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Jodie lost 72 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Jodie has lost 72 pounds since December 2013.  Facing a diagnosis of high blood pressure and diabetes, she decided it was time to take back her health and change her lifestyle.  Here is what she shared about her weight loss journey…

Jodie before and after

In December 2013, I began to just feel different so I decided to go to see a doctor. I found out I had high blood pressure and diabetes. I have a son and a daughter. In addition, my son has sickle cell disease. I really want to live so that I can continue to take care of them.

I was a junk food and soda freak. I prayed and prayed, asking God to just guide me to eating better. I started drinking tons and tons of water, eating fruits and veggies and getting up to go walking. I just did whatever I could to keep moving.  I had to pray, get up and stay active. I also started reading up on exercises and finding different stories on YouTube of people making changes and CHOOSING TO LIVE. I didn’t go to the gym…just started by working out at home.

I started out weighing 320 pounds and now weigh 248 pounds (I’m 5’11”).  It didn’t happen overnight. Everyday I try to give my full 100% but there are also days when I give 200%. I will not lose this fight because it gets easier when you put in effort.

My Advice: You will love the results and reactions people give you. I didn’t want to be skinny because I always have been a plus size woman. However, I did want to be at a healthy. Weight has never gotten in the way of me doing anything, but when my health became an issue I had to decide that I wanted to be here for my kids.  I’m still working hard.

Jodie weight loss story

Gaylon lost 117 pounds

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We featured Gaylon‘s story back in November 2013.  Almost a year later, she is back to let us know that she’s lost another 20 pounds for a total of 117 lbs.

Gaylon before and after

I have lost another 20lbs. My total weight loss is 117 pounds. I can’t say enough that daily exercise and portion control is the key. I incorporate fruits veggies and water….all the time! I eat loads of green veggies….all the time! However, I think the most important thing and key to this journey is about loving and valuing yourself. I want the best for me and I love the body I am in.

Gaylon weight lossMy advice to others: As women of color we come from a long line of trauma in our histories and families. I encourage us to work thru that, thru therapy, counseling, yoga, meditation…but not food! Surround yourself with where you want to be. My circles consists of close friends, family and my workout/fitness/running groups. My life does not revolve around social events that are not positive or just based on food. 

What I have learned from myself is that I am who I what to be….at any given time. I can be proactive and make things happen for me or sit back and let things happen to me. One of my favorite quotes by Maya Angelou: “Love life, engage in it. Give it all you got. Love with a passion, because life truly does give back many times over….what you put into it.”

And one more quote for beautiful black women! “If you are going to rise….you might as well shine.” –author unknown

Read more about how Gaylon lost the pounds.

Gaylon weight loss journey
Gaylon at just 97 pounds down!

Is Green Tea Good For Weight Loss?

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green tea weight loss

In these days of fad diets and intense searches for the next weight loss miracle, you’ll hear “green tea” come up in health-centered conversations more and more often. Many people take on drinking green tea not knowing if or why it really helps with weight loss. Even though it’s occupying shelves in health and vitamin sections nationwide, I have to wonder “Does it really work?”. Let’s clear up a few misconceptions…

Super Drink

Rest assured, all the rumors are indeed true about this tea being good for you…but it is NOT a miracle weight loss drink.  That being said… Green tea is one of the healthiest beverages you can drink. Overflowing with antioxidants, there are numerous benefits to consuming green tea including how it can help you have a healthy heart and that it has anti-cancer properties.

While the natural supply of vitamins and nutrients in Green Tea can help your body to burn calories and fat, the results don’t come about as quickly as some would expect. This doesn’t take away from its effectiveness as a nutritional supplement. If you read the ingredients of popular weight loss and diet pills, you’re likely to see some form of green tea listed. It works in terms of supporting health, but it isn’t “the answer” in itself to losing pounds. Anything worth having requires some effort, a healthy life included.

How It Works

Green tea works to reduce fat and stimulate your metabolism. The fats and sugars that enter the body are synthesized into a substance known as triglycerides. When digested in healthy amounts, triglycerides provide the body with energy. If they are consumed in excess, they’re stored as fat. The polyphenols in green tea activate enzymes that can help dissolve extra triglycerides. The problem: You have to drink a significant amount of tea or consume it in a concentrated form to even begin to have any real effect on the body.  Also, depending on what else is going on with your body, green tea may not have an effect at all.

