Black Weight Loss Success

The Official Blog of the Black Women Losing Weight Community. Tips, articles and weight loss resources for African American Women.

Join Our Email List:
We respect your email privacy
You are here: Home / Archives for Ajima Jackson

Ajima Jackson

Free Clean Eating Meal Plan – Week 4

by 3 Comments

free clean eating meal plansHere is Week #4 of BWLW’s Free Clean Eating Meal Plan!   As always, we’re giving you recipes and the calorie count for the day.  The plan lays out meals that amount to 1600-1725 calories per day.  If you are eating less calories, you can adjust it by changing a recipe, removing a snack or 2, etc.

If you see something that you don’t eat, like bread in a day’s meals, switch for something else.  A few romaine leaves are a great substitute for bread or whole wheat tortillas.  This plan is meant to work for most people, but I know it’s not ideal for all.  Modify to your needs!  Post any questions in the comments box

Day 1

Breakfast – 2 frozen whole wheat waffles
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1/2 sliced banana

Snack – 2 whole grain rice cakes
2 tablespoons peanut butter

Lunch – 2 cups Greek Chicken Salad
2 small plums

Snack – “Strawberry Banana Smoothie”
1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 banana
1 cup skim milk

Dinner – Shrimp and Grits
1 cup cooked Mustard greens

1696 calories
80 g fat, 20 g sat fat
46 g fiber, 40 g sugar
80 g protein

 

Day 2

Breakfast – 1 cup cooked oats
1/2 cooked apple with cinnamon
2 tablespoons pecans

Snack – 2 whole grain rice cakes
2 tablespoons peanut butter

Lunch – Leftover Shrimp and Grits
2 small kiwi

Snack – 3 Ingredient Energy Bar

Dinner – 1 1/2 cups Feta Zucchini Pasta
1 cup sliced fresh tomatoes

1685 calories
56 g fat, 14 g sat fat
33 g fiber, 61 g sugar
75 g protein

 

Day 3

Breakfast – 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup sliced pineapple

Snack – 1 ounce 2% cheddar cheese

Lunch – 1 serving Healthy Egg Salad (make half of recipe)
2 slices whole wheat bread
1 cup raw cucumber slices

Snack – 1 medium apple

Dinner – 2 cups leftover Greek Chicken Salad
Whole grain roll

1670 calories
63 g fat, 16 g sat fat
36 g fiber, 54 g sugar
80 g protein

 

Day 4

Breakfast – 1 frozen whole wheat waffle
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 hard boiled egg

Snack – 1 medium pear
1 ounce roasted almonds

Lunch – 1 1/4 cups Feta Zucchini Pasta
2 small kiwi

Snack – 1 cup sliced pineapple

Dinner – 1 cup Macaroni and Cheese
1 cup cooked mustard greens

1655 calories
58 g fat, 14 g sat fat
32 g fiber, 40 g sugar
71 g protein

 

Day 5

Breakfast – “Egg Veggie Burrito”
Weight Watchers tortilla, 2 cooked eggs, 1/2 c. dcd broccoli
1 plum

Snack – 1 medium pear
3 Ingredient Energy Bar

Lunch – 1 cup leftover Macaroni and Cheese
1/2 cup carrot sticks
1 cup grapes

Snack – “Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie”
1/2 banana
1 tablespoons peanut butter
1 cup skim milk or soymilk

Dinner – 1 1/2 cups Spicy Chili
Whole grain roll

1680 calories
50 g fat, 15 g sat fat
37 g fiber, 48 g sugar
70 g protein

 

Day 6

Breakfast – 1 cup cooked oats
1/2 sliced banana with cinnamon
2 tablespoons pecans

Snack – 1 ounce roasted almonds

Lunch – 1 1/2 cups leftover Spicy Chili
1 cup raw cucumber slices

Snack – 1 cup sliced pineapple

Dinner – 2 Vegetarian Tacos
Side salad- 1 cup romaine, 1 tomato
2 tablespoons mixed salsa and lime juice

1720 calories
55 g fat, 16 g sat fat
36 g fiber, 57 g sugar
80 g protein

 

Day 7

Breakfast – 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup sliced pineapple
1/2 cup chopped kiwi

Snack – 3 Ingredient Energy Bar

Lunch – 2 Leftover Vegetarian Tacos
3/4 cup grapes

Snack – 1 medium pear
1 ounce 2% cheddar cheese

Dinner –  1 1/4 cup Pork and Broccoli Stir-fry
3/4 cup brown rice

1708 calories
50 g fat, 18 g sat fat
31  g fiber, 41 g sugar
74 g protein

We are providing these meal plans for your personal use only. Do not distribute or use these plans commercially.

