Update: We asked the BWLW Community on FB what they felt was the key to losing belly fat and Jenitra shared what works for her.
“I currently train 4-5 days a week in the gym, it took one year to transform my body. My diet consists of 5 meals. They’re all high in protein, I eat moderate carbs and incorporate fiber. Taking digestive enzymes and probiotics played a role in my transformation.” – @Jeanitra
Update Feb 2017: Jeanitra is still going strong. She’s preparing for a figure competition in April and has gone from 16% body fat to 14%. We asked her what changes she’s made to her routine to prepare for competition and what advice she’d like to share. Her story shows how powerful gaining lean muscle can be when it comes to transforming your body.
I would love to share my physique update with all of you. I’ve lost more body fat. I was 16% body fat and now I’m roughly 14%. This spring, April 29th, I will be competing in the upcoming NPC Kentucky Derby Show as a figure competitor. I’m 11 weeks out from the show. My goal is to reach my leanest body fat percentage, which my coach and I are predicting 9%, I’ve also put on more muscle! Before, my overall goal was to just have a flat tummy, but now I’m aiming for the sky.
Have you made any significant changes to your diet and exercise routine as you prepare for the NPC show?
Yes, I’ve made significant changes, mainly to my workout routine. I’m weight training 7 days a week vs. before when I was training 3-4 days a week. I have a set day for each body part. I train my major muscles groups twice a week. I’ve recently added 35 minutes of cardio that I complete after my training sessions, 4 days per week. Currently my contest prep coach, Kevin Fit Johnson, is monitoring how my body responds to see if we need to make adjustments for conditioning purposes!
At this point, would you offer any new advice to ladies who want to lose weight?
I recommend to all the aspiring women that you should focus on the overall body when it comes to losing weight. It took me 12 months of pure consistency and dedication to get to where I am today. Follow a strict meal, do resistance training at least 4-5 days a week, and add in a little cardio. If your trying to build muscle, you may want to gradually increase your cardio so that you won’t burn off muscle. Don’t look at your journey as a punishment!
Tips: Drink a gallon of water EVERYDAY. Eat FIVE small meals a day. Don’t starve yourself. Reduce your salt intake. Cut out Fast Food/Sweets/Soda. Don’t isolate just your stomach. Get 8 hours of sleep. Get rid of your EXCUSES!
Updated Instagram: @Jeanitra
July 2016: Jeanitra lost 12 pounds, gained muscle and transformed her midsection with clean eating and weight training. She also found love on this journey. This mom of 3 is no long worried about her loose skin and stretch marks. Check out her story.
After having three beautiful children, ages 13, 6, and 2 years old, my body indeed changed! All I can remember is going from having no butt, stomach, and hips to BABY GOT BACK! Loose skin and stretch marks were my biggest issues. I thought my body was gone forever. Today, drinking one gallon of water a day and eating clean is keeping my skin tighter.
I began my weight loss journey after meeting my personal trainer, Kevin Johnson, who later became my boyfriend. He is my motivation. He is so encouraging, devoted and reassuring!
We completely took sugar, processed meats, pork, fast foods, etc. out my diet. My meal plan is strictly based off of my height (5’1″), body weight and of my favorite healthy food choices. I eat five meals everyday (2-3 hours apart) with small portions.
My first meal is breakfast: I have egg whites, steel cut oatmeal, and a small portion of blueberries. The other four meals consist of a protein, a healthy carb, and veggies. It’s hard work to intake such amounts of food and water at first. Once your metabolism is boosted, your body will quickly adjust. I workout seven days a week doing cardio and weight training.
My starting weight was 145 pounds, currently I weigh 133 pounds. I’ve learned not to be so dependent on the scale in my bathroom because with weight training you gain lean muscle mass. This means you can appear heavier based on the numbers on the scale, but you will look more toned and fit in the mirror.
My first transformation took three months. I immediately noticed my abs forming! My journey has become a lifestyle, I have more progress pictures and recent workout videos that I’ve downloaded to my Instagram account: @jeanitra. I would like to dedicate my transformation to all women as a reminder that it always seems impossible until its done.
