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Ashlie lost 55 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Ashlie lost 55 pounds.  This breast cancer survivor is a true overcomer and I’m inspired by her story.  She battled surgery, chemo, meds, early menopause and sugar addiction, but has reached victory with faith and determination.  Here is what she shared with us about her journey…

Ashlie before and after

Hi, my name is Ashlie K Lowe.  I’m 28 years old and I would like to share my weight loss/healthy living journey. One year ago I was 200 pounds. Today I am 55 lbs lighter, standing at 145 lbs! At age 24, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, which including having to go through Surgery, Chemo, and a 5 year med regimen to control my estrogen, which puts me through menopause. The meds cause several side effects such as weight gain, fatigue and joint pain. Over the past 4 years, I have gained about 50 lbs and as of last year, I was determined to lose it all.

My motivation to lose weight was a combination of couple things. A) I started getting asked if I was pregnant. B) My Pastor led our church on a 21 day fast which was called the “Unlock” Fast and that is really what catapulted my journey. In obedience of that, God began to reveal to me the importance of living and eating healthy and taking more control over my health. Being a cancer survivor, especially at such a young age, I realized there was so much more I could do to take responsibility in living an active healthy life, despite the side effects of the medications I’m on.

Prior to last year, I ate fast food every day several times a day, fried foods, snacks (cookies, cakes, candies, etc) all day everyday, I was use to eating absolutely no vegetables and very little fruits, but I did have tons of pops, juices and barely any water. I was addicted to sugar so much so that I would eat spoonfuls of plain sugar. Starting in 2014, my eating habits changed to no red meat, no fried foods, no fast foods, no pop. Only 100% fruit juice, minimal sweets, veggies/fruits everyday, and at least 1/2 gallon of water everyday. I literally had to pray and ask God to help change my taste buds and increase my appetite for healthy foods. I hated the taste of anything healthy. Now, I crave healthy foods. (Yes God still answers prayers )

I worked out on average 3 days a week, focusing on upper body one day, lower body the next and overall cardio the 3rd. During the summer I walked at least 2 miles everyday.

Overall, despite the challenges that came along with the medicinal side effects, I was a still able to make progress and meet my goal by the grace of God. If I can do it, anybody can do it. Set a goal, create a plan/strategy, choose to commit, have accountability, measure yourself against yourself and not other people, and don’t give up. The best you is waiting on the inside, waiting to emerge!

Instagram: @ashlieklowe
FB inspiration page: www.facebook.com/thoughtsofagrowingwoman

Breast Cancer Survivor: Tracey Dickson lost 40 pounds

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Update 2017: Tracey wrote in to share that she is 9 years breast cancer free and has continued to keep the weight off that she lost after gaining weight during treatment. She is fit and fabulous at 50 years old.

I just wanted to take a moment and give you a weight loss/breast cancer update! I am 9 years cancer FREE and I have kept the weight off since after treatment back in 2008! Now, at 50 years old, I am PROOF that GOD, fitness and eating well can carry you a LONG way! Thank you so much for sharing my story a few years ago! I hope that I can  continue to inspire just as your page continues to inspire and motivate me and thousands of other women! You give the women in our community the courage to dig deep and GO FOR IT!! BRAVO!
New Instagram: @traceyfit2fly

tracey before and after

Success Story of the Day: October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. As we reflect, I want us to celebrate this sista’s story. Tracey Dickson lost 40 pounds after gaining weight during chemo.  She said something that I love: “Six months after chemo was over I had done what I set out to do, which was have breast cancer leave me better than it found me.” I think that is something we can all aspire to: to be better and to feel blessed after life’s trials.

Tracy breast cancer survivor

In 2008, at the age of 40, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I felt like I had run full speed into a brick wall! As a flight attendant and certified fitness instructor I felt pretty healthy. I certainly didn’t feel like breast cancer would ever find me. Boy was I WRONG! I am only 5’3″ and I weighed about 128-130 at the time. By the time I finished chemo, I had gained over 30 pounds! I had won the fight against breast cancer, but in the midst of chemo I lost the fight to stay fit and trim. I knew that I was determined to have breast cancer leave my body waaaaay better than it found me. I remember my mother saying to me “Tracey, you have got to give your body what it is use to, and your body is use to MOVING!” So, with those words I began to FIGHT my way back to a leaner, healthier and more FIT body than ever before.

