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Christa lost 48 pounds

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Today’s Weight Loss Success Story: Christa has lost 48 pounds since January 2014. After fighting the pounds since childhood, she made the choice to stop dieting and start her journey to a lasting lifestyle change.  Here is what she shared with us…

Christa weight loss

I’m 21 years old and I’ve struggled with my weight since I hit puberty. However, on New Years 2014 I decided no more diets! I needed a lifestyle change. Since Jan 2014 until today (Sept 24th 2014), I’ve lost 48 pounds.

I started this journey lifestyle change journey on January 1, 2014. I think my biggest motivation to lose weight was when my looser fitting clothes became my tight fitting clothes, so much so that I could not fit them anymore. I also just got tired of the way my body looked without clothes.

I think my inspiration came from my progress. When I saw my endurance go up it made me want to push even harder. I started my journey less then a month after I visited Ghana, Africa for three months. While there, I was in a way forced into a more healthy way of eating that included more vegetables and fruits. I wasn’t a big fan of the native food, lol. I will say the 6 main foods that get me thru are Bananas, Spinach, Oatmeal, Greek yogurt, Cliff bars and Fish. I also went cold turkey and just stopped eating everything that I knew was bad for me. No fast food, for example. I meal prep, use my creativity and I’m the new Chef in my house. Lol! I also did not give myself a cheat day until I completed one month of healthy eating.

As far as my workout routine, in the beginning I made it my duty to do at least 15 minutes twice a day 4 days a week of any form of exercising NON STOP. Then later, I increased the intensity and length of time I worked out as my body gained more endurance. My starting weight was 245 lbs and I am now 197 lbs (I am 5’6″). My advice would be to know that the longer you procrastinate delays the closer you would’ve been to your goal.

Instagram: @4_RealCharity

Vernita lost 50 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Vernita lost 50 pounds.  This hard working wife and mother has a history of cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure, but she didn’t let anything stop her on her journey to greater wellness.  She shared with us how exercise and eating in a healthier way has allowed her to reach her weight loss goals.

Vernita weight loss success story

Hi my name is Vernita. I am a wife of 11 years and a full-time graveyard shift working mama. I started out at 225 lbs. I am now 175 lbs (5’6″). My goal is to get to 145-150 lbs. I workout 4-6 days a week and I eat every 3 hours, following the Trim Healthy Mama book for my food intake. I’ve been on this journey for a year now but I have embarked on a new lifestyle, not a quick fix or a diet. I’m in it for life. No matter how long it takes I’m not giving up. I appreciate your Facebook page and I’m encouraged every time I view it.

I was motivated to change my life because I have 3 beautiful children that need their mama around. I have a history of cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure. So, I want to beat the odds and get healthy. My inspiration also came from the Fit4Life Sisters page. I changed my diet by no longer drinking soda. I’ve replaced it with sparkling water. I replaced sugar with stevia and truvia. I also eat every 3 hours to keep my body from going into starvation mode. I also drink lots of water and teas without sweetener. My breakfast consist of eggs, bacon, oatmeal and smoothies. My lunches are bread-less, mostly salads and a source of protein.

My workouts consist of 20-30 minutes of cardio on the treadmill, stair stepper or cycling class. I also enjoy Zumba classes. I lift weights 3 days a week and I do push ups, squats and jumping jacks. I go for walks and take the stairs instead of the elevator. I even park at the back of the parking lot when I go to the store for that extra walk.

My best advice to give to people is don’t put a time frame on your goal. Take your time. You may slip up on your health journey but don’t stop.  Just get back on the ball and keep going. Make the change for life and not just for a quick fix.

Lesson 6: What I See in the Mirror

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mirror lesson weight lossLesson #6: Today’s weight loss lesson is super simple, but also very powerful. You will need a mirror for this challenge, preferably a full length mirror (use what you have if you don’t have a long one).  You’ll also need pen and paper.

Lesson 1 | Lesson 2 | Lesson 3 | Lesson 4 | Lesson 5

Stand in front of your mirror and look at yourself for at least 60 seconds.  Take up to 3 minutes to really stare at what you see and take it all in.  Don’t censor your thoughts, just let the assumptions, thoughts and emotions flow.  Don’t judge what you are thinking or feeling.

Part 1 – Write down the answers to these questions. Write whatever comes to mind and is your truth.  No judgement.

  1. When I look at my face I feel ________, because ________.
  2. When I look at my body I feel ________, because ________.
  3. When I consider the shape of my body I feel _________, because________.
  4. I think that my body is _____________. (use 1-3 words to complete this sentence)

Part 2 – Consider what you like and don’t like about your body.  Write down 5 things you like and up to 5 things you would like to change.

