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Tabreeka lost 100 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Tabreeka lost 100 pounds. After years of yo-yo dieting, she found a weight loss program and a coach that helped her release the weight.  She realized that being held accountable for her goals was missing piece of the puzzle.  Here is what she shared with us about her journey… (We updated the post from 86 pounds to 100 pounds gone because we got confirmation from Tabreeka today. Photo below.)

tabreeka

Hi, my name is Tabreeka. Being a “big girl” has always been a part of my life. I have tried losing the weight so many times before and I always ended up yo-yo dieting everytime. I would start then stop, either getting frustrated by how slow the weight was coming off or going back to old eating habits. I never realized that I needed accountability and that this truly is a lifestyle change. My inspiration came from seeing Coach Wiltrina Jones featured on BWLW. I joined her Facebook group Team IUTBU and watched what they were doing from March to November. I saw Deborah Harvin shrink down to a size 6. After that, I said enough was enough. I was not going to turn 30 weighing 261 pounds. I joined IUTBU, started the meal plans and it’s history from there. I was skeptical when I started because of all my many other failed attempts, but little did I know being held accountable by someone other than myself was the piece of my weight loss journey that I was missing all along. My mental state was where it needed to be and I was tired of being fat. However, I just needed structure and to be held accountable.

I started eating off by eating according to the meal plans written by Coach Wiltrina. At first I thought these meal plans were going to be couscous, sprouts, salads…your typical diet foods. However, I was surprised when I saw burgers, steak, ribs, and plenty other foods that I wouldn’t expect to eat while losing weight in a million years. I have cut out fried foods. I bake, grill, or sautée my meats and veggies. I have sweets occasionally and eat treat meals when included in the plan. I learned from my many years of failure that when you cheat you’re only cheating yourself.

For exercise, 4-5 times a week I run 3-4 miles. I attend FitOneStudio, where they have bootcamp classes. I’m also on a exercise plan written by Coach Wiltrina that includes weight lifting, strength training, and cardio.

I started this journey at 261 pounds. I am now an amazing 161 pounds (height 5″4″). I have been on this journey since November 24, 2014. I’m still amazed myself at my progress.

My advice for others: Believe in yourself. If I can do it, anyone can. I was always told I couldn’t lose the weight because I was “big-boned”. For that reason, I thought that was my destiny to be a big girl. I was captive in all that weight. Losing it was the best thing that could’ve happen to me. Now, I feel like I have a new outlook on life. You have to step out of your comfort zone. It will never happen in that place. Being uncomfortable is what brought me change and happiness. Always remember this is an ongoing fight. Use determination, motivation, and remember where you came from because that is important.

tabreeka scale 100 pounds

tabreeka before and after

Regina lost 99 pounds

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Weight Loss Transformation of the Day: Regina lost 99 pounds.  Inspired by her sister’s progress, she found a great workout group  for support and learned to change her eating habits for life instead of just dieting.  Here is what she shared with us.

Regina before and after

My motivation was that I had outgrown all my clothes once again. My sister started working out and I realized she was losing weight. I called her up and asked what all she was doing ? She explained she joined a Bodycamp class. She told me to bring a mat, a water, wear tights and a shirt. Now, I have been going ever since.

I didn’t know my eating habits would have to change. I thought I could eat whatever and still lose weight. I was sadly mistaken. The instructors of the class asked me instantly, how is your diet? I changed gradually and have done really great. I realized it’s a lifestyle change, not just a diet per say. I started eating baked, boiled, or grilled chicken, turkey, tilapia and very little red meats. I also eat whole wheat or wholegrain items, like brown rice, oatmeal, or wheat breads and have lots of vegetables and fruits. Almonds, yogurt, trail mix and protein shakes are also part of the mix. I drink way more water now. Before, I was eating a lot of fast foods, fried foods, sweets, sodas, chips and anything that was quick to get to.

In the workout class, we never do the same thing twice. Each day has different activities. Monday is leg day with cardio. Tuesday is shoulder day with cardio. Wednesday is back day with cardio. Thursday is everything day, total body. I attend class 4 days a week. Monday thru Thursday.

I started at 287 pounds  and I am currently 188 pounds. It has taken me 1 1/2 years to get to this point.
My advice to others is to surround yourself with same minded and positive people. Start slow and you’ll gradually see change. Cook at home and meal prep your food, if possible. That helps keep you from making bad last minute food choices.

Instagram: @rhall0407

Christie lost 75 pounds

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Weight Loss Transformation Story of the Day: Christie lost 75 pounds.  Learning about proper nutrition, Zumba class and a group Bootcamp helped her to shed the pounds. She was encouraged to share her weight loss story by her trainer Tiffany Brown-Bush at Fit 4 Life in NC.

