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Ajima Jackson

Sheila lost 158 pounds

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Transformation of the Day: Sheila lost 158 pounds. Her motivation came from the physical pain she was in due to her weight. She also wanted to live a long life and enjoy her 18 grandchildren. Now, at 53 years old, she has a new quality of life. Check out her journey.

sheila before and after

What was your motivation? What inspired you to keep going, even when you wanted to give up?
Honestly, my motivation to lose weight came as a result of the physical pain that I was in. It physically hurt to be morbidly obese. Everything hurt. My knees, back, feet…everything. I had three foot surgeries because I had heel spurs that were made worse by my weight.

What inspired me to continue when I wanted to give up is the thought that if I gave up, I would stay trapped in this situation. I did not want to die an early death and be cheated out of enjoying my 18 beautiful grandchildren.

When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take?
I started my official weight loss journey in 2014 in a Bariatric program where I was able to lose 15 pounds. I had the Gastric Sleeve procedure at the age of 50 years old. My weight loss surgery date was April 20, 2015, which I consider my second birthdate. My transformation, wherein I lost 162 pounds, took 2 years, but I am still transforming.

How did you change your eating habits?
I changed my eating habits initially with a diet that was given to me by my nutritionist in the Bariatric program. She equipped me with a meal plan that was easy to follow. The plan was basically a high protein/low carb diet.

I eventually tweaked the diet to fit me. Now, I eat a Lacto-ovo vegetarian, plant-based diet, which includes some dairy. I eat lots of green veggies, eggs, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and mushrooms. I also eat cottage cheese and other cheeses.

What did you do regarding exercise?
Losing weight gets you smaller, but not fit. I wanted to be fit in addition to losing the weight. I work out 3 to 5 days a week. My favorite ways to exercise are using the treadmill, doing HIIT, running, and weightlifting. Weight lifting has been a game-changer for me. It has allowed me to build muscle and sculpt my body. It’s amazing!

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My highest recorded weight was 346 pounds, but I have weighed over 350 pounds according to my home scale. Eventually, I simply stopped weighing myself. My current weight is 188 pounds.

Before the weight loss, I was 5’7″. Now I am 5’6″. My nurse says I lost an inch, likely from the bottom of my feet, with my weight loss.

With my consistent diet and work out regimen, I have been able to maintain my success. I stay motivated by looking at my before pictures. They remind me of where I never want to return. I also set short-term health and fitness goals. When I achieve them, I set new goals.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that it’s never too late to fight for what you want. Now, at age 53, I have a brand new quality of life. I can run and chase my grandchildren now!

My new health and energy have allowed me to run four 5ks. I’ve done runway modeling. I’ve become a writer and author. My journey was filled with many hurdles, and I wanted to quit several times, but I knew I had to keep pushing to get free. I even wrote a book about my journey because I want to inspire others to never give up.

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
Stay consistent. No matter what path you take to help with weight loss, remain diligent. It’s easy to get discouraged when results don’t come as fast as you want, but consistency pays off eventually!

Instagram: @shejaginspires
Facebook: She Jag – Making Moves
shejag.com

Denise lost 77 pounds

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Transformation of the Day: Denise lost 77 pounds. Stressed, uncomfortable and not feeling like her best self, she committed to creating a healthy lifestyle. After putting in lots of hard work, this marathoner in training will run her first full marathon in December. Check out her journey.

Denise before and after

What was your motivation?
In 2013, I reached the heaviest weight that I’d ever been. I was stressed and uncomfortable with the size I was. As a teenager, I was very active and in shape. Somehow, through the years, the weight crept up until I weighed 202 pounds.

My motivation for losing weight was that I did not look like myself in pictures. I did not feel like my best self. Before 2013, I yo-yo’d up and down, losing weight and then gaining it all back.

In 2013, I made a decision that it was the right time to commit to a program that would work for me for the rest of my life.

How did you change your eating habits?
The first thing I did was completely change the way I ate. I gave up sugar and processed food. I also altered the way I ate foods that contain carbs. For instance, I would make lasagna with zucchini instead of pasta, and I would have loaded cauliflower with cheese and sour cream instead of a baked potato. I still wanted to eat foods that taste delicious, because that was the only way I would stick with eating healthy foods. I wanted to make sure I was disciplined with my eating habits before I began a workout routine, so I only focused on my diet for the first month.

