Black Weight Loss Success

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

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Ajima Jackson

Marvienne lost 44 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss before & after story: Marvienne lost 44 pounds by becoming a pescatarian, watching calories and working out.  She is one of our International BWLW members from Netherlands Antilles in the Caribbean.  Here is what she shared with us:

I’m 25 year old and I’ve lost 44 pounds.  My start weight was 85 kilos (187 pounds) and my current weight now is 65 kilos (143 pounds).  I wanted a healthier life and choose to become a pescetarian (vegetarian who eats seafood). I start eating less than I was normally, watching my calories intake and replacing every beverage with water.  I also exercise everyday for 30 minutes or more. For exercise I mostly do Cardio exercises and Jumping jacks. It took me about 1 and a half year, so 18 months.

I am more than happy and feel more confident. This is what I wanted a long time ago! I hope this is an inspiration for you. Thank you.

Marvienne weight loss story

 

Video: BWLW Member Myya Mixon on Good Morning America Today

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Congratulations go out to BWLW Member Myya Mixon on being interviewed on Good Morning America this morning about her People Magazine feature (Make sure you pick up this month’s issue to see her before and after photos and the article).  She did a great job and we are so proud of her.  We featured her awesome weight loss story back in May and People contacted us about her story.  We are so happy that everything worked out (but we think she should have been on the cover).

You can check her our on her Instagram and Facebook page.  She will be doing more tv appearances connected to the People feature on Extra and Inside Edition and on OMG insider (photos on her instagram).

Rita lost 65 pounds

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Let’s show some BWLW love to Rita.  She lost 65 pounds going from 357 to 292 pounds after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I know how challenging MS can because my father had it (he died in 2001 from brain lesions).  Here is what she shared with us:

After being diagnosed with MS, I chose a treatment plan of food & faith. I started with a low calorie/low carb diet. I continued with low carb & have lost 65 pounds. We started a walking challenge last month & I walked over 50 miles. Next month the goal is 100 miles.

I am in ministry. My motivation is for my outside to reflect my spirit. Since starting, many people have asked what I’m doing. Seeing people go from not walking to joining our 100 miles a month challenge is motivating. I’m also motivated by the numerous messages I receive from those diagnosed with MS. I walk for those who can’t.

I changed eating habits by avoiding processed foods and learning to eat green veggies other than beans, greens, & cabbage. I started my eating plan in October. I didn’t work out until February doing, 45 minutes on the elliptical. Now, I walk between 20-25 miles a week, with one day of circuits.  Started at 357 pounds. Currently, I’m 292 pounds. It took 9 months for me to lose the weight.

Rita weight loss success

Haters Gonna Hate, Poverbs 9:8

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Today’s Inspiration: Haters Gonna Hate. Proverbs 9:8 – Don’t worry about what other people think about your weight loss efforts. Let them tell you that you don’t need to lose weight. Let them warn you about not getting “too skinny” or losing your curves. Let them speak out of sincere concern or just jealousy. If you decide to lose weight for greater health, greater wellness and because you want to get off of the weight loss roller coster…that is YOUR right.

Proverbs 9:8 (NLV) – “So don’t bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. Correct the wise, and they will love you.”

haters gonna hate proverbs 9:8

Rayane lost 80 pounds

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I’ve got another story from someone with PCOS for you tonight.  Rayane lost 80 pounds over the course of 11 months with calorie counting and food logging with My Fitness Pal.  Here is what she shared with us:

I have been contemplating on submitting my story on your page for months and I thought now is the time. Mine is a bit long and drawn out but I just hope it will encourage someone else.

