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Marquita lost over 60 pounds

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Marquita lost 61.8 pounds over the course of the past year.  This proud teacher found a weight loss plan that worked for her and her busy schedule. Check out what she had to say about losing the weight.

Marquita weight loss

What was your motivation?
My motivation was wanting to the lose the weight for me.  I was tired of being overweight and once I decided that I was going to do it for me it all clicked. I wanted to avoid any medical issues that are associated with being overweight.  I also did not enjoy the fact that I was lacking the energy to simple things. I have lost a total of 61.8 pounds and I’m still working to lose at least 50 more.

How did you change your eating habits? 
I changed my habits by joining Weight Watchers and watching what I eat. I also used portion control and stayed away from a lot of sweets and sodas. I was never a big eater, but just enjoyed sodas and sweets. I did not want to do the surgery thing and find it very rewarding not having to use that option to lose weight.

What did your workout routines look like?
I’m a teacher and have a extremely busy schedule but I try to do a lot of walking and drink lots of water. These things have helped. Working out at 3 times a week helps to keep me from gaining the weight back. I have even tried some weight lifting classes and Zumba.

How long did your transformation take?
I have struggled with my weight most of my life but I started this weight loss journey over the past year. It was easy in the beginning but then I was unable to lose weight for a while. I continued the plan and eventually started losing the weight again. Weight watchers really helped me stay motivated, gave me tips and the constant encouragement from others. I love showing off the before and after pictures…they motivate me!

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
Just keep trying because the best is yet to come with Gods help! You have to accept the challenge of doing it for you and it will become easy. Always celebrate the small victories because they lead to bigger ones.

Instagram: @love2smile06

Marquita before and after photos

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

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

Tummy Transformation: Jennifer’s abs are showing

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Jennifer contacted us from the UK to tell us about how she lost 28 pounds.  She has a lean back and 6 pack abs now.  Those abs are Showing and all that muscle is giving her definition. This tall beauty can now fit into her daughter’s jeans! Here is what she shared with us:

Jennifer weight loss abs

Jennifer back developmentHi, my name is Jennifer Malvo I lost my 2 stone (28 lbs) in weight by working out and eating healthy. I cut out the junk and the processed food I was eating. I was putting on weight and my clothes were feeling tight.  I just looked bit chunky so I decided to train myself and change my diet. I liked the pictures of the bikini models and women who are bodybuilders. They looked good. I’ve never had muscles. I was 12 stone (168 pounds – 5’9″ tall) when I started my weight loss journey 8 weeks ago. I worked in a Gym Legends gym in Worcester, Great Britain. So, my transformation began when I started using light weights and doing cardio. I got back home from the gym started to do Pilates body stretches.  Within one week, my body was changing. 3 weeks later, I had abs and then back definition. I’ve never had abs before. I was so happy that the weight was coming off. I had more energy. I felt good and looked good. I was eating more vegetables, fish and chicken for protein.  I had healthy things like rice and nuts for carbs, as well as berries.  I also cut back on chocolate and fizzy drinks. I had water and fruit teas instead.When I was at home I would train too, doing light weights and dance. Another thing about my workouts; Doing two or more exercise combined worked for me.  I can get into my daughter’s jean now. Now I’m 10 stone (140 pounds) and still training 🙂

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

Lesa lost 123 with weight loss surgery

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Let’s show some BWLW love to Lesa who has lost 123 pounds.  She decided to have gastric sleeve weight loss surgery after dealing with a number of chronic health conditions affected by being overweight.  After dealing with the loss of her closest relatives and having to be put in a medically induced coma, she realized that she had to be here to support and love her children.  Here is what she shared with us about her journey:

Lesa weight loss surgery

I’ve always been overweight, as far as I can remember. It was “cute” when I was a chubby toddler and never shed any of the extra pounds. I grew up in an “overweight” family. I was raised by typical Black Country fed, homegrown, soul food grandparents. My mom was the type of woman who loved being a voluptuous woman and I inherited that gene.