Part 3 –  Ask yourself whether the things you would like to change realistic and why or why not?  I want you to have a dialogue with yourself about the reasons you want or need to change.  Are you being truthful.  Are you being hurtful to yourself.  Can you actually accept some of the things you want to change as good or unique.

Part 4 – How do you feel now?  Do you feel down and deflated?  Do you feel enlightened? Do you feel motivated?  Do you feel proud of yourself?  Do you feel healthy?  It is time to review your answers and decide on your next action.

  • Think about how you would like to feel about your body?
  • If you are feeling down about the way you look, you have to decide what the true source of those feelings are?  Did someone tell you that you’re too fat or not attractive, or is that feeling coming from you.  If you don’t like things about the way you look, and it’ can’t be changed how will you find happiness.
  • If you are happy with the way you look but know you could be healthier, what are your next steps?  What actions are you willing to take?
  • What positive action can you take today?  If you love your body, take actions that will make it healthier and keep it healthy.  If you want to change some things, start brainstorming about the actions you can take.

We have to be real with ourselves about how we feel about our bodies.  Our body is our temple and we have to show it love.  Love may be positive change.  Love may be accepting that you will not be a size 2.  Love may be leaving alcohol, soda and fast food alone.  Love could be walking for 20 minutes a day or training for a marathon. You have to find out what love is for you. 

Lanisha lost 40 pounds

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Success Story of the Day: Lanisha lost 40 pounds.  Like many in our community, she had high blood pressure and was put on medication for hypertension.  She decided to take action and change her lifestyle to lose weight and get healthy.  Here is what she shared about her journey:

Lanisha before and after photos

My motivation to lose weight was for health reasons. My doctor advised me to lose weight because of hypertension (high blood pressure). He put me on medication and I hated taking them everyday. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I started to make healthier decisions instead of impulse eating. I was an emotional eater. Instead of chips, soda and fast food, I substituted those things for water, fruits and veggies. I honestly put myself on a restricted calorie diet. In the beginning of my weight loss journey ate 1000 calories a day. Then after I started to see results, I decided to up my calorie intake and began tracking it using My Fitness Pal so I could maintain my weight loss success.  Then I started to add walking and bicycling Monday thru Friday. While I was walking, I started to add a light jog. Jogging became my stress relief.

My transformation took about 8 months. I started at weight size of 190 pounds and I’m currently 150 pounds (My height is 5’4″). I would tell others to not think about dieting but about lifestyle change. I changed the way I live. I still eat some snacks when cravings kick in, but only in moderation. I live an active life that also keeps my weight balanced. In addition, I take my vitamins and eat small meals throughout the day. Losing weight is more about determination then anything else. If I commit to something I give it a 100% or nothing at all. Thanks for reading my story.

Instagram: @neegreen.

Over 300 lbs Gone: The Beals celebrate their 8 year anniversary of losing weight together

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betterchoices BealsLet’s show some love to Maleka and Eric Beal of BetterChoices.  They’ve lost over 300 pounds collectively. I LOVE it when a couple loses the pounds together.  We featured their story back in Sept 2013.

Check out the original post for more info and a video).

Here is an update: “This month marks 8 years since taking that first step to change our lives & make our health a priority. We remember it like it was yesterday. That first morning, getting up at 4:30am to exercise…it was ROUGH! But each day, it got better. The results became more & more obvious and by 10 months into the journey, we had each lost 100lbs!

Combined, we have lost over 300lbs. Often times, we asked how have we maintained our weight loss for all these years. It’s simple. The same things we did to lose the weight are the same things we do today to maintain the weight lose. It’s about consistently making BetterChoices.

At the end of the day, this journey is about creating a lifestyle – a healthier lifestyle. Your lifestyle is what will sustain you day in & day out. We are still very active, getting in some type of cardio & strength training activity 4-5 times a week.

Now as healthy lifestyle coaches, we are blessed to work with individuals and couples wanting to create a healthier lifestyle & improve their overall health and wellness.

As always, we thank you for the support you have shown us over the last few years! We invite you to visit us www.betterchoices.co & connect socially @betterchoicesco.”

beals weight loss couple

Meoshia lost 28.6 pounds

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Featured Weight Loss Success Story: Meoshia lost 28.6 pounds by changing her eating habits, taking HCG drops and walking.  Here is what she shared with us about her journey:

meoshiaAug14blog

I wanted a healthier lifestyle so I started the HCG drops on nov 28 2013. I weighed 236.6 pounds and  my motivation to lose weight was that I couldn’t find many jeans that fit me correctly. I have always had a smaller waist but my hips and my back side were wide. For exercise, I walked 2 miles 3-4 days a week. I also tried my best to eat right thru the week.

