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 / Archives for african american women

african american women

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Tammia lost 115 pounds

by 6 Comments

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Tammia lost 115 pounds.  Dealing with being overweight since childhood, she knew it was time to change her life and start to truly feel healthy.  She started her journey at 450+ pounds and is committed to reach her goal weight.  Read her story below:

TammiaMay2

“I have always been overweight since childhood. I was tortured as a child with numerous medical tests and diets. I would lose a few pounds, then gain it back and then some. My last relationship caused me to become the biggest I’ve ever been. I was always talked to by friends about eating right and exercise.  Friends and family always stressed that they are worried for my health, and I was told you will do it when you are ready.  Well, 2 years and 3 months ago I didn’t like what I saw anymore.  My motivation was not being able to wear clothes that I wanted to wear. I was only able to wear whatever could fit me and basically couldn’t find anything to fit me. My clothing options were very limited.  I was also tired of being out of breath when walking only a few steps. I just didn’t feel good anymore. So, I decided it was time to do something about it.

I totally changed my eating habits. Started to eat healthy with 6 small meals a day.  I gave up soda, bread and fast food. Now I eat clean.  Water is all I allow myself to drink and I love it.  My workouts are a lot of cardio and some weight training. I work out 4-5 days a week now and I’m walking on the treadmill 2-3 miles a day.

 In a little over two years I have lost a total of 115 pounds. My starting weight was 450+ pounds. My weight now is 335 pounds. I hope to be down to 250 pounds by the end of this year. I just want to be healthier.  I can only speak for myself, but when you are ready to lose the weight you will know. It took me years to finally be sick of looking and feeling like I did.  I will never go back or look back. I am pushing forward.  I have not finished my journey, but I am feeling great and so much more active.”

 

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Jasmaine lost 51 pounds

by 4 Comments

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: Jasmaine weight loss “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

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Yolanda lost 76 pounds

by 1 Comment

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Yolanda lost 76 pounds.  This proud mom of 2 is working to break the chains of obesity in her family.  Read her story to find out how she did it.

“Hello, my name is Yolanda McGee. I wanted to submit my information to motivate others and let them know that if I can do it, they can too. My motivation was and still is that I am breaking the chain of obesity in my family! I was at a family reunion and looked around and decided from that moment…NO MORE! At first, my eating habits did not change but after I worked out, not too much was changing.  I knew I had to incorporate better eating habits. I started eating chicken breasts, ground turkey, fish, fruits, veggies and nuts. I will have an occasional treat but not all the time. My current workout routine is 3 days a week of weight training and 3 days a week of cardio. On the 7th day…I REST! My starting weight was 230 pounds! My current weight is 154 pounds! I has taken me about 7 years to lose the weight! I got married, had 2 babies and I’m still a work in progress. I have developed muscle, stamina and strength. My advise for others is to push and work even when you don’t feel like it; even when you are not seeing change; even if you are tired! You never know who you are inspiring!  All of this would not be possible if the Lord had not given me the strength!”

Instagram: @yomcgee

Yolanda weight loss

 

Ace lost 107 pounds with weight loss surgery

by 11 Comments

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Ace lost 107 pounds with weight loss surgery.  She was having difficulty breathing and suffering from knee pain that hindered her ability to exercise.  At 234 pounds and 5’3″, she decided to opt for gastric sleeve bariatric surgery.  Read her story below to find out more about her journey.

Ace weight loss surgery“My name is Ace. A year and a half ago I made a decision that cheanged my life. I decided to have bariatric weight loss surgery. I was 34 years old and weighed 234 lbs at 5 foot, 3 inches tall. I worked in health care so I was always on my feet. I had a knee problems that led me to a orthopedic doctor who said that I needed to loose weight to relieve some of the pressure off my knee. However, I couldn’t exercise due to the pain. A good friend of mine mentioned bariatric surgery. She had it done a few years prior. The rest is history!

I went from getting short of breath climbing a flight of stairs, constantly tired, constantly eating fast food, sweets and drinking pop to working out 6 days a week! No longer drinking pop or juice! No longer eating pork or red meat, or fast food or sweets! I have an amazing amout of energy. I am active. I feel wonderful. I love the way clothes fit. I went from a size 22 at 234 pounds with a BMI of 41.4 to a size 4 at 127 pounds with a BMI of 22.5. Finally I LOVE ME.”

What was your motivation?
“I was tired of the knee pain and being short of breath all the time.”

How did you change your eating habits?
“I went from snacking all the time on unhealthy things to eating 5 small healthy meals a day that were high in protein.”

What did your workout routines look like?
“Mon – Fri, In the am I do crunches, squats and a few weights. After dinner I walk/run on my treadmill and do additional crunches, squats and weights.”

