Black women all around the world are getting healthy and losing the pounds. Let’s show some love to Zoey from South Africa! She lost 57 pounds with regular exercise and healthy eating habits. Read her story to find out the details of how she did it! 
Hi, My weight loss started when I was doing a 4 month course. That was last year in May. We were doing physical training three times a week. My weight when I started was 105 kg (231 pounds). At the end of the course i was 95 kg (209 pounds). However, I relaxed and did not exercise anymore. On Dec 6, 2013 I decided to register with the gym and I haven’t stopped since then. I even join their classes; spinning class which starts 5:30 in the morning till 6:30 and a 30 minute abs classes. I workout 3 times a week at the gym, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 1 day for spinning 2 days I would do cardio and strength, including abs. Now, I jog when I get a chance on the weekends, do TaeBo, skip rope and use an ab wheel. Today, I just bought 10 kg (22 lb) sets of dumbbells. I’ve invested a lot in home equipment like a skipping rope, an exercise ball, ab wheel and women’s health dvds. I’m currently going to the fitness house (gym) 3 times a week and I’ve joined endurance class which is spinning. When I started working out again at the gym I was 98.5 kg (217 pounds) and my body fat was 43%. The last time I checked my body fat it was 32%. I’m not sure what my percentage is now because when I want to check it the machines are always offline. My current weight now is 79kg (174 pounds). My height is 5’5″. My motivation to want to lose weight was because of my health. I’m a diagnosed asthmatic, so I would struggle with breathing and easily get tired. As a person who works in the medical field, I knew that if I didn’t do anything about it I would not live long enough to see my 3 beautiful baby girls group. My Eating Habits: I’ve cut all junk food like fried chips and soda drinks. I avoid eating too many carbohydrates and sugary stuff. My meals For breakfast I always have high fiber cereals, with fat free milk or plain yogurt. Mid day – Fruits, nuts, raisins Lunch – I can chose to eat my Low go bread which is also high in fiber with no sugar or salt added with peanut butter and boiled eggs Dinner – Brown rice, 2 servings of veggies with grilled meat (chicken, turkey or fish). Sometimes sweet potatoes with any meat or High fiber spaghetti Don’t forget the greek salad as well. The discipline that is most important is food portion control. You can use food scale or just a palm of your own hand. It works. Also, eat before 6pm in the evening and try not to stress a lot as you know stressing too much decreases ones digestive system. For those who want to lose weight, I suggest you start a motivating routine and set a realistic goal. Find a weight loss partner or group, this will help you cut down a mental strain by sharing what you going through with someone. Start an exercise log because writing down your progress makes everything concrete. Find an old photo where you look good and post it on your fridge. That will remind you how you used to look and see that what you want to be is attainable is motivating. Lastly but not least, set up a reward, think positively, pace yourself, keep it fresh and have fun.
50 pounds
Update: Ashley lost a total of 75 pounds
Update: We featured Ashley’s story a year ago when she’d lost 50 pounds. She wrote in this month to let us know that she has not only maintained her weight loss, but now down 25 more pounds. Check out how she is continuing to transform her body and build a healthy lifestyle below. (Check out her new pics too!) You can read the original post on how she lost the weight here.
Through consistent clean eating, learning what works best for my body shape, & going hard in the gym (weights & High Intensity Interval Training cardio), I’ve managed to drop tons of inches & body fat. As you can see it takes time, & I’m still pushing to get my body fat % lower. Follow my journey on Instagram: @WatchMeMelt & Facebook.com/watchmemelt2
Since I sent my last picture, I had to grow mentally and spiritually. I realized that losing weight wasn’t for a birthday, event, vacation, holiday, etc. Instead, it is about living a OVERALL healthier life. With fitness, I learned that I must always continue to push myself. If it is too easy, it will not create the change I am looking for.
I maintain my weight by continuing to eat a clean diet with plenty. I also learned with fitness that you do not need to do endless hours of cardio. I learned to incorporate HIIT training and weights to further sculpt my body.
My biggest challenge has always been food. I love sweets but I have learned about the ingredients in them and how they cause us to continue craving and wanting more. Therefore, I now allow myself to eat sweets in moderation (1 x a week). This helps me to stay focused mentally and on track. I still have a good 20 pounds I would like to lose and I will eventually reach my goal. So far, I am down 75 pounds (25 more since the last story) .
