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Tiffany lost 84 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Tiffany lost 84 pounds with weight loss surgery.  After being diagnosed with diabetes, high cholesterol and severe asthma, she decided that gastric bypass wls was the best option to change her health.  Here is what she shared with us…

Tiff weight loss surgery

Hi! I am 28 years old and had been overweight my entire adulthood. After becoming very ill and being diagnosed with diabetes, high cholesterol and severe asthma I knew that something had to change. I did my research and decided to have weight loss surgery. I had gastric bypass weight loss surgery on June 16, 2014. My highest weight was 295 pounds and today I am 211 pounds. I started out at a size 22 and I am a size 12/14 now. I am hoping that my story will inspire others to eat healthy. My surgery was simply a tool.

I developed a gluten sensitivity after the surgery and had to completely cut out breads all together. I now follow a gluten free diet and workout 4-5 days a week. I also had to cut out sugar and high fats because it makes me dump (after weight loss surgery some people experience undigested food passing through the digestive system – more info).  I work out 4-5 days a week and do a mix of cardio and strength training.  I am about 40 pounds from my surgeons goal of 170 pounds. My personal goal is 160 lbs! This surgery isn’t the easy way out. I have to work super hard. I want people to realize that you CAN do it. Trust me, it’s rough but if I can do it so can you!

Tiffany before and after

Shyliece lost 88 pounds

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Update Sept 2015: Check out Shyliece‘s progress. In the past, you’ve posted the middle of my journey. I decided to lose weight after almost having a stroke at a early age. I’ve had chronic asthma since 11 months old and chronic hypertension since age 13, which required me to take many pills daily. I’ve faced so many other health problems as well. I turned my life around and I’ve lost additional weight. I also became a personal trainer to help other women worldwide lose weight naturally and learn to keep the weigh off long term.

After getting in shape, I still suffered from health problems. My neurologist, cardiologist, and nephrologist said these problems were permanent. Even after losing 90 lbs, I was still very unhealthy even though I have a fit body. Most people couldn’t believe my health issues, especially being under the age of 30. I never gave up and kept pushing forward. I went to specialist but they kept saying my medical problems were permanent. In the end, I honestly didn’t do anything different. I just kept faith, prayed, stayed strong and kept exercising. Eventually, I was able to get off those long term medications and now I’m 100% healthy after all these years. I’m still surprised, but very, very grateful. I’m healthy with no medical problems now.

Not only am I stronger mentally and physically, I’m also blessed. I want to let other women know that they can do it because I did. I’m a witness and I know that God is good! I just want to tell other women that just because someone told you it can’t be done or because things get hard, you should Never give up. Believe in yourself and know that anything is possible! Check out my Instagram: @she_squats_fitness for motivation and fat burning fitness tips.

Shyliece before and after

Update Jan 2015: Hi, you shared my story a while back in the middle of my weight loss journey.  I’m currently 88 lbs down and I’ve turned my weight loss journey into a career. I’m now a personal fitness trainer. I also met the love of my life because of fitness. Fitness has changed my life so much and now I want to help other women, especially moms. I suffered from so many health problems and I didn’t let them make or break me, so I like to motivate other woman because I can relate to what they are going through. Instagram: @she_squats_fitness

shyliece before and after

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Shyliece lost 65 pounds. This proud mom faced a number of very serious health issues and situational stressors that turned her world upside down.  She was able to take control of her life and change her lifestyle.  Here is what she shared about her weight loss journey:

Shyliece before and after

“I was fit before Jan 16-2006. I was walking on ice one day and I fell. I broke 6 bones and fractured one other bone,  almost causing me too have my leg amputated. Luckily, I was able too get it rebuilt with pins, plates, screws, wires and rods. I didn’t walk for 10 months and I gained a lot of weight from the stress of losing my job and my apartment. I moved back home with my mom. I was stressed out and I used food to make myself feel better. My health also went down hill.  I was dealing with asthma, chronic high blood pressure and anxiety, so I was always in and out of the hospital. I gained so much weight that my leg would swell up very badly, to the point where every right sneaker or shoe I owned would bust open. My arms and leg on my right side was constantly numb from the weight gain and not eating right, so one day I passed out and was hospitalized. I knew that my daughter needed me too be here, so in 2012 I decided it was time for a change!!

I started out with small changes. I began by walking and changing some of my eating habits. By the end of 2013 I decided too go hard. I started eating clean, eating 100% whole grains, no fried foods, more vegetables, more fruit and  organic products.  I don’t eat red meat, just fish, shrimp and chicken. Besides protein shakes and green tea, I drink 8 bottles of water a day.  No soda..no juice. I started doing interval training at least 3-4 times a week on a treadmill. I also started lifting weights.  I’ve lost over 65 pounds and 45 of those pounds were lost during the past 4 months. I turned the extra room in my house into a gym room and I workout 5-6 days a week. I’m confident and happy that I’ve chosen to start living healthy. I’m not where I want too be, but I’m getting there.  I have 20/30 pounds too go and I feel great!”
Instagram: @she_squats_fitness

Shyliece weight loss story

Ronica lost 41 pounds

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Veronica sent in an update Aug 2014: “Hello, here is an updated photo of my weight lost journey. I am facing little challenges on my weight loss journey but not letting it to stop me. I must do it. I have lost 71 pounds and I’m down from a size 24 to a size 16 (some size 18).”