It seems that green tea is good for so many things and that includes addressing high triglycerides. The catechin flavonoids in green tea can reduce triglycerides by up to 20%. The catch is you need to be a BIG tea drinker to benefit as about 600 to 700 mg of green tea catechins are required to achieve the triglyceride lowering effect (the equivalent of 6 to12 cups per day since the catechin content of tea varies greatly).  Alternately, nutritional supplements are available that provide green tea catechins in a more concentrated form. – DiabeticConnect.com

Additionally, green tea contains caffeine, another substance known to aid fat burning in some people. Some avoid the consumption of caffeine because of its strongly stimulating properties. However, many choose to indulge in a hot cup of green tea because it contains a significantly less amount of caffeine than coffee. You’ll still reap the energy increasing benefits without the hyper-sensitive side effects.

Increased Metabolism

Burning fat also means an increase in your body’s metabolism. Recent studies show consuming green tree extract stimulates a process known as thermogenesis. This is the natural increase in your body’s temperature during digestion. Thermogenesis determines how quickly your food will be burned off and recycled into energy. It’s possible to experience this fat burning, metabolism increasing benefit by drinking green tea as a beverage or, for added convenience, you can consume it as a dietary supplement.  It’s important to note that the increase will not be significant enough to burn off a lot of pounds all at once and green tea alone is not a long term weight loss solution.

Add It To Your Routine

As previously stated, green tea has been proven to have numerous health benefits but to reap them to their maximum potential, it’s best to incorporate it into your daily health regimen. You’ll see most commercial weight loss supplements include green tea, and all of them suggest a regular exercise routine and healthy eating habits for the best results. Green tea works, just not on its own. Those who take a daily extract supplement burn 17% more fat while exercising than those who don’t (the dosage varies depending on age, weight, etc). Continuous consumption also strengthens the metabolism, creating a constant fat burning routine even after your workout is completed.  Do your research on what dosage is best for you.

Whether you’re working toward weight loss or just trying to improve your health, green tea is a great addition to your grocery list. High in catechins (phytochemicals), green tea along with an active lifestyle has been proven to combat obesity and heart defects. A diet high in calories with mild activity won’t yield the best results regardless of any natural supplements. A moderately monitored diet with equally moderate level of exercise usually shows significant progress around 12 weeks. Those who are increasingly active and consume a weight-friendly diet can expect to see results much sooner.

The results may seem to straddle the fence a bit in terms of weight loss, but the overall health benefits outweigh its ineffectiveness when it comes to dropping pounds. Green tea isn’t the final answer for someone looking to lose 25lbs as quickly as possible but for long-term benefits for your waistline and internal organs, green tea is worth adding to your shopping list.

PS: Matcha Green Tea is one of the hottest trends around right now.  Learn more about this powerful form of green tea.

The Number One Drinking Mistake Affecting Your Weight

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The Number One Drinking Mistake Affecting Your Weight

What is the number one mistake? Not Drinking Enough Water!

Water – it’s all around us. We see it in rivers and oceans, it flows freely from our faucets, it purges into our basements during violent storms.  We’ve always heard how pivotal it is to our overall health and yet somehow most of us fail to get our required daily intake. About 70% of our bodies is water and it is involved in so many essential body functions including flushing waste materials in the body, metabolism, body temperature and digestion.

If you are on a weight loss journey, you should pay close attention to how much H20 you are drinking on a daily basis. People can spend hundreds of dollars on diet food, exercise equipment, and yoga pants but the key to weight control might be in the glass right in front of them the whole time.

Water and Weight Loss

A healthy intake of water doesn’t just maintain your weight loss goals, it actually supports a healthy metabolism so that you can see results faster. Water consumption increases the rate at which you burn calories which means that the exercise that is so vital in trimming your pounds becomes even more efficient. Drinking extra water also helps you to feel more full and you’ll have a better chance at passing on that last helping of carbs.

How Water Helps In Exercising

The first thing water does in helping you exercise is quench your thirst so you can work out longer. Being hydrated helps reduce muscle and joint aches while you’re pumping iron or logging time on the treadmill. In addition, water lubes up your joints and helps keep muscles from cramping. In addition water helps stave off dehydration, which if it sets in reduces blood volume and thus the oxygen supply to your blood falters and you’ll feel tired, nauseated and sluggish.

Water Detoxes the Liver and Kidneys

One thing about drinking a lot more water than you’re accustomed to is that you’ll have more frequent trips to the bathroom – but that’s a good thing. H20 helps to flush toxins out of your kidneys and liver at a quicker pace. One unfortunate thing about burning calories is that the process creates toxins and chemicals, which need to be flushed from your system for optimum health.

