Before and After Photos

Transformation of the Day: Shaniqua lost 40 pounds. The catalyst for this medical student’s transformation came during a lab study. Her blood work revealed medical issues she was not aware of. By focusing on nutrition and exercise, she released the weight.

My name is Shaniqua. I am 23 years old and a full-time medical student. I’ve lost 40 pounds.  

What inspired you to keep going?
My inspiration came during a lab study when we tested out blood sugar. My results came back as pre-diabetic. After that, I went for a physical, and my BMI was in the obese category.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 190 pounds, and my current weight is 150 pounds. My goal weight is 140 pounds. 

What is your height?
My height is 5’3″.

When did you start your weight loss journey?
I started my journey on December 2, 2019. I’m a university student, and that was the only time we had a break. In December, I decided to join the gym. 

Is weight loss surgery part of your journey
No, I haven’t had any surgeries done. 

How did you change your eating habits?
I’ve stopped eating rice, bread, pastries, and dairy products. I started to eat more fruits and veggies.

What did your workout routine consist of?
In the beginning, my workouts consisted of cardio (until I was able to reach my goal weight). Now my workouts include weight training. I was able to lose weight, and now I’m more focused on building muscle. 

How often did you workout?
I exercise three times a week.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that your strength, power, and weakness come from within! 

What advice do you have for people who want to lose weight?
The best advice I could give is “Don’t give up.” No matter what, always keep pushing. 

Try to go beyond your limits. If you set a goal weight, go beyond that. There is always going to be a better outcome. It just takes consistency, determination and being enthusiastic about what you want in this lifetime.

I’ve created a Instagram account to motivate and encourage people. If I can do it, so can you. Instagram: @sbody_242

Transformation of the Day: Sashauna lost 47 pounds. This Jamaican sister’s wakeup call came while she was shopping for a birthday outfit and nothing fit. She got results by cutting out processed food, tracking her food intake, and working out three times a week.

I am excited to share my weight loss story! My excitement is due to the hard work I put in and the sacrifices I made to be the best version of myself. I am proud of myself, and I am eager to inspire change in others. 

What was your motivation?
I wanted to be a healthier version of myself because I had a meltdown in November 2018 while shopping for my birthday. I looked for days and could not find anything suitable for my body in the stores we have in Jamaica. I wanted to look classy, and it wasn’t easy because nothing would fit me. I know it sounds like nothing. However, I try to ensure that my day will go well on my birthday so that I feel thankful and grateful for my existence.

What inspired you when you wanted to give up? 
I was inspired by the fact that I felt better in my body. Chief among these body changes was the significant difference in how my period manifested. I no longer had painful periods. My legs weren’t going numb, and my back was not splitting in two. My cramps no longer felt like I was gut-punched. Emotionally, I felt happier. I felt more confident, and self-love surged past its previous subzero state.

How did you change your eating habits? 
I cut out processed food for a couple of months and substituted it with equally satisfying alternatives that I researched extensively. Then, I started counting calories. I developed a meal plan that would fit my 1200 calorie limit and recorded my intake in my very own physical food diary. 

I used a physical book because searching for the equivalent calories for something I ate and calculating it satisfied some internal desire to go hard. I also weighed all the things I ate or used the food labels to match the calories I take in. Additionally, I started to drink water based on my weight. In my research, I found a university study that suggested people drink half their weight in water (ounces) and an additional 12 ounces for every 30 minutes of exercise. 

What foods did you stop or start eating?
I stopped eating anything prepared by restaurants that supplied lunch for my workplace. I cut out rice and ate bulgur, quinoa, couscous, and ground provisions (sweet potato, Irish potato, yam, green banana, and pumpkin). I also limited my flour intake and the oil I used in the meals I prepare. 

I used low sodium seasonings and didn’t eat regular butter (I used the soy version of Country Crock). I did not eat regular pasta. I had gluten-free/ wheat pasta instead. Instead of red meat, I stuck with fish, chicken, cabbage, Jamaican callaloo, and boiled eggs (to be eaten with any side I choose from the previously mentioned list.

 I did not have cheat days per se. I did not have a day where I just ate “junk food.” Instead, I limited the portion size of the processed food I ate, (for example, a mouthful versus a full slice of cake.)

What did your workout routine look like?
I work out three times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes. Additionally, I do strength and core, cardio, and resistance training. I created a workout plan based on researching workout routines for beginners. I worked my way up to intermediate. 

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
I started at 223.4 pounds in October 2018. My current weight is 176 pounds. My natural waistline went from 39 inches to 31.5 inches. My hip measurement went from 50 inches to 45 inches, and my bust from 40 inches to 37 inches.

What is your height?
I am 5 feet, 6 inches tall.

When did you start your journey?
My journey began in December 2018

How long did your transformation take?
I started really seeing changes in January/February 2019, when I lost 10-20 lbs. Then the results became very obvious in April/May 2019. I’d lost the weight by September 2019. 

I am still working at it and toning my body. I am trying to get to 170/165 pounds. I had some setbacks. However, I am back on route to my goal. In fact, quarantine is helping me to work out even more with the Nike Training Club app. 

Is weight loss surgery part of your journey?
No

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
If you want it bad enough, you will do what it takes. The level of discipline I developed has transferred into other areas of my life. For the first time, I am living my best life. 