I have never been “small”, but I was never as big until 2012. In November 1998, I ended up in the hospital for abnormal bleeding and had to recieve a D&C to stop it and get 2 units of blood. In August of 1999, I ended up back in the hospital for the same thing and had to have another 2 units of blood. I was put on the depo shot, and in 6 months I gained 50 pounds as a result of that medicine. Needless to say, I didn’t get another shot. From that day on, I kept gaining weight and my cycles were still bad. It took until 2005 for my doctor to figure out that I had Polycistic Ovarian Syndrome.  That is what was causing my bad cycles.  It made it hard for me to lose weight no matter how hard I tried. I was put on medicine and birth control to control my issues. Then in December of 2011, I that decided come January 1, 2012 I was done.  I was going to do whatever I could to lose the weight.  At my highest I was 265 pounds and it was Feburary of 2011. I started working out and watching what I ate. I use Myfitnesspal to keep track of what I ate and counting calories.

It’s not really a diet i just changed my lifestyle. I workout, Ieat alot of baked or grilled chicken. No white sugar, flour, rice, pasta. Only whole wheat or whole grain. Protein helps as well. I cheat once a week maybe but I get back on the grind. Most importantly I drink lots of water. I buy two 32 or 35 bottle cases at a time. I also take a daily multi vitamin.

It took me 11 months but I lost the 80 pounds I set out to lose. Today I weigh 185 pounds and I’m in a size 8/10 clothing. I am back to what I weighed in high school adn still have my curves. My cycles are still under control and because of my weight loss.  In April of this year, my Ob/GYN took me off the Metformin for the PCOS which is a pre-diabetic condition.

I want to lose about 10 more pounds and trying to get my stomach smaller. That seems to be the hardest but I am happy for the most part. I worked hard and did something I never thought I could do. I just want other women to know it can be done. With a good support system and hard work you can reach your goals. I did it all myself because I was over being overweight.

Rayane weight loss PCOS

We helped BWLW Member Myya Mixon get into People Magazine!

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We are so so so excited here at Black Women Losing Weight.  One of our dreams has come true.  We were able to help one of our featured weight loss stories get major, national attention. A few months back we featured Myya Mixon’s 100 pound weight loss journey.  We were later contacted by someone from People Magazine about getting in touch with her.  They were looking for 100+ pound success stories and wanted to contact about 3 ladies we’d featured.  I was over the moon thinking that one of our BWLW members could get to be a part of one of People’s weight loss issues.  You can image how excited I was yesterday to get this message and photo from Myya…

“I just wanted to say thank you for your feature. Because of you I am going to be in PEOPLE Magazine sometime this week and I will be featured on Good Morning America this Friday morning at 8am!!! Because of you!!! Thank you for all that you do and for all of the people you inspire!”

Myya Mixon People Magazine

Myya we are so happy for you!  Amazing!  Make sure that watch Good Morning America tomorrow at 8am and that you pick up the August Issue of People Magazine (in stores now) and check out Myya’s photos.  Let’s support our BWLW sista!!

If you’d like to submit your story to be shared on our blog and Facebook page, here are the details.

Is Fast Food Making Americans Sicker?

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In addition to the burgers and fries that we consume on a huge scale, fast food also refers to foods that we purchase at the grocery store and “prepare” at home. These heat-and-serve meals are particularly bothersome because most people don’t even realize they’re consuming fast food. Often called convenience foods, these types of foods include frozen meals, pizza, and hot dogs. While most people have limited their trips through the drive-thru, these types of foods are still heavily consumed. And they are making us sick.

fastfoodHow Your Body Breaks Down Processed Foods

Processed foods and foods loaded with preservatives are particularly difficult for your body to break down and process. Digestive juices pose little threat to processed foods such as Ramen noodles which barely lose their noodle form throughout the majority of the gastro-intestinal system.

Not only is it nearly impossible for your body to extract a lot of nutrients from many of these foods, they often loiter about in your gut on an extremely sluggish journey down hill. This only serves to back up your system and make it further impossible for your body to absorb nutrients.