I started with my diet. I changed to more of a vegetarian lifestyle. I ate a lot of fish, vegetables, complex carbs like sweet potatoes. I also ate berries, nuts, and egg whites. I concentrated on eating more whole foods and less sugary packaged stuff. I drank plenty of water and green tea. I TOTALLY cut out sodas and high sugary juices and I made a point not to eat after 8PM. I also found that bringing snacks and meals with me on the road kept me safe from falling off my clean eating plan. I always try to incorporate a protein into each meal. But sometimes I switch things up and either eat a protein with lots of veggies or a complex carb with lots of veggies. My snacks were and still are nuts and fruit or protein. I also make healthy protein shakes at home.

Next it was time to get back on the trail and in the gym! I started out with 20 mins of cardio and 10 minutes of weights. My body was so tired and worn out it was all I could do. But as time went on I got stronger and I could tolerate more. I worked my way up to 40 minutes of cardio 5-6 days a week and 2-3 days of weights. Upper body then lower body on another day, then full body once a week. It was obvious that because I had more muscle my body was TORCHING fat and calories! The weight lifting was key and I felt AMAZING!

Six months after chemo was over I had done what I set out to do, which was have breast cancer leave me better than it found me. I was leaner, stronger and healthier and I had lost a total of 40 pounds! I was a petite 5’3″ muscle mama weighing in at 117! Sounds tiny but on this short frame I am solid as a ROCK!

I still follow my clean eating but now I shoot for 4-5 days of good cardio/weights instead of the 5-6 days. I learned that if you set your mind to something and WORK for it you can achieve it. Under Armour did a national search for 3 athletic survivors to be the face of their Power In Pink line and I was chosen. Once again I proved to myself that if you work for it God will do the rest!

I remember back when the doctor told me that I would have to jump through hoops to get well. I told her to show me the hoops. Now when I think back to that time I just smile, shake my head and say to myself “wow, I never knew I could jump so high!”

IG @traceyzdfit2fly

FB @ Tracey Dickson Scott

If I can…….YOU can! #MAKEITHAPPEN #BEANINSPIRATION#JESUSLOVESME #NOONEEVERSAIDITWOULDBEEASY

A photo posted by TraceyzdFIT2FLY (@traceyzdfit2fly) on

Tracy before and after

Alzadia lost 60 pounds

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Update May 2017: We’ve been following Alzadia’s story since 2014 and she has kept the weight off.

alzadia before and after

Yesterday (5/7) was my four year fit-anniversary and I’m grateful to say that I’m still going strong! I’ve had some challenges and have lost some battles during this journey, but the key is to keep going. Towards the end of last year, I was losing the battle due to emotional eating, but I started working with a nutrition coach. That was the best investment in my health that I’ve made. I got back on track and I’m winning again. I just want to encourage everyone on this journey to continue to make health a priority. If you fall, just get back up!

Update Apr 2015: We featured Alzadia’s amazing story a year ago and she has kept the weight off.  She sent in updated photos and let us know that she’s raising money for her gym that helps people transform their lives with no financial obligation.  That’s awesome!

I’m still going strong on this healthy lifestyle journey. Although I am not as cut up as I thought I would be by now, I am making progress! I am now a volunteer trainer at my gym, Trinity Fitness Riverside (501c(3) non-profit organization), whose mission is to help people get into the best spiritual and physical shape of their lives with no financial obligation. I’m participating in a challenge which will include an obstacle course on May 2nd.

alzadia weight loss

Mar 31, 2014: Weight Loss Story of the Day: Alzadia lost 60 pounds.  Losing her mom to breast cancer was her main motivation to get healthy.  Read about how she transformed her lifestyle and lost the pounds:

Alzadia weight loss storyMy healthy lifestyle changed in May 2013! I actually started walking in January, but in May I partnered eating healthy with exercising! I started using the myfitnesspal app to track my food & I stepped up my workout to the 30 Day Shred DVD. I started that program too many times to count but this time I COMPLETED it!! That month alone I lost 11lbs! From there I completed the Couch to 5K program, Jillian Michael’s Ripped in 30 & her 90 Day DVD Body Revolution (twice). Right now, I’m doing the P90X program and I still run. To date I’ve lost 60lbs.