Water Promotes a Healthy Metabolism

Having more water flowing through your body helps improve your ability to burn fat and helps metabolism overall. Metabolism is essentially the speed of your body, not how fast you can run the 40-yard-dash but how fast your motor is running, especially at night. The body is burning calories at all times, even while sleeping or lounging while watching TV. This motor needs healthy food for fuel and water to power the body so that the metabolism can increase and thus burn calories and fat at a higher rate. Drinking more water overall is a benefit but water has also been shown to affect the metabolism immediately, like 10 minutes after consumption.

Start by drinking more water and less soda (diet and regular), drinks with refined sugar and drinks with artificial sweeteners.

 

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Cheryllynn lost 197 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Cheryllynn lost 197 pounds. Her amazing weight loss is a result of hard work.  She embraced exercise, clean eating or paleo eating to dramatically improve her health.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

Cheryllynn weight loss journey

 

“Hello my name is Cheryllynn. Before I started my health journey, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. It affected my blood pressure, energy levels, mood, and my ability to be physical.  I had constant joint pain, migraines, and depression also plagued me. In short, I was a mess. Emotional eating (my only comfort) and inactivity lead to massive weight gain on top of everything else. I used a mobility scooter and a cane. The doctors kept giving me pills, that caused their own side effects. I decided to take my own health into my hands. I started Clean Eating. By just removing all processed foods (anything with more then five ingredients or anything you need a science degree to pronounce) I started getting better. I started slowly exercising. Today, I have reversed 95% of my symptoms. I am not on any medications and I run 7 miles everyday. I started out at 370 pounds and as of this morning I am 173 pounds. That’s 3 more pounds until I reach my goal. I’ve lost 197 pounds.  I don’t consider myself dieting, I consider myself right sizing and getting my life back.

I’ve  transitioned from Clean Eating into the Paleo lifestyle and I love it. I eat a Paleo diet which is fruit, nuts, veggies, and lean meats. I do not eat, legumes, grains, dairy or processed foods. I run and nordic walk for exercise. Part of the Paleo lifestyle is 40 miles a week of self-propulsion preferably outsides. So, I try to run a minimum of five miles everyday of the work week and Nordic walk a minimum of 12 miles over the weekend.”

Cheryllynn weight loss photos

Cheryllynn before and after

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Christina lost 103 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Christina lost 103 pounds.  This singer and SGRho Soror began her weight loss journey after a wake up call at the doctor’s office and some inspiration from an MTV star’s weight loss.  She did the work and now she is reaping the benefits of greater health.  Here is what she shared with us about how she lost the weight (check out her before and after photos):

Chrissysingz

Christina Turner
26 years old
Columbus, OH
Singer/Substitute Teacher
Member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. (Delta Omega chapter)

What was your motivation?
My motivation came in January 2012 after having a check-up at my doctor’s office. The nurse said that if I didn’t start getting my health in order by the time I’m 25 years old, I would have to start taking medication for high blood pressure. Shortly after, I saw a story on a young woman named Chelsea Settles (MTV) who is around the same age as me and same starting weight. I saw her success with her weight loss journey and was extremely motivated. I then made up in my mind I needed to challenge myself enough to prove it to myself; that I’m capable of doing anything I put my mind to, including losing weight.

How did you change your eating habits?
I first changed my eating habits by committing to 30 days of NO beef, pork, fast foods, sweets, pop and no eating after 8pm. I lost about 35 lbs in the first month. Shortly after, I adopted those into my lifestyle (I still don’t eat/drink beef, pork, fast food and pop). I’ve found the most success with 5 small meals a day (3 meals, 2 snacks), detoxing with apple cider vinegar and drinking a gallon of water a day. I still enjoy a cheat meal once a week occasionally.

What did your workout routines look like?
I love love kickboxing; it burns tons of calories! I joined a gym in June 2012 where I started weight training and saw SERIOUS results with lifting weights. It burns inches and tightens up the excess fat. I’ve also done work out challenges and workout dvds such as Turbo Fire and Insanity. Mostly I love variety; any exercises to keep my muscles guessing! I usually workout 4-6 times a week, no less than a half hour each day.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 320 pounds. My current weight is 217 pounds.

How long did your transformation take?
My transformation took 2 years and 3 months. There were months where I’d hit a plateau and the scale wouldn’t budge, but I kept being consistent. I frequently did research to try different things; new recipes, new exercises …and I eventually would start losing again. I refuse to get discourage when the scale says differently. My body is currently still under construction!

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
It takes discipline, consistency and hard work. Once a person makes a serious commitment to want to change their lifestyle, and not for superficial reasons, but to honestly want to live a healthier life, the transformation has already begun. The journey is more mental than physical.