Fast Food Equals Malnutrition

Since processed foods and fast foods leave you feeling full without filling you up with nutrients and healthy fiber, it’s very easy to become malnourished if you consume too many of them. Even if you do consume some sort of nutrition throughout the day, a gut full of processed foods may be unable to adequately process the good foods you do eat.

Additionally, fast foods are packed with addictive ingredients such as processed sugars and MSG. When eaten, these ingredients cause a spike in blood sugar and the release of dopamine – a feel-good chemical – in the brain. This chemical reward system leads to addiction and the consumption of a larger quantity of greasy, fast, convenient foods.

Weight Gain and Diseases Associated with Fast Food

A typical number whatever from your local fast food restaurant packs an average of 1,400 calories – dieticians recommend a 1700 – 2,000 calorie per day diet (in addition to exercise) for optimal health and weight maintenance. If you eat out several times a week, you can see how you will quickly consume more calories than your body can burn off, which will result in weight gain.

As if being overweight isn’t reason enough to stop eating fast food, obesity is directly linked to the majority of premature deaths in the US. Not only does obesity put you at risk for certain heart and circulatory diseases, it also can lead to diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, and a whole host of issues that can leave you feeling ill; many of the diseases associated with obesity can even shorten your life span.

Since fast food isn’t going to go anywhere anytime soon, it’s up to you to eliminate it from your diet. Consume fresh foods whenever possible and start cooking your own meals. If time is a factor, prepare several meals on the weekend so that you can heat and serve them throughout the week.

Is Sugar Addiction Real? How do You Fight It?

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A recent study conducted by Harvard’s David Ludwig found that sugar can, in fact, be quite addicting. Why? You see, foods high in sugar content raise blood sugar dramatically – more than other types of foods. This spike in blood sugar stimulates a portion of the brain that is infamous for additions – even hard-core addictions like gambling or drug abuse.

Simply craving and consuming sugar wouldn’t be such a hardship if it weren’t so unhealthy. Consuming large amounts of sugar can lead to weight gain and a host of illnesses including Type 2 diabetes, cancer, and high blood pressure. And, as with all addictions, the more sugar you consume, the more you will crave it.

How to Fight Sugar Addiction

Willpower alone will not stop sugar addiction, you must develop a fail-proof plan that will serve you well even when you’ve exhausted your willpower. Follow these 5 tips for eliminating sugar from your diet and stopping sugar addiction:

  1. Find unlikely and hidden sources of sugar in your diet by reading food labels. You would be surprised by how many foods contain hidden sources of sugar. Learn all the names of sugar and carefully scan all nutrition labels before purchase. If you eliminate hidden sources of sugar, you can further control the roller coaster ride of blood sugar spikes followed by intense cravings.
  2. Stock your kitchen with healthy foods to eliminate temptation. It’s also a good idea to create menus and a grocery list to keep you on track. It’s a lot harder to stray from a solid game plan than it is a vague concept of eating better.
  3. Eat more fruit. Not only will fruit satisfy your sweet tooth, it is also a healthy way to add a flavorful twist to otherwise boring dishes. Unlike processed sugar, the natural sugar found in fruit will not cause unhealthy spikes in blood glucose levels.
  4. Cut out or dilute sugar wherever possible. If you consume a lot of sugary drinks, cut the sugar content by adding less sugar or adding seltzer. Gradually reduce the sugar content of your drinks while cutting down the number of times you imbibe to eliminate this source of sugar from your diet.
  5. Combat cravings by finding healthy substitutes. Foods high in protein such as nuts and peanut butter are a good place to start. Not only will these foods stop cravings, they will keep you feeling full.

The more you eliminate sugar from your diet, the less often you will crave it. As your blood sugar levels become constant, you will find that you have more control over your cravings and that you have been able to successfully overcome sugar addiction. Granted, it doesn’t get better overnight, but if you take small, gradual steps to fight sugar addiction, you will find that the battle only gets easier as time goes on.