I eat baked chicken and baked fish, as well as lots of green veggie. I have also learned that snacking on healthy food throughout the day helps out a lot. I drink 74 oz of water everyday. I basically gave up fried foods and if I do eat them it’s like a reward to myself. I only season my food with Ms.Dash seasoning. I also eat greek yogurt.

I have lost a total of 28.6 lbs and I am 5’11”. My advice to others is to find what works for your body and stick to it. I realize that I had to set small goals each time because I got discouraged when I set big ones and didn’t meet them in time.

Instagram: @__teamjackson

NOTE: The FDA banned real HCG drops from the market so what is now on the market is usually a mix of other agents/ingredients. The HCG diet is a calorie restriction diet, and that is the main reason it works for weight loss. Of course, there are pros and cons to that type of diet in terms of gaining the weight back when you stop the calorie restriction is you don’t have a plan in place. Check out this article for more info: www.blackweightlosssuccess.com/the-hcg-diet-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-work/

Shardee lost 50 pounds

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Weight Loss Success Story of the Day: Shardee lost 50 pounds.  After dealing with the loss of family members, including her mother and realizing that she was almost 300 pounds at the young age of 22, Shardee knew that it was time for a lifestyle change.  She let the last words of her beloved mother guide her.  Read what she shared with us about changing her lifestyle:

Shardee weight loss story

My name is Shardee. I started my healthy lifestyle change about two years ago when I was knocking very close to entering the weight of 300 pounds at 22 years old. After the sudden death of my mother, I became very lost about  just who I was and where I wanted my life to go. Six months later my uncle (my mothers brother) passed away. I found myself losing family members and I was lost in such a dark place. One day, I decided I didn’t want to sit around in my own self doubt any longer. All I could think of was my mothers last words to me, “Live Shardee”. I knew my body had become my trap to hide my feelings, desires and self worth. I decided no longer will I not try to change!

I googled a gym and joined their classes. I worked out sometimes even twice a day and cleaned my eating habits up. When I first started going to the gym, I used the treadmill. I was simply walking and slowly increasing the incline and speed over time. The more cardio I did, the more I gained some courage to join kickboxing, Zumba and a body sculpting class.

In order to lose the weight, I stopped eating fried foods and drinking soda. I started baking or grilling my foods and eating mostly chicken breast, fish and ground turkey. I included lots of green veggies in my diet such as spinach and kale. I would also think of all the things I liked and figured out ways to cut down the calories and fat intake in my favorite foods.  I used portion control and I have learned how to eat in the real world. This is not a diet, I’m just eating in a healthier way.

I’ve lost 50 pounds. I love it and I’m loving my second chance at life. This is my fight to a healthy lifestyle. My advice to others would be let go of the shame. Don’t be afraid to ask for help as well. Once I stopped feeling ashamed I went in search for help and a place that I felt comfortable working out (a women’s gym). Believe in yourself and know that results are not coming fast but they will come. When you make a mistake in your diet don’t wait until “Monday ” to start over. Start over at your next meal that day because once you realize this is a everyday choice you will see change. I didn’t go on a diet, I went on a lifestyle change. I created a clean mind for myself and sometimes that’s just something we all are in search of… a clean mind and fresh spirit.

