Black Weight Loss Success

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before and after

Charmaine lost 90 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story: Charmaine lost 90 pounds and is working on “reversing” her diabetes.

I’ve lost 90 pounds by eating healthier, staying active and roller derby! My diabetes is almost reversed now. 🙂

My motivation was to get my diabetes under control. I took oral medication for it which helped.  For my weight loss, I cut out fast food and sweets. I eat a big breakfast and a small dinner. I care for a handicapped boy for a living and we are always on the move, going somewhere, doing something.  This is versus my old job where I sat for 8 hours, so that has  kept me active.  Then I joined a roller derby team and that has really kicked me in to gear.  I feel healthy happy and I’m feeling good with more energy than I’ve ever had.  I went from 297 to 207 still have more to go.  Now, it’s a lifestyle.”

Charmaine weight loss story

Valaria lost 60 pounds

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Let’s show some BWLW love to Valaria who lost 60 pounds with the help of bootcamp classes and changing her eating habits.

I just hit my 60 pound goal as of today by eating right, taking bootcamp class and having a great healthy support system and accountibility partners. I am excited about continuing my healthy journey and I have fifteen more pounds to my goal.  I plan to start toning within the next month with a personal trainer.

My motivation at the beginning was inconsistent but when I became serious I was unstoppable. I changed my eating habits to fish, chicken and veggies.  I drank more water and got more rest. My workout routine is a mixture of cardio, light weights and bootcamp drills for four days out of the week.

Valaria weight loss

 

Kira lost 30 pounds

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Let’s show some BWLW love to Kira who has lost 30 pounds and 15 inches overall.

I’ve been struggling with weight loss my entire life. Recently I decided to make a change and really, REALLY focus on doing something about it. Mostly for medical reasons and slightly because I wanted to look different, look smaller (for once in my life).

I found different weight loss groups and challenges online via YouTube, or Facebook friends, and joined them. Those included eating healthy and working about 45 – 60 minutes per day. Within this time, I easily lost inches while not losing many pounds. After a while, I started incorporating lifting weights in my routine and noticed that while I was slimming and gaining muscle, I was also losing weight and looking much smaller. To date, I have lost over 30 lbs and about 15 inches overall! I am so proud of myself!  I can’t believe that while still eating what I want (and being more aware of healthy choices) that I still managed to lose weight, gain & tone muscle, and look much leaner and healthier than ever before. I haven’t been this weight since 2010! I am super excited for the future and cant wait to reach my goal weight of 200 lbs! I was a size 24 and now fit loosely into an 18!! I am just SO HAPPY!!!

Kira weight loss

Dee lost 70 pounds

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Today’s weight loss success story: Dee lost 70 pounds.  This grandmother of 8 was motivated by wanting to be around for a long time for those children.

Hello, my name is Darlene and I began my Weight Loss Journey in 2011.  It’s been an up and down road, but I am hanging in there. I changed my eating habits and started exercising. So to all you women that think its impossible start reaching for the its possible. I have lost 70 lbs so far, I am not done yet. Good luck and best wishes to you all.

What motivated me to lose weight was health issues. I have 8 lovely grandchildren so I want to be around for a long time! (Smile). Anyway, my daughter who is 38 years old started with me, we started portion control on our food and really began to eat healthy. We ate more vegetables and lean meats (mostly chicken breast skinless).   We also ate more fruits.  With this change we started walking everyday. Our walking increased mile after mile and the pounds just seemed to melt away. I love my new lifestyle. My starting weight was 254 pounds and I am glad to say that today I weighed in at 184 pounds.  I have 30 more pounds to lose.  It takes determination and dedication to succeed, and I finally made up my mind to do it even at 57 years old. I also do aerobics daily and strength training at times. It really works.

Dee weight loss

TP lost 85 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Let’s show some love to TP who lost 85 pounds with weight loss surgery.  She was dealing with a number of serious health issues and decided that surgery was the best option.

“I lost 85 pounds lost after gastric bypass surgery….and counting!!! In 2010 made a very hard decision to lose weight. It was hard for me because I held on to my weight for private reasons and it was a source of comfort and part of my identitiy for many years. After some soul searching, it was through that process that I realized I was hurting myself holding on to my weight and I made the decision to let my weight go.