Disclaimer: Nutritional content will vary depending on the brands of food used. This meal plan does not take into account serious illness or specific nutrient ratios. If you are pregnant, have high blood pressure, heart disease diabetes or other medical issues, please talk with your doctor or dietitian/nutritionist before changing your diet significantly. These plans are meant to be examples of balanced eating, but we all have varied needs. Use this information as an example and take caution with regard to your own specific nutrition needs.

Chemese lost weight by juicing and going vegan

by 4 Comments

Update Dec 2015: It’s been a little over 2 years and Chemese is still going strong and maintaining her weight loss. Her starting weight was 305 lbs. She’s been a vegan for 3 years and no longer tracks her weight via a scale. Also, she let us know that she just started another 100 day smoothie/juicing cleanse and is chronicling her progress via video on Youtube.

cheese before and after

Hello again, My name is Chemese and I was featured on your website back in September of 2013. This has been an amazing learning journey about myself, fitness, and health. This journey has also taught me that changes possible and it’s okay to think outside the box. I became vegan and I did not even like vegetables. This year, I get to celebrate my 3rd year as a vegan and my weight lost anniversary on December 12. I’m so excited! I have had some ups and downs but I haven’t been out of cheese weight losscontrol. I’m loving the skin I’m in and I’m still not weighing myself. It’s been so freeing not getting on a scale. I remember how I use to beat myself up over the number on the scale. Now, I’m not about that life. That number isn’t important to me. I’m also still juicing and making smoothies. Over these past years I have successfully completed 30, 60 and 100 day juice/smoothie cleanses. Currently, I’m doing another 100 day juice/smoothie cleanse. If you take anything from my journey I hope that it’s “Change is Possible”. I know my journey doesn’t end here. I truly hope that my journey inspires others. Posting on social media has helped keep me accountable, so you can find me at:

Instagram: @chemese
Twitter: @chemese
Pinterest www.pinterest.com/chemese/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheChemeseProject
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/thechemeseproject

Sept 2013 – Featured Weight Loss Story of the Day: Chemese lost weight by juicing, working out and going vegan.  Her starting weight was around 305, but she doesn’t know how much weight she lost because she doesn’t use the scale as a measurement anymore.  However, you can really SEE the difference in her photos.  Here is what she shared with us:

“My name is Chemese and I currently reside in Abilene, Texas. Some how, I really let myself go. I was obese, out of shape, very unhealthy (as you can see from my pictures on the left). I realized that I just had to change, because I love myself too much. The best way to do that was by becoming a Vegan. My journey began on December 15, 2012 when I decided that I was going to give it all that I could give and lose weight. I knew I didn’t want to try another fad diet. I needed to change my lifestyle for good, so thats exactly what I did.

I eat lots of raw fruits and vegetables. I make smoothies and fresh juices. I also workout for 2 hours everyday. As for numbers, my starting weight was 305+ pounds . I don’t know how much weight I have lost though simply because that number isn’t important to me anymore. What is more important is that I have gained control over my health which is more than I wanted. I successfully completed a 60 day juice cleanse on July 4th.  If I had to give anyone advice, it would be to find something that work for them and be open to try new things. I became a vegan and I didn’t like vegetables before. Now, I love them.  One thing is for sure, I’m not exactly where I want to be but I’m so glad I’m not where I used to be. My journey doesn’t end here.

I share what I’m eating and doing on Instagram @chemese

Chemese Weight Loss
NOTE: Before pictures was taken on December 2012 and after pictures was taken on July 2013.

Chemese before and after photos Chemese weight loss success

Overcoming Past Tragedy: Tiffany lost 41 pounds

by 8 Comments

Let’s share some Black Women Losing Weight love and positive energy with Tiffany who lost 41 pounds.  She has overcome many life trials and tragedy including suicide, bipolar disorder, weight gain due to medication, and terrible abuse in her past.  She is on a mission to lose weight, get healthy and live well.  Here is what she shared with us about her life and weight loss journey:

Tiffany weight loss story

My journey started 7 years ago. There’s a lot to my life. I had the cards stacked against me from birth. My mom was a teenager and drug addict, I was adopted out to a woman who I turned out to be miles more intelligent than, which caused tremendous conflict- physical and emotional abuse. I was bullied in school.  A tall, quiet, smart kid who reads and gets straight easily isn’t really going to be the most popular at recess. I was being sexually abused by my neighbor’s daughter who was 7 years my senior. By 4th grade, I was paranoid and beginning to hear voices. By 7th grade, I was delusional and my moods were unstable. By 9th grade, I had attempted suicide and got sent to a psych hospital and was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder. I was 14.