How did exercise factor into your transformation?
After the first month, I began to use workout DVDs. Any DVD that Jeanette Jenkins made I had. I would totally recommend her workouts to anyone who feels uncomfortable exercising outside of the home. I worked out 5 days per week and alternated between various DVDs.

After about 2 years of using my DVDs, I began going to the gym and using apps that would tell me which equipment to use and for how long.

In 2016, I began a running routine and used the Couchto5k app and progressed to running a 5k (3.1 miles) in 3 months. In November 2017, I made a decision to train for a marathon. In March 2018, I ran my first 10k (6.2 miles). In June 2018, I ran my first half marathon (13.1 miles). I am happy to say that in December 2018 I will run my first full marathon (26.2 miles). I currently run 4 days per week and lift weights one day week.

Starting weight/Current weight
My starting weight was 202 pounds, and my current weight is 125 pounds. I am 5’4″.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
The biggest lessons that I learned from this journey are that I am strong, and I can accomplish anything as long as I have the determination to do it. Also, I make sure to have fun. Life is meant to be enjoyed.

What advice would you share with other people who want to release the weight?
My advice for others is to celebrate every milestone. If you eat one healthy meal out of the day, celebrate that. If you walked for ten minutes, celebrate that. The more you celebrate your accomplishments, the bigger your goals will become.

I would never have imagined that I would be training for a marathon. There was a time when I could not even do one jumping jack without getting out of breath. I am so proud of myself. I am fully confident that anyone can lose weight and be the best version of themselves. If I can do it, anyone can do it.

Instagram: @marathoner_in_training @marathon_finisher

Kiara lost 58 pounds

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Transformation of the Day: Kiara lost 58 pounds. She wanted to avoid the effects of obesity that she saw in her family history, and take steps to create a healthy lifestyle. Cutting back on carbs, dairy, and red meat was key to her success. Check out her journey.

Kiara before and after

What was your motivation?
Obesity runs in my family, and unfortunately, my family does not have a long life span, so I wanted to maximize my lifespan by adopting a healthy lifestyle.

My motivation was my mother. My mother was severely overweight, and she decided to have weight loss surgery. I was too afraid to have any type of surgery, including weight loss surgery. I needed to do something to lose weight because my body was always tired and sluggish. Ultimately, I knew that I could do anything that I put my mind to, so I took action.

How did you change your eating habits?
I stopped eating carbs, dairy, red meat, and pork. I ate protein and veggies only. I would also drink 64oz of water each day. Although I found myself eating the same foods day in and out, I was focused on my “Why.” Once I reached my ideal weight, I slowly incorporated milk and dairy back into my diet. However, I still don’t consume either as much as I did before the weight loss. I never went back to red meat or pork.

What did your workout routine look like?
I did not work out while dieting. I took BCAAs to retain my muscle mass, but I solely wanted to focus on weight loss. Since I wasn’t consuming any carbs, I wasn’t concerned with working out.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight? 
My starting weight was 200 pounds. My current weight is 142 pounds. I would like to lose another 10lbs. My height is 5’6″.

When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take?
I started my journey in January of 2017. I finished in May 2017.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
I learned to have self-control when eating. I think about what I eat before actually eating it.

What advice do you have for other people who want to lose weight?
Some days will be easier than others. When you want to give up, remember your “Why.”  Keep pushing and striving. Also, take it one day at a time.

Kiara before and after

Tiffany lost 37 pounds

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Transformation of the Day: Tiffany lost 37 pounds. She wanted to release the weight before her 30th birthday. On her journey, she found success by going Keto, and joining a local fitness group. She also learned the value of self-care. Check out her story.

Tiffany before and after

What is your motivation?
I decided to embark on this fitness journey to lose weight for my 30th birthday. Also, working out makes me feel really good.

My big why is all about my health. Not only did I work out and eat right to drop some weight, but also I also developed a self-care mentally. Self-care makes me feel great about myself.

