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Update: Degra lost 160 pounds

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Update Oct 2016 – Degra wrote in to retell her story and update us on her progress. She’s lost over 160 pounds and she keeps going strong.

degree before and after

I started this journey in April 19, 2012. What has inspired me to lose weight? I adopted a baby from Nigeria! I said, “If I’m out of breath now, how am I gonna keep up with the baby?” From that day forward I never looked back! I went to the gym. I started working out doing only cardio, working on the treadmill and elliptical machines for an hour. I did that for 2 years and saw little to no changes, because I was still eating whatever I wanted. I was still eating foot-long subway sandwiches, rice, bread, but I did feel good after working out! That’s what kept me coming back!

I made a promise that I would stay off the scale! Well, it took me 4 years to step back on the scale! That’s when I joined classes at the gym that included lots of toning with weights. I also did lots of cardio! One day I said to myself let me see what happens if I cut back on unhealthy things I put in my mouth! Omg, it was magic! I saw a big difference in my face and the weight was melting off.

Today, I drink at least 10 bottles of water a day (16oz). I have my green tea with coconut oil in the morning. I eat a big breakfast at least 30 minutes after I rise; Oatmeal, with blueberries one turkey sausage, boiled eggs, etc. I’m eating every 3 hours! I love avocados, tuna, salmon, turkey, brown rice, sweets potatoes, beans, etc. I just want to let people know that change is is possible if you stay focused! At 40 years old, I’m blessed to say that I’m not on any kind of medication! My doctor says keep on exercising! Instagram: @aworkinprogress01

Feb 2016 – Degra is down 160 pounds. Check out her update.

degra weight loss

I started this journey on 4/19/12 and I haven’t looked back. The left picture is when I thought I was happy but I was miserable inside! I was always tired and out of breath! My highest weight was 385 pounds. In the picture on the right, I’m happy, sexy and confident! When I lost all my excuses, that’s when the weight dropped off! I workout 6-7 days a week, doing lots of strength training and cardio. After 2 years of working hard and seeing little change, I sat down and said to myself, “What is the problem?” In December of 2014, I changed the way I ate! That’s when I noticed a big difference. It took me 4 years to get on a scale, because they are a huge distraction to me. Instead, I’m focused on good lab test results and feeling good. I was just curious just to see what my current weight was, because everyone kept asking me, “Well, how much do you weight?” I’M SAYING THIS… Before you decide to give up, just look at yourself in the mirror and say, “I HAVE COME A LONG WAY!!!”

 

degrafeb16blog

Sept 2014 Update – Degra is still going strong and losing pounds.

I was a treadmill and elliptical queen for over 2 years but noticed that my results were at a stand still. So, I decided to change up my workouts by adding ZUMBA upper and lower body workouts classes with weights. Every morning I make nutriblast Nutribullet smoothies that contain kale, spinach, half an avocado and a scoop of protein…no fruit. I also eat 5 small meals a day and drink plenty of water. Everyday no matter how tired I am, working out is my number one priority. I came to far to turn around now. This challenge of losing weight and getting healthier is not an overnight process. My advice to others that are struggling is please don’t get discouraged when you don’t see results overnight. The numbers on the scale doesn’t mean anything, just pay attention on how your clothes fit you. If I can do it so can you!

Here is the photo from when we featured her back in June.  Read more about how she lost the weight in the original post.

DeeupdateSeptblog

deeJune

Tamara lost 107 pounds

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Today’s Weight Loss Success Story: Tamara lost 107 pounds. After facing the reality that she hadn’t prioritized her health and was dealing with the consequences, Tamara took steps to change her life and her health. Not only has she reached her goals, but she now works with others as a weight loss and fitness expert. I think you will really get a lot out of what she has shared with us.

fitnesstamara

What was your motivation? What inspired you?

