Transformation of the Day: Belinda lost 140 pounds. At 408 pounds, she was suffering with a lot of health challenges, including diabetes, hypertension, knee pain and arthritis. Her doctor let her know that with health eating, she could address her illnesses and be free of meds. Check out what she did to transform her health.
In May 2014, I began having frequent and persistent heart palpitations and chest pain. These only added to an extensive list of existing health complaints: back pain, knee pain, chronic fatigue, anxiety, etc. My physician informed me that I weighed 408 pounds, and that I had diabetes, hypertension and arthritis. I started crying in his office. As he wrote out my new prescriptions, he said something like “You don’t have to always be on these medications. You can address these illnesses with diet and exercise.” Then he said something that for some reason just made a whole lot of sense and clicked with me. Instead of giving me a list of dos and don’ts, he simply said “Your diet needs to mostly consist of lean meats and vegetables and you need to move your body”. I thought to myself “I can do that!”.
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I started the “Green Smoothie Cleanse by JJ Smith” on July 1, 2014 and at the end of the 10 days I had lost 18 pounds! Once I finished the cleanse, I traded fried foods for baked, gave up white bread almost entirely and cut out rice and processed foods. I used My Fitness Pal to track calories and joined a gym. To say I had no idea what I was doing in the gym was an understatement, but I still lost over 20 pounds in about 2 months. I wanted to add free weights to my routine but was concerned about injury. I thought the best thing to do would be to hire a personal trainer. I had been watching the technique, as well as client progress, of a particular trainer in the gym. Somehow I just knew he’d be able to take me to the next level and beyond.
His name is Jerome Teasley, owner of Hero Fitness. He’s been training me since the end of September 2014. Within 6 months of working together, I came off all my medications. He has also helped me to lose 135 pounds. I didn’t just lose weight, I gained a real passion for fitness. For me at least, having a trainer means having someone who will provide accountability and encouragement. I understand that having a trainer is not for everyone but I believe we should all have someone to encourage and hold us accountable.
Groups like Black Women Losing Weight are excellent because they allows us to see others doing it and know that we are not alone. To anyone in the struggle or contemplating joining the struggle, know this (courtesy of Jerome Teasley): YOU GOT THIS!
Eating a healthy dinner can be a challenge. After a long day at work, it’s so easy to reach for comfort foods or our favorite savory meal, but it may not be the most healthy option. Planning ahead and researching recipes can help you to have a variety of options that fit into the plan you’ve created to reach your weight loss goals. Here are 12 dinner ideas that are great for eating clean, but are also on the low carb side.
This is the first recipe of many as we commit to bring you more recipes this year. Personally, I love simple recipes that don’t make you jump through hoops and this one is very straight forward. It will work for folks who are eating clean, eating Paleo, eating low carb, etc. You’ll find all the ingredients and directions below.
A healthy diet doesn’t just consist of the standard variety of vegetables, grains, beans, fruit and lean meats. One of the most important aspects of eating well is to eat a variety of food! Humans are naturally creatures of habit and it can be easy to fall into a routine of eating the same foods. Break this habit and you will notice better health and improved vitality. It may even help you push through a weight loss plateau you’ve hit.
The average person is likely familiar with seaweed in two ways: the green stuff in the ocean and the nori sheets used for sushi. Seaweed may not be very popular in traditional Western cuisine but it would be very much worth it to pick up a bag at your local Asian market or health food store. Some major grocery stores also sell the dried, roasted kind as a snack in sheets. Very tasty…kinda like potato chips.