What is your workout routine?
I started in February of this year at a local CKO Kickboxing Gym. I also joined a small fitness group at GHOS training facility with @fitnessfiya, my trainer. I workout at least four times a week.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
So far, I’ve lost 37 pounds. This is an ongoing journey for me. My starting weight was 235 pounds. I’ve recently hit a goal in my weight loss journey which was to get under 200 pounds. I now weigh 198 pounds.

How did you change your eating habits?
I started a Ketogenic lifestyle in July 2018, and it has definitely helped me with cutting out my sugar and carb intake. With Keto, I cook all of most of my meals which are usually organic.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to trust the process. Your journey will not be like everyone else’s.

What advice would you like to share with other people who want to lose weight?
My advice: If you slip up, don’t quit. Just start again from where you left off.

Instagram: @gettingfit4lyfetiff

Tiffany before and after

Latisha lost 63 pounds

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Latisha lost 63 pounds. This 25 year old was dealing with hypertension. She was fed up with her lifestyle, so she decided to pursure a new, healthy way of being. Walking and eating clean worked for her. Check out her journey.

Latisha before and afterWhat was your motivation? What inspired you to keep going, even during the tough times?
I am 25 years old, and I was diagnosed with hypertension. I was just fed up with my old way of living. God, my desire to be healthy and my desire to live a healthy life is what keeps me going.

When did you start your journey?
I started this journey in December 2017

What did you do for exercise?
One day, I decided to start walking. I walked three miles a day, seven days a week.

How did you change your eating habits?
I changed my diet to clean eating. I quit sodas cold turkey, and I only drink water. I stopped eating fast food as well. After that, I started removing snacks, rice, and bread from my diet.

What is your starting weight? What is your current weight?
I am 63 pounds down.  My starting weight was 351 pounds. As of today, I weigh 288 pounds. My height is 5’5″.

Was weight loss surgery part of your journey?
Surgery was not part of my journey. I made a choice to do this naturally. Even though it’s a daily struggle, I’m happy with my decision.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
I’ve learned that you have to love yourself where you are. You also have to be patient with yourself.

What advice would you give to people who want to lose weight?
My advice to others who are trying to start their weight loss journey is start where you are. Stop allowing negative thoughts to take you out of the game before you even step foot on the court. Think positive thoughts. Encourage yourself, and love yourself.

Instagram: @latisharoshonda

Latisha before and after

Harriett lost 207 pounds

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Transformation of the Day: Harriett lost 207 pounds. Over a period of three years, she released the weight with healthy eating habits, surgery, exercise and self-evaluation. She learned to love herself, no matter what. Check out her story.

Harriet before and after

I have struggled with weight my entire life. When I was told by my doctor that I was diabetic in my 30’s, I did not take it seriously. I saw my mother go through pain and struggles with diabetes and medical issues related to diabetes, but did not do what I should have to take care of myself.

It took heartbreak and a self-evaluation of my life for me to begin turning my life around. I looked in the mirror one day, and I did not recognize myself. I’d gotten so overweight. I weighed 380 pounds at 5’3″.

How long did your transformation take?
In a 3 year period, I have lost more than 200 pounds. I’m still going, and I’d like to lose another 20 pounds. My current weight is 173 pounds.

I started losing weight without surgery in 2015. I lost 43 pounds on my pre-operation diet. Then, I had weight loss surgery in 2016.

How did you change your eating habits?
I have changed the way I ate to a low carb, high protein, low sugar diet after surgery. Now, I eat a mainly vegetarian diet. I have not had beef and pork in well over a year.

What is your workout routine?
I go to the gym 5 -6 mornings out the week. Each day I focus on a different part of the body (arms, legs, etc.). I do cardio and weight training.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
I have learned that I can do anything I set my mind to. I also have learned to LOVE MYSELF, no matter what.

What advice would you share with women who what to lose weight?
I’d like to tell anyone reading this that if you are telling yourself that you can’t release the weight, YOU ARE WRONG. Set your mind to it, and you can lose the weight.

I would also like to say that I got help for my mental health as well. Once I found out why I was overeating, it became much easier to lose weight. Go out there and seek help. Talk to someone. It helps, it really does.