They gave me medicine like lithium and Haldol. It was 1992 and the medicines were archaic. I began to put on significant amounts of weight. I kept going in and out of hospitals, being diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder. At 16, I was a victim of statutory rape, too mentally ill to fight off the 33 year old man who I believed thought I was beautiful. Instead, he said I was cute and then I knew it would be like all the other times I had been used. I developed quickly. By age 12, I was 6′ tall wearing a C cup bra. At 16, I was 6’1 and wearing a double D. I felt as if my breasts were the cause of being looked at like meat and thought that for a long time. Kinda still do…

The previous year in school I was sexually assaulted by a kid who kept touching me during class movies. After one particular hospital stay, he saw me coming down the hallway. They had changed my meds to Depakote, Mellaril, and a few others. I had put on more weight. He looked at me and said, “Tiffany. You got fat.” and walked past me, never touching me again.

At 16, after an attempt to run away from home, I got sent to a group home. They upped my Depakote in the hospital while I was waiting to get in. I was 250 lbs at 6’1 when I got to the hospital. When I left five months later, I was 338 lbs. They restricted my diet down to 1200 calories. I still kept gaining weight.  I saw my share of horrors at that home. I ballooned up to 400 lbs by the time it closed. Got sent elsewhere. I was very ill and they kept increasing my Depakote. 3500 mg a day is beyond the recommended dose. I had been diagnosed with a difficult personality disorder from years of abuse and this is how they kept me subdued.

I went into the state hospital two weeks before my 21st birthday in 1999. Lots of horrible things there too. I ballooned up to 460 lbs and was taken off the Depakote. I developed bad eating habits along my journey in the psychiatric system. A lot of the meds I was on increased your appetite AND made you fat. Depakote and Zyprexa were and are notorious for this and I was on both at the same time. I got out of there and was on less medication but my pain from my past haunted me. I ate badly. My roommate was 750 lbs at one point and I remember thinking I can’t let that happen. Luckily it didn’t but I came close.

I branched out on my own at the age of 25. I was still very much mentally ill, had several suicide attempts, one almost successful- I died and was brought back. In 2005, I was so psychotic it was unreal, but I had also had the flu. I couldn’t keep anything down. It came out either end. I went into the psychiatric hospital after being in an emotionally and psychologically abusive relationship. They fed us on trays and had given me a diet one by accident. I ate it a discovered that it tasted really good. I got out and bought some good food but I was still mentally unstable. They changed my meds as a last ditch effort to help me. They gave me Geodon, which was revolutionary as it helped keep your weight down.

After having a nervous breakdown one night and subsequently discovering the answers I was looking for to the pain in my life I started my recovery. I had been called ugly my entire life and one day I saw a picture of myself and knew they were wrong. Went to the doctor and got weighed.  I went from 460 lbs to 389 thanks to the flu. Lol. I looked up healthy eating and started my journey. I got down to 328 and plateaued.

During my fat loss journey I got raped by my ex boyfriend, sent to the hospital but still managed to lose weight. I began to heal from old wounds with my therapist’s help. I moved out of my first efficiency apartment and into a bigger one bedroom apartment. It was 2007 and I was 29. Had a job. There were restaurants all around me. I was farther away from the gym. I lost my job and went back to school, quit smoking and the weight crept back. Crept back up to 411 lbs! I was so angry. I gave up for a good 2 years. From 2009-2011 I maintained my weight.

I decided in 2011 to do *something* about my weight.

I went vegan and lost 23 lbs., but the lack of meat caused me to get sick. I moved away from that city last December and set goals. Started eating meat again and hitting the gym like mad. I lost 30+ lbs in two months! My scale is wonky so I’m getting a Withings Wi-Fi scale (I’m a geek. Lol). My clothes are falling off me. Feels great. Last time I checked I was 370 pounds, that’s down from my starting weight of 411 pounds.