The weight was destroying me and killing me slowly. I suffered from high blood pressure, sleep apnea and it was beginning to become painful to walk. I was killing myself.  With God on my side, in 2010 I had lap band surgery and lost 30 pounds.  However, due to the band causing severe acid reflux, I had it removed and went with gastric bypass in December 2011.  I had to completely change my eating habits. Right after surgery, I was on liquids for almost two months. I slowly progressed to eating solid foods again. Throughout that process I exercised 3 times a week on my elliptical. Some days, I was only able to do 5 minutes.  I had to build up my strength to go longer and harder. Eventually, I began Shaun T’s Hip Hop Abs and I am currently getting my feet wet with his Insanity DVD’s (but they are really tough).

gastric bypass weight surgery

Foods that I was able to eat before surgery I cannot eat now, for instance spaghetti noodles, tuna fish…certain breads and certain meats. What this surgery has been able to do for me is force me to control my portion size. I eat small amounts and my body does not crave carbs and sugar. Sugary drinks I cannot have.  Ice cream I cannot have, but I can tolerate certain chocolate chips cookies, (which I do indulge in on certain occasions, lol) I must admit, lol. What is a staple in my house is the protein shake. My body craves them now so I make sure I have plenty available. I take vitamins, a gummy multivitamin, b12, Vitamin d, Iron, and Calcium with D3.

It has been a very long journey for me and anybody that says having surgery is the easy way out should reconsider.  I am here to tell you that nothing is easy about losing weight with surgery. I have to be very careful and watch what I eat, especially when out in public because I never know when my pouch will reject something I have ate. It does that on occasion.  It has a mind of its own!! LOL
I have changed my whole life, I now have carrots, and raw veggies in my fridge instead of chips cookies and icecream. I have yogurts fresh fruits water and I have decided to work out and put myself first. There are some days where I get into a “funk” and I don’t work out and I don’t eat healthy, but I have learned to embrace those days.  I let them happen and then get back up and start all over the next day. I took me a very long time to make this change and it will take a very long process to maintain my new life and their changes.

December 2013 will make 2 years since my surgery and I am hoping to be at 200 pounds. When I started i was 325-327 pounds and I am currently 240 pounds.   I thank God for giving me the strength and courage to let go of my fears and get healthy!! Thank you for letting me share my story, keep pushing and keep the faith!!!”

Joyce lost 50 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story:  Joyce lost 50 pounds and fought a battle with high blood pressure.  She is now off all of her medication.

“I lost 50 pounds over the course of 8 months by changing my diet and exercising. I workout 5-6 days per week.  I have plenty of energy now and I feel so much healthier. I am not at my goal weight, but I’m on my way!!!  I started in August of 2012 and I am still currently going.

I became motivated to lose the weight and change my lifestyle when I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with high blood pressure. I was put on medication for it. Now I have been taken off of all of my medication. For exercise, I joined a multilevel fitness program that is based on your physical ability.  I exercise 5-6 days a week and we weigh in on Saturday.  I eat lean fish and chicken, and plenty of veggies. I cut all junk food, processed food and sodas out of my diet. I also stopped eating pork and beef.”

joyce weight loss

Christal lost 40 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story: Christal lost 40 pounds by changing her diet and exercising with the help of a relative (uncle).  I love it when family members are supportive of our weight loss efforts.

“I’ve lost 40 pounds so far! I became lazy, constantly gaining weight and not eating right.  I eventually became borderline diabetic. One day, I looked in the mirror and I just couldn’t take it anymore. My uncle started training me in the gym.  Now, I eat right and just feel so much better about myself. I love the fact that I motivate others as well! It’s such a good feeling, and I’m loving my weight loss journey thus far.”

What did you do in terms of changing your eating habits and exercising?

“I slowly started staying away from sodas, and as of right now I don’t drink them at all.  I cut off junk food.  I eat 5 times a day (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner) with my meals being in small portions and snacks being some kinda fruit, veggie or graham crackers. I do have one cheat day a week though. I started off working out 5 times a week doing a variety of things.  I do lots of cardio, treadmill, walking, fat burn exercises and the stair master.  If it was in the gym I did it. My trainer had my days set for specific exercises as part of my workout plan.”