Harriet before and after

Livey-Ann lost 27 pounds

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Tranformation of the Day: Livey-Ann lost 27 pounds. She became ill and lived in pain for a year before being diagnosed with a chronic bladder disease. During that time, she put on weight. Once she felt better, she decided to celebrate her health by training for a bikini fitness competition. Check out her journey.

Livey-ann before and after

What was your motivation? What inspired you to keep going when you wanted to give up?​
Motivation:  ​In August 2017, I became ill. For almost a year, I lived in pain, until I was diagnosed correctly with Interstitial Cystitis [also known as painful bladder syndrome]. I was given the right medication in April 2018.

While dealing with my illness, I put on weight. I realized that I had taken my health and wellness for granted, so when I was better, I wanted to celebrate. I wanted to feel healthy in my body again. I didn’t give up on my goals because… How could I complain or give up when I had been in such a dark place before?

Now, I am healthy and managing my chronic disease with exercise and diet. As a form of celebrating getting my health back, I decided to train for my first bikini fitness competition which I participated in this month.

How did you change your eating habits?
​To prepare for a bikini competition, you have to eat clean. I had a trainer who created custom meal plans for me. I learned how to eat clean, and how to eat often. Before this process, I would skip meals (mainly breakfast), but my trainer taught me that skipping meals was not beneficial for weight loss. In fact, it could be harmful to my efforts.

In the beginning, I ate five meals a day and had a protein shake before bedtime. I would eat sweet potatoes, or brown rice for a carb instead of white potatoes, white rice, etc. Fried foods had to go. I mainly ate chicken and fish. Sometimes, I would have red meat. I ate clean six days out the week, and on the 7th day, I could have a cheat meal… not a cheat day.

What was your workout routine?
In the beginning, I worked out three times a week with my trainer and did cardio for 30 minutes 6 times a week. At the height of my training, I worked out four times a week with my trainer and did cardio twice a day, six days a week. My morning cardio was always fasted HIIT cardio.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 178 pounds. By competition time, I weighed 151 pounds. My height is 5’7″.

How long did your transformation take?
It took me about four months to transform.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
TO BE PATIENT. Weight loss doesn’t happen overnight, and we can’t see the change taking place right away, but it is happening. I plan on doing another competition, and I think I will do better this time because I now know I can.

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
Keep going after your goal. Even when you have bad days and fall short of your eating plan, pick yourself up and start again. When you don’t want to go to the gym to work out, make it a point to go anyway.

Find support. If you are able, find a trainer who you like and connect with. Also, get used to being uninvited to social events.

Visit my website www.liveyann.com. There you can read the complete story of how I went from illness to fitness and hear about bikini competition prep.
Instagram: @liveyann1

Livey-ann before and after

Fredericka lost 49 pounds

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Update May 2019: We featured Ricka’s story back in October 2018 and she has continued to make great progress. She lost 23 more pounds for a total of 72 pounds gone.

My starting weight was 298 pounds. Now I weigh 226 pounds and counting, for a total of 72 pounds down!

Ricka before and after

Ricka before and after

Transformation of the Day: Fredericka lost 49 pounds. Her blood pressure was so high that she had headaches daily and she didn’t recognize this new body when she looked at photos. She focused on cutting carbs and sugar to release the weight. Check out her story.

Fredericka before and after

My name is Fredericka, and I’m 32 years old. I want to share my story with others in the hopes that I may change someone’s life.

What was your motivation?
My motivation began when I saw a picture of myself, and realized that I no longer recognized the body I was looking at. That was the first step to making a change. The second factor was that I developed high blood pressure. It was so bad that I had headaches every single day. So, I made up in my mind that this was a life or death situation for me. I decided to take control of my health by any means necessary!

How did you change your eating habits?
I changed my eating habits by cutting out all carbs and sugar COMPLETELY. Next, I chose to only eat salad and chicken wings, or cabbage and fish, because I noticed a significant change in weight loss from eating this way. I was losing a half pound to a pound a day eating like this, so continued thru the first 3 months of my journey. Later, I incorporated fasting as well.

What was your workout routine?
When my journey started, I was not working out. I recently began an exercise regimen of doing one hour of cardio 5 to 6 days a week before work.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 298 pounds, and now I weigh 249 pounds.

