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Sam lost over 100 pounds

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Sam lost over 100 pounds after the birth of her son. She gained a significant amount of weight during pregnancy and had to work to change her life in order to release the weight. She encouraged moms to love their bodies, saying, “You are beautiful, you are magical and your body supported a baby! You are truly amazing!”

sam weight loss story

I weighed about 145 pounds before I had my son. I gained a lot of weight, almost 100 lbs (though some of it was water retention), when I was pregnant with my son. However, at the time I was still active and eating pretty healthy. The issue was that I just A LOT of food.

I didn’t have an health complications with my pregnancy. After I gave birth, I lost about 40 pounds in the first month. During the next 7 to 9 months, I lost weight pretty slowly while struggling with milk supply. After I stopped pumping, at about 10 months is when I started doing some serious dieting.

I’ve always eaten whole grain everything; pasta, rice, bread, etc. I cut down on bread and pasta as much as I could. I started by changing my white grains to whole grains and used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. I also try to eat as much organic food as I can and take vitamins and probiotics.

I went to the gym gradually, more frequently during the week. Zumba is what helped me. I did Step-Zumba class every Saturday for months to get my cardio up. Eventually, I also started taking other classes, like TRX, and I started adding more weight training to my weekly routine once I got down to about 150 pounds. Let me tell you that SQUATS WORK.

Eating wise, I make sure to eat as much veggies as I can. Green Peppers work the best for me for burn fat. In the beginning, I thought I would never lose weight or tighten up, but I did it. I want to lose about 5 – 10 more lbs and firm up a bit more, but that progress will come.

I didn’t have any surgery even though I wanted to do that badly in the beginning. 1) I couldn’t afford it and 2) my husband said I didn’t need it. It took be about 15 months to lose all my weight.

Some advice I would give to Mamas is “Don’t stress out.” You are beautiful, you are magical and your body supported a baby! You are truly amazing! Take baby steps with dieting and working out. If you gained a lot of weight, like me, just love your body for what it did. It’s not disgusting, its AMAZING!

Jessica lost 64 pounds

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Transformation of the Day: Jessica lost 64 pounds. This active mom of 2 found herself facing post pregnancy weight gain, PCOS, anxiety and depression. She sought out medical help, dealt with her emotional eating and exercised regularly to get the results she needed. Check out her story.

jessicamay16blog

I am 32 year old married woman with two kids under the age of seven. I have very active children and an active husband. I found myself very tired and just unmotivated about doing activities or anything with my family after I had my daughter back in 2013. I was suffering from anxiety and depression. It wasn’t until a visit to my OBGYN that the topic of PCOS came up and I finally got an explanation of the changes I’d seen in my body.

Usually, after you have a child, you lose weight, but I gained an additional 50 pounds. It became really hard to get the weight to come off. Truly, I wasn’t eating crazy things, like having fast food everyday, but I wasn’t eating right either. I would eat a big bowel of cereal at night, right before bed. Sometimes after I ate dinner too, just because I loved cereal. I also noticed that I am a emotioal eater. When I get upset about something I eat.

My mom joined a weight loss program at a doctor’s office and asked me to go for a visit. When I met with the doctor I was embarrassed, because she knew me in my high school days and remembered me as a fit cheerleader. Now, I had to deal with standing before her at 250 pounds. I couldn’t believe my weight had gotten so high. That is the highest I have ever been and I am only 5’2″. She told me that if I joined  her program she would get me back to where I needed to be. I would go in and get a B12 shot and weigh in every week. I was also given direction with regard to changing my eating habits and workouts.

Within a few months, I had lost 40 pounds. Then, just as I was making progress, I was in a very bad car accident that took me out of the race for a year. I had to focus on eating right during this time so I didn’t gain the weight back, because I couldn’t workout.

I cut out a lot of fast food. My Fitness Pal helps me to calculate my calorie intake and stay under 1500 calories a day. I never skip breakfast, which consists of turkey bacon eggs and toast. I eat a lot of salads and I love chicken breast with any vegetable. I also try to drink a half gallon or a full gallon of water a day.

