How Long Island diner owner Ekaterina Liaros Langis lost 140 pounds

HER STORY

Ekaterina says she wasn’t always “crazy heavy” but was the only one in her extended family who was overweight, and, she says, with her Greek background and owning a diner “someone with a meatball on a fork was always chasing me.”

When her son was born three months premature, Langis says her obstetrician attributed it to her excess weight. “After crying the rest of the day, I told myself I had to do something,” says Langis.

Her son thrived and was discharged after 93 days. That’s when Langis got to work on herself. She says she tried several weight loss methods — Keto, Atkins, juicing — but it was intermittent fasting that worked for her. She would fast for 18 hours and eat within six consecutive hours, or fast for 20 hours and eat within four hours. Changing up the routine, including some non-fasting days, was working but Langis admits the first four weeks were very hard. “I ended up adding in the best parts of all the diets I tried — small portions of protein, tons of vegetables, low carbs but not total elimination, and every time I had a slipup, I hit reset right away.” 

Another tool Langis uses is rewarding herself with luxury purchases at weight loss milestones — a $350 bottle of Neiman Marcus Baccarat Rouge 540 perfume at the 50-pound loss mark, a $2,300 Louis Vuitton handbag at 100 pounds. The purchases, she says, are funded by the money she saves eating better. She has ten pounds to go before reaching the 150-pound milestone and is considering a vacation for her next reward.

Her weight has come off slowly, 140 pounds over six years, and that’s what Langis attributes to having no loose skin issues. Getting below 200 pounds is her goal.

HER DIET

Langis skips breakfast, but drinks plenty of water. Around 2 p.m. she may have a carrot, beet and apple smoothie, three pieces of grilled shrimp and some broccoli rabe. “Right before my fast ends in the evening, I eat a protein like red meat, chicken or fish along with some veggies. If I want something sweet, I’ll indulge in ‘nature’s dessert’ — fruit,” says Langis. At birthday parties, she’ll have a forkful of cake, not a whole piece.

HER EXERCISE

Until now, working 12-hour days was Langis’ only form of exercise. But now down 140 pounds, she says she’s going to start exercising. “I have a gym membership, and a diner customer is going to help me with personal training, says Langis.

HER ADVICE

“Don’t beat yourself up. Set goals. If you falter, hit the reset button immediately. Think about the future, don’t think about the past, and reward yourself at milestones.”