Christie before and after

To start, I moved to Charlotte, NC about 3 years ago. When I came here I was weighing 262 lbs. At first I did not have any motivation to start my weight loss journey. I was just riding down Mallard Creek Rd and noticed a sign that read Zumba and had a phone number listed. I drove by the sign a weeks t before taking the time to inquire.  This is how I became an active part of Fit 4 Life. I started attending the Zumba classes there on a regular basis. Starting to see some changes, I was inspired by another great person in the F4L family to try out the bootcamp classes there as well. Bootcamp is where continued to see my body change and a little more weight loss.

After bootcamp, I again was advised on how much learning about nutrition would help me on my journey. I was a person that loved to eat cereal (any kind) and M&Ms. I ate very little vegetables and all of the wrong combinations of food. As you can tell, no real substance there. I became a nutrition client and learned more healthy options and a completely new way to eat to not only loose weight but also allow the body to heal with proper nutrients.

I have now been with Fit 4 Life more than a year and have lost a total of 75lbs.  At 5’4″ tall and much lighter on my feet, I feel better than I ever have before. I am still pushing to continue to lose as there is a goal number I have in mind to reach. To anyone else looking to change their life or lose weight, my advice has been and remains “it will not be easy, but it will be worth it.” There will be times when you don’t see the progress, but don’t give up. Just because you can’t see it immediately doesn’t mean what you are doing is not working. Use that energy to push harder, dig deeper, and go further.

I am very grateful to Fit4Life because being apart changed my life and gave me a family dynamic in a city that I was new in, and allowed me to see life from more healthy prospective. I hope this blesses and helps someone else along the way.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/fit4lifetbrown

Wafa lost 116 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Wafa lost 116.7 pounds.  This proud mom set specific dates for her weight loss goals, changed her eating habits and got active.  She was blessed with a supportive community of friends and family to help her stay motivated.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey…

Wafa weight loss story

Hey, I’m Wafa and I started my weight loss journey on Jan. 8, 2014. My starting weight was 315 pounds. I’m 5’6″ tall and 34 years old. I started off wanting to get down to 250 pounds before my oldest daughter’s 8th grade promotion, which was in May 2014. I got down to 250 by the middle of April 2014. I was so excited and happy with my results that I decided to keep going. Today, I’m 198.3 pounds. My next goal is to be 175 pounds by my middle girl’s 8th grade promotion on May 29 2015. 

wafa fits in old pantsI eat a lot of fruits and veggies. I stopped eating fried foods and junk food. All I drink is water. If I eat meat, it is baked fish or chicken. My favorite snack is green apples with natural peanut butter. 

I work out five times a week. I do cardio and lift weights three times a week. I also go to a boot camp every Tuesday and Thursday. I love jogging and I jog three to five miles at a time. When I started it was hard to just walk one mile but now that I can actually jog.

I have a big support team that keeps me motivated. I thank God for everything and everyone. My four children have also worked out with me. My parents always told me I could do it. My family and friends, Khadijah, Sharon Kasey, Melanie Bowens, Sakeenah, my boot camp coach Linda Mosley and the Kirk YMCA were all a big part of my journey. Also, my Facebook fam and friends really encouraged me with sweet words and following my journey.

My advice for others is to find out what works for you and stick to it. The weight is not going to fall off all in one day, it takes time. Do it for you! Do it for better health! Trust me it’s worth it you will feel so much better. 

Instagram: @wafa_journey

wafaj before and after

New Update: Shanta lost 112 pounds and is now a bootcamp instructor

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Shanta lost 112+ pounds and recently sent in this update… Shanta before and after Aug 22nd: I want to give you another update. Yesterday was a Big day for me. I am now a certified Tabata bootcamp instructor!!!! Yes, I look a hot mess (HA HA), but it was so worth it. I’m so proud of myself, because now I can really help others reach their goals. I knew God had calling on my journey and now I can share it with the world!

To maintain my weight loss and keep going I went back to what I did at the beginning of my weight loss journey. I drank more water and I had to change some of workouts. My body got use to what I was doing, so I added weight training and more running. The new lessons I’ve learned is to never give up on your goals. It might be hard, and you might feel like giving up but just keep fighting. I had to learn that while on this journey. My advice to others is that everybody’s journey is not the same. Do what works for you and your body and know that this journey is a process. The weight is not going to come off overnight. Keep fighting and never give up on your dreams, no matter who says you can’t do it. One more thing I will say is when you change your mind your body will follow. As of today my goals are to start my bootcamp classes in September. I also want to lose these last 20. My goal is just to motivate others.