My message to the women who find me inspirational:
1) Learn WHY your changing your eating habits and incorporating healthier foods is good for you. Watch documentaries that talk about animal meat, obesity in America, and the preservatives in packaged foods. We all know that we want to lose weight, but understanding WHY you gained it in the first place will help you to make healthier options.
2) Do it because you want to live an overall healthier life vs just looking good for your family reunion or some other event. Once that event is over, guess what will happen? You will slowly gain that weight (and more) back!
3) Don’t overwhelm yourself. Make small changes and overtime they will become big. Live your life and don’t become obsessed with weight loss. It will happen…trust me!
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Patricia lost 52 pounds
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Patricia lost 52 pounds, going from 302 pounds to 250 pounds. She was motivated by a pain issue and decided it was time to change her lifestyle. Here is what she shared with us about her journey:
Hi, my name is Patricia. My story is a little different than most. What initially peaked my interest into becoming healthy and fit stemmed from the extreme back pain I was experiencing due to being blessed up top… Lol. My initial weight was 302 pounds and I am now at 250. I started out in a bootcamp class 3 days a week and unexpectedly I really enjoyed working out. From there, I ventured into my current love, my hip hop class. I also love hiking, run/walk, strength training etc. Before I’d I ate everything from fast foods to any and all restaurants. The killer for me was mixed fruitie drinks with all the empty calories. I found any reason and excuse to eat out and drink of course. The most important change I had to make was my diet. Initially when I started my weight loss journey I didn’t change my eating and it showed. Now with my lifestyle change I do allow myself cheat meals and an occasional fruity drink but I’ve adapted drinking my Moscato every so often instead. Turkey and chicken are my meat of choice. I also eat lots of vegetables and fruits. I’ve now started drinking my gallon of water a day to come full circle.
My endurance and momentum to keep up physically proved challenging. Once I got on board with my eating everything else fell into place. Most importantly, I no longer have back pain. Because of this, my fire is now lit by the desire to become healthy and fit. I am 50+ pounds down with 1 1/2 years in on this journey. I’m just getting started. This is indeed a lifestyle change for me that is here to stay. I must say that I’m truly enjoying my journey and the new and improved me.
Check her out on Instagram for more photos from her journey: @plussizebella
Update: Makieba lost even more weight
Makieba wrote in to share that she’s lost 8 more pounds since we featured her story back in December 2013. She’s lost a total of 50 pounds. I love it when ladies write in to let us know that they have maintained their weight loss and are still going strong.
“Hi, Its Makieba Brown. I just wanted to send an updated photo of myself and let you know about my progress. I lost another 8 pounds and I’m now down to 165 pounds. I’ve learned that weight loss takes a lot of mental work that can absorb your life but for the better. You have to learn to make better choices and still enjoy the foods you love. In the last post (featured story) I didn’t mention I joined Weight Watchers. I’ve been on the program for a year now and I am a firm believer that It works. The Weight Watchers program allows you to look at food differently. However, as I stated in my previous post, I still go to the gym at least 4 times a week and love it. I also follow the program, count points and easy lots of fruits, vegetables. I also found that eating small portions is key.”
Read the original post on her story to find out more about how she lost the weight.
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Jasmaine lost 51 pounds
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Jasmaine lost 51 pounds. Diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, she decided it was time to kick the soda habit, eat healthy and work out regularly. Check out her story below: 
“A little over a year ago I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I weighed 240lbs. At that time, I lived on Pepsi cola. I had to change my lifestyle and eating habits. My family made accommodations for me that year at Thanksgiving by making my Sweet Potato Pie with Splenda (gross). At that moment, I wanted to get off the medication that my doctor prescribed for me. I gave up drinking 2-liters of Pepsi a day and changed my eating habits some…LOL. Got my membership to Planet Fitness and worked out 2 hours a day for 3 months. Then I stopped and at the time I weighed 245 lbs. That was this past Spring. Then I took ill and had to have an emergency hysterectomy. As I recovered I took eating healthy more serious. I began walking 5 days a week for 1.5 miles. This helped me out tremendously. Today I weigh 194 pounds. I haven’t weighed anything under 200 lbs in over 10 years. This weight loss journey took me 13 months including the breaks. If you are looking to be successful with weight loss and a healthier lifestyle, you have to stick with it and keep supportive people around you. Do it the healthy way. Make sure you go to the doctor on a regular basis and encourage yourself.” Instagram: @jasmaineshort
Diedre lost 57 pounds
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Diedre lost 57 pounds. This 5″5″ mother of 3 embraced healthy eating and committed to regular exercise to change her lifestyle. Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:
“My name is Diedre Wiggins. I’m a 41 year old mother of three. My weight loss journey started in October of 2010. My starting weight was 267 pounds and I am only 5 foot, 5 inches tall. When I begin my journey, I was only walking and counting calories. Later, I started working out with weights and going to exercise classes. I began clean eating and changing a lot of my eating habits. Now, I’m gluten free and dairy free.
