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Update from Kim! She has lost a total of 45 pounds (down from 210lbs): Feb 1, 2014 – “Hello, Ladies just wanted to give you an update on my story since my last post. I have lost an additional 10 pounds, which now puts me at 165. I was planning on waiting until I hit my goal of 20 more pounds at 155lbs, but decided to give an update since it has been so long. I also want to be held accountable and get really motivated again.

Okay, so I hit a major plateau since I first shared my story and it has been hard to lose the additional weight. My experience is once you hit a plateau, you really have to change up and increase the workout intensity. You also have to scale back more on eating. I will admit I have been a little lazy and with the holidays and being really busy at work I slowed down a lot. I was so use to my routine, I hated to have to change it up and push harder.  My eating has stayed about the same. I still prepare my own meals and do not eat out. I continue to make better choices and just really practice portion control. However, I have indulged a little on some days and my workouts went to three days a week instead of 6.  I could have honestly made my goal last year, but I got really comfortable at my new size and liking the way my clothes fit. Nevertheless, I still have some additional weight to lose on my stomach and back. I am also still considered overweight for my height according to my physician. This year, 2014, I plan to start trying some of the smoothie recipes here on BWLW and I also have started back drinking more water and cutting back on sweets. In the next couple of weeks, I will go back to 6 days a week at the gym. Right now I am spending an additional 10 minutes on the elliptical machine and treadmill. I also am getting ready to start Zumba classes consistently. I am still lifting weights which are amazing in transforming the body. Okay, so that’s it for now. I will post again when I hit my goal of weight! Thanks BWLW! I thank God for this website! The tools, resources and success stories really help me stay on track!”

Check out this before & after story from Kim who’s lost 35 pounds, dealt with high blood pressure and took control of her health!  Here is what she shared with us:

I have struggled all my life with my weight. I was 130 pounds in high school.  When I first started college, the weight went up to 145 lbs, which I did not think was too bad.  By the age of 24, I went up to 165 pounds. I lost weight and went to 140 lbs, which was short lived because I went on a fad diet. I gained 20 pounds back fast and then got pregnant and gained 13 more putting me at 173 lbs. I was determined not to go back to work fat after maternity leave, so I got down to 150 pounds.

Over the years and as a result of going back to poor eating habits, I bloomed up to 210 pounds.  I was so unhappy with myself. I had started and stopped diets all my life. In March of 2011, I got motivated and in about two months got down to 190 by walking outside every day and portion control. From June of 2011 until the beginning of January 2013, I would gain and lose five to eight pounds. I finally decided at the end of January of 2013 that I was tired of being unhappy with my weight. I wanted to be healthier, fit in all my cute clothes that had been sitting in my closet for over a decade and lastly just be the best I can be for myself and my daughter.  I also have a family history of diabetes and high blood pressure and did not want to go down that road of health issues. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure when I was 28 and told by my doctor that it was weight and stress related. He told me if I would just exercise, relax and eat right I could get off the medicine.  I never really took the medicine consistently because my pressure never was that high and when I would get my yearly checkup all my blood work would come back normal.

On January 27, 2013, at 41 years old, I decided to take charge of my health and to stop taking it for granted. I noticed I was starting to have a lot of headaches and that my blood pressure was starting to be high despite me finally taking the medicine consistently and that scared me.  I decided to start using my membership to the gym that I have had since 1998 and signed my daughter up as well. She plays basketball and begged to join me so that she could stay in shape. It has been a true blessing! We motivate each other, our relationship is better and I call her my own little personal trainer because she taught me how to lift weights. I started at 195 this time around and now weigh 175 with 20 more to go.

I actually found BWLW through my older brother who is a fitness guy. He encourages me at least every other day and although some days he can be really hard on me, it pushes me to stay on track because I know it’s all done out of love. I make better food choices, control my PORTIONS; I do cardio and lift weights four days a week in the gym. I also power walk two days a week at the park to enjoy the beautiful outdoors. I do not count calories or fat grams, too much work for me personally. I just bring my lunch to work every day and cook my dinner every night. No more fast food for me! If I really have an urge to eat out, I normally do a 6 inch deli sub and soup. I will share an occasional piece of cake with my daughter if I get an urge for sweets, but that’s it. I also try to eat light for breakfast and lunch so that I can enjoy a nice dinner at night without making major changes to the menu. I will post again when I hit my goal weight of 155. We can do it LADIES! I have not felt this happy and motivated in years! I love reading all the success stories and thanks so much for reading mine!