When did you start your journey?
I started my journey in May of 2018, so it has taken me 5 months. I lost the weight naturally. I lost the weight naturally. NO weightloss surgery.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
I have learned that for your body to change, you must first transform your mind!

What advice would you share with other people who want to release the weight?
The advice I have for others is NEVER give up, even when you mess up. Just pick up the pieces and start up again. NEVER stay down!

Instagram: @designer_original86

LaKenya lost 93 pounds

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Transformation of the Day: LaKenya lost 93 pounds. Tired of being out of breath while playing with her children or while just walking, this proud mom decided that it was time to release the weight. She made lots of lifestyle changes, including having the Gastric Sleeve procedure. Check out her story.

LaKenya before and after

What was your motivation? What inspired you to keep going, even when you wanted to give up?
My children are my motivation, especially having a child with special needs. I have young children, and it’s not a good feeling when you can’t play with them because you are out of breath. It’s also not fun when you are unable to breathe while walking.

When did you start your transformation journey?
My journey started on September 13, 2017, when I had weight loss surgery. I had the Gastric Sleeve procedure. My transformation took one year.

How did you change your eating habits?
I started making changes as soon as I got discharged from the hospital. No carbs, no fruits, no vegetables, and no sweets. My diet consists of lots of protein.

What did you do regarding exercise?
I started exercising after surgery. I began walking daily as my weight decreased. Eventually, I joined a gym. Now, I workout daily doing 30 minutes of cardio and weight training. On the days I can’t make it to the gym, I get creative. For example, I use my break times at work as workout time.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 260 pounds, and my current weight is 167 pounds. My height is 5’5″.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
You have to take control of your mind. Your mind can play tricks on you, so you have to take control of it some way, somehow.

What advice do you have for other people who want to release the weight?
You have to make this decision on your own. Take control of your mind and push through.

Intagram: @joyandhappiness38

LaKenya before and after

LaKenya before and after

Jordan lost 31 pounds

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Transformation of the Day: Jordan lost 31 pounds and 12% of her body fat. She found her motivation when she failed the weigh-in portion of a physical fitness test at her job. She cleaned up her eating habits, tracked her macros, and took the time to refine her workouts to fit her goals. Check out her journey.

Jordan before and after

What was your motivation?
I was motivated to lose weight when I failed the weight portion of a physical fitness test for work and faced the possibility of losing my job.

How did you change your eating habits?
I was always a vegetarian, but I ate out a lot and ate junk food daily. Initially, I began tracking my macros and eating whatever I wanted as long as it fit my macros. I saw some progress, but not enough. So, I cleaned up my diet by cutting out processed food and eating veggies at every meal.

Currently, I’ve switched from vegetarian to vegan, and I’m just eating clean without tracking anything. This works well for me because I found it cumbersome to track everything I ate.

What did your workout routine look like?
When I first started, I was doing bodybuilding-style, full-body workouts 3 times a week with no cardio. I would just randomly put together workouts based on things I saw on Instagram. I later switched to powerlifting-style, full body workouts 2-3x a week, also with no cardio. At one point, I had gained a ton of muscle and wanted to lose some, so I started doing Low-Intensity Steady State (LISS) cardio sessions. Now, I’m doing bodybuilding-style workouts again, but I’ve incorporated cardio and Crossfit elements. I run or bike 2-3 times a week and lift weights 3-4 times a week using an upper/lower split.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
Starting Weight: 190 pounds/34% body fat
Current Weight: 159 pounds/22% body fat
Height: 5’6”

How long did your transformation take?
About a year, with a few setbacks in between.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
Make it fun! I’ve tried a lot of workout plans and diets, but the only ones I stuck to are the ones I actually wanted to do. If you don’t like the gym, don’t go to the gym. Many options for staying active don’t involve the gym.

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
Get your body fat measured on a regular basis if you can, and take lots of photos. I wanted to give up at times because I didn’t see progress in the mirror, but my body fat measurements and pictures said otherwise. Even when I wasn’t losing weight, I was still losing body fat. That’s what kept me going!

Instagram: @fittiegirlrock @uncommonflower