Veronica weight loss

Ronica wrote in to share how she lost 41 pounds after a major health event.  Read her story:

I began my weight loss journey on August 28, 2013. I am asthmatic and had an attack in July of last year that almost took my life. The doctor told me that my left lung got some damage and that I will have to go down to 148 pounds, so I began my journey. So far, I have lost forty one pounds.  The journey continues with healthy eating habits and consistent exercising.

Ronica before and after

What was your motivation?
Life. I want to live 

How did you change your eating habits?
I changed to eating healthier and better by eating six times a day.  I have three full meals with smaller portions and three healthy snacks. No fried or processed foods. No sugary drinks. I just have natural juices and lots of water.  I was also diagnosed with diabetes and placed on medication.  I follow a heathy meal plan by a dietitian. Meat wise, I eat mostly fish and a small amount of turkey. With my changed habits and healthier lifestyle, my readings are between 85 and 103 . I still have a long way to go with Gods help.

What did your workout routines look like?
I workout five to six days a week for 2 1/2 hours per session.  Some days consist of are aerobics, cardio and light weight lifting to help tone.

What was your starting weight? 248 pounds.
What is your current weight? 207 pounds.

How long did your transformation take?
Six months. I have to take my time because I am also anemic . 

What advice to you have for others who want to lose weight?
If you want to live longer and be healthier, make a healthy lifestyle your choice. With determination you will get there. I am taking back control of my life

8 Ways to help your children avoid childhood obesity

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family affairProgress has been made in lowering the statistics of childhood obesity but it remains a significant problem. Over 17% of all children ages 6 to 19 are overweight. While there has been a small reduction in overall childhood obesity, there has also been a rise in children who are considered to be morbidly obese. Childhood obesity has been linked to everything from diabetes to asthma and learning difficulties, mood disorders and addiction tendency, plus new studies show that there may be a correlation between childhood obesity and early adult cancers.

Why are our children obese?

Childhood obesity is not just an American problem, but a problem in all industrialized nations. As economies improve, there is less time for home meals and more money is spent on the convenience of prepared foods. Prepared food has much higher rates of sodium, fats, sugars and is served in larger portions than should be consumed to maintain a healthy body weight. Also, in industrialized nations, the nature of childhood play changes from one that is based in physical activity, to one that is based in the passive entertainments of video games and computers.

How to help without creating even more problems

In the United Kingdom, a recent survey showed that while initiatives to reduce childhood obesity had been moderately successful, they had created a different problem – a rise in childhood eating disorders and mood disorders. There are ways to help your children avoid childhood obesity that don’t make food the enemy or create a low self-esteem. Here are 8 of the best ways to help your child stay healthy.

1. Show, don’t tell

Children copy what they see adults do. Don’t just tell your child how to eat healthy, do it yourself so they can see you making the right choices in types of food and the amounts that you eat. Avoid rewarding behavior or providing consolation through foods like ice creams and pastas. Find another way to make good grades special or to console your child after their first dating breakup.

2. Make the beginning important

A balanced breakfast sets the tone for the day in the amount of energy a child has and what they will be drawn to eat. Eating sugary things or breakfasts with a lot of carbs creates a craving for these items that will last throughout the day. Keep it simple and focused on proteins and fruits.

3. Make water fun

Drinking water can help curb appetites and serve as a snack. Plain water is boring, but a lot of the flavored waters on the market are loaded with sugars and additives. Try adding a slice of lemon or lime to water for added flavor.

4. Manage servings

A good rule of thumb is to never eat any one thing that is larger than the palm of your hand and to not go for seconds until after 20 minutes has passed from the first serving. It takes the body about 20 minutes to get the signal from Leptin that it is full.

5. Get active

Be the bad guy and put down some limits on the amount of time spent on the computer or playing video games. If you live in an area where sending your child outside to play is not doable, create a play area in the house that features soft sport toys or get one of the motion activated video games that feature dancing.

6. Get off the sugar train

Mind the sugar. Remember that almost all prepared foods have sugars added in them already so don’t allow your child to add more. It is important to know that if the body consumes sugar, it wants more. Don’t set up that craving.

7. Ban Soda

There is not one good reason for a child to drink soda. Even sugar free sodas are not a good idea as the artificial sweeteners reduce the ability to taste what is sweet so the child will then add three times as much sugar elsewhere in their diet to get the same sugar taste as the artificial sweetener.

8. Have set meal and snack times

Get consistent about meal and snack times so your child never feels as if they are so hungry they are starving. The more consistent the meal and snack time, the better able your child will learn how to manage their diet to avoid hunger.