I wish I could say that I made the decision to become healthy and fit all on my own, but the reality is I needed a little help. My wakeup call came when I went to the doctor in Dec. 2007 for a physical. My blood pressure was up…again. My doctor warned me that deprioritizing my health could have grave consequences. I was 100 pounds overweight, working 50-60 hours a week and had the nerve to be applying for grad school. He made it clear that blood pressure medication or worse was in my future if I didn’t change. It was painful to hear but I knew he was right and in January of 2008 I began my transformation.

How did you change your eating habits? What did you stop or start eating?

I learned about the importance of good nutrition the hard way. I took my doctor’s advice and began exercising. After working out hard for 4 weeks, I stepped on the scale and was horrified to see that I lost zero pounds! The “see I told you this wouldn’t work” voice kicked in and I considered quitting, but then my mind flashed back to that day in the doctor’s office. I had to figure out a way to make this work, my future was at risk. I decided to go back to the drawing board to figure out what that was missing.

Tamara weight lossI did some research and learned that I didn’t lose any weight because I was still eating poorly. I decided to eat 5 small meals a day, increase my fruit and vegetable intake, and drink 64 oz. of water per day. There was just one problem – I was addicted to sugar! Cookies, cakes, sodas – you name it, I loved it! I decided going cold turkey was too much and allowed myself one 12 oz. soda and one 100-150 calorie treat per day and one “treat day” per week. Eventually my taste buds changed; now soda and sweets are occasional indulgences. I am a witness, you CAN change and you don’t have to give up everything. You just have to know your number – how much you can eat and reach your goal – and stick to it.

What did your workout routines look like?

Initially, I hated exercise and was intimidated by the gym. I decided to start out with a dance based workout that I could do at home – Hip Hops Abs. I worked out 5-6 days a week and my workouts averaged about 30 minutes. I eventually started craving the endorphin rush and began to look forward to my workouts. I incorporated a new workout routine every 60-90 days to keep from getting bored and to continue to raise my level of fitness. Six years later, I have over 25 different at home workout programs in my collection and I rotate them frequently. I also became a certified fitness instructor in 2012 and now create workouts for myself and my clients.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?

My highest weight was 265 pounds. Today my weight fluctuates between 155-158 pounds.

What is your height?             

5’9”

How long did your transformation take?

I love it when I am asked this question because it allows me to share a reality of life: You don’t always get it right the first time. I weighed in at 265 pounds in 2006 after trying unsuccessfully to lose weight for 6 years. I lost 40 pounds in 2006 but gained 10 lbs. of it back. I decided that a size 18/20 was the smallest I could ever hope to be until that fateful day in the doctor’s office. After losing nothing in my first month, I lost 70 pounds in 10 months and have kept it off since.

The key for me was getting clear on my why. In the past, my motivation to lose weight was superficial – I wanted to look good for a wedding or fit back into a certain size. This time it was about preserving my quality of life. My mom and her siblings were on blood pressure medication and my grandfather (RIP) had a pacemaker. I didn’t want that to be my story and every time I thought about quitting, that is what snapped me out of it. Now I tell my clients that one of the major keys to success is defining a compelling and emotionally charged why. My mantra: “if it isn’t strong enough to make you cry, you haven’t gone deep enough.”

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?

Take it one day at a time. Change takes time. Don’t burn yourself out by demanding too much too soon. Show yourself love and be patient. Realize this journey will have ups and downs. Get back up when you fall. Remember that God is concerned with everything that concerns you. Inviting Him into this journey will make all the difference. Lastly, get the right tools, resources and support. Purchase a heart rate monitor to see how many calories you’re really burning in that work out. Use an app like MyFitnessPal or Lose It! to track your food intake. Find people – in person or online – that share your interest in health & fitness and will be there to support you and hold you accountable. The 4 P’s – Patience, Persistence, People and Prayer – are the keys to success.

If you have trouble staying motivated, follow me on Twitter @FitnessTamara or like ‘Tamara Jackson Fitness Expert’ on Facebook for daily tips and inspiration, then check out my book 265 Point at Amazon.com. I am blessed because others have found healing in my story and learned from my mistakes. If you prefer a personal touch, go to my website at www.265point.com and fill out the ‘Connect with Tamara’ tab to set up your free consultation. You don’t have to take this journey alone. I am here to help.

