Black Weight Loss Success

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Shanika lost 110 pounds

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Success Story of the Day: Shanika lost 110 pounds! This proud mom decided to lose the weight and adopt a healthy lifestyle.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

Shanika before and after

Hi my name is Shanika (aka lol NikaBoo). I started my weight loss journey back in 2011. I weighed 260 lbs at that time. What was my breaking point is when I went to an amusement park on a family vacation and couldn’t fit in the rides. From that day on I made it my goal to get the weight off. Then, I got the news that me and my husband would receive a precious baby boy. However, that didn’t stop me. I still did a lot of walking on the treadmill while I was pregnant.

Now, my workout plan consists of a bunch of cardio 6 days a week and sometimes twice a day. I drink plenty of water, use portion control, eat baked foods, eat lots of veggies and get plenty of rest. I’ve lost a total of a 110 lbs. I still have a ways to go. I’m now trying to lose about 20 pounds and then work on developing my muscles. It is a challenge and we all fall off sometimes. Just don’t stay down. Pick yourself back up because it’s worth it. Good luck to everyone who wants to accept this healthy lifestyle. For more info and support, email me kanteshanika@gmail.com or connect on Facebook.

Shanika weight loss

Stephanie lost 80 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Stephanie lost 80 pounds. After a major health scare where the doctors told her husband to prepare to lose her, she knew that it was time for a change.  After some starting and stopping she committed to investing in herself and wants to inspire other ladies to do the same.  Here is more info on her weight loss journey:

stephanie weight loss story

Hello, my name is Stephanie and I’m 26 years old. I wanted to share with you not because I have completed my weight loss journey, because I’m still going. I want to help keep black women encouraged and to let them know that it’s never too late to get started. In 2010 and at 22 years old, I was diagnosed with pancreatitis and type 2 diabetes. I spent 4 months in the hospital. The doctors where telling my husband to prepare to start living without me. After that experience, I knew something had to change. So, I changed my eating habits, but then got bored and went back to my old habits. Even knowing my family history of high blood pressure and diabetes, I continued on this path of destruction. I blew up to 330 pounds.

In 2013, I started my new group #NoMoreExcuses because if I can spend money on other things, I can invest in my health. I knew I had to change over time through research and by trying new things I slowly transitioned to cleaner eating, eating more fresh veggies and fruits, eating very low carb and low fat. My eating habits before included fried, high fat foods and sweets. I love chocolate and pizza!!  I’m very strict on portion control now. I no longer crave greasy fatty fried foods anymore. Today, I eat cleaner, drink lots of water and I hit the gym 5 times a week with cardio 3 of the 5 days. IT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED LADIES!! I am currently 250 pounds and still going.

My advice to others is to keep going. It is never too late to start living a healthy lifestyle. Be consistent and know that you have to be patient with seeing results. You didn’t gain the weight overnight, so don’t expect to lose it overnight.

Instagram: @mzz_marie2u

 

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

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Termaine lost 55 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Termaine lost 55 pounds.  This proud mom wanted to make sure that illness did not take her away from her family.  Improving her health was her motivation to lose the pounds. Read what she shared with us about what steps she took to achieve her goals.

TermaineJune4blog

Hi my name is Termaine Walls and I want to share my weight loss story with you and others. I have recently lost 55 pounds from November 2013- June 2014. My decision for starting on this journey was that I have hypertension, high cholesterol, fluid
on the brain and am border line diabetic. At an appointment, my doctor told me at my next appointment she was going to TermaineJune3blogdiscuss insulin treatment with me and that was the last and final straw for me. I realized either I changed my life for me and my babies or they would not have a mom. I began to cut back on eating so much in one sitting.  Also, I realized that when I drink ice cold water right before I ate it helped me feel full while eating so I really didn’t want that much of my food. I also started walking in the park when my son would go to Tee-ball practice. My exercise routine consists of walking 2-3 times a week. Instead of taking the elevator at work I took the stairs and I began to park further away at the the grocery store. I also speed walk to the store and while I am in the store. I recently began to the 8 Minute workout 2-3 times a week. My eating has went from eating from big plates to eating out of my kids bowls. I take in a 16 oz cup of cold water right before my meal and that helps me feel full.  After a while, I noticed some progress and I began to want it even more. Now, I am at the weight I was before having my kids.