I got a food scale. I also got a bodyweight scale to track my progress. I weigh every day, and when I see even a few ounces dropped, I’m happy about it. It pushes me to see a bigger change on the scale.  

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
Without discipline, you will not get the desired results. No matter how hard it seems, you have to be motivated to see it through. Stay the course. It will be worth it. 

Instagram: @kaaramel_beautii

Transformation of the Day: Marie lost 38 pounds. Over the years, she realized that mental health issues were contributing to her emotional eating, yo-yo dieting, and weight gain. After the birth of her son, she decided to find a way to release the weight that would be both effective and enjoyable.

I started my weight loss journey in 2015. I lost about 60lbs and got in the best shape of my life. Unfortunately, it was short-lived. Due to mental health reasons, I gained some of the weight back. It wasn’t a good feeling physically. However, mentally it was worth it because I was able to let go of several toxic “health rules” I’d unintentionally set for myself. 

I became pregnant in 2019, and my weight reached a new high – 217lbs, to be exact. I found myself at the drawing board yet again to lose the weight I gained. This time, I vowed to do it in a way that is actually enjoyable. 

Starting weight: 217 pounds
Current weight: 179 pounds

What was your motivation? What inspired you when you wanted to give up? 
My motivation (at the moment) to lose weight and be healthy is my baby boy. He is VERY active, so I want to feel my best and have plenty of energy to keep up with him. I also desire longevity. 

How did you change your eating habits? What foods did you stop or start eating?
“Eat the way you desire to feel.” I made up this quote, and I believe in it 100%. If you want to feel good, have energy, and prevent illness, you should eat in a way that will help you achieve that goal. For me, that means eating plenty of fruit, vegetables, lean sources of protein, and drinking plenty of water. Just because you are on a weight loss/lifestyle journey doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy favorable food every now and then. I enjoy fried food occasionally, along with desserts, and guess what? I’m still losing weight!

What did your workout routine look like? How often did you workout?
In the beginning, I started out exercising 1-2 days per week. This may seem small to many people. However, as someone who recently gave birth, I knew I needed to take things slow. I firmly believe that one must start small and eventually work their way up in order to make a habit. 

I vowed to do workout routines that were enjoyable. 21 Day Fix Extreme, LIIFT4, and Fitness Blender were all workouts I did to lose weight. Fortunately, as I grew stronger with time, and now I exercise 5 days a week! 

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
I’ve learned to STOP focusing so much on how I look on the outside and START listening to what’s going on mentally (on the inside). Over the years, I found that I dealt with mental health issues that contributed to emotional eating, yo-yo dieting, and weight gain. Once I resolved certain things, I was finally able to lose weight, keep it off, stop eating my emotions, and desire to lose weight for the right reasons. 

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
Take your time! Stop thinking you’re supposed to be at your goal weight in 6 months or even a year. It took a while for you to gain weight, so it’s going to take time to get it off. Practice being patient; it’s quality over quantity. 

You don’t have to be fed up to make a change. You can start right where you are. The time will pass anyway, so you might as well use the time to work toward your goal. 

Instagram: @flourishedwoman_
Website: www.flourishedfitandwell.com

Felicia lost 28 pounds. This mom of two escaped an abusive relationship and drug addiction. Since 2018, she has worked to create a healthy lifestyle by focusing on nutrition and making exercise part of her daily routine.

What was your motivation?
My reasoning for starting my journey was due to me being sick and tired of looking the way I looked and feeling the way I was feeling. I moved back to Miami in April 2017 to escape an abusive marriage and a drug-addicted lifestyle. Needless to say, I gained a ton of weight from “not caring.” 

I am 39 years old and a mother of two. What kept me motivated to stick to my journey was my kids. They had a rough transition from where we were to Miami. I couldn’t continue to let them think that the way I was living was healthy.  

What is your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 189 pounds, and my current weight is 161 pounds.

What is your height?
5’4″

When did you start your journey?
Journey start date: 9/5/2018 My transformation took on many levels. I am currently still under construction. 

How did you change your eating habits?
My eating habits did a full 360-degree turnaround. I started with Herbalife Nutrition, and my regimen was a program and meal plan. I loved the products so much that I signed up as a distributor. The foods I eliminated from my diet were carbs, sugars, alcohol, and sweets. I mainly stuck to meat and veggies. 

What did you do in terms of exercise?
Fitness became part of my daily routine. I absolutely fell in love with working out. It brought me so much relief mentally and helped me to deal with stressors. I started out working out once a day. Then, I graduated to twice a day. Eventually, I became a personal trainer and health and wellness coach. 

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned from changing my lifestyle is that I learned to LOVE and APPRECIATE ME. 

What advice would you like to share with people who want to lose weight?
My advice to those who want to change their lifestyle: Don’t do it alone. Find an accountability group or partner who will help hold you accountable. Honestly, if you aren’t strong-willed and disciplined, you are setting yourself up for failure starting alone. 

Discipline, Dedication, and Consistency are what’s needed. Quitting is not an option. We all deserve to have the best in life. Putting your health first is the best decision you can ever make.  

Instagram: @iamfelicialondon
Built On Faith & Fitness