What was your starting weight and your current weight?
“Starting weight prior to surgery was 234lbs. My heaviest was 256lbs. I currently weigh 127lbs.”
How long did your transformation take?
“I had surgery December 2012. It’s been a year and a half.”

What advice to you have for others who want to lose weight?
“You can do it if you want to. You have to really want it. Make small goals. Take it day by day and appreciate every bit of progress that you make! Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels!!”

Ace weight loss story

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Marquita lost 110 pounds

by 6 Comments

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Marquita lost 110 pounds.  She lost the weight with simple, straight forward lifestyle changes.  Read her story to learn more:

Marquita before and after

“Hi Everyone, My name is Marquita I’m new to this page. I just wanted to share my weight loss story with the world. It was a hard journey for me. It has been over a year that I’ve been at this, but I had a lot of motivation through out this transition. Now, I’m working on toning it up. These are some of the things I did;

  • I did lots of cardio and other exercises
  • drank lots of water
  • changed my eating habits by eating smaller portions of food
  • I don’t eat after 8pm,
  • I detoxed with fresh lemons, limes & mint leaf

All this happen over the course of a year. My starting weight was 335 pounds and I’m now weighting in at 225 pounds. I wanna shout out a few people that motivated me; Jerry Newman, Bryant Notree, Iesha Smith, Steve Robe, Tiffany Mcgerw and Mz. Moody Johnson. There is one more person (she never knew I followed her threw her sister’s page)… Quianka Johnson. Thank u guys”

Updated Photo – June 2014 – “Just wanted to let u guys know my toning is coming alone great & don’t give up on whatever it is your trying to do keep going.”

Marquita before and after

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Lauren lost 78 pounds

by 1 Comment

Weight Loss Story of the Day: My Sigma Gamma Rho Soror Lauren lost 78 pounds. I was very inspired by her story of battling obesity since childhood and finding victory over the last 5 years.  Her journey shows that you can overcome years of yo-yo dieting and bad eating habits.  Read her story below to find out how she did it:

Lauren weight loss story

“My battle really started 20 years ago when I was nine. The growth plate in my hip started slipping due to my weight. I had to have three different surgeries involving pins in my hip so I could support the weight. For every surgery, I spent three months in traction. This led to me being 200 lbs by the time I was 12 years old. I went through my teen years and the first part of college steadily gaining weight. I also didn’t help matters by constantly eating out and then NOT working out. Yes, I was the girl who “didn’t want to sweat her hair out.” (Yuck. So glad I’ve changed my thinking on that!) I finally got tired of being the girl who sat by and watched her friends try on dress after dress while I was stuck to either Lane Bryant, Torrid, or men’s clothing. I dabbled in “quick fix” diets and struggled with my eating (from either binge eating or not eating). I would lose 20 lbs in three months just to be smacked with 40 lbs later because I wasn’t consistent with my habits.

At my biggest, I was a size 22 and weighed 242 pounds. I began a lifestyle change at 26 years old after marathon watching “The Biggest Loser.” After quickly telling myself not to expect the results the contestants got by working out with trainers like Jillian Michaels because I had a full time job as a High School Teacher.  I couldn’t commit to the level of workouts they did on the show. However, I phased out beef, replaced chicken with Morningstar Farms entrees, and learned how to cook different types of fish. I made it a point to eat at least three meals a day, because before my change, I was a habitual breakfast-skipper. I replaced soda with water with fruit slices. I also learned how to control the size of my portions. In Texas, “portion control” is a foreign phrase to us, lol. I worked out with Jillian Michaels DVDs and took up boxing. My favorite workout was when I found bikram yoga. Not only did it challenge my body, but it helped manage my stress. When I met my current boyfriend, he taught me how to ride a bicycle. That’s helped the most. I started walking a little each day and eventually worked my way up to jogging. I’ve done three 5Ks, but I don’t consider myself a true runner.

Currently, I weigh 164 pounds. I’m around a size 8/10 in clothing today. My transformation has taken five years, but that’s because I wasn’t consistent. That’s the biggest piece of advice I can give to any woman who’s starting (or continuing) her journey: BE CONSISTENT. Also, don’t beat yourself if you fall off. My ultimate goal is to be 100 lbs. lighter–142 lbs. by January 20, 2015. I can’t think of a better 30th birthday gift to myself.”

Instagram: @aRHOnamedLo

Lauren before and after

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Shaun lost 35 pounds

by 2 Comments

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Shaun lost 35 pounds.  This petite diva got a wake up call at the doctor’s office and decided to start making slow changes to lose the pounds.  Read her story and find out how she did it.

