Black Weight Loss Success

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how I lost weight

Kimberly lost 63 pounds

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Let’s share some BWLW love with Kimberly who lost 63 pounds with the help of an exercise bootcamp and by following at 1500 calorie eating plan.  Here is what she shared with us:

Hello, my name is Kimberly and I’m 33 years old.   I decided that I would lose weight about 18 months ago, after being diagnosed with high blood pressure.  I knew that I was living a very unhealthy lifestyle.   I chose to follow  a diet plan of 6 small meals for 1500 calories a day.  I joined a extreme workout boot camp here in Chicago.  I’ve lost a total of 63 pounds in 7 months by eating healthy and working out 3 days per week.

I wanted to become healthy again.  I also wanted to look better, after looking in the mirror one day and seeing an image of someone I didn’t recognize.  That’s when I knew that I had to make a change. I was also tired of shopping in a plus size stores.  I was 228 pounds and my current weight is 165 pounds.  Thanks for listening to my story.

Kimberly weight loss

Karen lost 30 pounds

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Let show some Black Women Losing Weight love to Karen who has lost 30 pounds.  She was motivated by a diagnosis of diabetes.  Here is what she shared with us:

I changed my eating habits.  I stopped eating pork.  Now I eat chicken, fish and less beef.  I also eat a lot of vegetables and have cut down on sweets.  I don’t drink soda, only water or sweet tea.  I walk 2 – 3 miles, 3 days a week and I workout two days a week.  In addition, I trained myself to eat small portions so now I get full fast with less food. My motivation was my doctor telling me I have diabetes and I might have to take insulin.  She said that  if I lose the weight, I can over come diabetes. Being overweight, you start having high blood pressure and diabetes.  I didn’t want that for myself.  I’m 41 years old and I feel that the older you get the harder it’s is to get the weight off. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen and for having a page for us.  When I see your page, it encourages me even more.

Karen weight loss before and after

Janeisha lost 90 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Let’s show some BWLW love to Janeisha who has lost 90 pounds with Roux en-Y gastric bypass surgery.  Here is what she shared with us”

I am a 35 year old wife and mother of 2 girls ages 11 and 15 years old. I’ve been obese for the majority of my adult life.  Over the last few years, my quality of life had declined and my health was failing fast. I decided to have RNY weight loss surgery on September 25, 2012.  Since then, I’ve started eating right, walking and running every day. I don’t have  soda or sugary drinks.  I have lost 90 pounds and counting!!!  I have realized that surgery is just a tool and that in order to be successful I had to change my lifestyle. I thank God for a chance to take my life back!

My motivation was my children and husband. I have an amazing family and with severe sleep apnea, high blood pressure and diabetes, my quality of life was fading away.  I walk and run 6 days a week outside and I am currently training to run my first 5K with Size Healthy trainer Nataisha Ramirez

Janeisha weight loss surgery

Elisa lost 80 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story:  BWLW Online Community member Elisa lost 80 pounds by eliminating junk food, portion control, and working out.  Here is what she shared with us:

Hello BWLW Community, I am so happy to be a part of a community where there is so much positive support. Thank you for this opportunity.

My Motivation

My motivation came from the desire and need to see my son grow up.  I was tired of being tired and wanted a change.  I knew in order for me to be healthy I needed to start somewhere. I began my journey the summer of 2011.  I was going to the gym but wasn’t seeing any results, so I decided cancel my membership and focus on me.  I knew that going to the gym and eating the same foods was counterproductive.  I always knew that I needed to lose weight but it wasn’t until I was emotionally ready that I was able to be committed to this journey.

My Eating Habits

I realized my weakness was rice and junk food candy, ice cream and soda. When I started my journey, I began eliminating junk food especially soda. I started drinking water with lemon and hot tea in the mornings and eating fruits, vegetables. Portion control helped me lose the weight. Over the course of 2 years I managed to lose 80 pounds now weighing 245 pounds. I had to come to terms, and be honest with myself about what I was putting in my body.  I found that denial is real, especially when battling weight loss.  Once I got over the denial part I let it go. Food for me now is not for comfort.  I eat when I’m hungry and if I want a sweet snack I will get a small piece. I have tried going cold turkey in the past and I would end up eating more than I needed. I eat 3 meals a day with lunch being my heaviest. Dinner is usually fruit or something light depending on what I ate earlier in the day.