Tamara fitness and weight loss expert

Meko lost 65 pounds

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Weight Loss Success Story of the Day: Meko lost 65 pounds and dropped dress sizes too. Her co-workers have been part of her support group and her daughter is her motivation. She found help in the form of a traditional weight loss program and with an online tool/app. Read her story to find out how she did it.

Meko weight loss story

First, I wanted to take a moment and thank you for creating this website! I have a been a member for about 2 years and I love to read the weight loss stories. It really motivates me to hear and see other women that are going through this journey.
Although, I am not at my goal –YET, I wanted to share my story. I saw a co-worker I hadn’t seen in about 2 years and she encouraged me to share my story.

In 2010, tragedy struck my family, leaving my daughter’s father paralyzed from the waist down. I became severely depressed and hopeless, turning to food as a way of coping with everything I had to face. As time went on, the weight began to pile on. In May 2011, I prayed and asked God to please help me on my weight loss journey and I decided enough is enough. I made a promise to myself to get my health and weight together. I realized not only was this change for me but also for my daughter. A co-worker invited me to the Weight Watchers meeting that we had at my job, and after attending the meeting, I joined and I never looked back. I learned so much about food and nutrition. I began to make small changes like eliminating soda from my diet and walking daily. When I first began walking, I could barely make it up the hill where I lived without feeling like I was going to pass out now I walk at least 4-5 miles a day. Not only is walking good for Cardio, but it is also excellent for reducing stress and a great tool for meditation to relax your mind. Instead of sitting in the lunchroom, I challenged myself to get out and exercise and I have discovered a love for walking as it gives me a chance to admire God’s beautiful creation.

I started at a size 26-28 and now I am size 18-20. I’ve lost 65 pounds to date (I am 5’7″). This journey hasn’t been always been easy. There were times I felt like giving up. When you have a lot of weight to lose, it almost seems overwhelming. After about 2 years of Weight Watchers at work, it came to an end. Another co-worker introduced me to My Fitness Pal– an online calorie counter and encouragement website and I picked up and continued my journey. The support from my buddies on MFP, is so amazing! Thanks for allowing me to share my story and I hope my story inspires someone and they can see that slow progress is still progress. This is not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change and although you may not physically see changes immediately, as long as you trust the process and keep going, you will get there.

Instagram: @mskimmievirgolady

Natalie went from a size 18/20 to a 10/12

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Update Dec 2015: More than a year later Coach Natalie is still going strong, despite a recent car accident that hindered her from working out while she recovered. A testimony to healthy eating habits, she didn’t gain a single pound.  We asked this amazing mom of 5 to update us on her progress. (You can also read more about how she lost the weight below)

“To be perfectly honest, I haven’t lost a single pound since that feature in 2014. I did however lose an additional pant size and it was awesome. I completely let go of the thought of a “magic number” and how that would bring me a sense of accomplishment. Forget the scale! My body was moving and looking fantastic.

I say “was” because I am now recovering for a car accident and I am not able to workout just yet. I am however excited to report that even though I am not as firm, I have not put on a single pound. Nutrition is king, and I see that now even more than I already did. This car accident was a blessing. I got to be put in the same position of a lot of my clients. Not at their physical best but desperately needing a start they can stick with. This accident has grown my passion and creativity for nutrition. I’m able to serve my clients better. I feel more than confident that my consistency with nutrition is helping me heal and keep my size down despite not exercising.”

Check out her blog for more about her inspirational story: http://teamwitnessfitness.blogspot.com

coach natalie update

Sept 2014 – Weight Loss Success Story of the Day: Coach Natalie went from a size 18/20 to a 10/12.  This proud mom focused on fat loss and getting healthy instead of just pounds.  She has shared a lot about her journey and her mindset about losing weight.  I really love her perspective.  Check out what she shared…

Coach Natalie

What was your motivation? What inspired you?
What motivates me changes as I change. I started this journey motivated by the thought that I needed to do my best to be healthy for my children. I want to be in their photos as they grow, for them to have memories of us playing together and to just feel good. You have to take care of mama so that mama can take care of baby.  I continue to keep motivating myself with non-scale victories (like getting into jeans that don’t fit). As of right now my major motivation is my missions trip to Guatemala. I’m going with my oldest set of twins to help build a home for a widow and work with orphans. I want to be an asset on this trip. I want to have the strength to do whatever is needed in that home. The thought of serving in that capacity is what currently motivates me.

