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Before and After Photos

Lanitra lost 46 pounds

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Weight Loss Story: Lanitra lost 46 pounds.  She cites the help and support from a friend who was into fitness as a major motivational factor in her success.  Here is what she shared about how she lost the weight:

Lanitra weight loss

“My name is Lanitra Wilson and my weight loss journey began about two years ago. I have struggled for years with my weight and I could not find the motivation nor the best plan that worked for me. I truly believe that in life we meet people who will have a lasting effect on our lives. I met a good friend who was totally into fitness and who actually believed that I could loose the weight that I had been carrying for years. Just having someone believe in me and push me when I couldn’t push myself gave me the strength to start my journey. I was also motivated by the fact that I have a 16 year old daughter in which I want to be around to see become a young woman and have a family of her own.

I began working out at the gym initially up to 3 times per week then I was able to increase the number of days to 5 and I actually began enjoying it. My workout consisted of doing intervals on the treadmill and total body weight lifting. As time progressed I concentrated more on cardio and completed about 50 minutes a day and then incorporated light weights. I also began changing my eating habits by cutting out fast food and incorporating salmon, fruits, vegetables and drinking plenty of water.

I still have more pounds to shed but I wanted to share my journey with other women to let them know that they can do this. My highest weight was 271 pounds and I’m currently down to 225 pounds and counting.”

Courtney lost 65 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Courtney lost 65 pounds.  After going through a divorce and a toxic relationship, she was able to reclaim her life and losing weight was a part of that victory.  She wrote in to tell us how she changed her life and lost the weight:

“Hi, My name is Courtney. About a two years ago, some very dramatic events happen in my life. I left my husband, was basically homeless and was forced into a relationship I really shouldn’t have been in. I had lost 80 pounds in the previous year and was about 225 lbs. I had become a vegetarian and was working out regularly. However, in this new relationship, I was in a new environment and eventually back slid.  I started eating fried foods, didn’t working out and over the course of a year gained over 60 pounds! My pants started ripping, shirts were too little. It was embarrassing but not enough to where I did anything about it. 

In July of 2013, I ended that toxic relationship and took my life back. I started walking every day, changing the foods I ate and how I prepared them.  I also changed the times when I ate. A month into my new lifestyle, I started using Herbalife. Since then, my life hasn’t been the same. I went from walking to using the Nike Training Club, going to the gym and lifting weights, and even making up my own routines! 

Over the last 7 months, with hard work, good nutrition, faith and support, I have lost 65 lbs but I have also gained confidence, self worth, self love and so much more. I have influenced loved ones, friends, coworkers and women I don’t even know! That really touches me because I now have a dream to help others. I feel like this is my purpose. I am currently transitioning into becoming vegetarian again! I am still building the body I deserve. I’m not done, By no means! I hope this reaches someone who doesn’t think they can do it, because I want them to know that they CAN!”

Instagram: @Yentruoctsuj

CourtneyMar14

Janet lost 90 pounds

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Today’s Weight Loss Success Story: Janet lost 90 pounds.  She gives God all the glory.  She wants us to know that getting healthy is a “process” and that she makes a conscious decision each day to stay on track with her goals.  She shared with us the details of her journey.  Check it out:

Janet before and after

“I’am a firm believer that with God ALL things are possible to him that believes! In 2003, I was at my highest weight ever! I was 250 plus pounds. I stopped weighing myself because I did not want to know my exact weight. I was to embarrassed to know.

You ask what was my motivation? Life and my health was motivation. I wanted to live I did not want to die because of hypertension (high blood pressure) or diabetes. Those two diseases runs in my family. I was married and at the time I had two small children. I wanted to live and be here for my family! My excuses were running thin. I kept telling myself I will start a diet tomorrow, I will start tomorrow etc. My tomorrow never came until I was ready to face my today! I had to get real with my self. I was at my lowest.  My clothing was a size 22/24. I was experiencing mild heart palpitations, shortness of breathing walking up the stairs, and my body ached! Weight hurts and it’s heavy!!