As of today, I have lost a little over 60 pounds, which puts me at 186 pounds. I still want to lose more weight and I am working pretty hard to do it by eating more fruits and veggies during the week. I take Body Pump class 3 days a week, do a lot of walking and I’m going back to the doctor again, so I will get there very soon. I stay very active with my kids, which includes running behind my son who plays baseball and my daughter who is into pageants.

My advice to others is “Lose the weight for you.” Know that you are important and your health is too. It doesn’t matter how long it takes. Sometimes when you lose weight too fast you can gain it back even faster. Weight loss is a process. Make the most of the journey and work toward real lifestyle change.

Jessica before and after

LaShon lost 56 pounds

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Transformation of the Day: LaShon lost 56 pounds. This mom of two was tired of being tired and having to struggle to do simple things. She wanted to be the best version of herself for herself and her family. She was willing to brave Chicago winter mornings, meal prep regularly and put in work in the gym to lose the pounds. I think her words will show you that if you make room for the change and commit, it can happen for you!

lashon before and after

My name is LaShon and I am a 36 year old mom of 2 small children, ages 1 and 4 years old. My motivation was my myself and my children. I got tired of struggling to do simple things for them. Giving them a bath was a chore. I was always tired from doing everyday tasks. I knew that I owed it to myself to be the best version of me that I could be for myself, my husband and my children. The person that I had become was sad, depressed and could barely put her socks on without a struggle. I had to do something quick.

Eating habits: I was a former athlete and gym rat, so I always knew what to do to lose weight. I did what always worked for me in the past. Meal prep is the key. Every Sunday, I prepped all of my meals for the entire week. I ate a 1200-1500 calorie diet which consisted of 3 main meals a day–breakfast, lunch and dinner. I would snack whenever I got hungry, but made sure that my snacks were healthy and low in calories (i.e. fruit, 100 calorie snacks, raw veggies, yogurt, etc). I also avoided dairy and meat. The protein in my meals were vegan faux meats. I would have a green veggie and a sweet potato along with a spinach salad with just apple cider vinegar on it. I was eating a lot of dairy based sweets before I started my weight loss journey because I am a sugar junkie. I replaced my love of sweets with fruit.

Workout routine: My workout routine was crazy! I was nursing my infant son, and getting up and pumping milk before going to 5 am and 6 am bootcamp, 3 mornings a week. Then I would take the kid’s to the gym with me on Saturdays and I would take 3 one hour classes with a mix of cardio and strength training. Then, on sunday, I’d take 2 one hour cardio classes. Also, during my lunch break I would do the elliptical machine for 30 minutes 3 or 4 days out of the week. I was a woman on a mission!

Starting and current weight: My starting weight was 211 pounds in January 2015 and now my weight is 155 pounds. I lost 56 pounds. Height: 5′ 6”.

How long did it take: My transformation took 6 months. January 2015 to June 2015.

Advice for others who want to lose weight: “How tired are you?”, is the question I always ask people? Are you just tired or are you so tired that you are ready to make a change? You have to believe it and see it mentally before anything else starts. Then you have to act on it. You have to want it–want it so much you do things you can’t even believe. I was waking up at 4 am to pump milk and going out in the Chicago winter in January and February to be at 5 am bootcamp with little sleep because my son did not sleep through the night. Every time I think about it, I don’t know how I did it every week, but I was determined to be happy again and to get my life back. I did! I got my life back.

Instagram: @Pit_bull_n_a_skirt

lashon weight loss story

Heather lost 60 pounds

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Weight Loss Transformation of the Day: Heather lost 60 pounds and has been transformed by fitness. Over the years she’s faced ups and downs and relationship stress, but she’s also found a love for fitness. Now, she is a personal trainer and helping others to transform their lives.  Check out her meal plan and the advice she shared with us…

heather before and after

My fitness journey started in 2003. I was 205 pounds after having my daughter and I lost 55 pounds in one year on Weight Watchers. Once I started losing weight, I got addicted to fitness! I then started working out more and more and I that felt it wasn’t enough. I wanted to be skinner. The pictures on the right side are from when I was married. I lost massive weight under stress and it wasn’t healthy. I got addicted to doing just cardio and I would do it two times day!