How did you change your eating habits? What did you stop or start eating?
I started this fat-loss journey with the thought that I could workout enough to cancel out my food choices. I refused, I mean I REFUSED to change my eating. When I first started, I was in group fitness classes 4 hrs out of the day and at first I saw results but that was short lived. You really can not out work a bad diet. I tried, oh I tried that method for a while without success. I didn’t really start focusing on my nutrition until a year and a half into my journey, and I wish I would have started sooner. It took a friend making herself available as an accountability partner and placing me in a small online group to start that gradual change. It was then that I stopped having my meals handed to me through a window. That’s when I stopped buying faux food that belonged on a shelf and started buying real food that didn’t last longer than a week in the fridge.


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I use a great eating guide that helps me get in my healthy fats, carbs, proteins, veggies, and fruits. I REFUSE to diet, I rather maintain a healthy diet regularly.  If eating is something you struggle with I suggest you pick up Taste For Truth by Barb Raveling. It’s a great 30 day bible study that I have dove into more than once.

What did your workout routines look like?
I now workout once a day. My workouts range from 15mins to an hour and a half long it really just depends on what I am doing that day. 70% of my workouts are at home dvd series. I use Turbofire, Insanity, T25, 21 Day Fix, PiYo, Body Pump, Body Combat and so on. I have collected quite a few in the last 3 years but I use them, enjoy them and share them with others. I also enjoy lifting heavy and when machines are involved I do that at a gym.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
Weight can be a lot of things so while I have lost weight I focus on my journey being a fat loss journey. I encourage my clients to think of their journey that way too. The last time I unhappily weighed myself was 237lbs amd wore a size 18/20 pant. I have two sets of twins and a singleton, and even while I was pregnant with my big healthy babies I didn’t weigh that much. I am just 2 months shy of hitting 3 years since I started this lifestyle change. I’m 5’9″ and have lost 23% of my body fat since I started, I now where a size 10-12 pant but depending on the brand that can go up (we women know how that goes). I recognize weight as a method to measure success in this journey but I don’t make a HUGE fuss about it. I celebrate my growing strength, power, endurance, speed, flexibility, mobility, health… the list goes on. I say screw a 3 digit number. All that number does is aid me in fueling this machine of a body. Seriously though, I track my weight for the sole purpose of adjusting my eating to meet my body’s growing needs.

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
My advice is to focus on losing the right weight, which is fat. There is no need to do hours and hours of cardio. You may burn some fat that way but, you can also burn through your muscle. Burning through muscle makes for loose skin, and we don’t want that. Build muscles that burn fat and then properly fuel those muscles you are building with real food. Eat big, clean but big.

Take lots of pictures. I along with my clients take the same 3 photos either weekly or bi-weekly as well as our measurements. The scale tends to lie about the progress you made and sometimes the mirror lies to us as well. Photos don’t lie, all of your progress will reflect in your pictures. I can’t tell you how many time I was surprised when putting two photos side by side, it’s so rewarding. The more your cover up in your photos the less results you see, so I suggest using the same swimsuit or sports bra and shorts every time you take photos.

Earlier this year I was featured in the awesome women’s fitness magazine Gorgo. Here is the link so that you can dive in a little deeper on getting to know me personally.

If you need any help with your eating, figuring out what exercise program works for you, are in need of prayer, or want to be informed when my new blog goes live please reach out via email MyCoachNatalie@gmail.com and use the subject line “BWLW”. I’m a virtual coach and would love to help you in anyway that I can. Feel free to follow me on FB: LikeMyCoachNatalie. My handles for Twitter & IG are @MyCoachNatalie

Natalie weight loss success

 

Paula lost 110 pounds

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Success Story of the Day: Paula lost 110 pounds. She lost the weight and has kept it off for a few years with consistent exercise, portion control and low carb eating.  Check out the details that she shared with us about her journey.