Christal weight loss

April lost 92 pounds

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Let’s show some BWLW love to April who has lost 92 pounds while fighting diabetes and low self esteem.  She began her journey with the simple step or going walking.

“HEY!! My name is April. MY JOURNEY started about 5 years ago when I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I have always been overweight as long as I can remember. I never really took my weight seriously.  Even after I was told that I was diabetic i still didn’t take it seriously. I DIDNT FEEL SICK!! So, I continued to eat like I wanted and i just popped a pill everyday. It went from 500mg a day, to 1000 mg a day, to 2000 mg a day.  I still didn’t take it seriously, even though my doctor was begging me to lose weight. I pretended everything was ok and I was happy despite my hurting back, aching legs, and fatigue. I could barely walk through Walmart without giving out of breath.

Every time I looked in a mirror I hated what I saw and I was slipping into a depression. I would cry, pray and ask God to please help me cause I hated myself. My turning point was when one of my girlfriends asked me to go to a all you can eat pizza buffet. After we left I felt so full and disgusting. I had this burning desire though to go walking, something I never wanted to do. So I turned to her and said “Let’s go walking!” Did I mention she was overweight too?  She immediately turned me down. She dropped me off at my house and as I sat there the desire to walk grew stronger and stronger. I looked over at a treadmill I had sitting in the corner of the room; which had been decoration in my house for years, and decided “I didnt need anyone to walk with me. I WILL DO IT MYSELF!!” That’s exactly what I did. At first I couldn’t do but 10 mins a day and I thought I was dying. For some reason I kept going. I workout everyday and I changed my eating habits.  Although I have fell off from time to time I am still happy with my progress! Today I am 92 lbs slimmer and I am happy about it. Although I still have about 60 more pounds to go, I thank God for my progress cause I know he is the one that put me on that treadmill to save my life, cause I was dying. Some people jump off buildings, some people put a gun to their heads, and we consider those people crazy for harming themselves, but through food I was playing rushing roulette with my life.”

April weight loss

Tameka lost 95 pounds

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Tameka lost 95 pounds going from 339 pounds to 224 pounds.  She has the help of a dedicated personal trainer, changed her eating habits and as a result of her efforts she has run 5 races.

“Hello my name is Tameka. I started my weight loss journey in November 2010. I participate in a very intense workout 5-6 times a week, plus running and eating healthy. I have been with my personal trainer Meoshia Smith-Bogins for 2 years. Since then, I’ve started my weight loss journey and I have lost a total of 95 pounds. My trainer runs a hardcore class that guarantees the results in the end. My highest weight was 339 pounds and I am now 244 pounds. Since starting I have also participated in 5 races with the Detroit Free Press Marathon being my biggest race. I completed the half marathon. I have 45 pounds to go and I am not stopping because I am determined and motivated. Stayed tuned as my goal weight is to be 199 pounds.

I increased my meals. I eat 5-6 times a day for example. I bake all of my meat and I don’t eat pork.  Breakfast: banana, turkey bacon, 2 boiled eggs & 16oz water. Snack: fruit salad. Lunch: baked chicken, veggies & 240z water. Snack: banana. Snack: fruit salad. Dinner: grilled ground chicken patties, grilled red and green peppers and 16oz soy light chocolate milk. I prepare my meals at home and only eat something fried once a month. I only eat sweets once a month if that. I eat like this everyday.”

tameka weight loss

 

Pam lost 49 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story: Pam lost 49 pounds with clean eating, juicing and exercise.  Here is what she shared with us:

“I’ve battled with my weight for a few years. I finally decided to take charge.  I changed my eating to clean eating and I also incorporated juicing.  Then, I decided to start training intensely. My starting weight was 186 pounds and my current is weight 137 pounds (which is shown in the pic on bottom right). Pictures on the left are my before photos.   The one with blue top was my heaviest. I now feel very good and inspired to continue with a healthy lifestyle. I hope my progress will inspire others.”

Check her out on Facebook: Wellness Concepts

pam weight loss story