The Official Blog of the Black Women Losing Weight Community. Tips, articles and weight loss resources for African American Women.
Today’s weight loss success story: Connie lost 120 pounds. She said,
“I started out with changing my eating habits (I stopped eating late night and no after hours snacking). Lowering my portions and changing what I ate. Then I started walking daily and now I run 3-4 times a week (3-4 miles) and the elliptical machine. It took me two years to get the weight off and I’ve kept it off for almost 3 years now.”
Kenya lost 130 pounds. She wrote to us saying, “I have a weight lost story for ya. I lost over 130 lbs. I started in 2009 and I am so happy about it. My previous weight was 325 lbs. I had bariatric surgery in 2009 (gastric bypass). Now, I exercise every other day and watch what I eat closely. I was on 4 different meds when I was overweight, now I take no meds. I speak to a lot of people about my weight and let them know that weight lost surgery is not a bad thing. It can be a blessing.”
Today’s featured weight loss success story: Keiah lost 124 pounds and part of her journey has been becoming vegetarian. I think that more black women should explore the benefits of vegetarianism and going vegan. Embracing a plant-based diet can be a great way to increase health and lose weight.
Here is what Keiah had to say:
“My name is Keiah and I am very inspired by your web page, its keeps me motivated and going strong. I am so proud of all the beautiful black women featured, what an inspiration! I hope to do the same! I have lost 124 lbs so far. My heaviest weight was 334 and I am now 209. I want to lose about 50 more pounds. I started my weight loss journey in 2010. I have been a vegetarian for 3 years now. I work out an hour daily mixing weight training and cardio.”
Marie lost 149 pounds. She wrote to us to share her story.
“I love ur page. I started out at 338 pounds and now I weight 189 pounds. I started this journey in 2010. I stopped drinking sodas, fried foods, starchy foods, and cut out all fast foods. I love all fresh veggies, shrimp and fish (salmon). I make my own protein shakes. I speed walk, run, jog hills, do strength training, do spinning, Body Pump classes, squats and jumping jacks. I also eat 5 to 6 healthy meals a day. I drink green tea and I do a detox at the end of each month.
NO SURGERY NO PILLS NO WEIGHT LOSS SHAKES…. I JUST GOT UP… EVERY MORNING AND PUSHED MYSELF…AND I’M STILL PUSHING MYSELF.”
Today’s featured weight loss success story: Malikah lost 138 pounds by eating right and exercising. She is proof that consistency and hard work will PAY OFF if you stick with it.
Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:
“My weight loss journey started Jan 2011. I decided to start making better food choices and start losing weight because I was turning 30 and I didnt want to go into my 30’s being over weight. I’ve been over weight my entire life. And I didnt want to start the next chapter of my life being overweight. I also wanted to be able to shop at regular stores, I don’t want to go into the stores and have to ask if they carry plus size. My goal is to one day get to 174. I have an extremely long way to go but the important part is that I’m on my way to a better me. I’m currently down 138lbs. I’m doing weight watchers, zumba, hitting the gym every chance I get. I also started running with BGR (blackgirlsrun.com). When I can’t make it to the gym or Zumba, I workout at home on the Wii or do workout DVDs (either the biggest loser cardio max or walk away the pounds). My goal this year is to do the broad street run, thats the longest 10 miler ever. I also want to run a half marathon. Now I’m looking good and feeling good. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for me. I’m just trying to make my way to fit and fabulous.
Today’s featured weight loss success story: Arlena lost 122 pounds with weight loss surgery (gastric bypass) and inspired her sixteen year old to lose 102 pounds without surgery while eating right and exercising with her.
Here is what Arlena shared with us about her weight loss journey:
“Hi, my name is Arlena. I was overweight so long that I thought this was normal until I started getting older and I noticed that it was getting harder to carry all this extra weight around. I tried every diet known to man until I considered weight loss surgery. Some people think that this is the easy way out. Trust me, it’s not. You still have to be deligent about what goes in your mouth. I am 122 pounds lighter in ten months.
I still have a ways to go but with eating right and working out. I plan to get to my goal weight. I started working out 5x’s a week at least 30 minutes lifting weights twice a week eating lots of protein and veggies I took all the white carbs out my diet and even inspired my sixteen year old who lost 102 pounds without surgery by eating right and exercising with me.”
Update Aug 2016 – Marquita wrote in to update us on her weight loss journey. She had surgery in 2010 and shared her story of losing 130 pounds with us in 2013. WLS has been a tool for her, but it didn’t fix emotional eating and last year she saw the pounds coming back. Check out how she turned her life around to get back on track.
