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green smoothies

Sarah lost 48 pounds

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Weight Loss Success Story of the Day: Sarah lost 48 pounds.  Along with exercise and eating right, she is a fan of green smoothies for weight loss.  Here is what she shared with us:

Sarah weight loss

“I urge you ladies to heed the advice of consuming green smoothies. I ate at least one just about every day in 2013 along with a BALANCED clean diet and exercise. The weight melted! I do cardio, free weights, DVD..whatever! Just as long as I am moving for a minimum of 60 min per day. I was like many of you just 13 months ago, wondering if I’d be smaller and healthier again and I want to tell you that results ARE typical if you stay persistent and never give up on yourself. Decide that the crap in those convenience stores and drive thrus won’t get you the healthy body you desire. You don’t need shakes and pills, just clean eating and hard work. It won’t be easy and quick but nothing GOOD for you ever is!!!!

Please feel free to follow me on Instagram documenting my journey! I am too a work in progress: @desn2bee. I’m also on myfitnesspal. Be blessed and stay focused, ladies! Happy New Year!

Denna lost 78 pounds

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Weight Loss Success Story of the Day: Denna lost 78 pounds and was motivated by her love for her children and wanting to be there for them.  Here is what she shared with us about losing the weight:

“Hi all, my name is Denna and I am currently on a fitness journey that I have dubbed Get Right Get Tight. I’ve been on this journey consistently for a year. My starting weight was 241 pounds and I’m currently at 163 pounds. I still have 23 lbs before I get to my goal weight. I’ll adjust from there if needed. My motivation to start initially was for my kids. I’m a widow, and decided that I needed to do what was within my power to be as healthy as possible so that I can be here as long as possible for my kids. Then it shifted and became about me; me discovering who I am without him after 20+ years (all of my adult life).

I hired a personal trainer, and working out has become a part of who I am and what I enjoy. I have tried every fad diet out there and they have all failed. My trainer introduced me to clean eating and that’s what I have been doing every since. Five small meals a day that consist of mostly fish and chicken with green leafy veggies, lots of water, no sodas. I eat very little bread or starchy veggies, no added sugars. I drink green smoothies or protein shakes made with water or almond milk. Those are my staples. I workout with my trainer 3 days a week and I supplement the other 3 days with different fun workouts I enjoy, like poling, dance classes and crossfit. The advice I would share would be don’t quit! If you have a set back and pig totally out, it’s done you can’t change it. Just pick yourself up and get right back on it. Your journey is yours and yours alone. Don’t worry about what others are doing, slow progress is still progress.”

Denna weight loss story

Nov Challenge 2013 Day 8 – Tips for Week 2

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It is day 8 of our Holiday Slim Down Challenge for November.  Don’t forget to check in on our online community and Facebook page to let us know how you are doing.  I thought I’d provide some helpful tips to keep you going for week 2 of the challenge.

  1. Make sure that you take advantage of the free 4 week meal plans (with recipes and shopping lists) available on our blog.
  2. Drink lots of water between meals.  It will help you to feel full.
  3. If you crave chocolate, you could need more magnesium in your diet, especially during menstruation.  Consider eating more fruits, nuts or taking a supplement.
  4. Craving fried foods?  You might need more healthy fats and/or calcium.  Try to get more calcium from things like low fat cheese, dark veggies and greek yogurt.  Also, consider an omega 3 oil supplement and eating more fish.
  5. Throw it out!! As much as you can (I know it can be hard with kids), throw out every food that you know you should NOT be eating.  Only you truly know what is on that list.  Be REAL with yourself.  Once you’ve thrown out the bad stuff…commit yourself to not buying it again.
  6. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store for at least 70% of what you buy.  You’ll find more fresh foods and less processed foods (some of that food on the shelves is there for months).
  7. Drink green smoothies instead of commercial juice and soda.  They are a great source of fiber and vitamins.
  8. Don’t eat when you are sad, depressed, mad, or bored.  Emotional eating is the source of so many unwanted calories.  Don’t medicate your emotions with food.