Instagram: naturalgirl32

Read more about her weight loss journey! (back when she had only lost 60 pounds)ShantaMar14blog

Shonda lost 82 pounds

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Update Jan 2015 – Shonda lost 8 more pounds for a total of 90 pounds gone.  She says…
“The biggest lesson I learned was if you are not prepared mentally then there is no way you can succeed. Another lesson was learning to eat in moderation even when it came to healthy food. I stuck to my same regimen when it came to eating and exercising. Staying consistent is the key. I focused on eating lots of fruits veggies and proteins. I also incorporated running and weight training. My advice to those who are losing weight is never give up, don’t dwell on your bad days trust me we all have them, take lots of pics for motivation and want it more than you want to breathe!”

Shonda before and after

Original Story – July 2014

Let’s show some love to Shonda.  This super mom lost 82 pounds by changing her eating habits, exercising and learning what cheat foods worked for her.  Read her story and find out more about her journey:

ShondaJuly14blog

My motivation was my children and the fact that I was tired of being unhealthy! I changed my eating habits by limiting my portions, adding more healthy snacks and eating frequent small meals. I have learned how eat to live and not live to eat! My workout routines consist of kickboxing, Zumba, bootcamp and personal training 6 times a week! My starting weight was 260 pounds. My current weight is 178 pounds (I am 5’1″ tall). I started eating right in August 2013 and exercising in Oct 2014.

Eating wise, I do a lot of protein and veggies. I have replaced white rice with quinoa, cut back on carbs and on bad fats.  I replaced wheat and white bread with whole grain bread but I don’t eat it often. For healthy snacks, I do lots of fruits and my guilty pleasure is WhoKnew cookies lol! A typical day for me would be…

  • breakfast: 3 egg whites, salsa, turkey bacon and granola
  • snack: fruit
  • lunch: salad with tuna or chicken, lite dressing and some nuts
  • snack: fruit
  • dinner: fish or chicken and veggies

I don’t really do carbs at dinner but when I do I eat quinoa, snack nuts or granola or maybe a WhoKnew cookie lol!

The advice I have for others is be consistent, don’t quit even if you miss up and get rid of your excuses. Do the work! It took years, months, weeks, days, hours, mins and seconds to gain the weight. It is going to take all of that to finish! I am still on my journey and there is no turning back!

Instagram: @smccants32

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Patricia lost 52 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Patricia lost 52 pounds, going from 302 pounds to 250 pounds.  She was motivated by a pain issue and decided it was time to change her lifestyle.  Here is what she shared with us about her journey:

Patricia before and after photos

Hi, my name is Patricia. My story is a little different than most. What initially peaked my interest into becoming healthy and fit stemmed from the extreme back pain I was experiencing due to being blessed up top… Lol. My initial weight was 302 pounds and I am now at 250. I started out in a bootcamp class 3 days a week and unexpectedly I really enjoyed working out. From there, I ventured into my current love, my hip hop class.  I also love hiking, run/walk, strength training etc.  Before I’d I ate everything from fast foods to any and all restaurants. The killer for me was mixed fruitie drinks with all the empty calories. I found any reason and excuse to eat out and drink of course. The most important change I had to make was my diet. Initially when I started my weight loss journey I didn’t change my eating and it showed.  Now with my lifestyle change I do allow myself cheat meals and an occasional fruity drink but I’ve adapted drinking my Moscato every so often instead.  Turkey and chicken are my meat of choice. I also eat lots of vegetables and fruits. I’ve now started drinking my gallon of water a day to come full circle.

My endurance and momentum to keep up physically proved challenging. Once I got on board with my eating everything else fell into place. Most importantly, I no longer have back pain. Because of this, my fire is now lit by the desire to become healthy and fit. I am 50+ pounds down with 1 1/2 years in on this journey. I’m just getting started. This is indeed a lifestyle change for me that is here to stay. I must say that I’m truly enjoying my journey and the new and improved me.

Check her out on Instagram for more photos from her journey: @plussizebella

Delisa lost 32 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Delisa lost 32 pounds.  Instead of a gym membership, she joined a flag football team and a boot camp for exercise.  She changed her eating habits as well.  Find out the details of her weight loss journey:

Delisa before and afterAt my heaviest, I was 197 pounds which was in March of 2013. I then knew that I had to do something about it. I knew I was lazy but if I put myself in something fun it would help me reach my goal. I joined a flag football team! I also ate better, drank lots of water and the weight just fell off. Now, since the season is over, I knew I had to keep busy so I joined a bootcamp and I’m sticking with it! I lost my first 5 pounds in July 2013 and I am now 165 pounds as of February 2014! I have made it a lifestyle and I now try to encourage others on their weight lost journey as well on my Instagram: @iamdelisa and my Facebook page.

