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Madelyn lost 47 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Madelyn lost 47 pounds.  This determined young lady decided to stop putting of the long term goal of losing weight.  In 7 months, she has been able to transform her body with healthy eating and lots of exercise.  Check out her story and before and after photos.

Madelyn weight loss

Hello, My name is Madelyn J. I started my weight loss journey back in November of 2013. My motivation came from my decision to join Peace Corps and also it was a goal of mine I kept putting off. I knew if I was moving to a new country to serve as a peace corps volunteer I would need to be at a healthy weight and my recruiter also stressed that to me. Obesity is a disease and my BMI considered me right at the Obese range. I started at 190 lbs. I am 5’6 and 23 years old, there is no reason I should not have been living a healthy lifestyle. My eating habits changed drastically. I ate out all the time and never cared what I was putting into my body. I started drinking at least a gallon of water a day and cutting white carbs. I upped my fruits and veggie intake and cut out pork and beef. I started eating breakfast everyday and taking multi vitamins. I began to meal prep my meals for the week and cut my eating out to one day a week.

My workouts were tough at first, but I had family and friends by my side supporting me with my journey. I joined Planet Fitness and began working out 5 days a week for 2 hours. I would do an hour of cardio (running/jogging outside, elliptical, treadmill) and an hour of weight training (this included arms, legs, and ab workouts). I didn’t see results quick, but I realized it didn’t take me a month to put on the weight so I wouldn’t lose it that quickly either.

My starting weight was 190lbs and I am currently 143 lbs today. My goal weight is 137 then I will just be focusing on toning. My current transformation has taken me 7 months, but i’m not completely finished. I feel better now than I have in years. Remember it is a lifestyle change and not just some fad diet. You have to commit and stay consistent and you WILL see result. I did it my way without any pills, shakes, or waist trainer. Nothing against people who use these methods, but I get asked that question a lot. It wasn’t easy, but it surely was worth it. My advice is no one can make the change but you. Stop putting off what you can do today.. Simple changes can make a difference! Join a gym, get a workout partner, watch what you eat and you will see those pounds start disappearing in no time!

Madelyn weight loss
Madelyn before and after photos

Jaymee lost 123 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Jaymee lost 123 pounds.  Wanting to be healthier and have more energy, she decided that it was time to start making gradual lifestyle changes.  She knows that slow and steady wins the race!  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

Jaymee weight loss

This before and after pictures represent a difference of six years. I have loss a total of 123 pounds as of today. I currently weigh 180 pounds, but my lowest I weighed 170 pounds. I am 5’8″ tall. With small changes, I have been able to learn how to cook healthy meals for myself. I also think lifting weights has helped me shape my body in the way that I like.

My motivation to lose the weight was to be healthy and have more energy to do day-to-day activities. I was also motivated by wanting to be happy. My weight limited my energy level. I was always tired and fun activities became a task. I started by  making small changes gradually. Not drinking my calories, walking most places, always taking the stairs, no processed carbs, smaller portions. I made a small change every month. Some of these healthy habits I still do today. I did tons of walking and cardio when initially losing the weight, but as I got under 209 pounds I began lifting weights and have little to no sagging skin. I worked out about 4 times a week and did all types of workouts just to stay active and interested . My advice to others is to take it a step at a time. Build small good habits to create great ones. Taking your time to adjust to a healthy lifestyle will help you stay on track rather than jumping in head first.

Instagram: @jay_meal

Jaymee before and after

Nikki lost 103 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Nikki lost 103 pounds. Tired of feeling invisible and dealing with low self esteem, she decided that enough was enough.  She embraced healthy eating habits and worked out with DVDs at home to transform her body.  Here is her story:

Nikki weight loss story

When I started my weight loss journey, I was 266 pounds at 5’6″. I was uncomfortable in my skin, had low self esteem, and avoided mirrors as much as I could. I prided myself on my intelligence and accomplishments since I felt that was all I was good at. One day. I woke up and realized I had enough. No more making excuses and being treated like I was invisible. After finally making up my mind to change my life, on January 2012 I started to change my diet. I cut out sodas and all the fattening foods I was eating. Since at the time we didn’t have a grocery store close by, I was mainly ordering out every day. When I first began working out, I was doing Zumba, then moved on to Turbo Jam, Turbo Fire, and I am currently doing Piyo. I would work out at home 6 days a week. I would also have one rest day and one treat meal a week. My current weight (and maintenance weight) is 163 pounds and I have been maintaining it since March 29, 2013. My transformation took 14 months, and I am currently working on toning and building lean muscle. I am now a beachbody coach, returned to school for nutrition science, and will be receiving my bachelors degree in 2016. If I could give someone advice on losing weight, I would say to take it a day at a time. Don’t focus on how much you have to lose because you will feel overwhelmed or like it is impossible. Set small goes for yourself, and cross them off your list as you go! I am documenting my weight loss journey on instagram so please follow me at nikki_c85! Stay blessed!

Nikki before and after

Lakeisha lost 64 pounds

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Update September 2017: Check out this update from Lakeisha. She’s kept the weight off for more than 2 years.

lakeisha before and after

What has worked in terms of eating habits?
Before I knew anything about nutrition, I gave up fried foods, sodas and watched my portions. When I’m hungry, I drink black coffee or eat a slice of pickle. I also drink plenty of water. I love alkaline water (I encourage people to do their research on alkaline water).

I gained some of the weight back while dealing a death and stress. Meal prepping helped me out a lot this time. Now, I’m back stronger than ever.

What have you been doing to maintain your success in terms of exercise? 
I started doing 2 hours of cardio. After two weeks of this, I’ll stop and go back into my normal routine… leg day, arms etc. I workout 6 to 7 days a week.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
I don’t care how much you workout, you cannot eat whatever you want… lol.

At this point, would you offer any new or different advice to women who want to lose weight?
Stay focused and don’t compare your success to others. Also, sometimes you have to switch up your routine when you don’t see results. Never give up on your journey. We all get off track but that’s what makes us fight harder.

lakeisha before and after

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Lakeisha lost 64 pounds and went from a size 24 to a size 14. This proud mom of 2 is now a fitness fanatic.  Here is what she shared with us about losing the pounds: KeishaJuly3blog My name is Lakeisha Thomas and I’m from Mississippi.  I’m a 34 year old mother of 2 (Tia 14 yrs old and CJ 6 years old). I’m also a nurse aid and a production tech at Nissan. When I first started my weight lost journey I weighted 254 pounds. I was shocked. I never cared about my weight until one day when my doctor told me I was obese. So, I started working out at home in my bedroom. I went from a size 24 to a size 14. I want to enjoy my kids and see them grow up.  Now, fitness is my life, my passion, my everything. This is why I love what I do, why I’m so passionate and why I share with others everything I do to stay fitt. I’m a #fitmom and I love my 2 children with all my heart.  Instagram: @KeishaaBeast

How did you change your eating habits? Chewing gum and drinking coffee has helped me out a lot on my journey. I started drinking plenty of water and cut out the sodas. I continue to eat what I always ate but in smaller portions. I work the night shift so that was a struggle as well. I’m not gonna lie, I fail daily but I never gave up. If I ate chips, ice cream, etc, I didn’t quit. I just went harder in the gym.

What did your workout routines look like? I started doing the Black Girls Workout Too & Billy Blank Exercise DVDs. I did a thousand sit up a day and started going to the gym 6 or 7 days a week. I also did HIIT workout that I found online (just do a Google search…there are tons of workouts). I did like a thousand ab exercises every night and every morning. Now, I’m doing like 500 abs exercises, 3 days out of a week.

What is your height? What is your current weight? I’m 5’7 and I weight 190 pounds. My goal weight is 175 pounds.

How long did your transformation take? I started in 2003 when I weighted 254.  I dropped down 54 pounds in one month (no lie). I just worked out that whole month. However, it was very unhealthy because I stopped eating as well. I was drinking one soda a day and eating cabbage greens. Since then, I have been on and off my journey.  So in 2012, I decided that I wanted to tone so I went harder and changed my lifestyle.