Shaun lost 35 pounds

“I knew I had gained weight, but I was in such denial. I avoided the scale so I had no clue as to how much I had gained. I had a doctor’s appointment one day and when I got on the scale, it read 188 pounds. I knew that was too much for my 5’2″ frame. I immediately stopped drinking soda and began to power walk regularly. I started slow with my diet changes, picking one day out of the week to have a small treat and the rest of the week being very careful about what I ate. I would choose baked food over fried and I worked out in the gym at least 3 times a week. After about 10 months, I began strength training. When I work out I do 30 minutes of cardio (treadmill), and then I muscle train on my arms, I’m lifting 3 reps of ten with 15-20 lb free weights on alternate days. I do my legs, 4 sets of 10 squats either using body weight or free weights & lunges. I also do dead lifts, but not very often. I mainly try to get my cardio in even if I don’t have for much more to give.

My current weight is 153 pounds and I’ve been maintaining it for about 2 years now. Losing 35 pounds was a huge accomplishment. When you gain weight, everybody notices, when you lose weight, they say you’re too skinny. Do what works best for you and don’t let people discourage you!”

May is Lupus Awareness Month: Athar’s Journey

by Leave a Comment

Athar weight loss story

May is Lupus Awareness month.  We want to promote awareness of the disease because is affects the African-American community disproportionately. “African-American women are three times more likely to get lupus than white women. African-American women tend to develop lupus at a younger age and have more severe symptoms than white women. [source]”  Athar was diagnosed with Lupus and still lost 150 pounds and fought for her health.  She sent in an update this month (updated photos below):

“Hi, You featured my journey back in February. I was hoping you could feature it again in May being that it is Lupus Awareness Month. I’d like to give a personal message to anyone battling this debilitating disease.

God doesn’t give us anything that we cannot handle. We are strong and through faith we can accomplish anything. My advice to anyone fighting lupus who want to loose weight is to get healthy first. Physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy. Learn that maybe you CAN walk to the corner today, but maybe not tomorrow. It’s ok. Because if you don’t give up, that short walk will turn into 5 miles in six months or maybe even a year.

May is about Lupus Awareness. Talk to your doctor’s and challenge them to help you get to a place in your treatment which will allow for low to moderate exercise. I’m still showing that it can be done.”

Read Athar’s weight loss story. 

Check out this article: What is Lupus: The Basics

Athar weight loss update
Athar’s weight loss update – May 2014

 

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Ericka lost 35 pounds

by 6 Comments

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Ericka lost 35 pounds. This proud mom had a harder time with post-baby weight with her second child.  She embraced low carb eating and got serious about losing the pounds.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

Ericka weight loss story

“My motivation was me. I wanted to do something for me. We as women are always there for everyone else and we put ourselves on the back burner. I felt I had pushed myself so far back that I no longer existed. So, I decided that I wanted to take control of my life, starting with my weight.

I changed my eating habits. I cut back on carbs and sugar and I don’t eat after 7:30 pm. I usually try to eat no carbs every other day. Even on the days when I do eat carbs, I skip the carbs on one meal. I workout for an hour 3-4 times a week. I do 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes strength training. Sometimes more cardio and less strength. My starting weight was 200 pounds and I’m now 165 pounds. It took me a little over a year to lose the weight (15 months to be exact). This is actually my normal weight but I had a baby. For some reason this process was harder and took longer then with my first child.

I started and gave up so many times, but for the last 5 months I’ve been going strong. I think it’s more so because I said I was ready. My advice would be stay focused and really ask yourself “Are you ready?”  Find out how serious you are about this journey because that’s what it is…a journey that hopefully would turn into a life style. If your looking for a quick fix, it’s not going to work. It will be hard but soooooo worth it in the end.”

Ericka before and after

Success Story: Valerie lost 20 pounds

by 2 Comments

Let’s show some BWLW love to Valerie.  She lost 20 pounds.  She was inspired to change her lifestyle after back surgery.  During a doctor’s visit she was moved by what she saw on the scale (so many of us can relate to that wake up call).  She shared her before and after photos and her story with us:

“My journey to healthy eating and weight loss occurred when I had to go for a minor surgery on my back. When I stepped on the scale during a related visit, I realized that I was out of control with my eating habits. My motivation was to, in the long run, be in control of my eating and still be fit enough to enjoy with my children. I began to change my eating habits by eliminating junk food, eating salads for lunch and dinner and having cereal for breakfast.  I also ate more fruits & vegetables. My workout routine consisted of walking for an hour each day in the park. On days when I did not walk, I worked out in the park with a personal trainer, and it was intense! I also worked out in the mornings on my Ab Lounge. My starting weight was 172 lbs. My current weight is now 152 lbs! My transformation took 4 to 5 months. My advice for others is to think long range when it comes to your health. Think about how you want to be in your latter years, and take baby steps to eating right and working out. It can be done! Just start it and try your best to stick to reaching healthy eating and weight loss goals.”

ValerieMay14blog