I began to pray and ask The Lord to help me. I did not want to stay the way I was. I needed to change. My help came immediately. I changed my food portion sizes. I stopped eating out on a large dinner plates. I changed to dessert plate and ate at home. You can not pile as much food on a dessert plate like a dinner plate. Changing my plate size assisted me in controlling my portion size.

Next, my eating habits had to change even more! I went from unhealthy eating to healthy eating. Cut out fried foods, and I no longer eat beef, or pork. I only eat fish, turkey and chicken. Veggies became a large portion on my plate. Also, I no longer eat bread, which was contributing to my weight gain. For making sandwiches, I got creative and would use lattice, tomatoes, or Spinach as my bread.  It’s very healthy too!

All I drink is water I can’t stress enough that water was critical and has helped my skin to become healthier. By drinking more water, my inside was being flushed out which enabled me to continue this process. Now, I may have a soda during family events but to be totally honest I drink so much water that drinking a soda is like drinking plain sugar. Also, smoothies are the best (fruit and veggie smoothies).

Currently I weigh 160 pounds and I’m a size 10. I have NEVER wore a size 10 before.  BWLW Ladies, this is truly a lifestyle change! I did not loose this weight overnight, nor did I gain it overnight. It is continual process. It took me a year to really start eating right, cutting out all that junk food and start putting action into plan.

After I started to eat right the weight started to come off. I did a little at a time I did not want to become overwhelm myself or get discouraged. So, for example, I started walking.  From walking, I went to running and from running to swimming. All along the way, I kept saying to myself “It’s a process.”.

Then I stared exercising during commercial breaks, doing 50 jumping jacks every commercial break. Then, I’d add in 20 push ups then crunches. The cycles continues to add another exercise. This got my family moving as well.  It’s a process that I have to continue. I have not arrived. I make a conscious decision daily to stay fit and healthy.

The advice I would love to give to my sisters who are struggling with their weight:  I have been there, where they are, and I know what it feels like to be overweight and not feel good about yourself. I know the silent frustrations they are experiencing especially wanting to wear the stylish clothes that don’t come in their size. Feeling like a failure because their weight is so out of control.

I want them to know that it starts with the decision to change and get healthy and fit. I will tell my sisters that all things are possible to him that believes! Believe in yourself, believe you are worthy to face your weight and believe that it can change and it will change! I would take them step by step through the process to prevent them from becoming overwhelm and discourage. Also it is critical for my sisters to know and to remember weight loss is different for everyone. If I can help one it was worth sharing my story!”

My motto Is “If I Can YOU Can”
I’m on social media
Jpharrison@hotmail.com
FB: Janet Harrison
Twitter: pd2md
Instagram: pd2md

Toi lost 107 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Let’s show some Black Women Losing Weight love to Toi.  She lost 107 pounds with weight loss surgery.  Read all about her weight loss journey and her decision to have surgery:

“Hi, I just wanted to share my journey. My name is Toi Phillips and my weight has always been a issue. I decided to take a big step on August 22,2013 and have gastric sleeve weight loss surgery. My starting weight was 332 pounds.

Toi gastric sleeve surgeryLike a lot of people, I gained a lot of weight during my pregnancy.  I gained almost 85 pounds. When I had my daughter, I only lost 20 pounds so the rest was body weight. I had been taking phentermine or adipex for almost a year and my weight fluctuated 30 pounds to 35 pounds lost.  As soon as I would stop taking them, I would gain back all the weight and then some. I became immune to the drugs and dependent, meaning I would take them for energy or just to do a daily task.  I went to the doctor at my heaviest weight of 332 and found out I was what you call morbidly obese.  Now I had a one year old and no spunk to play with her. I felt I had to do something,

I worked out 4 days a week for about 4 months and lost about 3 pounds. I was so fed up. I did some research on the gastric sleeve procedure. I called around and did more research. My insurance would not cover the cost so I opted to go to Tijuana, Mexico where I paid a total of $4500.00 for the surgery. It was the best money spent and best experience. The staff was awesome. I’m down 107 pounds. I’m amazed at my self and I wish I would have known about the sleeve sooner. I will be happy to share to anyone who is interested in going to Mexico to get sleeved. I have more energy than ever and no complications. Also, I have a few YouTube videos about my weight loss under My Journey Toi Phillips“:

Toi before and after

Alana lost 65 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Proud mom Alana lost 65 pounds.  She credits Zumba and eating more healthy food.  She is now a Zumba instructor and helps others to dance off the pounds.  Here is her story:

Alana before and after

“My journey has been an up and down battle dealing with my weight. Not that I couldn’t lose it but maintaining was the hardest part. I would lose the weight, and then I gain it back. We all know the story… I am currently a licensed Zumba Instructor and Zumba has been the biggest solution to my weight lost. I loved working out but being a single mom I was not able to get to the gym as often or to do anything outside work and motherhood; especially having a newborn. I was so tired that the weight sneaked up on me. How many know that it takes that one snapshot (picture) to say, “I need to do something about this”? This is a HOTTT Mess. (LOL) My eating habits were horrible. It was not the fact that I ate unhealthy foods but wasn’t eating enough. Yes, you can gain weight by eating only one meal a day to where your body starts to hold on to the fat. Not good… this makes it difficult to lose weight.

I started taking Zumba as a student in 2012 and saw the weight drop off (Inches at first which is most important). I love to dance, so this was the best solution for me; dance-off the weight. Yes!!!! I also changed my eating habits and began drinking more water. Water does the body good, Ladies. I was so into my classes that I use to ad-lib on the steps to where my fellow Zumbians would say, “You should be teaching this class”. The thought came across my mind and one of my Zumba instructors mentioned that I should be teaching. I pushed that thought to the side for months until my sister said, “Go get your license”. In June of 2013, I became a licensed instructor and as of February 2014, I can say that I am 65 pounds lighter. I started doing Zumba 3 times a week and lifted weights to tone. I also wore wrist weights in my Zumba classes to tone my arms. Then, once I started teaching, I went from 3 days to 5 days a week. I got so into it that I started making videos for my students that couldn’t make it to class to do at home. Fitness shouldn’t only be done in the gym. If I didn’t go to the gym, I turned on the radio and danced around the house to where I got my daughter became involved in being healthy. Get your children involved in being healthy at an early age. Healthy children normally become weight conscious adults. Once you make your mind up that you want a change, it can happen. I did it and so can you.”
www.Facebook.com/AlanaLSanders
www.Facebook.com/GetPulsedFitness (Workout Videos)

Kim lost 151 pounds

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Weight Loss Success Story of the Day: Kim lost 151 pounds.  After years of yo-yo dieting, she found a healthy eating plan and an exercise routine that works for her.  She gave us the full details of her journey.  Check it out:

Kim weight loss story

:Hello, my name is Kim. My weight lost journey began back in  2010. I weighed 325 lbs and I was very uncomfortable. All my life my weight has fluctuated from me always going on fad diets and loosing 10 lbs, only to gain back 20 lbs! In 2010, I joined LA Weight Loss they showed me how to eat right, incorporate healthy foods (chicken, fish, turkey, and no salt). I also cut out junk foods. After going there for one year, I had lost 119 pounds the healthy way. I kept it off for over a year and then in 2012 I fell off the wagon and gained back 40 lbs.  I was very unhappy with myself because I had gone back to my old habits of eating fast foods and junk foods. Well, the 40 lbs I gained turned out to being over 50 lbs. It’s like I kept gaining.

In Jan 2013, I was tired and very uncomfortable. I didn’t want to keep gaining and gaining weight. One day I was on-line and I stumbled across a guy by the name of Terry Starks (aka. The Diet Doctor).  He has changed my life and taught me how to eat right. I started eating 5 small meals every 3 hours, mainly the same foods I ate when I went to LA weight loss.  I eat plenty of fish, turkey, chicken and lots of veggies, along with fresh fruit, no junk foods or soda. I don’t eat shell fish cause it’s loaded with sodium which makes me retain fluid. I started exercising twice a day, mainly doing cardio. I have a treadmill and elliptical at home. I do 30 min every morning and again at night. I go to the gym sometimes because I get bored at home. When I go to the gym, I get on the Arc trainer. I just recently started back working out with a personal trainer to tone more and to loose another 20 pounds. In Jan 2013, I was over 260 pounds. I now weight 174 pounds! My goal weight is to be 155 pounds.