Facebook: From Fat Writer to Fit Writer, Tiffany White’s Fat Loss Journey

Kia lost 50 pounds and her husband lost 67 pounds

by 6 Comments

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Kia and her husband lost the weight together and are now making healthier choices for them and their 7 children.  She lost 50 pounds and he lost 67 pounds.  Here is what they did to lose the weight (and before and after photos):

Kia weight loss

“Just wanted to share some of my story. I’ve lost 50 pounds so far. My blood pressure was way out of control for years. I never suffered from insecurities or anything like that. I’ve always been confident no matter what size.  However, a trip to the ER put my health in perspective. I started on Weight Watchers and then just changed my eating habits and controlled my portions. I joined a local health group called BodyWize solutions and learned how bad certain foods were for us and learned to make smarter choices. I work out at least 4 days a week and am striving to lose 50 more lbs. Seeing my “before” and “now” (since I’m far from finished) keeps me motivated to keep on keeping on. My blood pressure is now controlled and I’m striving to come off blood pressure medication altogether. My husband and I have gone on this journey together. He has lost 67 pounds and is more active than he’s been in years! Together we are becoming a picture of health.

Absolutely! In our BodyWize Solutions class we learned about making healthier food choices. We stopped eating fried foods and sweets. We eat more fruits and veggies, and whole grains. We did a 10-day juice fast where my husband lost 32 pounds and I lost 10. We now incorporate juicing into our daily life. We stopped eating beef and pork as well. We stopped drinking caffeine (he was hooked on sodas and I was hooked on coffee) and drink mostly water only. Our workouts vary from walking on a local bridge to water aerobics.  He coaches football and is always running around with his players. We have 7 children between us and they were picking up our bad habits. Together as a family, we teach them how to choose better food options and as a family we make sure to get out and move. We are only beginning our journey and look forward to this new way of living!”

Kia Husband's weight loss husband and wife weight loss

 

Unconditional Love: Diamond lost 55 pounds

by 6 Comments

Weight loss story of the Day: Diamond lost 55 pounds after the loss of her beloved husband.  Found herself dealing a number of health issues and weight gain while being a caregiver to her spouse.  She was able to fall in love with exercise, change her eating habits and lose weight. Here is her story:

“I started gaining a lot of weight taking care of my 28 year old husband who was battling stage four Cancer. I would eat whatever I could get my hands on. Unfortunately, my husband lost his battle with cancer and passed away. I felt as if my life ended with his.

Couple months after he passed, I went to a friends birthday dinner. She posted the photos from dinner on Facebook and I could not believe that was me in the pictures.  So, I decided enough is enough I have to get myself together mentally & physically. I went to gym but felt uncomfortable due to my weight. Late one night I was watching TV and I saw commercial for the Turbo Fire exercise DVD program. I became excited and ordered it.

Once I received Turbo Fire in the mail, I started working out with it that day. Within 7 days, I lost 12 pounds. I became obsessed.  I workout out 6 days a week sometimes twice a day. I gained the confidence to go to the gym and love to RUN. I started to feel alive again, laughing more, feeling great on the inside and looking fabulous on the outside.  Also, I changed my eating habits completely.  I stopped eating fried food, fast food, and start reading labels and counting calories.   I educated myself by purchasing cook books that taught me how to grocery shop, eat on a go, and cook dinner for my family healthy.  Eating clean over time became a habit. No longer have the desire to eat crappy food. My body actually reject it. I was over at my grandmother’s house and tried to eat one fried chicken leg and I instantly got sick and had to vomit. Lol

At my heaviest, I weighted 210 pounds. I’m now 155 pounds. I lost 55lbs within 6 months. I had high blood pressure, borderline diabetes, and other hormonal problems due to my weight. After I lost weight, all my medical problems went away.

My husband loved me unconditionally, and it was time I loved myself enough to be healthy.  That’s what motivated me on the days I didn’t feel like working out or when I was wanting to overindulge in unhealthy food.  My advice to others: We all know what to do.  We just have to do it. Excising one hour a day can change your entire life.

2 1/2 years later, I’m still in great shape, Loving Life and all the beautiful joy it has to offer.  Thanks for allowing me for the first time to tell it publicly. Hopefully it will encourage others.

Diamond weight loss story

Updated: Helen lost 54 pounds

by 6 Comments

Update from Helen (posted Oct 2013): “I just want to share with you that I’m finally down to 64 pounds [down from 310] doing the same thing I was doing. Here’s a couple pictures so you can see the results.”