My biggest motivation was & is my mother. She passed away on Oct 20th, 2013 of metastatic breast cancer. We have NO history of breast cancer in our family so I truly believe this illness can be prevented by a healthy lifestyle. I completed my first half marathon in her memory this past February and was able to run the whole thing! If I was able to do all of this, I know anyone is able to it. I want to inspire all women to become a healthier version of themselves!.. One healthy decision at a time!! I do this using my Instagram page: @queen_zadia

Alzadia weight loss

 

Are Breast Cancer and Being Overweight Linked?

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How is being overweight and breast cancer linked?

hope ribbon breast cancerIf you follow health news then you know that research has shown a link between being overweight and an increased risk breast cancer. The link is only just beginning to be understood by scientists and it is revealing some facts that should have a very positive influence on reducing the instances of breast cancer worldwide and obesity rates. The only way to reduce the risk of breast cancer related to obesity is to lose the weight and keep it off. Losing the weight doesn’t absolutely proof your body against breast cancer, as there can be many other factors that can raise your risk as well.  However, it is a factor that you can control (for most people, that is).

Overweight and obese women — defined as having a BMI (body mass index) over 25 — have a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer compared to women who maintain a healthy weight, especially after menopause. Being overweight also can increase the risk of the breast cancer coming back (recurrence) in women who have had the disease. – breastcancer.org

Being overweight is not linked to all breast cancers

To understand how weight and breast cancer are linked, it is easiest to begin with how they are not connected together. Scientists have found that the link exists in women after menopause, putting most of the women who are diagnosed with breast cancer that is connected to obesity in the 50s and above. There has been some evidence that being slightly overweight before menopause is not linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, and it may actually help to fight early breast cancer. So why does being overweight go from being something good to something bad?

Hormones, fat cells and breast cancer

Fat cells have a high level of estrogen receptor cells inside them. This means that they can store high levels of the hormone estrogen. Estrogen is needed by the body in varying degrees throughout life for reproduction. Menopause is when a woman’s body changes, the reproductive cycle shuts down and estrogen ceases to be produced in the levels that would be needed to reproduce.  Fat cells that have stored excess estrogen keep an abnormally high level in the body. Many instances of breast cancer involve something called “hormone-positive-receptors.” This means the cancer cell needs the estrogen in order to grow. The presence of the estrogen laden fat cell in the body acts as a fuel source. Since the estrogen is not being used by any other system, it is all available for the use of the cancer cells.

The most dangerous areas to be overweight

Not all areas that hold fat will produce the same breast cancer risk. If you are fatty deposits around your thighs and hips, your risk for hormone positive receptor breast cancer is not as high as if the fat is located on your abdomen. While it is still uncertain why this particular type of fat cell locates on the abdominal area, it is known that this abdominal fat cell holds much higher amounts of estrogen than fat cells that will be located in any other area of the body.

How to lose weight and lower your risk

Some women will immediately run out to purchase that latest abdominal exerciser or focus their whole routines on sit-ups and crunches but that is not going to help you lose the weight that is putting you at risk for breast cancer. There is no way to “target” weight loss to a specific area of the body. Fat is lost when the body consumes it as fuel.  For most people, it begins with fat in the extremities and then moves inward, ending with the last reserves located in the abdominal area. It is not a linear progression, but the metabolism spreads out its consumption so a little is taken from everything at a time. This is the body’s way of protecting itself from starvation. It is also why it is harder and slower to lose belly fat than fat from your arms and legs.

The best way to lose weight is to do whole body exercises and to change your eating habits. To keep weight off you have to remain physically active and adopt healthy living practices. The number one reason why so many people regain the weight they have worked so hard to lose is that they adopt a temporary fitness routine, but never change the longstanding living habits. When their fitness goals are reached, they return to the way they were living before and regain the weight. To lessen your risk of weight gain related breast cancer, change your lifestyle and change your approach to fitness.