Paula weight loss story

I’ve lost 110 lbs (5’5″), going from a size 18/2X down to a size 4/XS. I started working out of 1-2 hours Mon-Fri and completely changed my eating habits, using diets here and there strictly as motivation. I’m 27 years old, but I started my journey as a Junior in college in 2009. It took me almost a year to lose the weight and so far I’ve managed to keep it off. I don’t have any kids and was heavy my entire life. I just finally got serious about my life.

The advice I would give to others is to look at it as a lifestyle change and not a diet. Also, what works for me is to simply eat more protein and less of everything else! I have better portion control now and I eat on smaller plates to make me visually feel as if I’m eating a large meal.When I feel hungry, I first drink 2 glasses of water and if I’m still hungry, then I’ll eat. This is a way I “test” myself to see if I’m truly hungry, or not. I did try several diets, and some worked…but I only did that as motivation because seeing the scale move made me feel accomplished!! I also would get rid of the clothes that were too big, because saving them was really a way of saying that one day I would gain the weight back and wear them again. Diet wise, I did SlimFast, Atkins, Weight Watchers and the Grapefruit Diet just to name a few.

Currently, I mainly watch my portions and I eat 5 small meals per day. I also don’t deprive myself when I have a craving. If I’m craving cookies, for example, I will grab a few (1-3) and break it into small pieces. Usually after eating a few pieces, I feel bad for eating unhealthy and I won’t even finish them. I’m a big snacker, so I snack on healthier foods like cheese strings, almonds, fresh fruit and etc.

Protein can cause you to gain weight, if you aren’t cutting back on everything else. Sometimes, I replace an entire meal with a protein shake. I use a medical grade protein made by Unjury because it has less sugar, calories and carbs. My breakfast is normally all protein (eggs and a breakfast meat). My lunch and dinner are normally about 6oz of a lean meat, 2 green leafy vegetables and if I have room I’ll have a starch. I don’t count carbs/calories but if an item has a sugar free or low sodium version, I’ll get it because that normally means less carbs/calories.

I used to do at least 5 days at the gym with 1 hour of cardio (treadmill, elliptical, bike, stairclimber, Zumba, hip hop dance etc) and 1 hour of weights. With the weights, I’ll do squats, arm curls, leg press, chest press, and etc. I now try to workout 5  days a week for 30-45 min (cardio and weights still) because I don’t want to keep losing weight.

My Instagram name is @ReeziRee. I never show my old photos because it’s a hard reminder of a place I never want to revisit.  However, I just posted my picture on Instagram because I was inspired by someone you follow. Thanks for sharing my story and I hope to inspire more black women.

Paula before and after

Deborah lost 80 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Delta Sigma Theta soror Deborah lost 80 pounds since January.  Her weight loss coach, Wiltrina Jones (who has lost over 205 pounds), encouraged her to send in her story.  This single mom of 3 went from a size 3XL shirt to a small and from size 24 pants down to size 10.  Here is what she shared about her journey:

Deb weight loss story single mom

My name is Deborah Harvin. I’ve lost 80.9 pounds and I’m on my way to my goal of 100 lbs, GONE. I began my journey 1/24/14, weighing 280, wearing a 3XXL SHIRT, 24 tight pants. Today,  I am wearing a juniors small shirt and size 10 pants. I reached half my original size in 7 months.  I got sick and tired of being sick and tired. Not physically sick but tired, run down and lethargic. As a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, I attended our Centennial Celebration in D.C, and I was uncomfortable at many of the events because of my size and limited choices in fashionable clothes. I’ve carried this extra weight over 25+ years and it got worse after each child, life event, etc.  However, I have no illnesses associated with being obese and I realized that was my blessing, but I needed to keep it that way for me and my children. I’ve been a single mother of three for nine years, I operate my own business, and have tried over the years EVERYTHING to lose weight. I’ve seemingly been on a perpetual diet.

