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 / Search for "zumba"

Search Results for: zumba

Farah lost 75 pounds

by 9 Comments

Today’s featured before and after weight loss story: Farah lost 75 pounds by changing her diet, embracing green smoothies and working out religiously.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

Hello, I wanted to share my journey thus far. It’s long but I know it’s attainable.  I reached my highest weight when I was pregnant with my last son. When I was at 39 weeks, I weighed 294 pounds.  Despite not getting the support I needed at home , 6 weeks postpartum I went down to 282 pounds. I still looked so puffy I pictures I’ve seen of me at this weight.

Prior to me getting pregnant, I was into fitness and nutrition. So, I knew what I had to do. I had to completely stop procrastinating and stop being all in the feeling from my past. I still had my gym membership.  I started back going to the gym 5-6 days a week, doing cardio and strength training.  I was also eating 80% clean eating.  The only thing I ‘m doing different now is using a Nutribullet, which I love , love , love.  I use it once or twice a day. Everything I use too make my protein/veggie/ fruit drink is raw.  No cooking required.  Some times I add a little bit of healthy fats . Of course, I drink tons of water everyday day.

I’m still under construction, but I’m happy with what I have accomplished thus far. The tools I use; Your monthly challenges, my fitness pals, free weights, cleaningeat.com, Google for healthy Recipes, Zumba, boot camp, elliptical, treadmill with incline, jump rope, planks, Squats, ankle weights, burpees, mountain climbers, dvds, cable machine, other people’s success stories and a heart monitor Ft4. I can’t thank god enough. #stillaworking progress  Now I weigh 219.6 pounds.

Farah lost 75 pounds

Latese lost 60 pounds

by 12 Comments

Today’s featured weight loss before and after: Latese lost 60 pounds with Zumba, protein shakes for meal replacement and portion control.  Here is what she shared with us:

Hi, My name is Latese. When I graduated from high school, I weighed 145 pounds and even at that weight I thought I was fat. After high school, I never worked out.  I also ate what I wanted, mainly fast food, and enjoyed mango margaritas at least four times a week. My clothes got bigger, but I remained in denial about how much weight I had actually gained. January 28, 2012, I weighed in at 225 pounds. It was shocking and depressing. At that moment, I made a vow to lose 50-60 pounds.

I joined a gym and started taking Zumba classes at least five times a week.  When I wasn’t doing Zumba, I was in boot camp classes. I also stopped drinking those mango margaritas and replaced many of my meals with protein shakes. I pretty much ate what I wanted, just in portions. I cut back on fast foods as well. I still drink protein shakes as a meal replacement now.  I am proud to say I have reached my goal of losing 60 pounds. I weigh 165 pounds.  I’m only 20 pounds away from what I was at 18 years old. I have more energy, and can fit into the clothes I never would have been able to a year ago 🙂

Latese weight loss success

Paula lost 170 pound with weight loss surgery and working out

by 1 Comment

Paula wrote us to share her weight loss journey.  She had weight loss surgery in 2003 and lost 130 pounds.  In 2012, she renewed her weight loss efforts and dropped 40 pounds.  She joined weight watchers and amp’d up her exercise efforts.

My name is Paula and I have struggled with weight my entire life.  After my second son who was born in 2002, my weight really got out of control and I knew I had to do something. Over the years, I have tried every diet under the sun and they just didn’t work.  I needed to do something quickly so I could be around for my boys. That is when I decided to have weight loss surgery on April 23,2003. On that day, I weighed in at a whopping 400 pounds (the before picture I took 2 days before surgery). Once I had the surgery, I lost just about 130 pounds and I felt great.  Life was good.

Now, fast forward to 2012.  Still feeling good, but not feeling healthy.  I knew that if I didn’t want to see 400 pounds again, I needed to revamp my eating and get active. So, that’s what I did. I started out by cutting junk foods and making healthier food choices.  I also started working out at home, doing Zumba and the Biggest Loser on the Wii. In 6 months, I lost 30 pounds. Next, I joined a local gym by my home and started taking Turbo Kick classes, spinning, and any other cardio class they offered.  I also joined Weight Watchers, which was a godsend because it helped me learn about portion control and how to really make healthier food choices.  It also helped me dropped another 10 pounds.

Now, I am a GLADIATOR lol.  I take Tabata Boot camp classes at 5:30 am in the morning,where me and several other women go HARD w/the best trainer performing HIIT drills and challenging our bodies. The best part of it all, is that I have also fulfilled a dream I have had since I was a little girl. I am now a full blown RUNNER! I did my first 5K in Oct 2012, since then I have ran another 5K and an 8K in March 2013! My second 8K is coming up in June and then it’s time to train for my first half marathon! Losing almost 200 pounds has literally changed my life. I am am now a much happier, healthier and confident person then I ever was or ever thought I would be.