I loved being voluptuous, plus sized, etc. it wasn’t until I realized that as I older, I got bigger. My entire adult life I was 300+ but by the time I was 37, I was up to 390 lbs.  Now with health problems, single parenting, losing close family members and juggling too much that I started having severe health problems; namely Sleep Apnea, Congestive Heart failure, low immune system, and Pulmonary Hypertension (which caused me to go into respiratory distress October 2010).

After being in a medically induced coma for 21 days I woke from the coma and my first thought was “Who took care of my babies?”  They already lost my mom and grandparents and were on the verge of losing me!!  My mom passed away at the age of 45 years old and it was heartbreaking to me and my children.  She had a multitude of health issues including diabetes, high blood pressure, & CHF that if she lost weight she might still be alive today.  I was finally diagnosed with Tracheal Stenosis after being hospitalized three times. Then, I had to have an emergency tracheostomy February, 2011. I was told by numerous doctors that I would have the trach for the rest of my life due to extensive scarring to my trachea from the intubation.

One of the medical specialists that told me that I would have my trach removed in December of 2012. My trachea healed. I discovered that Medicare paid for gastric surgery and in May 1, 2013 I had my first consultation. Initially, in 2009, I planned to get the Lap Band (I’m glad that things didn’t work out for me to get it). I researched the gastric sleeve and found people that had the surgery.  After months of planning I had my surgery October 31, 2013.

Weight Loss Surgery is a tool, not a miracle cure for obesity. It is our responsibility to make the right choices.  I sometimes start to eat things like I’m a trance.  Not realizing what I was doing until I’m in mid bite.  I’ve discovered that my comfort food and drinks aren’t so comforting.  Now, I love veggies, fruits and WATER. Lots and lots of water.  I do not get caught up in the scales. This is the one thing that I cannot stress enough. It is not good emotionally if you get all of your sense of achievement from the scale. I just keep in mind that this is a Marathon and NOT a sprint. My workout routine is walking. I walk everywhere and climb stairs.  Imagine me, a person who loves to shop having to use the motorized cart in Walmart or having to sit down while shopping at the mall…or flat out not going to the mall at all!  Imagine not wanting to go anywhere because your fat is basically insulation and you are constantly hot!  Now, I have energy and don’t mind cooking, cleaning, walking or climbing the stairs.

I’m still in transition and I’m only 9 months post-surgery and have lost 123 lbs. and my current weight is 267.  Initially, I wanted to be 225 lbs. or a size 18/20, however my ultimate goal is to just be healthy.  I recommend joining a support group as I seem to be having identity issues post-surgery.  I’ve always been comfortable being plus sized that now that I’ve lost weight I can’t identify with the person I see in the mirror.  Daily what I am thankful for is that I’m not plagued with health issues and I’m going to be around to be a parent to my daughters!

Lesa weight loss surgery

Markita lost 25 pounds

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Update Dec 2015 – Markita wrote in to tell us about how she’s maintained her weight loss of 25 pounds for more than a year despite weight gain due to medication.

“You featured my story last July, and I just wanted to send in an update of my maintenance since! After being featured, I was put on medication which caused me to gain 7 pounds, which I could not lose until recently coming off the medication. However, I was able to get back down to 165, the goal weight my doctor gave given me for my height. I was also able to release the weight by continuing to watch my carb and sugar intake. Thank you for what you do, your site has kept me motivated, even when I wanted to throw in the towel!”

markita before and after

July 2014 – Proud mom of 4 Markita lost 25 pounds and gives all the glory to God.  Making healthy smoothies, drinking Apple Cider Vinegar and avoiding high fructose corn syrup were just parts of her lifestyle change. Here is what she shared with us:

Markita weight loss mom

Markita after weight lossToday’s Encouragement!!!! I am a busy wife and mother of 4 minor children. I was sick & tired of being sick & tired, and feeling unattractive! In October 2013, after being diagnosed as pre-diabetic, I made the necessary changes in my lifestyle & diet that I can & will follow for the rest of my life with God’s help, love, & guidance!!! You can do it too. It’s never too late!!! Seek Him. After all, God designed you, and knows what it will take! I lost all this weight in a matter of 6 months. Majority was lost in the first 3 months. I found the NutriBullet fruit and veggie smoothies in the morning helped a lot. I’ve cut back on sugar and sweets big time and I only eat red meat occasionally (Mostly chicken & Turkey). I only drink sugary drinks like pop, juice, lemonade occasionally. I avoid high fructose corn syrup & artificial sweeteners like the plague, lol! If I need sweetness, I will use a little raw organic honey or a little raw sugar. I drink decaf green tea every night before I go to bed. I drink lemon water throughout the day. I drink Braggs organic Apple cider vinegar with water in the morning and before dinner. I still eat pasta and bread, but only in moderation. I only cook with olive oil and use real butter, no spreads. I love almonds and almond butter. These are most of the things I have done and still do to maintain. Everyone is different, but this is what works for me and I can do these things for the rest of my life. I had to make it more of a lifestyle change instead of diet! Hope this helps someone, God bless you!!!! Starting Weight 188 poundss/Ending Weight 163 pounds= 25 pounds.

MarkitaJuly14blog

Update: Denna lost 90 pounds

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Update: Denna sent us an inbox message on Facebook to let us know that she lost 13 more pounds since we featured her story back in Dec 2013.  She is now down a total of 90 pounds and has gone from a size 22/24 to a size 6/8.  Find out how she did it below:

Denna before and after

I’ve been a yoyo dieter more years than not. I think it where most of the trouble lies. I can’t be on a diet, it must be a lifestyle. A diet is temporary and only yields temporary results. I’m in this for the long haul so it has become a lifestyle for me. What I THOUGHT was my wake up call really wasn’t. My kids had lost one parent to cancer, something that could not be helped or stopped. In my mind I said this is something you can control, so don’t eat yourself to death. Fix it! So at over 240 lbs I embarked on a journey to save myself…for them. Wrong! Although I lost weight and a lot of weight, I quickly discovered I could not be about someone else, not even my kids. I had to be for me. When we do things for others there’s ALWAYS an unspoken contingency, that the other party is not even aware of most of the time. At least it’s true for me. Therefore, when that contingency falls through so does your desire and motivation (That along with some other things). I fell off the wagon and watched it roll almost completely out of site. However, just as “The Wagon” was almost out of site it hit me like never before, Fool WHAT are you doing? You put in ALL that hard work and you are flushing it down the toilet! Get a grip. Forget your kids. (Giggles but yeah) They don’t even now they had anything to do with your weight loss. So, I decided this time it’s all about ME. I’m doing it for me for the very first time. Every other time I have done this for someone else, my husband, my parents, my kids, worried about what other people thought about me and my weight. That’s the biggest difference this time. It’s for me and my desire to look and feel better.

Denna weight loss photosI hired a great trainer that I have been working with during my journey. I’ve got a better yet not perfect grip on my nutrition. I’ve learned how to make fitness a part of my everyday life. My workout time is my “me” time. I need that DAILY (I’m the mom of 3 teens lol). I’ve identified emotional triggers and when I feel buttons being pushed I immediately begin tell myself you can’t eat it away! I say, “You are going to feel guilty if you turn to food” or “At least make yourself proud of the good choice you made and go burn off some calories”. No that won’t make the problem go away but it certainly won’t add to it. This fitness life is mostly a head game and you have to be able to strategize so you can win.