I stumbled across Wiltrina Jones: I Use To Be U on FB  and watched her and her clients for about a year. My thinking was, “Wow, she looks like me, is shaped like me, she did it. It’s possible.”.  Well, on January 24, 2014, I finally decided to try her plans. In July 2014, I won $1000 in her 12 week body transformation contest.  Having customized meal plans has given me my life back. I eat real food that I buy, cook and enjoy. No shakes, pills, etc. I have learned how to meal prep, use portion control, understanding my body’s signals. I changed my eating habits by eating clean, measuring my food, no processed food, such as chips, fast food, ice cream, deserts.  I eat fish, chicken, ground turkey, fresh veggies, brown rice, all baked, no fried foods.

I work out 4-5 days a week and began going to the gym about a month into my journey. Once there, I immediately began lifting weights as I was fearful of having loose skin and my Coach always says, ‘Keep the weights in your hands’. My exercise routines also include walking, boot camps, jump roping, weighted ropes and the treadmill. No matter what method you use, discipline, prayer, hard work, sweat, a few tears, and focus have to be part of the journey. If I can do it, I believe anyone can, but you have to get out of your own way!

Instagram: @debduncanharvin

Deb before and after

Monique lost 80 pounds

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Success Story of the Day: Monique lost 80 pounds.  After years of dieting and bad eating habits, she decided that she wanted to prove those who doubted her wrong.  However, along the way her motivation turned inward and her journey became all about her feeling good and being healthy. Here is what she had to say…

Monique before and after

Instagram: @thatssomoe
Youtube: Thatssomoe

My name is Monique, and my journey started in 2012 at 280 pounds! My whole life, I was a heavy girl, so I really just came to the conclusion I would always be that way. I would try little diets and I knew how to workout, but my bad eating habits would always ruin my progress. One day I was talking to my then Ex-boyfriend about how I really wanted to go on a diet and change my life. He just said “You always say that. You’ve been on 20 diets already, just let it go”. While I don’t really think he knew how those words affected me! The journey started off trying to prove everyone wrong who had ever written me off, especially him, but a month into things it became more about me. It became more about how I was feeling and treating my body like a temple!

Cardio really helped drastically drop the weight. Once I got to a certain weight I incorporated weights to tone!

When I first started out I kept a strict protein/veggie/fruit diet. I also drank lots of water. No fried foods and no salt in order to lower my blood pressure because it was high! I did not eat very many starches! For snacks, I ate a variety of nuts, protein bars, and dried fruits if I wanted something similar to candy. I really just had my mind made up about eating better. I knew had to get a control on things before they got worse, and I believe that’s how I stayed faithful to my diet! When I started working out I focused on cardio and that really helped drastically drop the weight.. Brisk walking helped build my endurance. Once I was able to run I would do interval training, walk for 2 min run for 1 min. That’s what helped with dropping the weight all over! Now to tone I still do interval training, but now I also weight train.

I’ve lost 80 lbs so far (Height 5 feet, 6 1/2 inches”)!I would tell anyone who is about to embark on a journey, have your mind set and made up! You will not change your body until you have changed your mind! Of course I’ve detoured on my journey a bit but I’m not giving up!

Monique weight loss story

Tiffani lost 54 pounds

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Update Oct 2016 – Tiffani has maintained her love of fitness and her weight loss for 2 years.

tiffani before and after“Since my last submission a few things have changed. I’m so excited to share them with you! I am now a certified personal trainer and healthy living coach. I’ve competed in 5 Bikini Competitions. In my most recent competition, I placed 2nd overall. I’ve also managed to get my body fat % down to 14%. The thing that changed the most is that I am now vegan/pescatarian. I say “pescatarian” because I only eat seafood and “vegan” because I don’t consume any eggs or dairy products. I love the difference my new lifestyle change has made in my life! And I can’t want to share my next progress picture with you all.”

tiffani

September 2014 – Weight Loss Success Story of the Day: Tiffani lost 54 pounds.  This strong petite diva gained 60 pounds during pregnancy and shared with us what she had to do to get rid of the pounds.  She recently competed in her first bikini competition in Aug and  wants to now be in the fitness business.