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight? If you mess up along the way, don’t quit. Just keep going.  I’ve basically been tsame size since 2003 I just drop inches phuck yo scale…it didn’t take you 5 days to gain the weight so it’s not gonna take you 14 days to lose it. Keisha weight loss story

Update: April lost 105 pounds

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Update Dec 2015 – April wrote in to let us know that she has maintained her 100+ pound weight loss for more than a year and is now a certified personal trainer. “Since losing 100lbs I’ve managed to maintain my weight loss by consistently eating the proper food and working out regularly. I do allow myself to have 1-2 cheat meals throughout the week. I’ve continued working out 5-6 days a week. I only do cardio 2 times a week. I lift weights, heavy weights. for the most part.

Many people have been inspired by my story, so I became a NASM certified personal trainer. The reason I decided to become a trainer is that my love for fitness has grown. I’m also motivated by knowing that I’ve been blessed to be so successful with losing weight. That’s why I want to help others who have weight issues and those struggling to believe they can do it. I do provide online training and in person training. I’m located in Northern Virginia about 45 minutes outside of Washington DC. Any questions: email me at aprilalexanderpr@gmail.com.” Read our original post on April from 2014 to learn more about her weight loss journey.
april before and after update
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We featured April’s story back in April 2014 and now, 3 months later, she’s lost 14 more pounds for a total of 105 lbs gone. Check out her update and new after photo below:

7/14/14 – “I wanted to give an update on my weight loss. I have lost 105 pounds to date. I’ve changed up my routine a bit by incorporating heavier weights, TRX, and plyometrics workout. I’ve managed to keep a clean diet with eating 6 times day, every 3 hours. Many people ask me what’s my ideal goal weight. I don’t have a goal weight, because when you begin to lift weights the scale fluctuates because it can’t determine muscle verses fat.  As you build muscle you will lose inches and maybe not as many pounds. My tips for those that are struggling with their weight loss journey be consistent even when the scale isn’t moving or you can’t see the change in your body. Eventually you will see the results. Remember success doesn’t happen overnight it’s a process.” Instagram: @iamaprilstyles  Updated: @Apryl.Alexander

April lost 100 pounds
Updated Photo –  105 pounds gone
April Apr 14
April at 91 pounds down

Zoleka lost 125 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Zoleka lost 125 pounds. This 6 foot tall beauty decided at 35 years old and 350 pounds that she wanted to get to greater health and deal with her chronic health issues before reaching 40 years old.  Here is what she she shared about her weight loss journey:

zoleka weight loss story

What was your motivation?
My Motivation was to be 40 and fabulous, and at 35 I was extremely overweight, borderline diabetic, and had high blood pressure. I refuse to go into my 40’s on meds with breathing problems so I adopted a healthy lifestyle.

How did you change your eating habits?
Per my doctor’s instructions I eliminated bread, sugar, and sodas. I am currently doing 3 to 4 days a week meatless along with juicing, which replaces either one or two meals a day.  For my non-meatless days, I eat either fish or chicken.  My salads consists of spinach or a spinach and arugula mix with array of vegetables (no iceberg or romaine). For dessert I have granola,  fresh fruit and almonds with Greek yogurt. My Beverages? WATER!!!

What did your workout routines look like?
Just cardio at first then gradually moving to working out 5 days a week. Now, my workouts consist of 5 days of a mix of cardio/weight training/squats.

What was your starting weight? 350 pounds. My height is 6 feet.

What is your current weight? 225 pounds

How long did your transformation take? 3 years

What advice to you have for others who want to lose weight?
Adopt a healthy lifestyle! You will be able to be more consistent with it and your changes will last a lifetime!  I am a business owner and community activist. I am currently on a 60 day challenge in a group I started with business women to spread the word on the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. My goal is to lose another 20 lbs.