 

5 Ways to Avoid Gaining Weight on Vacation

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5 Ways to Avoid Gaining Weight on VacationOh, the summer. Many of us spend all winter either working out or fretting about how to get ready for the warm weather.  We want to get fit before it’s time to expose more of our bodies than can be covered up with a winter parka. Hopefully everyone was successful with their cold weather weight loss goals and feels that it’s important to avoid reversing that progress on vacation.  Even if you haven’t reached your goals yet, you don’t want to be side tracked by a few days out of town. There’s nothing better than enjoying the time away from home with some relaxation but a vacation can also be a weight-gain trap. Follow these 5 tips to avoid gaining weight while on your sabbatical. These suggestions will help you preserve all of your progress and hard work.

Avoid High-Calorie Drinks and Cocktails

Typically, traveling on a vacation often involves plenty of stops at convenience stores to fuel up and drive-thru fast food, especially when traveling with children.  This is something you have to avoid. It’s hard to watch your fellow travelers quench their thirst or have junk food without doing so yourself but joining in could really put a strain on your waistline. Suppose you assume you’re drinking healthy and grab an Arizona Kiwi Strawberry (345 calories) or want to get a little kick with a Rockstar Energy Drink (280 calories) you might as well have a few doughnuts or or 3 ice cream sandwiches for the same amount of empty calories. Then there’s the stresses of traveling that can drive you to have a cocktails, but too many margaritas (full of sugar) and you’ll have to upgrade to a bigger car for the ride home.

Eat Fresh If Possible

Vacations are supposed to be fun and allow you to have no cares in the world, which could constitute a lot of eating out at restaurants for almost every meal. It’s hard to underestimate on a vacation just how much of an impact eating all fresh foods for one meal a day can have. Eating a light menu of fresh food like veggies, fruit and fresh fish can give you energy and reduce the risk of feeling bloated or bogged down so you can see more sights and dance the night away.

Get Some Sort of Workout Daily

If you’re staying in a hotel or resort for your getaway, try and take advantage of the on site workout room if possible. Even just 20 minutes on the treadmill or exercise bike can keep you on your routine of working out.  It can also help to clear your mind for the sometimes stressful family vacations. If workout equipment isn’t supplied get your heart pumping, exercise in another way such as taking a hike, walking around an amusement park, swimming or walking on the beach.

Plan For Your High-Calorie Meals

A vacation might include a trip to visit your family and keeping up with the tradition of eating at your favorite local restaurant while enjoying 2 to 3 cocktails or super fattening mac and cheese. You should by all means enjoy the time with family and nostalgia but make plans for the 3,000+ extra calories you’re going to have to deal with. Make sure to eat in moderation and schedule light meals the next day to make up for jumping off the wagon. Plan physical activities for your family and friends to  burn some calories with you as well.

Get Info About Local Restaurants and Grocery Stores In the Area

In this online information and GPS age there’s no excuse not to have a good roadmap and blueprint of all the healthy dining establishments in the area you’re about to visit. If you’re a super-organizer you can even map out your meals for each day of your trip at local restaurants or plan to visit a grocery store to have a good mix of home-prepared, healthy dining out, and high-calorie splurges.  Online nutrition guides on restaurant websites are your friend.

One important thing to remember is that your top priority while on vacation is to enjoy it. This means you should have a few fancy dinners and lounge around when the schedule permits. Eating high calorie foods in moderation and using portion control is key.  Looking back on your trip you’ll find the vacation was even more stimulating when you step on the scale back home to a limited catastrophe.