Paula weight loss surgery

Tara lost 63 pounds

by 7 Comments

Today’s weight loss before and after story: Tara lost 63.8 pounds with walking, Weight Watchers and focusing on the vision God gave her for her health.  Here is what she shared with us:

Hello Black Women Losing Weight, I just want to share.  I would like to say that no matter what, never give up on your dreams and God’s purpose and plans for your life. My motivation was I had been over weight practically all my life.  I started this weight loss journey on September 6, 2010 by walking three days a week.  I did it without portion control or any additives.  I just worked out and obeyed the voice of God.  As of April 2013, I’d lost 50 lbs.  I also started ZUMBA 9 months ago

Later in April, I knew that I had not arrived to the vision God had for me, so therefore I joined Weight Watchers.  Since then, which has only been 6 weeks, I have lost an additional 13.8 pounds.  That makes a grand total of 63.8 pounds.   I Run/Walk 4 days a week and got to Zumba class one day a week, 5 days a week.  I started ZUMBA 9 months ago.  Although I need to loose a bit more, I’m so grateful about where I have come. If I can do it, you can too. At some point in time I had to take Goliath down and take off his head. Remember this, “I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHICH GIVES ME STRENGTH!”

Tara weight loss story

Precious lost 107 pounds

by 13 Comments

Update: Shout out to Precious. She lost the weight and has kept it off for more than 4 years.

Today’s featured weight loss success story: Blogger Precious lost 107 pounds.  She changed her eating habits, worked out regularly and found a love for running.  Here is what she shared with us:

What was your motivation? I come from a family with lots of health issues ranging from diabetes to cancer. My Dad died in 2007 due to complication involving diabetes and it still didn’t hit me then that I needed to change my lifestyle. I would just keep making that same I’m going to lose weight New Years resolution. Finally, In January 2010 I was going into my final semester in college and just didn’t want to start my next chapter in life being so overweight and out of shape so I finally committed myself to becoming a better me. I wanted to be an inspiration. I wanted to be someone else’s motivation. I think the best thing for me that kept me going the most is when people took note of my weight lost and complimented me. Sometimes you just feel so defeated when losing weight and just to have someone take note of your hard work makes you feel awesome. It made me feel good and allowed me to keep pushing forward. Also I have a small shopping problem so it felt awesome to shop and be able to pick up smaller sizes. I love fashion and finally I can wear clothes that I love and not just wish they made them in bigger sizes.

How did you change your eating habits? I changed my eating habits by cutting back on the sweets, not eating fast food (i.e McDonalds, Burger King), no fried food, and drinking only water and green tea. I learned new ways to incorporate more vegetables like through green smoothies as well as healthier recipes to help satisfy my sweet tooth. I now stick to a more 85/15 rule. 85% of the week I eat healthy, 15% maybe not so much but still within reason.

What did your workout routines look like? Because I was so overweight and out of shape I started simple. I used my Wii to help me get in shape through the use of Wii Fit. I stuck with this for the first 6 months and lost about 40lbs. The summer of 2010 came and I decided to join a fitness center. I started working out 5 – 6 days a week and varied between weight lifting, zumba, belly dancing, and cardio. After losing 90lbs, I decided to try something more intense and started at Forte Fitness Bootcamp as well as joined Black Girls Run and found my love for running which helped me reach my 100lb weight loss goal.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight? The highest weight I recall is 267 pounds. I am currently 160 pounds.

How long did your transformation take? My transformation was one that involved a long hiatus because of working two jobs. I started in January 2010. By January 2012 I had lost 90lbs. I stopped working out in February 2012 and started back in September. By December 2012 I had reached the 100lb lost mark. Currently I am still on my journey however my focus is now toning and getting my body fat percentage below 25%.

I hope to inspire people through my blog: http://thecoilybombshell.blogspot.com as well as my facebook page www.facebook.com/thecoilybombshell

Thanks for reading & remember if it’s important to you, you will find a way. If not, you will find an excuse!

precious weight loss before & after

Update July 2014: Precious is now down 110 pounds.  Check out this video all about her journey.