Then I got divorced and discovered weightlifting. I fell in love with it right away and that’s when I decided that I wanted to become a personal trainer. Now, I’ve inspired so many people to live a healthy lifestyle. Its all about clean eating not just dieting. I teach a 5 AM class at a fitness facility called The Max. I have 25+ people in my class every morning. For me to wake up at 3 o’clock: it’s not a job, it’s a passion I love what I do. My dream is to inspire as many people as I can to be fit and healthy. I’m also taking that next step and I’ve decided to compete in my first physique competition next year. I’m very excited and looking forward to it. My current weight is 145 pounds and I’m 5’5″. Instagram: @fittchick12

Eating Habits: Clean eating – six small meals throughout the day.

  • My first meal is at 6 AM – I have a Herbalife shake oatmeal
  • Meal 2 is at 9 AM – I have eggs & oatmeal
  • Meal 3-  12pm I have protein with a vegetable and carb
  • Meal 4 – 3pm protein with vegetable meal
  • Meal 5 – 6pm protein and vegetables
  • Meal 6 – 9pm I have Herbalife shake.

I stopped eating a lot of unhealthy carbs. Believe it or not, mashed potatoes are my favorite and that’s a cheat meal for me. I can’t have any sugar at all!

Exercise: I workout six days a week and follow a specific workout because I plan on competing in my first fitness competition next year. I start with fasted cardio and do 30 minutes of cardio five days a week. I’m strength training 6 days a week. I incorporate two leg days, one heavy leg day the other plyometric leg day. I separate my arm workouts and I do abs every other day. I teach 5 AM fitness classes Monday through Friday. On Mondays and Wednesdays it’s HIT cardio and on Tuesdays it’s upper body. On Thursday it’s lower body and on Friday it’s kickboxing.

This is the same saying I use for my clients: “Rome was not built in a day.” It will take time for you to reach your goal. Take it day by day because you’re only human. If you have cheat meal one day, just make sure that the next day you stay on track. Sometimes starting out with a friend can be a little easier. That way you’ll know that you’ll make it to the gym. Plan ahead and Meal prep. Put out your gym clothes the night before so that when that alarm goes off you know that you’re going regardless, if you have to work out in morning. If you have to go workout after work, make sure your gym bag is packed and in your trunk so you don’t go home instead.

This is my most important tip: keep a journal of your daily food intake, even if you already do My Fitness Pal, and write down your workout activities so that you can look back a month from now and see your achievements. Also, take your measurements. I find taking your measurements is better than weighting yourself every day. The scale is always going to go up and down, but your measurement will change!

heather weight loss

Kerry Washington Tells Self Magazine Her Exercise Secrets

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Graceful and Gorgeous! Kerry Washington looks amazing on the September 2015 cover of Self Magazine.  Her daughter, Isabelle, is 17 months old and this 38 year old mom has clearly won the baby weight battle that so many women struggle with. However, she makes it clear that she is not chasing some past version of herself or trying to get her pre-baby body back. About her body, she says, “It’s the site of a miracle now. I don’t want to be pre-miracle.”

It’s a great article, so be sure to pick up this issue for the full story and check out the video below for more info as well. (Magazine sales help encourage major publishers to put more Black Women on their covers 🙂 ).  So, what’s Kerry’s secret weapon for fitness?  Pilates!

“There are a lot of forms of exercise where you have to leave yourself out of the room while you force yourself to do this thing,” she explains. “With pilates, I get to bring my true self. I cry, I laugh. I get to go: Where is my body today? What do I need today? How can I take care of myself and push myself past my comfort zone? How can I be both loving and challenging?”

Kerry is no stranger to movement and exercise.  The Scandal star traveled to India after college and studied yoga. In the article, she talks about how she makes a point to exercise very early in the morning to make time for her child and her husband.  She says, “I try to get it in so I can be back with my kid early. I have to take care of myself in order to live life the way I want to. It’s important to have rest days.”