Being Black and Vegan – One Sister’s Story

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I asked Poet, Author and Vegan Tiara Butler (aka Lady T.). to share with us her thoughts on being Black and Going Vegan.  Her story is heartfelt and real.  Everyone has their reasons for how they choose to eat.  This is just one sister’s story…

black and veganBy: Tiara Butler – IG: @soulfullyspokenspirituals

No… it’s not a typo. You read the title correctly. I am a 25-year-old vegan and, the last time I checked, I was black. The “fried chicken” stereotype doesn’t apply to us all, but I do love watermelon. Its great for your melanin! I wasn’t raised this way. I still remember the days of family reunions filled with the smell of charcoal burning and BBQ sauce simmering in the air. Alas, here I am now.

What Was I Thinking?

If you told me I was going to give up meat 10 years ago, I would’ve laughed in your face. Actually, I did that in the 10th grade. I’ll never forget the stench of homemade beet and honey salad dressing suffocating us in Honors English class. My teacher was merrily enjoying her lunch while we were all gagging. She laughed. Ms. Muhammad told us we were brainwashed into thinking we needed meat with every meal. At 40 years old, she decided to revert to her eating habits from college. Not only was she a vegan, she ‘juiced’ on the regular. Every other day she ate whole vegetables and the days in between, she only drank homemade fruit/vegetable juices. I have to admit, I noticed the improvement in her appearance. The pounds dropped off like melted butter and she was suddenly full of energy. Still, I was living in Washington DC and a 3 piece wings and mumbo sauce was too tempting.

My Inspiration

Fast forward a few years and I came across a video of a news segment that read “70 year old woman found the fountain of youth“. My inquisitive nature compelled me to find out more. What I saw was utterly amazing. This woman looked better than I did. Her beautiful brown skin was literally glowing on camera. She was stunning! The title had to be a misprint. 70? Really? She didn’t look a day over 35.

How did she do it? She grew her own fruits and vegetables right in her backyard. Not only that, she collected rainwater and never ate or drank anything store bought. Unfortunately, her husband didn’t make the switch with her. Rather than becoming a raw vegan, he kept on with his usual eating habits. 30 years later, he suffered from a laundry list of ailments. To me, the most prominent part of the interview was when he admitted he regretted his decision. Aged and graying, he confessed that every time they went out, someone mistook his wife as his granddaughter.

My curiosity was officially sparked. I come from a family full of all the typical “black folk diseases”. As a child, I remember watching my grandmother refill her weekly pill organizer. Every Sunday, she made separate piles of 8 or 9 different medications. Even at that tender age, I always told myself “that’ll never be me”.

After seeing that interview, I recalled a few more of those little moments in life we don’t understand until they’re in the past. With all that in mind, I came to the conclusion that, “If all it’s going to take for me to look like THAT when I’m 70 is to give up meat, then this will be easy.” So I thought.

Putting In The Work

I didn’t get started the same day. I was a part of the “one day”…”I’ll do it tomorrow”…” I can’t right now because….” committee. However, it kept weighing on me. Preparing meals for my daughter became more and more disgusting. This little antagonistic voice kept haunting me. “There’s a dead animal sitting in your refrigerator.” “You know that’s real blood right?”

One day, I was talking with my boyfriend about our spiritual reasons for making the switch. Dinner was in the kitchen soaking in salt water. I was mixing up the batter and finally thought, “No more tomorrow.” I tossed it all out.

It was liberating in theory but reality soon hit me. I don’t like vegetables. Yes, a non-vegetable eating vegan. Go ahead and enjoy a laugh at my expense. Well, they say if you want something you’ll find time, if not you’ll find excuses. All of my excuse ran out.

How Did I Get Started

I found all these interesting recipes and articles online. It was exciting. After writing my next meatless grocery list, I started calling people. I just knew everyone would be so supportive and proud. They were not.

The exact opposite happened, everybody laughed at me. Every other word was “yeah right, I’ll give it a week”. They even taunted me with cheeseburgers and chicken cheesesteaks waving in my face. “You know you want it.” I don’t want to villanize my friends and family. I don’t think they really understood what they were doing. Being vegan was something foreign to them.

