african-american woman

Weight Loss Story of the Day:  Patricia lost 30 pounds and went from a size 12 to a size 6 (height: 5’2″ and a half).  She lost the weight by committing to not just regular exercise, but understanding why clean eating is so important.  She gives God the glory and is now working to inspire others to change their lifestyle.  She shared her story in great detail, so check it out.

Patricia Nubine – “My Story”
My family and I moved to Texas 18 months ago from Seoul, South Korea. We are a retired Army family. God sent us to Houston to start a ministry. We came here by faith. It was a very difficult move. We did not have any family or friends here in Houston. We only had each other and God to lean on. We spent a great deal of time lodging in hotels and extended-stay lodging until we found our home 5 1/2 months later! Because we spent so much time in lodging we were forced to eat all of our meals out. This meant a lot of fast food restaurants.

Prior to this move I felt that I was relatively healthy I worked out and was a certified Zumba instructor. I taught classes twice a week in Korea. Eating out eventually took a toll of my health and I gained quite a bit of weight. My highest weight topped out at 180! I had not weighed this much since I was nine months pregnant 15 years ago. Once we got settled into our home we joined the YMCA in January 2013. Finding the YMCA was a God-send for my family. We had 3 teenagers with a lot of energy. Now they had a place where they could get there energy out. I was ecstatic because I had always been adamant about working out but was waiting until we got settled into our house. I love all the classed that are offered at the YMCA. Prior to this I had only taken Zumba classes. Now I had the opportunity to try an array of different classes from strength to conditioning to flexibility that I could take. I love taking Body Pump, CSI, HIIT, Ripped Pilates and so many other classes. There are too many to name. The variety helps to keep it interesting. When I first started I was very “winded” and found it difficult to move but the more I attended classes the easier it became. Soon I felt my energy coming back and by October I had lost 12 lbs. Then the holidays hit and I started eating straight through the holidays and the weight loss stopped from October to December. The good part is I never stopped working out. Scary to think how much bigger I could have been had I not been exercising. I also began to make friends at the YMCA and it was the exercise and camaraderie that kept me coming back.

A truly pivotal turn in my journey began in January 2014. I was tired of being on this roller coaster of mediocrity and I was ready to see some real change. I was in a class and the instructor made the statement “you can not keep doing the same thing and get different results.” It was like I heard it for the first time and it really resonated with me. I acknowledged that I was exercising but not following through on healthy eating. I decided to stop eating junk food at night when I came home from gym. I also knew that I needed extra help to stay focused if I was going to be successful this time around. I begged my husband for a Christmas gift of personal training. (Some more wonderful benefits of being a member of the YMCA). I did not receive the personal training gift for Christmas but my husband gave it to me anyway in January after I kept asking for it and he saw how much it meant to me. I had started taking Body Pump classes in January and loved taking Deborahʼs classes. She has a way of “preaching fitness” and motivating you that is really inspiring. So I knew I wanted to train with her. I began training with Deborah at the end of January 2014. This is where I really began to see a drastic change for the better in my fitness and health. It has been life changing.

She told me to first get rid of processed foods and sugar. I took her very seriously and stopped eating processed foods and replaced them with healthy fruits, vegetables and whole grains and lean protein. I immediately had more energy and stamina. She also taught how to get the most out of my workouts using high intensity interval training. I love it because you can get faster results in a shorter time. The personal training that I received has made me more fit, stronger and has developed my confidence. I began to accomplish more than what I thought I could in the past. I became stronger, healthier and I began to really get leaner. The training that I received provided the tools that I had been missing from my toolbox to guarantee my success. I began to lose the weight very quickly. I lost 4.8 lbs the first week of training. By exercising smarter and eating clean 85% of the time I was able to drop 4.4% body fat in 90 days and I lowered my BMI from a 30 to a 26 in 4 short months. This year alone I have lost 20 lbs so far!! I have lost a total of over 30 pounds since I began at the YMCA last year. This year alone I have dropped from a size 12 to a size 6!! I am not dieting. I take no diet pills or diet food. I have just been consistent with my workouts and healthy eating. I now love to be challenged by things that are harder. I am enjoying the Grit Series classes right now. It came right at a time when I needed to be more challenged. I would have never saw myself being challenged this much and I love it!

This time around was so different for me. I had to lose the weight not just for myself but for the many people coming behind me that I would be mentoring. I needed to be an example of what a disciplined life looked like. If I can conquer weight then there are so many other areas that I could also conquer. In turn could show others that they could overcome obstacles that they face. I have been able to conquer negative thoughts and seeing myself in a more positive way. I have received so much encouragement and kind words from so many people at the YMCA. It really is an extended family and a community here. Many people have inspired me to continue to my goal just from the kind words. They motivate me to continue on this journey. I feel better than I have ever felt. I am happier than I have ever been and healthier than I have ever been. I have more energy than there is daylight. I am able to accomplish so much more in my day because I have the stamina to do it. I no longer need an afternoon nap. I feel better than I did two decades ago. I have more confidence than I have ever had. I feel younger and I know I do not look 46 years young! The pain that I had in my knees is now a non-issue. I no longer deal with acid reflux because of the healthy eating. There are so many things that I look forward to accomplishing as a result of my weight loss. Now, I know that I will be able to do them.

Because of the positive response I have received from so many members here at the YMCA along with questions about what I did to lose weight I am starting a health and fitness coaching blog. It is called “Eat Clean For A New You“. I want to help people who deal with the same struggles that I dealt with and sometimes still deal with. I plan on getting my personal training certification so that I can help others who feel stuck like I did. I am grateful for the opportunity to share my testimony with others that may have the same struggles that I had. My motto is I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me Philippians 4:13. I love that the principles of the YMCA line up with my personal values. My message to anyone who is on their own personal weight loss journey is do not give up. No matter how long the road may seem. A journey begins with the first step. If you make one step the other steps will follow. If you fall get back up and start again, But never ever quit.

Check her out on Facebook.