Helen weight loss success story

Original Post

Let’s show some love to Helen.  She lost 54 pounds down, from 310 pounds.  Here is what she shared about her weight loss transformation so far”

“Here is my weight loss journey. Since last September (2012), I’ve lost 54 lbs. My goal is to lose 46 more pounds by the end of this year.  My motivation to lose weight was because of my health.  It was time to take action. How I took action was by eating healthier, cutting out salt and not drinking soda pop.  I also drank more water. I workout for 30-45 minutes per session. I do the elliptical for 15-20 mins, then lift weights for about 5 mins, then I do the treadmill and the step aerobics machine for the remainder of time. My starting weight was 310 pounds now I’m currently at 256 pounds. My weight loss so far has taken about a year.”

Helen weight loss

 

The Benefits of Chia Seeds

by 1 Comment

chia seedsMost of us know the Chia seeds from the holiday commercials about Chia pets, or maybe you have experimented with the Chia herb gardens. What more and more people are starting to realize is that the Chia seed can bring an enormous benefit to their lives as a part of their diet. Over the past 30 years, anecdotal evidence has shown how the effects of consumption can help with a wide range of ailments from high blood pressure to diabetes and be an important part of maintaining a healthy weight. Scientists are beginning to examine these little seeds much more closely.

Side note:  I LOVE them in my green smoothies!! 

What is Chia?

Chia seeds are native to Mexico and come from a small flowering plant. The seeds are mostly brown or black in color, although they can also sometimes be white, and have no noticeable flavor. They can be added raw as a topping to food, or cooked into dishes. There is no recommended daily amount of Chia seeds to consume, however most people who advocate Chia recommend about a 2 tablespoons a day (dry) taken as a part of your meal or as a tea. It is important to remember to drink 8 ounces of water with your Chia if you are taking it dry because of its high fiber content.

Weight Loss

Chia seeds have shown to be beneficial in helping with weight loss for several reasons. They have a high nutritional profile, are high in protein and fiber. All of this combines to help you feel full faster. What makes Chia choice than other food supplements for dieting is while it makes you feel full faster, reducing your need and desire to eat more; you are not sacrificing your nutritional needs. With many protein or fiber rich meal replacements, the nutritional profile is low meaning you are getting full, but not getting any of the important minerals and amino acids that your body needs to stay healthy.

Heart Health

The effect that Chia seeds have in regulating blood pressure was first noticed alongside the effects that were appearing in stabilizing blood sugar levels in research. It is thought that the components of Chia that make it so effective in helping with weight loss have a companion effect of strengthening the bodies circulatory and digestive systems which then leads to increased heart health through lowering cholesterol and regulating insulin.

Are Breast Cancer and Being Overweight Linked?

by Leave a Comment

How is being overweight and breast cancer linked?

hope ribbon breast cancerIf you follow health news then you know that research has shown a link between being overweight and an increased risk breast cancer. The link is only just beginning to be understood by scientists and it is revealing some facts that should have a very positive influence on reducing the instances of breast cancer worldwide and obesity rates. The only way to reduce the risk of breast cancer related to obesity is to lose the weight and keep it off. Losing the weight doesn’t absolutely proof your body against breast cancer, as there can be many other factors that can raise your risk as well.  However, it is a factor that you can control (for most people, that is).

Overweight and obese women — defined as having a BMI (body mass index) over 25 — have a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer compared to women who maintain a healthy weight, especially after menopause. Being overweight also can increase the risk of the breast cancer coming back (recurrence) in women who have had the disease. – breastcancer.org

Being overweight is not linked to all breast cancers

To understand how weight and breast cancer are linked, it is easiest to begin with how they are not connected together. Scientists have found that the link exists in women after menopause, putting most of the women who are diagnosed with breast cancer that is connected to obesity in the 50s and above. There has been some evidence that being slightly overweight before menopause is not linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, and it may actually help to fight early breast cancer. So why does being overweight go from being something good to something bad?

Hormones, fat cells and breast cancer

Fat cells have a high level of estrogen receptor cells inside them. This means that they can store high levels of the hormone estrogen. Estrogen is needed by the body in varying degrees throughout life for reproduction. Menopause is when a woman’s body changes, the reproductive cycle shuts down and estrogen ceases to be produced in the levels that would be needed to reproduce.  Fat cells that have stored excess estrogen keep an abnormally high level in the body. Many instances of breast cancer involve something called “hormone-positive-receptors.” This means the cancer cell needs the estrogen in order to grow. The presence of the estrogen laden fat cell in the body acts as a fuel source. Since the estrogen is not being used by any other system, it is all available for the use of the cancer cells.