At first, I saw reaching out as a mistake. Looking back, I’m glad I got the response I did. Although, it wasn’t the loving words of encouragement I expected, the temptation quickly evolved into annoyances. I’m the type of person that will take something you say she can’t do and call you after she’s done it twice. I grit my teeth, closed my eyes, and enjoyed my salad and French fries. (Don’t judge me… baby steps.)

Making Decisions For Everyone

Once I got into the groove of things, my last battle to conqueror was my daughter’s opposition. She made it perfectly clear that she preferred traditional lasagna over spinach, and my family wasn’t helping one bit. They snuck her chicken nuggets when I wasn’t looking. They countered my choices right in front of her, making my 3-year old debate captain feel she had an ounce of silver lining.

With my back against the ropes, I went to my corner and assessed my strategy. Google and I had another consultation. After a few searches, I found all these sweet and innocent ways to appeal to children. As beautiful as they were, I didn’t feel they would be effective with my baby genius. So I went for the shock factor. I showed her one of PETA’s slaughter videos. It only took a few seconds before I heard “turn it off mommy, I’ll never eat meat ever again!”

Children follow along with their parent’s examples. While they love steak and chicken strips, many of them don’t know what it is. I mean, they know its chicken, but those cute little names desensitize them to where the meal comes from and how it gets to the table. I can’t say this story isn’t biased. It is. I’m vegan. I’m obviously for it. Conversely, I don’t judge or condemn others for their decisions. I do what’s best for my family, I’m sure everyone else does the same.

More Like Me

This part of my journey consoled us all. As time went on, I found a bunch of other Black vegans and vegetarians. Young and old, I could not believe how many are out there. Neither could my daughter. We were treated like aliens amongst our peers but we live in a big world. Life outside our immediate surroundings can be quite surprising. Seeing other vegans and vegetarians made her proud of the commitment. I think the biggest difficulty for her (and a lot of the rest of us) is that we’re afraid of being different. What will people think? What will people say? There comes a day where you have to shed the fear of others for the desire to be true to yourself.

There are so many famous black vegans and vegetarians! Robin Quivers accredited converting to a vegan diet as the reason she beat cancer. Erykah Badu, India Arie, Cicely Tyson, Andre 3000, Diana Ross, Mike Tyson, even Common was once vegan. Phylicia Rashad, Prince, Persia White, Vanessa Williams, The Roots, Angela Bassett, Omar Epps, Samuel L. Jackson. I can go on all day. I don’t know about you, but I see something else they have in common besides what’s on their plates. That’s one fine list of people!

It’s not just celebrities. Plenty of people you pass in the streets have sworn off meat for a variety of reasons. With each day, it gets easier. Soon, meat doesn’t even have its same appeal. You’ll only see a cow smothered in gravy or a pig intestine in a bun. The smell…that’s a whole different story. Somebody gave me a unique perspective to think from. Is it the meat we love, or the seasonings? Ever ate a steak without salt, onions, and peppers? Nasty isn’t it? See, subconsciously, it’s the earthly herbs that make your meal so scrumptious. What if you cut the fat (literally) and only relied on its bountiful greens?

My Beliefs

I don’t think most diseases are hereditary. I think family recipes are passed down by generation. My momma fries chicken how her momma fried chicken and her momma fried chicken. Then everybody gets diabetes. Well the saga stops with me. Not only am I healthier than I’ve ever been, I rarely ever get sick. Getting too skinny was one of my concerns. Let’s just say, it’s possible for a vegan to have curves.

I Won the War

I heard it all from protein worries to stunting your growth. Yes, someone actually told me my children would be midgets if I didn’t give them meat. I thought the doctor says eating your veggies will make you big and strong. Look at the animal kingdom, the gorilla, elephant, hippopotamus, and giraffe are masters of their domain and none of them eats meat.