Instagram: @brownsugaenterprisesllc

Zoleka weight loss success story

Update: Besha lost 74 pounds

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Update 12/15 – Besha just celebrated her 2 year weight loss journey anniversary. She’s lost 74 pounds, down from 267 pounds. (read the original post below for more information on how she lost the weight)

 74lbs lost! I’ve been maintaining the weight for a year. I do weight training 4 days a week and cardio once a week. I’ve also been meal prepping, eating mostly grilled chicken and veggies. I’ve stayed motivated by the comments I hear and inspiration that others get by watching my journey. My 2 year anniversary is January 2nd.

besha weight loss story

10/14 – Besha is now down a total of 61 pounds. That’s 24 more pounds since July! Amazing!

besha before and after

July 2014 – Proud mom Besha lost 37 pounds since the beginning of the year. She was motivated by her daughter and by wanting to avoid chronic health issues. She shared with us how she lost the weight:

Besha before and after

I have lost 37 pounds since January 2nd. I am giving myself until January 2, 2015 to see what my complete transformation will look like. I work out with a personal trainer 3 times a week, doing weights, cardio and I’m eating health.

Motivation: I just kept looking at myself saying that I don’t want to end up with health problems like people in my family.  They are dealing with high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. Also my daughter was my motivation.  I wanted to be able to run with her and play basketball with her.

Eating habits: I changed them cold turkey.  I went 40 days without eating any meats. I was hard on myself. Once I started back eating meat, it was chicken and seafood only. I’m a Pesco-pollo vegetarian (a vegetarian who eats chicken and fish only).

Starting weight was 267 pounds and my current weight is 230 pounds. My height is 5’6″ tall.

My advice: Your body will not go where your mind doesn’t let it. Discipline yourself. Be hard on yourself and put your mind to it

Thank you! I been looking for a group like this.

Instagram: @Besha_TheBoss

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Hannah lost 56 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Hannah lost 56 pounds.  This proud and petite single mom tried many methods to lose weight and had an unfortunate experience trying on clothes that was the last straw, opening the door for her to start her weight loss journey.  Here is what she shared with us:

Hannah weight loss

Hello My name is Hannah Ngae (aka Noni). I was born in Kenya. I moved to this country when I was a little girl at 16 yrs old. Now, I’m a proud single mom of a two year old boy named Jordan.  A year ago, I weighed 199 lbs at only 5’2″ feet tall.  Today, I weight 143 lbs. I have lost 56 pounds. Before, I was depressed and stressed out. I tried all sorts of diets and pills but nothing seemed to work. In May of 2013, that’s when my life changed. I went to the store and tried on like 10 dresses and pants but nothing seemed to fit. I looked at myself in the changing room mirror and decided enough is enough. I won’t lie to you, I shed tears. I decided to give up everything and get committed with one goal. I always put God first in everything I do. I prayed and asked God to guide and walk with me during the start of my weight loss journey. May 1, 2013 I gave up sugar and white carbs. I started drinking lots of water and green smoothies. I started noticing a changes as my skin became smooth and soft. My stomach started disappearing as well. I was so exited because my friends started noticing my progress too. In that first month, I lost 8 pounds. I continued till I joined a gym on Nov 5th.

Magic started happening. I met a good friend who we became close. She trained me. We could spend hours at the gym. I did cardio mostly which made me shed all the weight. Elliptical is my best friend. It has flattened my tummy toned my bum and thighs.
I have left fast foods alone and I now make my own healthy meals. I always measure and weigh my foods regardless. I don’t do processed foods or fruits, I would rather spend millions buying fresh foods. I don’t eat rice now. I use quinoa instead, which I love. I take 5 meals a day, under 1200 calories total. I workout 7 or 6 days a week and sometimes go in at 4 am.  I do cardio for 30 minutes, stretch 15 minutes, lift weights and do another 15 minute of Cardio.

My Transformation has taken 1 year, and I’m not done yet. I’m just getting started. I have set a goal to loose 15 more pounds before August 15. Loosing weight has becoming Addicting to me and I’m so proud of how far I have come being that I’m a mom, student and also an employee.