Check her out on instagram: @clean_hearts

Shardee before and after Shardee instagram weight loss

Mia went from 260 pounds to 16% body fat

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Mia’s story is our Success Story of the Day. She went from 260 pounds to 16% body fat and she’s no longer using the scale to judge her progress. This chef has transformed her body with bodybuilding and clean eating.  Read all about her journey below. MiaBlz weight loss Starting out on November 26,2012 when I woke up and joined Lifetime Fitness my life has not been the same since. I walked into Lifetime weighing a hefty 260 pounds, the largest I had ever been in my life. I started off going to the gyms twice a day as well as training with a personal trainer so that I could get my technique right on how to lift.  They also told me what I needed to do to get this weight off of body. I had just gotten out of a abusive relationship and over the past two years. I had gained over a hundred plus pounds and something had to change. I came to Lifetime once before and I knew I wanted to come back but I was in a financial bind and that was not in my budget. Once my financial situation turned around I knew I had no more excuses. I love to dance and so I did every chance I got. Every Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon I took all Dance Jams and Zumba classes I could do. I am a chef so food was not the problem but proper eating was. We often think to lose weight we must starve ourselves but contrary to popular beliefs you must eat a clean proper diet in order to lose weight. By Feb of 2013, I could see my hard work paying off. I was almost out of the 200’s and those around me could see me melting away as well. When the seasons changed, I joined Bootcamp and lost more. I did a 90 day challenge in spring/summer of 2013 and I believe I placed in the transformation section of the competition. I tried my hardest but I never gave up. In December of 2013, I have decided to get into bodybuilding. I lost over half my bodyweight and I knew that from a lifetime of my weight being up and down that this was now a lifestyle change, It has been the best change I have ever made. I am now at 16% body fat and I don’t care about what the scale says. It’s about how I look and feel. My ultimate goal is to train others and utilize my cooking skills as well as my found knowledge of body transformation and lifestyle changes to help others being out there inner healthy person. I am now known as Mia Blaze of Blaze Athletics – “Blazing a trail to a new beginning”. Follow me of Instagram at Miablz1 or my Facebook fan page of inspiration MiaBlz.

MiaBAug3
before
MiaBAug4
after cardio

Update: Keiasha maintained her weight loss

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Update: Keiasha 30 pounds and has kept the weight off.  She went from 185 lbs to 155 lbs. We featured her story back in September 2013 before she left for college. She dealt with college weight gain, like a lot of women do, and was still able to maintain her weight loss.  Check out her updated story below: (Click here for the original post about her journey for more info)

Keiasha weight loss

Hello, my name is Keiasha Lumpkins. I was featured on the BWLW site before, but I have continued my journey.  I want to let you know that you can keep going and that I’ve got goals that will be met. After the last time I was featured I went through a depressed stage and I end up gaining weight when I went to college.  That’s when I realized that I shouldn’t bury myself in food. I’ve included some updated photos.

Previously when I was featured I was 17 years old.  Now, I am 19 and in college. It is a struggle to maintain my progress in college and make sure that I am healthy in the process. I have maintained my weight by eating right and exercising consistently. My weight was 160 pounds and now I am 155 pounds. My goal weight is 145 pounds.

I have done somethings differently. I do weight training now and have a lean diet. I want to start having more definition since I lost the weight. I eventually want to run in the Philadelphia Broad Street run and finish!

What I have learned is that you have to be ready mentally before anything. I have made many changes this year. The first one was going natural with my hair and embracing who I am as a young girl. I realized that sometimes your goal is going to be different then someone else’s. I eventually want to start my own workout program and become an athletic trainer. I want to help others because I had help down this road and want to continue. I just went to remind other young people, and older ones as well, that you can do anything you put your mind to. No matter who puts you down, to every set back there is a comeback and God’s plans are working in your favor.

Keiasha weight loss success story

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Aliyah lost 66 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Aliyah lost 66 pounds.  Like many of us she gained a lot of weight in college and took steps after graduation to change her lifestyle, lose weight and reach her wellness goals.  Here is what she shared about her weight loss journey: msupshurJuly14blog My name is Aliyah, I’m 26 years old. I just realized how much weight I lost and I couldn’t be more proud of myself! I lost a total of 66 lbs over 18 months. After graduating college, I realized I had gained a freshmen 50+ instead of a freshmen 15. I did high intense cardio classes (Tae Bo, Insanity, Kickboxing & Step Interval) four times a week.  I also stopped eating after 8pm on weeknights. Although I wasn’t consistent through the entire 18 months, I am more than happy about my results thus far! I was 250 lbs and I now weigh 184 lbs (5’4″). My goal weight is 175 pounds!!! I can’t believe how close I am!!!!!!! My motivation: Well, someone asked if I had a baby since college since I had gained so much weight. I have no children so that was like my “end all to be all” moment. I HAD to make a change immediately!  I didn’t diet, I made a lifestyle change. I only made changes that I could see myself doing for the rest of my life.

  • I stopped eating after 8pm
  • I love carbs so cutting them out was unrealistic. Instead, I eat whole wheat instead of white. Brown rice instead of white rice…etc..
  • Eating breakfast EVERYDAY!
  • Drinking water first thing in the morning. Drinking MORE water! 2 liters/day at LEAST!…and that’s on a bad day. On a normal day I’m shooting for 3 liters.

My advice to others would be to STAY CONSISTENT! Don’t stop. EVER!!!! This is a LIFESTYLE change!

Instagram @msupshur UpshurJuly2blog