Workout Routine

I began walking a few blocks in my neighborhood and increased my duration it each time I went. I began walking 3 blocks and later began walking around the park.  In the past I would take the short cut around, but as I continued I was able to complete the entire walk around the park. I also workout at home using some of the routines I learned while going to the gym.  When I was going to class I would get off the train stop furthest from my school and walk back.  I am looking forward to getting back in the gym now that I have control over what goes in my body.

I feel confident that I will reach my goal weight one day at a time!!

ElisaJune13

Demetria lost 45 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss before and after: Demetria lost 45 pounds by cutting out highly processed food, fatty foods, salt and sugar.  She also worked with a personal trainer and began to exercise regularly.   Here is what she shared with us:

I am getting healthy by cutting back on the high fatty foods, by avoiding foods in cans, foods that have salt and sugar in the first 4 ingredients and by eating lots of fresh fruits and veggies. I say “getting healthy”, because I didn’t have a number of pounds in my head that I wanted to lose, I just wanted to be healthy and get to a healthy weight! I started going to fitness classes last year and hired a personal trainer at the University in our town (less expensive than a professional in a gym and the students really work hard). I now workout with 4-5 times per week and run 3-4 times per week.  I ran my first 5K this past December. The advice I would give others is “DO NOT GIVE UP!”  It took me years to get to this point! The point to where I feel like something is missing if I don’t work out. It really is a stress reliever. I have lost 45lbs and over 2ft from my body and still going! The picture I attached is called “I got this” because my trainer would always say “You got this!” It was like she knew just when to say it! So now that is my motto, I GOT THIS!!

Demetria weight loss before and after

Tara lost 63 pounds

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Today’s weight loss before and after story: Tara lost 63.8 pounds with walking, Weight Watchers and focusing on the vision God gave her for her health.  Here is what she shared with us:

Hello Black Women Losing Weight, I just want to share.  I would like to say that no matter what, never give up on your dreams and God’s purpose and plans for your life. My motivation was I had been over weight practically all my life.  I started this weight loss journey on September 6, 2010 by walking three days a week.  I did it without portion control or any additives.  I just worked out and obeyed the voice of God.  As of April 2013, I’d lost 50 lbs.  I also started ZUMBA 9 months ago

Later in April, I knew that I had not arrived to the vision God had for me, so therefore I joined Weight Watchers.  Since then, which has only been 6 weeks, I have lost an additional 13.8 pounds.  That makes a grand total of 63.8 pounds.   I Run/Walk 4 days a week and got to Zumba class one day a week, 5 days a week.  I started ZUMBA 9 months ago.  Although I need to loose a bit more, I’m so grateful about where I have come. If I can do it, you can too. At some point in time I had to take Goliath down and take off his head. Remember this, “I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHICH GIVES ME STRENGTH!”

Tara weight loss story

Michelle lost 45 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss before and after:  Michelle lost 45 pounds by changing her eating habits and working out consistently.   Here is what she shared with us:

My motivation to lose weight came about 14 months ago when it became extremely painful for me to walk. My inner thighs were so large that they would rub up against each other when I walked, which caused an unbearable chaffing. So ,I started walking with my feet father apart so my thighs wouldn’t rub together, which caused pain in my lower back. I knew it was time for a change.

I changed my eating habits by drinking a meal-replacement shake every morning as my breakfast. I also made the transition from fried to baked and steamed foods, as well as drinking at least a half gallon of water daily. My biggest transition was completely cutting out McDonald’s, a place that I used to eat at three times a week.