Jenn lost 46 pounds

by 4 Comments

Today’s featured weight loss success story: BWLW Online Community member Jenn lost 46 pounds by changing her eating habits and exercising.  Here is what she shared with us:

One year ago, I fell into a depression and food became my best friend. I was eating all of the wrong things. I wasn’t active. I am only 5 ft 4 inches tall and to carry around 252 pounds was causing me pain. My back, knees, feet, and ankles would begin to hurt after only 5 minutes of walking. My clothes were getting bigger. One day, I looked at myself in the mirror and all I could do was cry. It didn’t matter that others saw me without flaws. I was unhappy and tired of feeling that way. The next day, I ate and drank all of my favorite things (Doritos, Reeses, Pepsi, french fries). At the end of the day, I threw away everything I didn’t eat and decided at that very moment to start living healthy. I decreased my carbohydrate intake to a minimum of 50 grams daily.  I eliminated sugar, sodas and juices and increased my water to a gallon a day. I also incorporated more vegetables into my meals. I joined a gym and began to do Zumba classes. Today I am 46 pounds lighter! I have never been so proud of myself in my life.

Everyday is a struggle but it’s so worth it. The camera is now my best friend and all of my loved ones can see my confidence. I am still working toward my goal, which I’ll share as soon as I am there. That dark and dismal place of my past won’t EVER see me again. You can believe that!  For all of you that chose healthy living, I applaud you. It’s not easy…But it’s SO worth it!

Jenn before and after weight loss

Share Your Weight Loss Story

by 47 Comments

We are looking for great weight loss success stories because we want to inspire women to eat good food, embrace fitness and live vibrant, healthy lives. We want sistas to know that their weight loss goals ARE possible! Send us your story and before/after photos today! (NO COST! NO FEE to post your story.)

You’ll find our interview questions below. If you would like to be considered for a feature, you can submit your information one of 2 ways:

  • Via email – This is the best option and the quickest way to be considered. Send your photos, answers to the questions below and other story details to info@blackwomenlosingweight.com
  • Via Facebook inbox to our page – If you are submitting your story this way, please include your email address for contact as well.

Before and After Photos: We need photos of where your face and body are visible in both shots (no sunglasses or phones in the way of your face).

Interview Questions – The more details, the better! The goal is to help other women understand what you did to release the weight. We want to know how you changed your life. Please include the following…

  • What was your motivation? What inspired you to keep going, even when you wanted to give up?
  • How did you change your eating habits? (What foods did you stop or start eating? Let us know if you used a specific plan or program.)
  • What is your workout routine? (Cardio, weight training, Zumba, etc.)
  • How often did you work out?
  • What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
  • What is your height?
  • When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take?
  • What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
  • What advice do you have for women who want to lose weight?
  • Is weight loss surgery part of your journey? If so, what procedure and when did you have surgery?
  • What is your social media info? (Instagram, TikTok, etc.)

Please provide as much detail as possible in your answers. We review all of the stories we receive. and post 99% of them. Thank you so much for you interest in sharing your story with our readers.

Disclaimer for Use of Submitted Photos and Information: By submitting the photographs to Black Women Losing Weight (BlackWeightLossSuccess.com), you grant Black Women Losing Weight and its employees acting under its permission or authority, the right to publish, reproduce, distribute, and/or otherwise use your name, statistics, the story you share with us and your photographs in any media now known or hereinafter devised, in such manner, for such purposes, and with such frequency as Black Women Losing Weight shall determine in its sole discretion without further compensation or consideration to you and without further authorization by you. We also reserve the right to omit any advertising, product information, product endorsements or information that could make a reader assume that we endorse a product. Please share only photos you have taken personally or for which you have permission from the photographer or copyright owner to share.

Featured on Instagram

Tierra lost 38 pounds

by 2 Comments

Today’s featured weight loss success story: Tierra lost 38 pounds going from 210 to 172 pounds.  She focused on portion control, lifestyle change vs. diet and regular exercise.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

My name is Tierra my weight loss journey as started in 2009. The picture on the right was June 2009, before I had gotten pregnant.  This photo is also my motivational picture that helps me to get my workout in. Everyday it’s a struggle but when I look back on where I started it always amazes me.  I was 210 pounds in 2099 and now, in 2013, I’m down to 172 pounds.  When I show people my before photo, people ask me “So, you were pregnant?”.   I proudly tell them NO that’s all me pre-pregnancy and I’m proud of were I have come from. Every journey started with the first step.

My motivation for my weight loss: I had loss the sense that I was beautiful and was not comfortable in my skin. My eating habits are not the best but my focus is on portion control. I don’t like the word diet, so I have made changes to portion and creating a lifestyle change!  I love high intensity cardio workouts, so Insanity, Zumba, boxing, and jogging are my core workouts.  However, I change it up by hiking, taking pole fitness classes and weights are my new best friends.