I’m so excited to share this becuz I’ve been a fan of @selfmagazine for a LONG time. Guess who’s on the September cover…

A photo posted by Kerry Washington (@kerrywashington) on

Michaela lost 80 pounds

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Update: I was featured in May (about 3 months ago) and I just wanted to send in an update to let you know that I have lost an additional 21 pounds for a total of 101 pounds gone.

michaela weight loss update

 

May 2015: Weight Loss Story: Michaela lost 80 pounds in 8 months. After gaining a significant amount of baby weight and not having lost it year later, she decided that it was time to change for her own happiness.  Here is what she shared with us about her journey…

Michaela before and after

Hi, my name is Michaela. I gained 120 pounds during my pregnancy 5 years ago and I could never get the weight off.  That was until one day i looked in the mirror and realized that I had to look from within and be happy with what I saw before I could be happy with my body. My motivation and inspiration has been my son. I wanted to be able to keep up with him easily. He is very active. I’ve lost 80 pounds in 8 months and never felt better (height: 5’11”).

On my weight loss journey, I continued to eat all of my favorite foods, including fried chicken and pasta, but I learned that moderation is key. I cut my portion sizes in half and started filling up on veggies first at meal time.  In terms of exercise, I did a lot of cardio. I work security on a night shift, so I often ran while conducting tours, so I worked out for about 1 hour, 5 days a week. My advice to other people is to be realistic and follow an eating plan that you can stick to for more than a week. Don’t focus so much on a number, but focus on how you feel

Facebook: michaelakinard

Jul lost 47 pounds

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Update Oct 2019: Jul lost 60 pounds. She initially shared her story with us back in 2015 and she is still going strong.

Jul before and after

God is good! I have maintained my weight since the last update. My greatest tip is water intake. I can not overemphasize drinking water. Also, I like slices of cucumbers mixed with pineapples.

Don’t ever forget to use portion control. I eat a small meal every 3 hours and drink water in-between. Sometimes, I snack on almonds, pears, or green apples.

The advice I can give to my sisters who are struggling with their weight is that losing weight must start with your mind and spirit. It took me years to realize this. You must change your habits and always remember that when your body is hungry, it wants nutrients, NOT calories. – @officialjulzebulon

April 2015  – Weight Loss Story of the Day: Jul Zebulon lost 47 pounds.  She experienced weight gain from emotional eating after the loss of her father, followed by pregnancy weight gain.  Her story should serve as inspiration for women facing weight loss after pregnancy.  Here is what she shared with us about her journey…

jul before and after

Life is a blessing, but sometimes situations hit us very hard and the only option we have is junk food. During my pregnancy, I was eating everything my eyes saw. Dark chocolate, white chocolate, pink chocolate, whatever chocolates…lol. A day without McDonald felt like I was in prison. Then I lost my Dad and everything went from bad to worst. Junk food became my best friend. I went from 165 pounds to 235 pounds very fast. Adding weight can happen very fast but losing it is a bitch. After that, I gave birth to my baby C-section on 12.26.14. I was resting in my hospital bed, still in a horrible pain, I looked at myself and didn’t like what I saw. I made a promise to myself that now the baby is out I had to take care of myself. I didn’t know how it was going to happen but I had to start somewhere.

Few days later I was discharged. I came back home, changed my eating habits and controlled my cravings. I stopped eating bread, white rice, fried plantain, chips,…etc and I eat 3 hours before bedtime. I made healthy food choices like beans, avocados, greens, more fruits, grapefruit, almonds, and more water intake. I don’t have any specific YouTube videos, I just watch any workout video and do some dancing. I also purchased a treadmill, so I normally workout at home like 30-45mins. My favorite form of exercise is dancing, because I sweat and I don’t feel bored. I also joined some groups on Facebook for motivation.

I’m still a work in progress but so far I’m 47 lbs lighter 3 1/2months (height: 5’5″). My goal weight is 160 lbs and I must achieve it before my baby turns 6 months old. 47 pounds in 3 months might sound wired but yes, I did it and it’s true. I’m working my butt off everyday lol.

My advice for those that wants to lose weight: stop procrastinating. If you truly want to lose weight, focus on it. Cut off sodas, bags of chips, pizza etc, and learn how to say NO to junk foods. Don’t say you want to lose weight yet everyday you’re chilling on the couch snacking on the wrong foods. Make a healthy grocery list and always stick to it. When you feel like giving up, always reach out to people that understand your struggle. Being a SEXY mom isn’t only for celebrities. With dedication, commitment, and discipline, you can achieve anything.

jul weight loss

jul zebulon before and after
April 2018: Jul is still going strong.