Instagram: @chrissysingz

Chrissy weight loss Chrissy before and after

Work in progress: Mykenz lost 23 pounds

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Let’s show some love to Mykenz.  This proud mom wrote in to share about the changes she’s made in the last few months that have allowed her to lose 23 pounds after years of yo-yo dieting.  She is a work in progress, but is seeing great results already.  I know that she will ultimately reach her weight loss and overall health goals.

mykenz weight loss

I wish that I could say that my journey has been easy over the last few months but it has been everything but that!! I have struggled with my weight since I gave birth to my son in 2009. I have tried Weight Watchers, Slim Genics, Jenny Craig, all kinds of weight loss pills and diets, including the Lemonade Diet. I’m not saying they don’t work because they do (might go crazy in the process), however they can be expensive and just weren’t the methods that worked for me. Weighing in at 225+ lbs, I finally accepted the fact that I was going to have to work for what I said I wanted, as they say nothing good comes easy.

Over the last couple of months I have learned a lot about myself and began to change my life through diet a day exercise. Although I am still a work in progress, I take this moment to celebrate my accomplishments thus far because small changes have turned into lifestyle changes which have resulted in a healthier me! I workout 3 times per week for about an hour. My workouts are bootcamp style and I’m doing things such as running, squats, lunges burpees, etc with a great group in my area call Total Body Anatomy (TBA). My biggest challenge was portion control so my instructor at TBA introduced me to Body By Vi Shakes. I take them as meal replacements for breakfast and dinner and have a healthy lunch and snacks throughout the day. I eat a lot of fruits and veggies and drink lot of water. No sweets, bread, store bought juices. I’ve been going four months and fast food now makes me literally sick to my stomach!

Those looking to get out there the best advise that I can give is;

1. No matter how much you mess up, get right back up swinging harder knowing that today is a new day.
2. You didn’t gain it in a day, you won’t lose it n a day. Be patient with yourself. It takes time.
3. Be your biggest cheerleader, after all no one can lose it for you.
4. Get a great support system/group.
5. You get out what you put in. Hard work hurts!
6. Only you can decide if who/where you want to be is more important than who/where you are. Change and accountability are required.
7. Most importantly, through Christ ALL things are possible!

Thanks to all who have supported me throughout my journey especially mommy’s big boy! For there is truly no feeling like your 4 year old son telling you that you can do it when you feel like quitting. As of yesterday, I am happy to report that I am 202 lbs with 35 left to put behind me!!!

Can Waist Size Reflect Health and Longevity?

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belly fatFew would argue that a toned guy with six-pack abs walking down the beach probably leads a more healthier life than the fellow with a beer gut spilling out of his ‘frankie says relax’ tanktop as he double-fists a cold brew. While exercise and eating right has a tendency to limit health problems, is it a guaranteed fact that beer-belly guy is unhealthy? For years people have made the correlation that waist size reflects health and longevity so let’s weigh out the facts.

The Two Types of Waist Fat

The fat that builds up around our waist is mainly caused by two things – a sedentary lifestyle and poor food choices. Sure, there are likely a health issue or two that cause waist fat, but for this article I’m ruling those issues out because that is not the case for most people. That being said a big belly isn’t necessarily a health red flag…as long as the fat is the right kind. One type of fatty tissue found around the abdomen is called subcutaneous fat that is stored directly underneath the skin. This type of fat acts similar to other fat around the body, it’s not especially beneficial but at the same time it’s no real special threat.

On the other side of the spectrum is a substance known as visceral fat that is stored in the abdomen and around internal organs. The presence of extreme visceral fat raises blood pressure and blood sugar and increases the risk of cardiac arrest. Eating foods high in fat or sugar lead to the accumulation of visceral fat as does high stress and lack of sleep. Visceral fat is extremely hard to lose and in workout and diet plans it’s usually the last to go.

What Constitutes a ‘Big Belly?’

We’d all love to have six-pack abs but just because we don’t are we considered out of shape? To understand how waist size reflects health means to understand the waist to hip ratio that determines how at risk you are. Use these steps to determine your waist to hip ratio:

  1. Relax your abdomen
  2. Measure your waist at the navel
  3. Measure your hips at the widest point
  4. Divide your waist size by hip size to get the ratio

When you’ve figured out the waist to hip ratio realize that in men the risk for adverse health effects for a big waist starts to increase after 0.95 and 0.85 in women. Some experts also are simply using your pants size as a way of evaluating your risk whereas a 37” waist and below present low opportunities, 37 to 39.9 moderate and 40+ high risk.

