutrient that is crucial for building muscle, bone and skin. 

Currently the NHS and other international health bodies recommend eating roughly 0.75g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight every day.

This equates to about 56g daily for the average man, and 45g for women – the equivalent to one medium-sized chicken breast.