These tips are just simple suggestions, but if you put them to good use they can really help you reach your goals.

Also, Check out our Veterans Day Sale: Get 20% off Everything in our store thru Nov 12th. Visit blackweightlosssuccess.spreadshirt.com/. Use the Coupon Code at Checkout: EARLY20

november 2013 weight loss challenge

 

Tonya lost 56 pounds

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Check out Tonya’s weight loss story and show her some love.  She lost 56 pounds with regular exercise, clean eating and drinking green smoothies.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

“My name is Tonya and I’ve lost 56 pounds. My weight loss journey began in 2011, I was 230 pounds. I started walking a few days out the week, but I didn’t see any results until 2012. That was when I decided to change my eating habits. I started eating clean and thanks to the help of BWLW, I started making green smoothies which I consumed for breakfast and lunch. I drink 100 oz. of water per day.  I changed my eating habits by not eating fast food or drinking soda’s however, I still eat regular food.  I just eat in smaller portions now.

For exercise, I walk 3-5 miles, 4 times a week.  I started doing Zumba three times a week and taking a weight lifting class for toning. During this process, I was working out two times per day. I am now just down to walking. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and was insulin dependent for 2 years. I’ve gradually made my way to the pills. I went and had my blood rechecked recently and I no longer have diabetes anymore. I have lost a total of 56 pounds.  My goal is to lose 40 more pounds. Thank you so much for letting me share!”

Tonya weight loss photos

 

Belinda lost 65 pounds

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Featured weight loss success story: Belinda lost 65 pounds.  She embraced running, vegetarianism and juicing as part of her weight loss and health plan.  Here is what she shared with us:

“A few years before my before picture was taken, I visited my doctor for a regular check up and she said ” If you do not lose weight now, by age 40 you will be a diabetic.”  I heard her but I was not really listening.  My aha moment happened in a dressing room when I could not fit my normal size 14.  I broke down crying. The first thing I did when I got home that evening was get on the scale.  I was 205 pounds and standing at only 5’4″ tall.  OH MY GOD. I made up in my mind that I would not let that number on the scale control me and that I would begin to make life changing decisions and I did.  I started my journey in 2009.  I started walking a mile a day, then two miles, then three for a few months, then I added running. By 2011, I was running up to 3 miles a day, 5 days a week.  Then in 2012, I decided to become a vegetarian, so I have been eating a plant based diet along with drinking green smoothies. In 2013, I found out about juicing, so I bought the Jack Lalanne juicer.  Now, I drink at least two juices a day? My weight in the before photo was 205 pounds.  My current weight is 140 pounds. It took a few years for me to lose the weight slow and steady I would say. I was motivated to get healthy because I was tired of being tired. My advice to anyone that is struggling with losing weight is to join a support group or get a partner to commit to this life change with you. My motto: ‘Your body is the baggage you must carry through life. The more excess the baggage, the shorter the trip’ – Arnold H. Glasgow”

Belinda weight loss photos

The Benefits of Chia Seeds

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chia seedsMost of us know the Chia seeds from the holiday commercials about Chia pets, or maybe you have experimented with the Chia herb gardens. What more and more people are starting to realize is that the Chia seed can bring an enormous benefit to their lives as a part of their diet. Over the past 30 years, anecdotal evidence has shown how the effects of consumption can help with a wide range of ailments from high blood pressure to diabetes and be an important part of maintaining a healthy weight. Scientists are beginning to examine these little seeds much more closely.

Side note:  I LOVE them in my green smoothies!! 

What is Chia?

Chia seeds are native to Mexico and come from a small flowering plant. The seeds are mostly brown or black in color, although they can also sometimes be white, and have no noticeable flavor. They can be added raw as a topping to food, or cooked into dishes. There is no recommended daily amount of Chia seeds to consume, however most people who advocate Chia recommend about a 2 tablespoons a day (dry) taken as a part of your meal or as a tea. It is important to remember to drink 8 ounces of water with your Chia if you are taking it dry because of its high fiber content.