I workout 5, 6 or 7 days a week. I do a WIDE variety of things to keep myself interested; everything from pole dancing to CrossFit. However, the backbone of my fitness plan is working out with my trainer. My nutrition is my hiccup. I do eat clean but sometimes not enough (quantity or frequency). I don’t drink sodas or eat processed foods. I drink lots of water. So far I’m down a total of 90 pounds. I’ve gone from a size 22/24 to a 6/8. My confidence is soaring, I feel alive and sexy. I can’t wait to see what things will look like when I reach my goal. This is me sharing my progress, the end result is yet to be seen. Like I always say, my journey is mine, yours is yours and hers is hers. Don’t judge yourself by someone else’s success or failure. Someone is going to lose faster and slower. Someone is going to have a smaller waist, a bigger butt you name it. It’s ok just work hard to become the best you, you can be.

Facebook page: Get Right, Get Tight – The Journey

For more info, check out the original post about her journey

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Starla lost 73 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Starla lost 73 pounds.  She started her journey motivated by wanting to please others and realized that it was more important to please herself and change her habits to get healthy.  Check out her weight loss success story and find out how she did it:

starla before and after

What was your motivation?
Ladies, I still kick myself for my kick start into to motivation. For a while, I was in denial about how big I was or how big I was getting. Until one guy who I had a crush on said to me, ” You’re cute…Just a bit big.” That blew me away! I would stand in the mirror and stare at things that I never saw before about myself, because I was one of those women who embraced her heavier side. When that hurt my feelings, I decided to go ahead and do what I needed just so I wouldn’t have to hear that again. However, I realized that a lot of my health problems started to die down by changing my lifestyle, like ‘Sleep Apnea and the fact that my left foot would swell CONSTANTLY due to heavy fluid retention. The list could go on and on and this became less about me trying to please others and more about trying to please myself. I always thrived on what every Joe thought about me, because being well aware that I was big…I still knew that being overweight was a hindrance. So I would do anything for anyone to just ‘Like’ me. (Sad) Being on this journey helped me learn that. Why please others when I’m not pleased with myself. It was hard because after a while I use to get so worried about what I was eating and how the weight wasn’t falling off that I started having Anxiety attacks. NEVER STRESS yourself out… Never.

How did you change your eating habits?
I cut out sodas, sweets, alcohol, breads and studied MAJOR portion control. I drank Water, Water and MORE WATER.

What did your workout routines look like?
I would workout at least 6 days a week doing Zumba at home or playing ” Michael Jackson: The Experience”. I hated going to the gym for fear of being judged so I lost ALL my weight from home…alone. I just got into the Hip Hop Abs program about a month or two ago and saw great results in my midsection area.

What was your starting weight? 297 pounds

What is your current weight? 224 pounds? I’m 5’6″. I’m assuming because I had my boyfriend throw away my scale due to me being really neurotic about it.

How long did your transformation take? 3 years

What advice to you have for others who want to lose weight?
Don’t do it for acceptance from someone else, because they are sleeping at night while you aren’t. Focus on making yourself happy, because if you don’t you’ll never be satisfied with anything.

starla weight loss photos

3 Years Anniversary: Latese lost 135 and kept the weight off

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Shout out to Latese on her 3 Year Weight Loss Anniversary.  She began her journey 3 years ago and lost 134 pounds in 2 years.  She has kept the weight off for another year and even lost an additional pound!  Check out her update and new photos below:

“You know I love to keep y’all updated. I still love your page. I have been keeping my health up to parr this year.  In 3 years I’ve gone from a  size 28 to size size 6. I’m still eating clean and I love LA Fitness like it is home.

I currently weigh 135 pounds and what I have learned from the last year of maintaining my weight loss is that everyday is different but you have to remain consistent. There are loads of temptations but it is all a mind game. Making healthier choices is not expensive and I say that with full confidence as a mother of 4. I also utilize my kids as workout partners with hopes they never struggle with any weight issues.  You gotta EAT CLEAN and TRAIN MEAN! Invest in yourself because no one else will.”

Check out our original post about her weight loss journey for more info about how she lost the weight and additional photos.

Instagram: @yesheaux.denaeslays

Latese weight loss photos