Loosing weight is a mind thing, a life style change. If your mind is not made up, you won’t loose a single pound.  I struggle and pray that I won’t slip off and fall off the wagon ever again.  My advice to everyone is Don’t give up if you slip up and fall off the wagon, like I’ve done in the past. Just jump back on that wagon. Everyday starts a new journey!!! Be Blessed”

Tafara lost 60 pounds

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Tafara has lost 60 pounds total, down from 207 pounds.  We featured her back in Dec 2012 when she was down 51 pounds.  She has maintained her weight loss and is now training for a figure competition, so you know she is getting lean.  Check out her original feature to find out how she lost the weight.

tafara weight loss

Update:”Some time back, I was featured on your page. Here is an update of what I have been up to.  I now weigh 67kg (147 pounds). I am more toned, full of energy and am preparing to do my first figure competition. I am also training to be a Personal Trainer and Studying for a diploma in Weight Loss Consultancy. Here is my latest pictures.

Through your inspiration I founded a group, “Weightloss Naturally“. I was so inspired by stories of determination, perseverance, struggling and finally VICTORY of women doing all sorts to stay healthy. I have had many people writing to me and wanting to know how I did it and my passion is to get more people to do what I did. Diet and exercise is my passion now and I talk to people on everyday to get them to take a look at their health and make a PERMANENT change. I have had positive feedback so far and it makes my heart swell with joy that I can help other people too.”

Photo from original post – 51 pounds down!

tafara2014fbUpdate Photos:

Tafara Weight Loss

Tafara weight loss story

 

Taneeka lost 90 pounds

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Weight Loss Success Story: Taneeka lost 90 pounds.  She embraced a plant-based, vegan diet.  Her story shows that you have to constantly make adjustments when you are trying to maintain your weight loss after reaching your goal.  Here is what she shared with us about her journey:

Taneeka weight loss

“Hey, I love your page. I lost 90 pounds last year and I’ve gone up and down for the last couple of months. I decided this month to shake up my diet by going back vegan.

I have been big my entire life. I was called all types of names in school, so My grandmother put me on the SlimFast diet when I was in the 5th grade, but it didn’t help. It made me a closet eater. So instead of losing weight, I gained weight. When I was 16, I went on a strict diet and walked a mile everyday. I lost a lot of weight but I gained it all back and more by the time I was 19 years old. When I was 23, I had an emergency hysterectomy and I became extremely depressed. Food became my friend. At age 32 I weighed 350 pounds. I knew I had to do something and quick.

In Dec 2012, I purchased Dr. Joel Furmans book “Eat To Live” and I went vegan. I went vegan for 6 weeks and started working out 4 days a week. I haven’t drank soda nor juice in over 10 years. I started eating meat only 3 days a week. I do not eat red meat. I lost 90 pounds by July 2013. My weight has fluctuated by about 5 lbs over the last 6 months. I decided this month to go back vegan and workout more vigorously. I will be incorporating more weights. I currently weigh 259 pounds.”

Taneeka weight loss Taneeka before and after

Video: Val Mcleod on Good Morning America

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Update: BWLW sista Val Mcleod has lost over 390 pounds.  A few day ago she was featured on Good Morning America.  Way to go, Val!!  Here is the link to the video and article.

“At her heaviest, the 54-year-old Atlanta woman said she weighed about 620 pounds.
Some days McLeod would eat more than 30,000 calories – including fried chicken, cookies, chips, ice cream and soda – in portion sizes that were large enough for three people.
“My doctor just told me, you’re going to kill yourself,” McLeod said in an interview with ‘Good Morning America.’“

She was also featured in People Magazine’s “Half Their Size” issue in January.  Her story is so inspiring and I’m so glad she shared it with us.  Check out what she shared with us.