White Flour Is in Everything: How to Avoid It

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Ladies, I wanted to give you more info on avoiding white flour and refined flour since this is one of the goals of this month’s weight loss challenge.  White, bleached, processed flour – there are many reasons to avoid it and hardly a single reason to keep it in your diet. It’s unhealthy; it causes dramatic changes in blood sugar levels; and it fills you up, taking place of nutritious foods. You see, white flour is essentially stripped of everything nutritious and beneficial, leaving only a white powder that’s easily digested by your body and used as blood sugar. Not only does white flour prevent the consumption of nutritious foods, the blood-sugar spikes associated with it can lead to hunger, cravings, and poor eating habits.

flourWhat Types of Foods Contain White Flour?

Avoiding white flour altogether can be tricky since a huge quantity of prepared foods contain flour. Cakes, cookies, breads, pasta, and gravies all contain flour. Breading and coatings used in meat preparation also contain flour as do cereals and pastries. Bottom line: white flour is everywhere, and it can be difficult, if not impossible, to remove it from your diet if you purchase prepared foods or dine out.

How to Avoid White Flour

Since white flour is contained in almost every prepared food you can think of, it is difficult to avoid it if you continue to purchase and consume these types of foods. If you want to truly avoid white flour, you must take back the preparation of your meals by cooking your meals the old-fashioned way – from scratch. Here are just a few tips for removing flour from your diet and replacing it with healthy and nutritious choices:

  1. Fruits and vegetables do not contain flour, so incorporate them into your meals wherever possible. For example, you can cut zucchini in small strips, boil it, and use it in place of pasta. You can also cut back on other types of foods when you consume more raw fruits and veggies.
  2. Read food labels and get familiar with the names of grains and how flour is listed.
  3. Buy gluten-free foods.
  4. Replace bread and other flour products with whole grains. You can easily do this just by paying attention to the items you purchase at the grocery store. Select whole-grain breads, pastas, and cereals to eliminate white flour from your diet.
  5. Instead of breading or coating your meats, broil them. Broiled meat is much healthier for you anyway, and you can broil virtually any type of meat you can think of. Simply coat meat with herbs and spices and broil to perfection.
  6. Make your own gravies, sauces, and desserts since most of these items contain white flour when you purchase them already prepared. Find flour substitutes such as creamed corn to thicken gravy.

While it can be a challenge to eliminate white flour from your diet, it’s not impossible. By paying a bit more attention to nutrition labels and spending a little extra time in the kitchen, you can remove this unhealthy ingredient from your meals.

MelissaRoshan lost 74 pounds

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Update 8/2014: MelissaRoshan noted that a lot of the weight gain she experienced had to do with emotional baggage. She shared a video with us about her journey.

Today’s weight loss before and after story: Model and makeup artist MelissaRoshan lost 74 pounds going from a size 10 to a size 2 with clean eating.  She no longer deals with symptoms of PCOS and insulin resistance.  Here is what she shared with us.

My story is that I have PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) and insulin resistance. I was modeling in my earlier twenties, and by the time I was diagnosed with it, I had gained forty pounds. I lost my modeling contract and also self esteem. I felt rejected, and fell into depression. Despite the smile in my before pic I waa miserable and unhealthy. I couldn’t walk up the stairs without gasping for air and my cycles dissapeared. I got tagged in a photo on FB and did not realize how big I was. THAT was my wake up call. A friend introduced me to Eating Clean after I shared with her I was tired of being tired. That’s when I made my change. In a year, I lost 74 pounds by eating clean and Pilates/cardio. I also let a lot of painful issues go from a painful child-hood, chose forgiveness, and healing. That literally was 20 pounds right there! The weight came off, and I’ve kept it off since. The key for me was changing my mind so that my life could change. I got my modeling contract back, but most importantly my health. We can do anything we set our minds to, and one of my missions is to inspire women to live their healthiest life possible. If you’re already fit, then what’s the heart look like? There’s always room for self betterment.

MelissaRoshan weight loss story