african american women

Weight Loss Story: Autumn lost 50 pounds. She’s faced fluctuating weight, pregnancy weight gain, the loss of a child, depression and anger issues. Motivated and determined to get her energy and confidence back, she changed her eating habits and restarted her exercise efforts.  She shared the actions she took to change her lifestyle.

My weight loss journey was all about motivation and determination. My weight would fluctuate all the time throughout my childhood and I was pretty comfortable with that. I wore sizes between 18, 20 and 22 until my freshman year of college. When I went away to college, I noticed that the dorms were a little far from campus and I figured that wasn’t so bad. I would walk to classes and then I slowly started noticing my clothing becoming bigger since I was dropping the pounds. I had stop eating pork, beef and any red meats and also cut back on fried foods. The gym was directly across the street from my dorm so I figured “why not?”

As I started going to the gym, I noticed that I had dropped 30 pounds and had gotten down to a size 14. I maintained this size for a while. I’d hit a plateau, but was very comfortable with it. At this time, I’d become very addicted to the scale, making sure that I wouldn’t gain a pound back. It didn’t matter to me if I lost anymore weight, but I wanted to stay at that size 14. I continued to eat what I wanted as long as I stayed at that size.

I became pregnant with my first child and stopped working out. However, due to complications I ended up losing him at 23 weeks of pregnancy. I gained 35 pounds quickly during this pregnancy, which lead to depression and anger issues. At this time, I was at the highest weight that I have ever been: 260 pounds!

In December of 2014, I started going back to the gym. I struggled with getting back in there during the first month, but I never stopped. I went back to incorporating more vegetables into my meals and sticking with fish, chicken and turkey. Now, I know that some people may wonder how can I just stick with this meal plan. I started using my Pinterest app (which I absolutely love!) to figure out different ways to fix dishes, so I would not get tired of them. I started cutting out carbs, which was a little difficult because I loved eating pasta. I was attending the gym four times a week, doing cardio and then I eventually started incorporating weight training with some of the instructors there. I gained my energy and confidence back, which made me want to strive for more.  Within 4 months (01/2015-04/2015), I had dropped 30 pounds.

I completed this weight loss transition with no surgery, no supplements and no detox plans. My weight journey has consisted of incorporating more vegetables, a little less fruit and more poultry. Do I still have a slice of cake or a cookie every now and then? YES! I AM HUMAN, but it is about self control and having  reasonably portioned sizes. Now, I weight 210 pounds. My husband and I would like to have children someday. Even if I got back to 220 lbs, it’s all about being comfortable in the skin that you’re in and feeling healthy along with it. What you put into you healthy lifestyle change is what you get out of it.

Some people have asked what advice I would give to someone who is trying to achieve their weight loss goals. I would say stay focused and determined. You are going to have days where you don’t feel like going to the gym or you want that piece of cake. It’s about choosing what’s “healthy” and what’s “fit” for YOU. I do not count calories and I weigh in once a month just to see my progress. Schedule your workouts like you would schedule any other appointment with no interruptions. Don’t be afraid of trying new things and do not compare your journey to someone else’s.

There are several programs available that meet your schedule and your fitness level. Make your goals realistic. Remember, your success is 80% based on what you eat and 20% on exercising. Keep moving and surround yourself with active and healthy people. Examine where you are and where you would like to be.

Instagram: @MooreGlamorous