Update 2017 – We shared Jul’s story a year ago and she’s sent in a great update.  She’s had some ups and downs, but she hasn’t given up. Now, she’s down a total of 60 pounds.

jul before and after

Since the last time you shared my story, I have struggled back and forth with my weight, but I finally regained my confidence and self esteem. I figured out that my biggest enemy was my eating habits. So, I stayed away from fast food and starchy food (Pizza, McDonald’s, rice, etc). I increased my protein shakes. I bought a protein shake powder, B12, Zinc and Biotin from GNC store. These things has helped me significantly with achieving my weight loss. The B12 supplement is my No. 1 because it’s gives me energy. I see myself getting skinnier and skinnier every day. I am still dealing with my Dad’s death, but it’s a process that only time will heal.

jul weight loss storyMy goal weight is still 160 pounds. I don’t want to be too skinny, my body is not meant to be tiny. I want to be moderate, elegant, and beautiful. I’m concentrating on losing fat, not lean muscle. I receive so many compliments and everyone wants to know the secret to my success. My advice for other people is to stay away from that “quick fix” stuff. (I.E. slimming tea, herbal medicine, pills, etc.) If you can control what you eat, you will lose weight fast, safe and effectively.

I have lost 60 lbs in total. I am still a work in progress. Sometimes I lose, when I think of my Dad’s death, I end up gaining but so far it’s been steady. I can’t complain because I know that God is great! People can follow me on Instagram: @JUL_ZEBULON or Facebook: LadyJul Zebulon for more weight loss info.

Tatenda lost 62 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day:  Our African sista Tatenda lost 62 pounds. This petite diva’s emotional eating and not exercising resulted in weight gain. She also gained weight during pregnancy.  Feed up with the drama that can come with being overweight, she decided to change her lifestyle.  Here is what she shared with us…

Tee before and after

Hi, My name is Tatenda. I am a 30 year old woman with one daughter. About three years ago, I had some issues, got into a bad space and I gained 20kgs (44 pounds) because I did a lot of emotional eating. I was a total junk food addict and didn’t exercise. Then, I got pregnant and I gained another 24 Kg (53 pounds) and my total weight then was 112Kg (246 pounds) and I am a short woman. I looked and felt horrible. I gave birth to my baby last year and I felt terrible that I couldn’t fit all my old clothes. I also hated taking pictures because I looked too awful. I started wearing a size 42 (US size 12) yet I had always been a size 34/36 (US size 4/6) in the past.

I tried to go to the gym but after my caesarean birth I had developed a problem with my sciatica nerve so exercise caused terrible backache. I had to focus on my diet but it was very difficult because I was breastfeeding. For several months, I just did bits of walking, drank warm water with lemon juice each morning and over a period of a year I lost about 18kg (40 pounds). A friend of mine had a wedding about two months ago and I was her maid of honor. I thought I had really lost weight. However, when I saw my photos I was taken aback. I knew that I really had to get more serious and claim my body back. That’s when I decided to accelerate things a bit. I reduced my carbohydrate intake and completely cut out junk food, fast food and sugar from my diet. I also went on the 13 day metabolism diet. Exercise wise, I began to do a lot more power walking and in a space of two months I lost another 10kgs (22 pounds).

I have reached the halfway point to my desired weight goal. For almost a year, I had been trying to shed the weight after my caesarean birth but I wasn’t really serious. I gave myself excuses until I decided enough was enough I decided to make some changes and I am still going on! I have about 20kg more to lose to have a normal BMI and I believe I can do it and so can you!

Tee weight loss journey

Tiffani lost 54 pounds

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Update Oct 2016 – Tiffani has maintained her love of fitness and her weight loss for 2 years.

tiffani before and after“Since my last submission a few things have changed. I’m so excited to share them with you! I am now a certified personal trainer and healthy living coach. I’ve competed in 5 Bikini Competitions. In my most recent competition, I placed 2nd overall. I’ve also managed to get my body fat % down to 14%. The thing that changed the most is that I am now vegan/pescatarian. I say “pescatarian” because I only eat seafood and “vegan” because I don’t consume any eggs or dairy products. I love the difference my new lifestyle change has made in my life! And I can’t want to share my next progress picture with you all.”

tiffani

September 2014 – Weight Loss Success Story of the Day: Tiffani lost 54 pounds.  This strong petite diva gained 60 pounds during pregnancy and shared with us what she had to do to get rid of the pounds.  She recently competed in her first bikini competition in Aug and  wants to now be in the fitness business.