Rachelle lost 27 pounds

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Breast Cancer Survivor Rachelle lost 27 pounds and 2 dress sizes by cutting calories, eating fat burning foods, using MyFitnessPal and walking.  Let’s show her some BWLW Love.  Here is what she shared with us:

First, I would like to say that I love your site and you are, in part, the reason I decided to start my weight loss journey. I am a Breast Cancer survivor.  After chemotherapy, I gained a lot of weight. This was mostly due to poor eating habits, but I also struggled with my self image. A week before my 36th birthday, I decided I was going to lose the 30 pounds I had put on once and for all. Everything was starting to fit tight and I refused to buy bigger clothes. I knew that dieting was not going to work.  I would have to make some life style changes if I wanted to shed the pounds and keep them off.  So, I said good bye to fast food, fried foods, sweets and soda. I did some research online and found 15 fat burning foods on Women’s Health Magazine’s site and incorporated them into my diet. I tried to include as many as possible in every meal and snack. I found that preparing my own food worked best for me because I knew exactly what I was eating. I cut my calorie intake to 1200 a day and started drinking 64 oz of water every day. I tracked my progress with the app MyFitnessPal. I did that for the first month and lost on average about 2 lbs. per week! I couldn’t believe it was really this simple. At the beginning of the 2nd month, I started walking twice a day on my 15 minute breaks at work. I walked a little under 2 miles per day. In 3 months I went from 220 lbs. to 193 lbs, down 27 lbs. and 2 pants sizes!

Rachelle weight loss story

RamaziYah lost 37 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story:  RamaziYah lost 37 pounds.

RamaziYah lost 37 pounds

Here is what she had to say about her weight loss journey:

“I love the Facebook page and love seeing the success stories which continue to inspire me to keep doing what I’m doing.  I would love to present my before and after picture.  It started for me about 9 years ago.  I reached my highest at 195.  I was very unhappy with my weight and knew I needed to do something.  My weight started to increase after I had each one of my 3 kids.  Over the past years I have struggled with my weight.  I would lose a little and gained it back plus more.It wasn’t til after my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer about 3 years ago I really started to rethink my life and wanted to really change my lifestyle cause I didn’t wanted to be plagued with any diseases that are plaguing our people today.  I started working out by joining a gym and trying to cut back on the foods that I eat.  I am proud today that I am now 158.  My weight goal is 150 then I will just maintain my weight and tone more.  I would like the females to know that no matter how slow the progress of losing weight is and the ups and down that comes with it, just continue to stick with it and it will take its advantages.  I am much older,wiser,slimmer,and happier and I owe it all to my Father Yah in heaven.  I pray I can be an inspiration to someone.  Thank you!!!”

Tiffany lost 70+ pounds

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Today’s Success Story: Let’s show some love to Tiffany on her 70+ pound weight loss!

Tiffany weight loss

She sent us her story via our Facebook page:
I love love love this page! So positive, inspiring, and motivating! Keep up the great work. I would love to share my personal journey. I just recently posted/uploaded a pic on my personal page that reflects me at the October 2010 Breast Cancer Walk VS. the October 2012 Breast Cancer Walk. I stopped counting after I lost 70lbs. I am NOT a slave to the scale. I witnesses my success by mostly non scale successes such as the way my clothes fit, under clothes fit (LOL), if I have to add extra holes in my belt, heavier weights I can lift, and as always PICTURES!!! Pictures never lie! I attribute my weight loss success to many things which include Jillian Micheals at home dvds which is where I started, zumba fitness(I am now a licensed zumba fitness instructor), Black Girls Run Augusta group, and my wonderful personal trainer by the name of Suprina Henley, owner of SBH Fitness in Augusta, Ga. Throughout my weight loss journey I have found a deep love and respect for health and fitness, I am now on the road of studying/preparing to become a certified personal trainer as well as a Certified Nutritionist myself so that I can accurately educate the individuals in my community and possibly even reach individuals outside my local community. I had to make a decision to become healthy for myself and my son. My family has a long history of diabetes, high blood pressure, and several cancers on my mother and father. Anyway, keep up the GREAT work and uplifting women from state to state around the globe! May God continue to bless u my sista! 🙂:)

Tiffany after photo