What I did with regard to eating: I counted calories first. I ate to live and I didn’t live to eat, which is still a challenge. A lot of salad was eaten and a lot of chicken with veggies (they were the largest amount on the plate) and little to no carbs. If I ate carbs, healthy carbs were ok like oatmeal for breakfast, fruit, whole wheat bread or sweet potatoes. I drank only water, no soda, sweet tea or juice for a long time. As far as exercise, since I was on the football team and we conditioned for the season. I did a lot of running and a lot of cardio. I hated running but I would run a lap then walk a lap. The routines and routes we did consisted of running, stopping catching the ball and running again. Basically lots and lots of cardio. I have yet to have a gym membership. I don’t use equipment, I just run or use my body weight to strength train and gain muscle. I sometimes may use a medicine ball or 8 pound weights to add something new to my workout but for the most part cardio, cardio, cardio.

I just want to share a little motivation to let you guys know that this journey is hard as hell and everyday I wake up with my challenge of food! However, I never gave up! I tried and failed many more times than I succeeded, but the fact is I never gave up! I tried diet pills, the Atkins diet and the only thing that truly worked was changing my diet and exercising! You can do it! If nobody believes in you, I do because I did it and I’m still going! I feel better about myself! I have a new found confidence that I’ve never had before! As much as sometimes I really have to drag myself to the gym, I still go! So, please don’t give up just keep going! It’s not going to be easy and it’s gonna take time but just don’t give up! #workout #healthyeatting #loveyourself #healthyandfit

Delisa weight loss story

Sierra lost 68 pounds

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Weight Loss Success Story of the Day: Sierra lost 68 pounds in one year and today is her weight loss anniversary!  She used the tried and true methods of healthy eating and exercise to lose the weight.  Here is her weight loss story:

sierra after photoSent in 2/3/14 – “My name is Sierra and I am 23 years old.  On Feb 4th 2013, I joined a local fitness boot camp in Cleveland, OH called Nulife Fitness Camp. I walked through those doors weighing 255.8 pounds. I had gotten to a point in my life that I was literally tired of being overweight. My back would hurt from just doing simple tasks, so I decided I will finally do something about it! I worked out three times a week at the fitness boot camp and then an additional three times outside the boot camp!  In terms of what kinds of exercise I was doing, I did cardio and weight training, in the beginning. I did cardio 4x week and weights two times a week.  Now, I do both cardio and weight training 4x a week

I kept a healthy meal plan.  I gave up white carbs, beef, pork and alcohol. Tomorrow will mark one year since I started my fitness journey.  I now weigh 187.8 pounds. I have lost a total of 68 pounds in year! This is only the beginning I refuse to ever let myself be overweight again. I hope my weight loss journey can inspire someone else just like others have inspired me.”
Instagram: @I_am_si

 

Sierra Weight Loss Story

Jasmine lost almost 100 pounds

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Weight Loss Journey of the Day: Proud mom and teacher Jasmine lost almost 100 pounds after deciding to make a life change after reaching the 300 lb mark.  She made time in her very busy schedule to change her lifestyle.  Here is what she shared with us about her journey to greater health and weight loss:

Jasmine weight loss story

“Almost 100 lbs down, and still a ways to go, but I’m ON MY WAY!!!! My journey has been probably 90% mental & only 10% physical. After struggling with weight my ENTIRE adult life, I had finally hit & surpassed the 300 pound mark. I was beyond embarrassed & depressed & it was impacting my day to day life. I finally realized the only way I could stick to a workout routine was in finding activities I enjoyed with supportive friends that I knew I could bare my soul to. I started with hiking, which was practically therapeutic. After hitting a plateau, I dug deep and found the courage to work with a trainer at a small local gym. That was the change maker. Not the training, but finding a place where I was more than just a card carrying faceless member. I NEEDED accountability.

After a few months I hit a plateau & became depressed again. I began cheating MYSELF, being inconsistent & not putting my all into it. One of the girls from the gym invited me to try “just one” bootcamp class the next morning. The rest is history. My morning bootcamp classes brought accountability to a whole new level. Now I had dozens of people expecting to see me, texting me & messaging me on Facebook Even more than that, by doing a workout in intervals that incorporates the scary W word, WEIGHTS, I’ve seen absolute transformation! I’m able to push myself because I know as hard as any particular station may be, I’m only doing it for a minute, then it’s on to the next one. Finding a workout that’s never the same, combines weight training, resistance, cardio, high intensity intervals, accountability, & is fun has been a life changer! I do bootcamp 6 days a week, & many days do 2-adays. I wouldn’t dream of starting my day without getting my workout in!

Of course with all this work, I don’t dare sabotage myself with eating habits.  I make sure I’m getting plenty of protein, lean meats, the more colorful my fruits & veggies the better, & I finally cut out breads & cut down on processed food. Finding what worked for me has changed my world, my attitude, & confidence, and I look forward to continuing on improving myself. I’ve accepted that I’m not competing with anyone but myself and only working on making myself better today than I was last week. I’ve learned it’s about “progress not perfection!” I’m a single mom of an active teenager in multiple sports and a public school teacher. It’s not about having time, it’s MAKING time! Your health, life, happiness depend on it. If I can MAKE the time, anybody can!”