Your health is one of the most important things in your life, and you really need to make time for it. I was too busy with things that ultimately didn’t matter to take care of myself, and I ended up being Obese. To change your weight you need to change many aspects of your life so that you can lean more towards healthy living. A big part of that is emotional well being and motivation. Recognize when you are eating out of habit not hunger. Learn to tell the difference between feelings satisfied and feeling stuffed. Get support from a partner or friend.  I advise every one to focus on what you want your life to look like not just your body. Never Give Up! It’s the easiest thing to do and then it becomes hard to regain the strength to loose all the weight over again.

Instagram: @NoniJordan

hannah before and after

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Jazz lost 217 pounds

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Update: We shared Jazz’s story of losing 217 pounds back in 2014. She sent us an update to say that she’s kept the weight off and lost 7 more pounds. Check out her story below.

Hello! I currently weigh 243 and my goal is to be 200 pounds. My height is 6’3″. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea few years back and I decided to take action. I’m still a work in progress.”
Instagram: @kiss_of_death90

jazz before and after

July 2014 – Weight Loss Story of the Day: Jazz lost 217 pounds.  This 6’3″ beauty decided that she would work to avoid diabetes and high blood pressure that run in her family’s health history.  At 467 pounds, she knew to she had to make changes to her lifestyle to improve her health.  Here is what she shared about her weight loss journey:

jazz weight loss success story

I’ve lost over 200 pounds and counting. How did I do it? Hard work motivation and dedication. I drink half of my body weight in ounces of water each day. I stopped eating junk and processed food. My goal for each week is to lose 2-5 pounds. I workout every other day and sometimes twice a day. I’m not where I want to be but I’m determined enough to not throw in the towel and give up that’s easy to easy. Diabetes and high blood pressure runs in my family and I’ve motivated myself to not join the team. I was on the edge of having diabetes if I didn’t do anything about my health.

I changed my eating habits by cutting down on the junk, fried and process foods by having smaller portions.  Then I gradually worked my way over to not craving it at all. Everything is a process. Always remember that a slow process is better than no process. My workout routines went from 10 of everything i.e. (jumping jacks, lunges, sit ups, push ups and even long walks) to doing 200 of everything every other day. My starting weight was 467 pounds and my current weight is 250 pounds.  Im 6’2″ tall. My transformation took 2 years. My advise to others goes back to what I said in the beginning: a slow process is better than no process. Nothing happens overnight. You must have willpower. Before eating those donuts or fried foods think about how many calories and fats are in those choices. Think about how hard you would have to work to get it off.

Jazz before and after

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Angela lost 35 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Angela lost 35 pounds.  Motivated by the loss of her father and wanting to live a long life for her young children, Angela committed to being consistent with her weight loss efforts.  Consistency is KEY. Here is what she shared with us:

Angela2July14blog

“HELLO!!! My name is Angela Greer and I am one year into my healthy life journey. I’ve lost 35lbs since July 2013. I started my healthy life journey last July (left pic) after a trip to Essence Festival with my husband. The pic on the right is one year later!!! Honestly I can’t believe that was me!!! (I thought I was doing it down there! Lol!) I am inspired daily by so many, but none more than losing my Dad to health issues. (Love you Daddy). I was determined to honor his memory by changing my lifestyle, being a healthy example for my two babies (4 & 2 years old), and ending our family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.

My transformation happened with consistently working out – doing Cardio and Weight Training. Ladies, don’t be afraid of weights. It leans, trims, and tightens…not bulks! Look at my pics! I also tried to eat clean. NO secret diet, magic pill or drink. Just consistently working hard!

No I’m NOT perfect and I have many things to work on, but I just wanted to show you that a “normal” person that has a super busy life can make a change and live a healthier life. I’m a busy Mommy so I don’t have “time, I make it! You can do it!  Thank you for your encouragement and positive vibes sent through your posts! It continuously keeps me motivated! I appreciate you!
Xoxoxo~ Ang #transformation #FitLifeForever #Whosthatgirl #SexyAngela #twokidswho #stillworkingonmyawesome”

Instagram: @mzangiebaby