It’s funny because a lot of the ones who started of poking fun at me, now call to tell me how they haven’t eaten meat all day or went and bought a pack of veggie sausage. I just laugh and encourage them along the way. It makes me happy to see others trying to take care of their bodies. It’s the only one we have. It has to last an entire lifetime!

You may read this and say “I can’t do it”. Yes you can. Whether or not you will is the question. Becoming a vegan is large commitment. It’s not just a diet, it is a complete transformation of your entire existence. You have to be certain of your reasons for doing it and remind yourself every day. You have to stand strong, even with a chicken cheesesteak being waved around in your face.

Tiana “Lady T.” Butler‘s Bio: While life has led her on a nomadic quest, Lady T was born with a burning passion that stuck with her through each adventure. Her poetic creative expression has appealed to audiences of all sizes. From sold out venues to heartfelt one-on-ones, she has dedicated her existence to helping others awaken to their potential. Fueled by the wisdom she’s gained from past experiences, she is a avid believer of “good people go through bad things just to help others avoid the same pain”. A dreamer by nature, it is her hope that one day, peace and love will infectiously spread across the Earth returning it to the harmonious utopia it once was.  

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Kilah lost 97 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Kilah lost 97 pounds.  Her story was submitted by her loving mom, Stacie. It is so beautiful to see family supporting and celebrating on another.  You never know who is watching your weight loss journey and who will be inspired.  Read what her mother shared to find out how she lost the weight.  Check out her before and after at the end of her mom’s words.

Kilah weight loss
“Graduation Day!! During her last semester in college she took a strength training course to help tone the lose skin that occurred from the weight loss. She will continue the strength training on her own now.”

“Hello, my name is Stacie Turner. I don’t have a story to tell about myself, but I do have a story to tell about my daughter Kilah Turner. This is her before/after picture. The after picture was taken on Tuesday May 13, 2014. She graduated from California State University, Fullerton yesterday May 17, 2014. My daughter Kilah has lost 97 pounds in one year. Her journey began in late March/early April in 2013, from just having a conversation with my niece’s God~Mother. My daughter didn’t have any health issues (yet) although diabetes runs heavily in my family. My daughter became interested in how my niece’s God~Mother lost her weight by counting her calories. My daughter then began to do the same thing. She downloaded the MyFitnessPal app and began her journey. Her motivation/goal was to be at 150 pounds by graduation day. My daughter Kilah changed her eating habits overnight. She became an avid juicer. Green Smoothies and Protein Shakes replaced breakfast. Lunch/Dinner was always baked chicken or salmon. She stopped eating fried foods. If eating out, she always asked for the calorie sheet for the menu items. Kilah didn’t eat anything without knowing before hand how many calories it contained. She incorporated daily power walks. She took the stairs on campus to get to her classes instead of the elevators. She didn’t give up even when the scale didn’t tip the numbers. Gradually she began seeing the change in her clothes. As an outsider looking in, the transformation was amazing!! I’m so proud of my daughter and all of her accomplishments, in health, mind and body.” Kilah before and after

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Jasmaine lost 51 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Jasmaine lost 51 pounds.  Diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, she decided it was time to kick the soda habit, eat healthy and work out regularly.  Check out her story below: Jasmaine weight loss “A little over a year ago I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I weighed 240lbs. At that time, I lived on Pepsi cola. I had to change my lifestyle and eating habits. My family made accommodations for me that year at Thanksgiving by making my Sweet Potato Pie with Splenda (gross). At that moment, I wanted to get off the medication that my doctor prescribed for me. I gave up drinking 2-liters of Pepsi a day and changed my eating habits some…LOL. Got my membership to Planet Fitness and worked out 2 hours a day for 3 months. Then I stopped and at the time I weighed 245 lbs.  That was this past Spring. Then I took ill and had to have an emergency hysterectomy. As I recovered I took eating healthy more serious. I began walking 5 days a week for 1.5 miles. This helped me out tremendously. Today I weigh 194 pounds. I haven’t weighed anything under 200 lbs in over 10 years. This weight loss journey took me 13 months including the breaks. If you are looking to be successful with weight loss and a healthier lifestyle, you have to stick with it and keep supportive people around you. Do it the healthy way. Make sure you go to the doctor on a regular basis and encourage yourself.” Instagram: @jasmaineshort

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Yolanda lost 76 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Yolanda lost 76 pounds.  This proud mom of 2 is working to break the chains of obesity in her family.  Read her story to find out how she did it.