It has been a long journey and I’m still going. My lowest weight was 185 pounds and my current weight is 210 pounds. My goal weight is 150 pounds.
I have lost and gained this weight several times in the past 4 years, but I finally think I found the right eating plan. I believe that I can stick to clean eating along with doing DVD workouts from Shaun T and Fitness Blender (on YouTube). I work out on a regular basis, at least five to six times a week. I think I finally figured it out and hopefully this weight to stay off. I still have a ways to go and I will keep you updated.
You can find me on Instagram @diedre_goddess
YouTube: Diedregoddess
Facebook @diedre.reline.
Felicia lost 58 pounds
Update: Hi! You featured me back in April of 2014 and I just wanted to share an update. Not only have I kept the weight off, but I’ve also lost an additional 8 pounds (66 lbs total). My efforts to tone up are going very well. I’ve been able to do all of this while dealing with a crisis in my immediate family. I just want to encourage the ladies to keep pushing. When God is in it all things are possible!!
April 2014: Featured Weight Loss Story: Felicia lost 58 pounds. She is fit and fabulous at 40 years old. She has improved her health and looks amazing. Here is what she shared with us about how she was able to lose the pounds:
“Hi, my name is Felicia, I started my journey on May 23rd 2013. My starting weight was 230 pounds. I currently weigh 172 pounds and my goal is 150 pounds. I started by making small changes to my lifestyle. I eliminated sodas first, then I eventually let go of fast food all the way. I drink a gallon of water a day, I eat lots of protein and I have at least four servings of fruit per day. I went to the doctor two months ago and had a full blood work up done. When I came back for the results, the doctor was amazed because all my numbers look great!! My workouts include cardio at the gym on the treadmill, walking, and now lifting weights. I have recently bought dumbbells for the home. I love it and wouldn’t change a thing except starting sooner. I’m 40 years old, so it’s never to late. I use My Fitness Pal and my username is sweetfe73. My Fitness Pal has truly been helpful to me! Ladies, keep going and push harder to reach your goals. When the scale doesn’t change, still count your victories of losing inches!! To all my sisters, We got this!!”
Tanya lost 50 pounds
Our South African sista Tanya lost 50 pounds. At the age of 19 she made the decision to change her lifestyle and lose the weight. She used portion control, workout DVDs and jogging to get the job done. Read her story for more information on how she did it:
“My name is Tanya and I’m 20 years old, I’ve always been obese and I’ve always been the heavier girl around my friends. However, I was always a smart mouth and faked confidence to deal with critical comments others made about my weight. Certain family members always seemed to notice the weight more than I did, which obviously hurt. I’d hear comments like “what’s your BMI Tanya?” and “Can you even touch your toes?”. I even heard “What do you weigh now? Like 110 kilos (242 pounds)?” That wasn’t too far from the truth. One day while at my aunts house, I stepped on the scale and the number brought me to tears. I was 105 kilos (231 pounds) at my heaviest. That day, I decided that at 19 years old I would stop and take responsibility for my actions. I thought, “Okay, I turn 20 this year and I don’t want to go into the next 20 years of my life feeling miserable”. So in January 2013 I started researching all about healthy eating, and exercise. I cut out white carbs, banned sugar, banned cheese and stopped frying my meat. I made use of portion control and started eating way more fruits and vegetables. I started walking which has gradually evolved into jogging. I love Hip Hop Abs and Jillian Michaels workouts because she kicks butt through the screen…lol. Today, about a year later, I’m motivated and still going, slowly but steady. Today I weigh 82.3 kilos (181.4 pounds) and I’m proud, I’m happy and I’m glowing!!”