Check out her brand new Facebook page: Shaped4Success

Val weight loss success

 

Amazing Weight Loss: Catrina lost 519 pounds!

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2014 – Weight Loss Story of the Day: Catrina lost 519 pounds! If you think that weight loss is impossible or that you can’t do it, her amazing victory is one more amazing example to us that we CAN do it.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

Catrina lost 500 pounds

My name is Catrina and I have struggled with my weight all my life. At my heaviest, I weighed nearly half a ton, 955 pounds to be exact. Bed ridden and trapped in my home, I thought my life was over. I was unable to walk, couldn’t clean myself, and was a prisoner in my home. I was certain that I would never be able to drive, go to college, work, or even be able to go outside and breathe fresh air. I suffered from sleep apnea, cellulites, congestive heart failure, and was literally being killed by the fat that surrounded my short 5 feet 2 inch frame.

What was your motivation?
My motivation is watching my body transform. I also wanted to be able to finish college and be able to travel again. I had the gastric bypass weight loss surgery at 655 pounds, BUT I had to lose 300 pounds BEFORE any doctor would do surgery on me. I found a doctor in Ohio, Dr. Dean Mikami, took a chance on me and I thank God for that. This journey is hard but someone has to do it.

How did you change your eating habits? 
My eating habits are much better now. No more emotional eating. I’m cooking healthier and leaving that fast food stuff alone. I bake almost everything and eat lots of fish, turkey, protein shakes (whey protein powder).

What did your workout routines look like? 
I’m going to the gym and doing water aerobics five days a week. That’s good for my joints. I’m also walking a little bit more and just pushing myself more then I ever have.

What was your starting weight? 
955 pounds.

What is your current weight?
436 pounds. I will be meeting with a plastic surgeon soon to talk about getting excessive skin removed.

How long did your transformation take?
It’s been 6 years so far and I’m still working on it.  I had to learn how to walk and take care of myself all over again but God is truly good!!

What advice to you have for others who want to lose weight?
If you truly want to lose weight it starts you, because you are the only one who’s stoping you. I use to make so many excuses for myself over and over again I had to stop making excuses for myself and just do it.

Catrina’s Facebook Group: 955lbs I thought my life was over
Periscope: Missallboutme
Instagram: @misstrina911

Update 2015: Catrina is raising money for skin removal surgery (Go Fund Me Link). – “After losing over 500 pounds I have been able to improve my mobility significantly, however, I am extremely limited by the extra skin that enclosed 955 pounds of fat. My walking, bending, standing, and sedentary movement is compromised by the extra skin hanging from my body. The extra skin that is restricting my mobility is also restricting my ability to continue reaching my weight loss goal. I am unable maximize workouts and must limit my movement and mobility. I have received approval from my physician to have the skin removed, but need help obtaining the funds required to undergo the surgical procedure. The cost of the procedure and associated fees is $10,000. Although that amount is not a lot of money, it is more than I can afford to pay. I have overcome heart failure, sleep apnea, and weighing nearly half a ton, there is no way a measly $10,000 is going to prevent me from obtaining my goal. This is the reason I need your help today. Although I may stumble, struggle, and even fall, I REFUSE TO LOSE. And with your help, I won’t.”

Update 2016: Catrina has released 573 pounds. At 955 pounds, she was bed ridden and trapped in her home, but she found the strength to fight and her progress is simply awesome. She recently wrote in to say: “I’m feeling amazing I have 200 more pounds to lose, but with God anything is possible! Thanks for always sharing.”

“My motivation is to one day inspire and motivate people. I know my story needs to be heard. When I was 955lbs laying in the bed I didn’t have anyone to look up to for help. I saw people on Jerry Springer that look like me and people made fun of them. So, I want to be the person who changes the face of obesity. People think we are lazy and not motivated. That’s not true for most we just need help and I know God keep me around to use story and show people anything and everything is possible.”

catrina weight loss story