Tiffani before and after

In June 2012, I had my son. I gained 60lbs during my pregnancy. After having my 9 lbs 1 oz son via c-section, my body was stretched everywhere and I was still carrying a lot of fat. I am 5´4 and I weighed 170 lbs after delivery. I participated in my first 5k race the month after I had my son and I loved it! From there, I started training for my first full marathon. I started walking a lot more and running a little. I lost a little weight but I was still far from where I wanted to be. In February 2013, I ran/walked the full marathon (26 miles). After completing the marathon I felt like I could do anything and so I decided to change my lifestyle completely.

I started eating more often and smaller portions. I downloaded the my fitness pal app and started watching my daily calories. I began doing Zumba class and running much more. I got down to 148 pounds. In June 2013, I lost my grandmother and all discipline went out the window. I began eating and drinking everything in sight. I got back up to 156 lbs. On August 28, 2013, I decided enough is enough! I was ready to change my life and health for good! I started prepping my meals for the week so that I never got hungry enough to eat badly. I went back to using my fitness pal to track my caloric intake versus how many calories I burn exercising. I met lots of people who were on the same path as I am who could keep me accountable and I could do the same for them. This helped a lot!!

I stopped eating red meat and almost all processed foods (no white anything i.e. bread, pasta, rice, etc). I also cut high calorie drinks from my diet. No Starbucks, no soda, no sugary juices. I started drinking at least a gallon of water a day, 100% fruit juices, or black coffee with almond milk instead of cream and no sugar. I began working out between 5-7 days a week. I would do at least an hour of cardio before weight training. After every workout, I would consume a high protein meal or shake to help feed my muscles. I got a workout partner who wouldn’t allow me to show weakness or give up. In May 2014, I started training for my first bikini competition. My diet became much more strict, I had to train much harder, and I had to use much more discipline when it came to how often I ate and the portion size. The day of my competition on August 23, 2014 I weighed 116lbs and I took 4th place! I’ve never been more proud of my determination and drive to complete such a hard task! In the process of just trying to “lose some weight” I fell madly in love with fitness! I’ve changed my major from nursing to physical therapy, I have started the process to starting my own health, fitness, and nutrition company. I’m also training to become a personal trainer!

Instagram: @MISSTNT_FLYYNFITT

Tiffani weight loss story

Carmen lost 48 pounds

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Success Story of the Day: Carmen lost 48 pounds and saw an 20.8% reduction in body fat.  Her awesome trainer, Kurt Dixon of Body Refined, sent in this Delta Sigma Theta soror’s story.  She shared with us the ups and downs of her journey over the years and talks about how important mindset is.
carmen before and after
“I was always a curvy girl, but this was not curvaceous, it was just plain fat!”

  • Down 47in, (girth measurements)
  • 48 pounds Gone
  • 20.8% Reduction in Body Fat

My light bulb moment was over a year and a half ago when I saw a picture of myself and was like, “is that me?” Even my husband hinted and eventually shared with me that I had definitely gained weight since we had gotten married three years earlier. I was always a curvy girl, but this was not curvaceous, it was just plain fat! I didn’t like my picture at all and stopped taking many pictures. I actually spoke with Kurt of Body Refined a few months after that moment, but thought I could lose my extra weight on my own because I had done it before. I didn’t even think that I had gained that much weight because it crept up on me through the years. I would just buy new clothes if something didn’t fit. I went up two dress sizes, but actually kept thinking that I would be able to lose the weight when I wanted to in the near future. After 6 months of trying it on my own and using a variety of methods, nothing was really helping. I lost a whopping total of 4 or 5 pounds only. I was disgusted and fed up and decided to give Body Refined a call.