Weight Loss

Chia seeds have shown to be beneficial in helping with weight loss for several reasons. They have a high nutritional profile, are high in protein and fiber. All of this combines to help you feel full faster. What makes Chia choice than other food supplements for dieting is while it makes you feel full faster, reducing your need and desire to eat more; you are not sacrificing your nutritional needs. With many protein or fiber rich meal replacements, the nutritional profile is low meaning you are getting full, but not getting any of the important minerals and amino acids that your body needs to stay healthy.

Heart Health

The effect that Chia seeds have in regulating blood pressure was first noticed alongside the effects that were appearing in stabilizing blood sugar levels in research. It is thought that the components of Chia that make it so effective in helping with weight loss have a companion effect of strengthening the bodies circulatory and digestive systems which then leads to increased heart health through lowering cholesterol and regulating insulin.

5 Benefits of Eating Dark, Leafy Greens

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I love green smoothies and they wouldn’t truly be green without dark leafy greens.  Boasting numerous health benefits, vitamins, minerals, and weight-loss properties, dark, leafy greens are among the healthiest foods you can eat. In fact, if you eat them regularly, you will improve your overall health and have less chance of developing certain diseases. Health-infusing greens include kale, turnip greens, collards, spinach, mustard greens, broccoli, certain types of lettuce, and cabbage.

kale dark leafy greensIn addition to eating a balanced diet, you should strive to consume dark, leafy greens whenever possible to enjoy the following benefits:

  1. Weight Management – High in fiber, low in carbohydrates, leafy greens are among the most filling foods you can eat. Due to their high fiber content, greens digest slowly, causing you to feel fuller longer. Bottom line: Eating more greens will cause you to eat smaller amounts of other types of foods, which will help you lose weight or maintain your current weight.
  2. Cuts Health Risks – Leafy greens lower the risk of some diseases including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, and cancer. Since they are rich in calcium, leafy greens are also credited with reducing the occurrence of osteoporosis. There is evidence that skin problems might also benefit from dark, leafy green consumption as greens are full of water and antioxidants.
  3. Health Benefits – Eating leafy greens also poses many health benefits. Health benefits include blood clotting regulation, reducing calcium in arterial plaques, reduce inflammation, and improved memory and eye sight. The fiber content in leafy greens also keeps the colon healthy and in proper working order.
  4. Nutrition – Greens are rich in the vitamins and minerals your body needs to remain healthy. For example, many leafy greens contain beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. Greens also contain folate, vitamin C, calcium, fiber, vitamin K, B vitamins, lutein, and small amounts of Omega-3 fats depending on the green.
  5. Natural Antioxidant – Antioxidants help fight aging by preventing cell damage and improving cell renewal processes. All of this helps the body repair itself, renew itself, and grow older more gracefully. Antioxidants and vitamin C also help improve the appearance of the skin and ward off signs of aging such as sun spots, wrinkles, and sallow complexion.

So, how many greens should you eat? While the USDA recommends eating at least 3 cups of dark, leafy greens per week, this represents the minimum amount of greens you should be eating. Most nutrition experts recommend eating ½-cup of green leafy vegetables daily.

Since leafy greens are low-calorie and chock full of nutrition, you should strive to include them into your diet daily (green smoothies are a great way to do this). To cut the monotony, try to eat a variety of greens. You will be surprised by how often you can work leafy greens into your meal planning while maintaining a varied diet.

Farah lost 75 pounds

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Today’s featured before and after weight loss story: Farah lost 75 pounds by changing her diet, embracing green smoothies and working out religiously.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

Hello, I wanted to share my journey thus far. It’s long but I know it’s attainable.  I reached my highest weight when I was pregnant with my last son. When I was at 39 weeks, I weighed 294 pounds.  Despite not getting the support I needed at home , 6 weeks postpartum I went down to 282 pounds. I still looked so puffy I pictures I’ve seen of me at this weight.