One day, I decided that I was “sick and tired of being sick and tired!” I have always been overweight and have always had weight issues my entire life. In 2010, I reached my highest weight of 369 pounds at 5’3″, and my health began to reflect years of bad decisions. I was young and already had high blood pressure issues. I decided to make one of the BEST decisions that I could have ever made, which was to have weight loss surgery. Many people have their opinions with regards to this surgery, but you really have to know the true story behind a person’s decision. Weight loss surgery is ONLY a tool. It cannot fix emotional eating!
In 2015, I noticed I had stopped using my “tool” and I began to gain weight back. This was weight that I said I would NEVER gain again! Last year, I hit the reset button and took my weight loss journey to a whole new level. I did everything, from going to two different gyms to hiring two different personal trainers. I will never forget what my BeastMode (Savannah, GA) Trainer Brandi said to me. ”Remember why you started!” That bit of motivation was the push I needed.
While my husband was on deployment, I made the decision to gain control of my life! I encouraged myself to “consistently stay consistent”. After years of trying multiple diets, fads, gimmicks, weight loss surgery and excess skin removal, what worked for me was cutting my carb intake, increasing my water intake and consistent workouts. I worked out 6-7 days a week for 2-2 ½ hours a day.
I have gained a deeper understanding of the Jekyll and Hyde relationship I had with food. Don’t get me wrong, I love food and I always will. Food has been my best friend for years…lol, but I love myself more! I’m not where I want to be YET, but I am well on my way. #IGotThis Follow my Facebook Page:
www.facebook.com/MarquitasWeightLossJourneyIGotThis
Jan 2013 – Today’s featured weight loss story: Marquita lost 130 pounds with weight loss surgery and changing her eating habits.
Here is what she had to say about her weight loss journey:
“My name is Marquita and I’ve battled with my weight my entire life. I have always been a bigger girl, but my weight ballooned my senior year of high school when I stopped all sports and band activities. I began college shortly after graduation and gained the freshman 15 x6! Throughout college and my adult life I tried many diets and gyms, with little or no success. My turning point came in January 2010 when my blood pressure was out of control and my medication was changed four times within two months. I also was at my known highest weight of 369lbs.
I knew I had to make some major changes if I wanted to live to see past 26. My story is very simple: in September 2010 I gave up sodas. I lost about 14 lbs. November 2010, I had gastric bypass. That’s when my life really changed. I have never been more focused on my weight and my journey more in my life. This was the best decision for ME. It was not a easy decision and it’s NOT the easy way out. I have never worked so hard towards losing weight and changing my life EVER!!! The easy way out is to continue to talk about wanting to change, but never doing anything about it. I’ve lost 130 lbs so far. After I gave up sodas in September 2010, I went on a high protein diet (protein shake for breakfast and two meals-veggie and meat) for two weeks. I lost 17 lbs doing that for two weeks. I want to lose another 60 lbs, which I am focused on losing in 2013!”
Today’s weight loss success story: Khristi lost 115 pounds by changing her eating habits and working out.
Here is what she had to say about her weight loss journey:
“My weight loss journey began dec 2010. I cut out bread totally left my addiction of sodas alone and drank only water or crystal light no fried foods very little or no beef or pork. All fresh and frozen fruit and veggies. I worked out 3 times a day for an hour or more. I cut out fast foods when I ate out. I made healthy choices. I’m not a big sweet eater, so I had very little or no sweets at all. I have not gained one pound since my weight loss journey and i am down 115 lbs, but I still have 40 more to go.”
Today’s featured weight loss success story: Ktasha lost 100 pounds and was helped by a personal trainer.
Here is what she said about her weight loss journey:
“I started my weight loss journey a little over a year ago and as of Dec 2012, I’ve dropped 100 pounds so far. I do have more to go but wanted to share my Interim progress because I never thought after all these years that I would lose anything. I am a food addict which took a lot for me to admit to. I still am, but I have made lifestyle changes. I also owe a big part of my progress to my personal trainer Daniel Strong of Strong Bodies Gym located in the Bronx, NY. He also has a brand new Online program for people who don’t live nearby. I am 42 with 2 daughters age 15 and 12. I have Type 2 Diabetes, High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol. So I am working on improving my health and to live for my kids. I also own my own Tax Business and am “great” at helping people to save money on their taxes. I have clients all over the U.S. So I figured it was time for me to become “great” on saving my life and lose weight. More to come for 2013.”
10 years ago, Regina had weight loss surgery and has lost 185 pounds. She says, “On December 03, 2002, My life changed forever. I elected to have WLS & experienced every complication you could imagine & today I believe that I’m a better me because of it. People ask me all the time do I have any regrets and the answer is and always will be no. From 360lbs to 175lbs #win
I had the RNY (Roux-en-y Gastric Bypass). I’m very particular about what I eat. I do a lot of juicing , fresh fruits & veggies. I try to stick with all natural products and it’s rare that I eat out. I run 5 miles 4 days a week and hit the gym 3 days a week. The weird part is before surgery I was walking 6miles a day and eating pretty healthy.