I started working out four times a week after work and then bumped it up to six days a week, gradually increasing from 30 minutes to one hour and 30 minute workouts. I did everything from working on the elliptical to biking and pumping weights. I’m proud to say that I can now run for an hour non stop on the treadmill and I have participated in many 5k’s.

My starting weight was 200 pounds and my current weight is 155 pounds. It took about 14 months to make this transition.

michelle before and after weight loss

Jonarra lost 61 pounds

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Let’s show some Black Women Losing Weight love to Jonarra who lost 61 pounds.  Here is what she shared with me:

My motivation to lose weight was my health.  I also got tired of not being able to dress nice.  I would go to my hometown and people I grew up with didn’t recognize me. I felt ugly.   Then, I saw the Insanity commercials on television and was very impressed with it. Got the DVDs and worked it out.  20 minutes warm up, 25 minutes pure cardio.  In term of my eating habits; I ate healthy Special K cereal, drank plenty of water, baked many foods, ate a lot of fruits, etc. The picture on the left I was 203 pounds. After insanity, I’m 142 pounds!!!!!

Jonarra weight loss before and after

Simone lost 110 pounds

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Today’s weight loss before & after story:  Simone lost 110 pounds.  This 5’3″ diva embraced eating right, monitoring her calorie intake and exercising 6 days a week.  Here is what she shared with us:

I would love to share my before and after pictures.  I lost  110lbs and I’m truly loving my life and my sleep since.   My doctor never told me that it could be my weight that was the issue causing me not to get any sleep.  I just want the world to know that it’s never to let to take your life back. My journey started with a picture that I took and posted to Facebook.  When I went back to my folder of pictures I could not believe what I saw.  That person was not me…but sad to say it was.  After wiping the tears away and putting the “beat myself up bat” away, I started a new way of life.  It was hard, I won’t lie.  My life with this weight had me in a situation where I could not sleep.  My knees and back would hurt nonstop.  I couldn’t even walk around the block without being out of breath.  Trying to do what I love to do, which was dancing, was hopeless.  I could not even get through a 4 minute song.

Each day, I got up and looked at that picture.  I started eating right.  I was eating food that would only last seven days and when I did not want to cook I ate lean cuisine, which was the next best thing.  I stopped drinking sweet tea and opted for water.  My fitness pal and calories counters are my best friend.  I have them on my phone, my laptop and my iPad so I have no excuse.  When I go out to eat, I ask for the calorie sheets because it is important to know what I am putting in my body.

Also, I work out six days a week.  No excuse!  I walk my dogs  for a 1/2 a mile and started dancing again.  I now can dance to not just a song, but a whole album.  Lol.  My top weight, when I went to by doctor in the beginning, was 232 pounds (my height is 5’3).   Yes, I was carrying around another person, so no wonder my knees and back were hurting.  Today I am proud to say I have been maintaing my weight at 125lbs for over a year now.  Guess what!  My doctor is even jealous of the weight I have lost and he calls me his roll model.   Also, I must give a shout out to Black Women Losing Weight.  Your stories keep me inspired to be the best I can be.  I am proud to say that I am 47 years old and in better shape know than I was in my twenties.   It’s never to late to take your life back.  I did and I’m loving it.

Simone weight loss before and after

Nadira lost 30 pounds

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Let’s show some Black Women Losing Weight love to Nadira.  She lost 30 pounds since the birth of her son with Crossfit training and distance running.  Here is what she shared with us:

I’ve lost 30 lbs since having my son.  I attribute my weight loss to Crossfit training 3-4 times per week and distance running at least 1 – 2 days per week.  I also prayed while I ran and I removed negativity from my life. In terms of my eating habits, every 2-3 weeks I didn’t eat any processed carbs for 3 consecutive days.  I also used this time to only eat protein, fresh veggies, fruit, and drink lots of water. Other than that, I kept a 1500 calorie per day diet and ate foods that nourished me so I was not hungry.  Whenever I think about eating something, I always ask myself, “what is it doing for me?”.  If it doesn’t do something positive, then I typically pass on it. When I get off track, then I implement my 3 day no carbs challenge.

Nadira weight loss before after