Prior to me getting pregnant, I was into fitness and nutrition. So, I knew what I had to do. I had to completely stop procrastinating and stop being all in the feeling from my past. I still had my gym membership.  I started back going to the gym 5-6 days a week, doing cardio and strength training.  I was also eating 80% clean eating.  The only thing I ‘m doing different now is using a Nutribullet, which I love , love , love.  I use it once or twice a day. Everything I use too make my protein/veggie/ fruit drink is raw.  No cooking required.  Some times I add a little bit of healthy fats . Of course, I drink tons of water everyday day.

I’m still under construction, but I’m happy with what I have accomplished thus far. The tools I use; Your monthly challenges, my fitness pals, free weights, cleaningeat.com, Google for healthy Recipes, Zumba, boot camp, elliptical, treadmill with incline, jump rope, planks, Squats, ankle weights, burpees, mountain climbers, dvds, cable machine, other people’s success stories and a heart monitor Ft4. I can’t thank god enough. #stillaworking progress  Now I weigh 219.6 pounds.

Farah lost 75 pounds

Britt lost 50 pounds

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Update 10/5/13: Britt is now down 85 pounds.  See the photo of her progress below.

Let’s show some Black Women Losing Weight love to Britt on her 50 pound weight loss.  She has dropped carbs, embraced clean eating and green smoothies and exercises regularly, such as taking Zumba classes.

I have lost 50 pounds in four months by reducing my carbohydrates, incorporating green smoothies made of fruit and vegetables, and exercising. I’m still in the process of working hard and learning to eat clean as I continue to lose the remaining pounds.  To lose the weight, I did Zumba twice a week and did cardio and lifted weights at the gym 3 times a week. I used Instagram as a tool and receives tremendous support from there. As far as my eating habits, I followed the Atkins diet initially.  I’ve recently changed to clean eating and have incorporated green smoothies into my life on a daily basis.

Britt lost 50 pounds
Updated Photo

Britt weight loss story

 

 

Day 18 – Three of My Favorite Green Smoothie Recipes

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NEW E-BOOK! “Drink Green Smoothies” – I’m so excited to release my new smoothie book for BWLW’s January Challenge. A detailed guide to green smoothies and 80 great recipes you will love. Check out the details and download yours today! Just $7.99!

It’s day 18 of our January Green Smoothie Challenge!!  I want to share 3 of my favorite green smoothie recipes from my ebook “Drink Green Smoothies”.  Check these out and try them this month.

Coco Tropic Islander

2 banana
2 cups chopped kale leaves
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/4 cup unsweetened soymilk
1/2 cup fresh orange juice

Benefits: “One cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and 15% of the daily requirement of calcium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), 40% of magnesium, 180% of vitamin A, 200% of vitamin C, and 1,020% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus. Kale is an excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K — and sulphur-containing phytonutrients.” – WebMD

“Coconut oil can also positively affect our hormones for thyroid and blood sugar control. People who take coconut oil also tend to have improvements in how they handle blood sugar, for coconut can help improve insulin use within the body. Coconut oil can boost thyroid function helping to increase metabolism, energy and endurance. It increases digestion and helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins.” – www.doctoroz.com

Very Green

1 banana
1 cup sweet green grapes
1/2 Granny Smith apple (cored and skinned) 2 cups fresh spinach
1 tablespoons agave nectar
1/4 cup water

Benefits: Spinach has tons of dietary fiber, which aids digestion, helps constipation and helps us to maintain low blood sugar.  Fiber keeps us full and helps us not to eat randomly.

“The carbohydrate in agave nectar has a low glycemic index, which provides sweetness without the unpleasant “sugar rush” and unhealthful blood sugar spike caused by many other sugars. Agave nectar is a delicious natural sweetener that can be used moderately – by dieters, some diabetics, and health conscious cooks – to replace high-glycemic and refined sugars.” – Allaboutagave.com

Bananas and Peanut Butter

2 ripe bananas
1 tablespoon creamy, no sugar added peanut butter
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1 cup crushed ice
1/2 cup water

Benefits:  Peanut butter has 2 g of fiber per serving and 8 g of protein per serving.  It helps you to feel full and has healthy fats.

“Anti-cancer benefits of raspberries have long been attributed to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients.” – whfoods.com