“Hello, my name is Yolanda McGee. I wanted to submit my information to motivate others and let them know that if I can do it, they can too. My motivation was and still is that I am breaking the chain of obesity in my family! I was at a family reunion and looked around and decided from that moment…NO MORE! At first, my eating habits did not change but after I worked out, not too much was changing.  I knew I had to incorporate better eating habits. I started eating chicken breasts, ground turkey, fish, fruits, veggies and nuts. I will have an occasional treat but not all the time. My current workout routine is 3 days a week of weight training and 3 days a week of cardio. On the 7th day…I REST! My starting weight was 230 pounds! My current weight is 154 pounds! I has taken me about 7 years to lose the weight! I got married, had 2 babies and I’m still a work in progress. I have developed muscle, stamina and strength. My advise for others is to push and work even when you don’t feel like it; even when you are not seeing change; even if you are tired! You never know who you are inspiring!  All of this would not be possible if the Lord had not given me the strength!”

Instagram: @yomcgee

Yolanda weight loss

 

Andrea lost 52 pounds

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Today’s Weight Loss Success Story: Andrea lost 52 pounds. She was motivated by wanting to set a good example for her family and to motivate others to live a healthy lifestyle.  Her story is a great example of how making practical, straight forward changes can bring serious results.  Here is what she shared about her weight loss journey:

Andrea's weight loss story

What is your motivation?
My motivation is to live a healthy lifestyle that will be a good example for my children and motivate others to begin their journey to good health.

How did you change your eating habits?
The first change I made to my eating habits was to make at least 80% of my diet life giving foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables. “If it doesn’t rot or sprout you might want to throw it out.” I love the local farmers market because I believe that God designed our bodies to eat seasonally. So, whatever is at the farmers market is most likely what my body needs for that season. I also primarily stay on the outer perimeter of the grocery store when shopping. I also try my best to pre-prepare all of my meals and added green drinks to my diet.

Andrea's weight lossWhat did your workout routines look like?
I walk 1.5 miles at 4:30am 5 days a week. I do a spin class once or twice a week. I do 30 minutes of calisthenics and weight training 3 to 4 days a week. I also believe that weight loss happens from the inside out. So for me I use my faith in Jesus to address issues that might trigger emotional eating habits. I also attend a mind body and soul groups at my church. I have also completed 2 Half Marathons!

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
I am at the midpoint in my journey and have about 75 more pounds to go to get to my goal weight. When I first weighted in, I was at 278 pounds now I am at 226 pounds. At the end of my journey I will have lost 120 pounds. My goal is to get this done by the end of my calendar year.

How long did your transformation take?
I have been on this journey for two years. My weight loss has been slow and steady because this time I didn’t want to do any fad dieting. Every time I have done fad dieting I loose a massive amount of weight only to put it back on plus more. This is the first time that I have lost weight and not put it all back on.

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
“Recently I became inspired to help others that are where I started and doing this helps me move forward to my final goal.  I encourage people to look at weight loss as a change of lifestyle instead of diet and make realistic changes over time that will last for the rest of their life. I believe that small changes over a long period of time make a big difference. Above all to not just look at what you’re eating but also take a close look at what’s eating you. I realize I am only at the midpoint of my journey and many others have completed theirs it would be an honor if my story was shared now and I can check back in when I have me my goal. I feel like this would be a great accountability opportunity. To Him be all the glory.”

Check her out on Twitter: @ADJOSEPHS