When Correlated with BMI

Note: I know that many people don’t like the BMI (Body Mass Index) but for the purpose of having a benchmark…I’m going to use it as a reference.  Now…moving on…

There are just some naturally big people in the world and it would be unfair to say a 6’7” 385 pound farmer was high-risk for health concerns just because his overalls were huge. Waist size is only an indicator of proper health when factored with body mass index. BMI is a number calculated from a person’s height and weight and while it doesn’t measure body fat directly is used as a screening tool to detect possible weight problems. BMI is calculated by dividing the body weight by height (in inches) squared and multiplying that number by 703. The corresponding number helps determine if an individual is underweight, normal, overweight or obese. Once again a person with a lot of muscle will tend to register at overweight despite the fact they’re an ideal picture of health so BMI can’t solely be used to reflect health either.

Being the Proper Weight Isn’t Necessarily a Free Pass

It’s important to remember that the visceral fat is the harmful substance that causes an increased risk of death in people with bigger waists. The thing is that visceral fat can also exist in thinner people’s abdomen areas and even a 160-pound guy who has a big belly could stand to increase his exercise regimen. Visceral fat releases fatty acids, hormones, and inflammatory agents that present risks to the liver, heart, and kidneys among other organs.

A good rule of thumb to remember is that it never hurts to lose a few inches around the midsection (so long as you maintain a healthy minimum weight.) By getting exercise and eating better you’ll feel energized and will in turn sleep better and hopefully have less stress – all factors that contribute to a bigger belly.

Update: Diona lost 170 pounds

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Featured Weight Loss Success Story: Since we first featured Diona, she has lost an additional 31 pounds.  Today is a special day for this AKA Soror and we wanted to post an update of her progress so we asked her some questions about how she has maintained her weight loss and health gains.  Here is what she shared.

Diona weight loss story

“Hello! I’m excited for you to do an update to my story. I was hoping you could do it Wednesday (May 28), as it’s my birthday and my fifth year since my cancer diagnosis. Over the course of several years, I have lost 170 pounds total. My highest weight was 368 pounds and I’m currently 198 pounds.

I’ve maintained my weight loss by continuing to workout with my personal trainer 4 times per week and by making healthy choices. I’ve built a resistance to bad foods. Now, things I used to enjoy physically make me sick. I did hit a plateau. So, I stopped weight training for one month and did cardio only. I also cooked everything I ate for 60 days. I ate all organic and watched labels for sugar, corn syrup, etcetera. I even made salad dressing from scratch. This allowed me to lose an additional 31 pounds and go from a size 14 to a size 10.

Diona weight loss storyThe biggest struggle is still patience. It’s been one year since I started on this journey and I am still not happy. Instead of realizing how much I’ve done, I still see cellulite and side rolls.  My biggest victory is the number of people that have told me I’ve inspired them to change. It’s one thing to make positive changes in my own life, but when making yourself better inspires others to do better, that’s victorious.”

Check out more photos from her journey on Instagram: @winter_time_cold

Read our original post about her weight loss for more information on how she lost the weight.

 

Leigh-Ann lost 37 pounds

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Daily Weight Loss Success Story: Our South African Sista Leigh-Ann lost 37 pounds (17 kg).  After seeking out the advice of doctors and a nutritionist she decided to change her lifestyle and lose the pounds.  Here is what she shared with us:

LeighAnn south africa

Hi, My name’s Leigh-Ann Carey and I am from South Africa. In 2011, I was at my heaviest weight at 77 kilograms (approx. 170 pounds) and I wasn’t really concerned about changing my eating habits although I was active. I saw a nutritionist in 2011 who advised me to shed half of my body weight.  I thought that was crazy, so instead I spoke to my General Practitioner at the time and he advised I lose about 15 kilograms (33 pounds), as opposed to the half the nutritionist had advised me. I still did not worry about my weight, till I saw 2 more doctors. The last doctor I saw was black and I was hoping he’d say something quirky like “We black men like our women with extra meat”, LOL! He told me straight up that I needed to lose weight and refused to prescribe diet meds because I was young and that slimming pills had negative effects on women. He advised me to run and change my eating habits.

I started running and changed my diet. I stopped drinking fizzy drinks, drank more water and tea and ate 4-6 small meals a day.  I also went brown (brown rice, brown bread, brown sugar). My body started changing for the better. Now, I don’t even eat cereal with sugar and I used to be a sugar addict. I still have a long way to go in terms of my eating game. I run every morning at about 4 am. I also do squats and weight lifting.  I’ve lost 17 kilograms (37.4 pounds)
You can do whatever you set your mind to ladies- let’s not feed off things like ” I am big boned or representing team thick”. You have one body that God blessed you with, take care of it.