Tiffani before and after

In June 2012, I had my son. I gained 60lbs during my pregnancy. After having my 9 lbs 1 oz son via c-section, my body was stretched everywhere and I was still carrying a lot of fat. I am 5´4 and I weighed 170 lbs after delivery. I participated in my first 5k race the month after I had my son and I loved it! From there, I started training for my first full marathon. I started walking a lot more and running a little. I lost a little weight but I was still far from where I wanted to be. In February 2013, I ran/walked the full marathon (26 miles). After completing the marathon I felt like I could do anything and so I decided to change my lifestyle completely.

I started eating more often and smaller portions. I downloaded the my fitness pal app and started watching my daily calories. I began doing Zumba class and running much more. I got down to 148 pounds. In June 2013, I lost my grandmother and all discipline went out the window. I began eating and drinking everything in sight. I got back up to 156 lbs. On August 28, 2013, I decided enough is enough! I was ready to change my life and health for good! I started prepping my meals for the week so that I never got hungry enough to eat badly. I went back to using my fitness pal to track my caloric intake versus how many calories I burn exercising. I met lots of people who were on the same path as I am who could keep me accountable and I could do the same for them. This helped a lot!!

I stopped eating red meat and almost all processed foods (no white anything i.e. bread, pasta, rice, etc). I also cut high calorie drinks from my diet. No Starbucks, no soda, no sugary juices. I started drinking at least a gallon of water a day, 100% fruit juices, or black coffee with almond milk instead of cream and no sugar. I began working out between 5-7 days a week. I would do at least an hour of cardio before weight training. After every workout, I would consume a high protein meal or shake to help feed my muscles. I got a workout partner who wouldn’t allow me to show weakness or give up. In May 2014, I started training for my first bikini competition. My diet became much more strict, I had to train much harder, and I had to use much more discipline when it came to how often I ate and the portion size. The day of my competition on August 23, 2014 I weighed 116lbs and I took 4th place! I’ve never been more proud of my determination and drive to complete such a hard task! In the process of just trying to “lose some weight” I fell madly in love with fitness! I’ve changed my major from nursing to physical therapy, I have started the process to starting my own health, fitness, and nutrition company. I’m also training to become a personal trainer!

Instagram: @MISSTNT_FLYYNFITT

Tiffani weight loss story

Kim lost 59 pounds

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Featured Story: Kim lost 59 pounds. After the birth of her third child, this proud mom was having trouble losing the pounds.  She committed to regular exercise and clean eating.  Learn more about her journey below:

Kimberly weight loss

Hi! My name is Kim C. I started my journey a year after having my third child. In February of this year I made up in my mind that something had to give. I was the biggest I had ever been and my knees were beginning to bother me. I can proudly say that after six months of clean eating and exercise I have lost a total of 59 pounds! My motivation has been my family and my own determination! Anything can happen if you just believe!

I started on February 3, 2014 weighing in at 285 pounds. I am 5 foot 3 and my body just couldn’t take all of that weight. It was very difficult getting the weight off after my third child. I began by eating 5-6 small meals a day and drinking nothing but water. I eat fruits, veggies, chicken, seafood, and whole wheat products. I workout 5-6 days a week. My workouts consist of Zumba, kickboxing, trekking classes, and the “Power House Physiques” workout DVDs. In six months, I have lost a total of 59 pounds, from 285 to 226 and I still have at least 40 more pounds to go. My advice to others is to never give up on yourself. Start off small. Replace a coke for a bottle of water or choose that apple over a doughnut. If you slip up, it’s not the end of the world. Get back on your healthy eating wagon and ride it until you have reached your goal. Lastly and certainly not least, always remember to love yourself and never compare your journey with others. Always remember that you are your own competition.

Instagram: @sunshine_love82

Kimberly before and after