Tierra-before-and-after-weight-loss

Tarayn lost 178 pounds with weight loss surgery

by 3 Comments

Let’s show some Black Women Losing Weight love to Tarayn.  She lost 178 pounds with weight loss surgery and lifestyle change.  She posted her story and photos to her BWLW online community profile: blackwomenlosingweight.com/profile/TaraynHarmon  She provided a whole lot of detail about her weight loss journey.   Here is what she shared with us:

Before (4/2009) 370 lbs.. After (4/2013) 192 lbs….

Early in 2009, my doctor diagnosed me with Intracranial Hypertension. This was added to all of the other health issues that I was having. The fact that I wanted to have a child, but couldnt and this latest health issue could cause me to go blind.  I knew I had to take control.  I did some research and I decided to have Gastric Bypass (RNY). It was not the easiest decision because of the risks that were involved. It wasnt anything magical, by all means. It was a tool that I used and the only way it would work was if I made it work. Nothing automatic about it. Anyone that has had it can attest to the emotional, physical, psychological factors that play roles in it as well.  I made a lifestyle change.

I initially joined Curves, it worked out perfect, but the location I attended closed.  So, I joined a local gym.  There is a site I was using prior to the surgery and to this present day called obesityhelp.com.  That was a big support system for me.  I worked out 4 times a week.  I started doing Zumba and line dancing.  It seemed the more active I was, the more weight came off.  I was eating 4-6 small meals a day, depending on my schedule. I totally cut out sodas for the first 2 years, then i started leaning torwards diet everything.  Water was my new best friend. I was big on protein, so I made sure I got that first before anything else.  I did all of my workouts alone.  I didnt adjust my schedule to fit others because I was determined that nothing was going to stop me form getting it in–not this time around..lol.

It was very hard at first, but once I fell in love with the whole idea of being healthy, happy, and sexy, it made things a little bit easier. Those changes brought me almost perfect health, and my son-Rylan, who will be 2 in July. He is my motivation today. I want to continue to be around and be healthy so that I can watch him grow. Until 1 month ago, I had not worked out since he was born.  I thought I would bounce right back into routine but I didn’t.  Life happens and you have to deal with that and it wasnt easy trying to live my same lifestyle with a small child.  So I dedicated my time to my family.  Now that he is mobile and a little more independant, it’s time to focus more on me. I’m on the right track with eating and exercise.  I may backslide here and there, but it doesnt take me long to get back on track. I know how far I have come and how hard it was. I would hate to disappoint myself and others who have been there before, during and after my journey. I didnt know the effect and the inspirational affect that I had on people.  When you think nobody’s watching, they really are!!!

Tarayn weight loss before and after

Angie lost more than 65 pounds

by 4 Comments

Update Mar 2014: “Update since this post I have had ACL surgery and I am currently using my workouts for therapy. I am in the same weight range but instead of a size 14, I am a size 12 (wearing some 10’s as well). No Excuses, just Results. Weight training helped sculpting and dropping inches. Now I journal my weight loss on @bodysuccesswithangie on Instagram.”

3/23/2014 – Today’s featured weight loss success story: Angie lost over 65 pounds.  This mother of 5 tried a number of programs before finding that a modified version of the South Beach Diet and regular exercise works for her.  She is also a member of Black Girls Run.

I am a wife and a mother of 5.  I have an 18 year old, triplets who are 13 years old and a 7 year old.  I was taking medicine for heart issues due to being overweight. To lose weight, I first started with Medifast and did well. I developed an allergic reaction to the soy in the meals so I had to stop. I gained a few pounds back because I wasn’t sure what to do then. I tried and was successful with Weight Watchers but didn’t want to live counting points forever. I realized that I also had to be mindful of my health because last few blood work tests were in the diabetic range.

After researching I started doing a loose version of the South Beach Diet. I cut out carbs all the way at first. Now I eat them in moderation. My blood work is great now and I have not been on medication for over 2 years. I have not reached my weight loss goal but I am close. I’ve gone from a size 20 to a size 14.  I workout daily, usually 7 days a week. I am also a member of Black Girls Run. I have participated in at least 10 5k races.  I participate in S.O.S. Bootcamp (Sculpting our sexy) and  have also done Zumba classes. I try different things to keep it exciting. I participate in all kind of challenges to keep me motivated. Current challenge: Mr. Shut up and Train.

She was featured in the Huffington Post Healthy Living section in the Fall of 2012.

Angie Weight Loss Before After