Merisha lost 55 pounds
Weight Loss Transformation of the Day: Merisha lost 55 pounds. That’s 25kg, because this is one of our UK BWLW Sistas! She is inspiring us from across the pond by telling us how she lost the pounds:
“Up until the age of 18, I took part in every type of sport going – especially Athletics – 100M Sprints were my thing. I trained five times a week, represented my local borough and was extremely fit. Then I started university, and like most young adults, I worked long, late and tedious retail hours alongside this. Soon, my training became history, and eating processed sugary foods on the go, NO physical exercise whatsoever plus poor lifestyle choices took it’s place.
Over a five year period I piled on 35KG or more simply by having a poor diet, poor ‘typical’ young adult lifestyle choices and no exercise. I began experiencing pain in joints, loss of breath extremely easily, terrible skin, I wouldn’t wear clothes without wearing spanx/control pants EVER and other physical problems.
I knew I had to make that all important change and in the summer of 2013 I did. I replaced beverages with water, green tea and natural detox drinks (water + lemon, lime and mint etc). I got back to my training which is based on high intensity interval training. I also started weight training, ate 5-6 clean healthy meals/snacks a day and re-taught myself discipline.
This is not the result of fad quick diets, pills, shakes, medical surgery, wraps or otherwise – just getting back to basics and changing my lifestyle for the better.
In less than 6 months I dropped 25KG by being consistent and determined. For the past 2-3 months I’ve been in comfort/maintenance mode so haven’t made any drastic changes with regards to weight loss or sculpting. However I’ve set myself new goals to become ‘thick and shredded’, new meal plans in place and new training regimens being implemented into my weekly schedule.
I’m fit, healthier, happier and continually striving to be better than the person I was was yesterday – I hope this inspires someone. God Bless”
Instagram: @Chocolate_Fit
Amelia lost 54 pounds
Weight Loss Success Story of the Day: Amelia lost 54 pounds and transformed her body. She shared her 5 year weight loss journey with us in great detail. I think that a lot of sisters will be able to connect with her story.
“During my younger years, I was never really an active person and I always managed to stay slim. I ate everything and anything that I wanted. Silly of me to think that would last forever. That all changed when I got in my early 20’s. In 2009, at the age of 23 I was 205 lbs. That was biggest that I had ever been! I started to spiral into depression and I didn’t feel pretty anymore. To make things worse I went through a horrible break up and all I did was eat and sleep. I was ashamed to look at myself in the mirror because I hated the way my body looked. I knew that I wanted to change, but I just didn’t know how. I took every weight loss supplement on the market and nothing worked. I began to get frustrated.
My turning point came when one of my family members told me “You will always be big. It’s just in your genetics and that’s something you cant change”. I was angry at this point. Even though my mother was on the heavier side I refused to believe that this was my final destination. I woke up early one morning because I couldn’t sleep. As I sat on my balcony sipping a cup of coffee, something in my head said to me “Run Amelia”. So, I ran. I was horribly out of breath and achy, but I continued to run every day. There were times when I wanted to give up, but deep down inside I truly believed that IF I was persistent something would happen. I ran and I ran. I ran until I was 15 pounds thinner.
Eventually I stopped losing weight. I hit a plateau and running just wasn’t working anymore. I started doing some research and stumbled across an article about Clean Eating and Body Building. It was then that I changed my eating habits…..and my life. I threw out all of the sodas and processed garbage in my kitchen and started eating more veggies, fruits, and whole grains. I also continued to do cardio and incorporated lots of weightlifting. My body began to transform right before my eyes. In a matter of 8 months, I lost 25 plus pounds.
I am currently 151 pounds. I has been 5 years and I continue to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle by boxing, weightlifting, and running. I hated looking in the mirror, now I can’t walk past ANY reflective surface without flexing LOL.
I would like to say to anyone out there that is not satisfied with their appearance that you CAN change. Anything is possible if you believe in yourself. And never let nothing or anyone tell you what you can not achieve. You can do anything that you put your mind to. Everything that you need is already inside of you. You must take the first step to change your life. It all starts with YOU.”
Instagram: @Lift_with_me1986