The most dangerous areas to be overweight

Not all areas that hold fat will produce the same breast cancer risk. If you are fatty deposits around your thighs and hips, your risk for hormone positive receptor breast cancer is not as high as if the fat is located on your abdomen. While it is still uncertain why this particular type of fat cell locates on the abdominal area, it is known that this abdominal fat cell holds much higher amounts of estrogen than fat cells that will be located in any other area of the body.

How to lose weight and lower your risk

Some women will immediately run out to purchase that latest abdominal exerciser or focus their whole routines on sit-ups and crunches but that is not going to help you lose the weight that is putting you at risk for breast cancer. There is no way to “target” weight loss to a specific area of the body. Fat is lost when the body consumes it as fuel.  For most people, it begins with fat in the extremities and then moves inward, ending with the last reserves located in the abdominal area. It is not a linear progression, but the metabolism spreads out its consumption so a little is taken from everything at a time. This is the body’s way of protecting itself from starvation. It is also why it is harder and slower to lose belly fat than fat from your arms and legs.

The best way to lose weight is to do whole body exercises and to change your eating habits. To keep weight off you have to remain physically active and adopt healthy living practices. The number one reason why so many people regain the weight they have worked so hard to lose is that they adopt a temporary fitness routine, but never change the longstanding living habits. When their fitness goals are reached, they return to the way they were living before and regain the weight. To lessen your risk of weight gain related breast cancer, change your lifestyle and change your approach to fitness.

Kimberly lost 110 pounds

by 14 Comments

Featured weight loss success story of the day: Kimberly lost 110 pounds in a little over 8 months.  She primarily credits the changes she made to her eating habits.  Here is what she had to say about losing the weight:

“I lost 110 pounds over 8 months primarily by changing how I ate.  The dietary changes began mentally. I DECIDED NOT to die or have complications from diabetes. I began to pray.  I was asking GOD for answers to why I had so many bouts of 30 day constipation and blood sugars levels of 350 plus all the time!!! I was enlightened and found that meat was my issue. Eating it with every meal, every day was killing my body. Immediately after cutting just meat out of my daily consumption, I lost 20 pounds in 30 days (no exercise yet). After seeing that, I decided to see what wound happen if I didn’t put ANYTHING in my mouth that was bad.  That’s right, I ate NOTHING but fruits, veggies, whole grains and water for a solid year and was exercising for  half of that time.  After losing about 50 pounds, I starting doing a standing ab routine for about 5 days a week for 30 minutes per session. Because I had changed my mind about food, it seemed like I woke up skinny!!! I went from 280 pounds to 170 pounds in one year.  Now, I am a comfortable at 180 pounds and 5’6” tall! I have put some “treats” back in every now and then, but am still enjoying a healthy lifestyle!!”

Kimberly 100 pound weight loss

30 Day Weight Loss: J’me is down from a size 20 to a 14/16

by 5 Comments

Sharing about 30 days of weight loss progress, J’me wrote to us to share her photos and let us know she’s down  33 pounds.  She is using her clothes as a measurement for success as well.  She is down from a size 20 to a size 14/16.  That’s right…in a little over 30 days.  Here is what she shared:

J'me weight loss

Sept 4, 2013: I’ve been so inspired by the before and after photos that have been posted in your page that I had to create my own. My beginning weight was 240 as of August 1, 2013, current weight 207 pounds. Thank you for your inspiration.

What was your motivation?

My motivation is to be healthy. Over the past couple of years, I’ve let myself go. I have always watched my weight but now that I’ve gotten married and had a child, it has been really tough staying active and eating right.

I changed my habits because I found that I’d gotten so big that it took a lot of energy to do minimal things.  Plus, I hated what I saw I when I looked in the mirror. I was used to dressing up and having a sense of style but when I realized how big I was, I became depressed and not motivated to dress well. My husband never treated me like he was not attracted to me, but I felt as though he deserved for me to look my best.  I eat mostly low carb foods and wheat bread if I eat any bread at all.

What did your workout routines look like?

Right now, I am walking the neighborhood because it gives me the ability to do the intervals I need, as well as it forces me to keep moving. I know that if I walk by myself three miles away from home, the only way to get back to walk myself back. My issue with gyms is I would start going and then stop, but walking the neighborhood has kept me consistent.

What was your starting weight?  I would have to guess that I had gotten up to 240-245 or so.

What is your current weight? I believe I am around 207. I no longer own a scale so I’m estimating. However,my starting pant size was 20 and now it’s size 14-16 in 30 days.