There have been moments in my life when I was overweight and I would just change my eating habits and lose weight quickly. I have never been skinny. In high school I was bigger than several of my friends and would just watch what I would eat during the summer to lose pounds. At the end of my first year in college I gained a lot of weight and my dad sent me to a weight doctor the summer of 1993. I lost the weight and went back to college much smaller than I had been that previous year. I used to go to the gym and really focus on my weight during my college years. After I graduated, I lived with a college roommate who always kept up with her weight and did a variety of workouts. We took a kickboxing class, did aerobics, and stayed busy constantly. I noticed though that over the recent years, I didn’t focus on maintaining my weight like I had in the past. I just chalked it up to “well, everyone gains weight as they get older.”

Being overweight does run in my immediate family, unfortunately. As a result, it does create health issues like blood pressure problems and heart problems.  It compromises your desire to work out and be healthy, and just the ability to be comfortable as you do daily activities. I didn’t want to get to that level and didn’t want a health problem to be the reason I had to finally lose the excess weight.

My weight journey has been a trek! It has been a long, arduous trip. The reason I say that is because I have always felt like I needed to be smaller, but I didn’t always focus on the health portion of my weight. Health and weight are closely linked together. I realized that in my 30s losing weight didn’t occur as easy or fast as it was in my 20s or teens and just changing a few things in my diet was no longer working. I also joined the gym thinking that working out would solve my weight problem and it didn’t at all. I didn’t want a quick fix because I always realized that I didn’t gain the extra weight quickly. I wanted to really eat better and know what nutrients I was putting in my body. I was focused on how I can keep my body healthy for the next 30 years if possible with my food choices and right exercise.

At this moment, I am not completely satisfied with my body yet. I know there are improvements I can still work on. I want to be more toned and firmer. I am short and I like the way I feel physically with the weight off. Losing a few extra pounds would help me maintain my goal weight. I still need to lose a few more pounds and focus on consistent workouts. I also want to narrow in on my food prep planning. I did a solid job this year at work prepping and planning my meals for lunch and want to maintain that this upcoming year. This will really be the test if I keep up my healthful eating patterns and exercise the upcoming year.

The most important lesson I have learned is that 80% of my weight comes from food planning and only 20% is from working out, so I want to focus on eating the right foods. I need to think about what I am putting in my mouth before I eat it. I can eat a cookie or have something sweet if I want it and if I am willing to eat the appropriate serving size. I look at the labels of food which I never really looked at serving size and all of the nutritional details. I couldn’t do that in the beginning because I needed to cut out lots of sugar which I had been accustomed to eating in most of the foods I ate often.

You have to be ready to lose weight. It takes a mindset that you really want to change and develop better eating habits. Most of us are in denial; I was completely in denial, and became comfortable with what I was eating, the size I wore, the way I looked in my pictures, and my health status. However, each person has to come to a personal decision that they are fed up and they want to improve their health and appearance. I would hear people say that and was like “oh, yeah, everyone says that.” I realized that you can’t actually lose weight successfully unless you take control regardless of what program, health coach, trainer, or doctor you decide to work with on your weight journey. No one is going to feed you or force you not to eat bad things. We all do those things on our own and we have to want to take responsibility for those changes.

I feel so much better in so many ways. My knees feel better, I sleep better, I get around quicker, and my most current medical physical was excellent. My doctor was so impressed with my blood pressure and weight until he high fived me in his office. I feel like I received a newer body and don’t want to go back to feeling tired and exhausted like before.

My support has been excellent. I didn’t tell a lot of people I had a health coach because I wanted to see if I would lose weight like the other people on the Body Redefined site. My students have been so supportive and some of my biggest supporters. They have been my personal cheerleaders and impressed with my weight loss, especially since they see me almost every day. They would encourage me to eat any “bad foods” the other teachers had after school and once or twice when I wanted to cheat, my after school kids would say, “do you really want or need that Mrs. LJ?” So, they were my unsolicited food police. My family has been thrilled with my weight loss and have encouraged me to keep it up. They actually encouraged me to lose weight. My friends have been super complimentary and very proud of me for sticking with it. It so much fun to shop for clothes. Even my work colleagues and some parents of my students have been cheering me on and positive about my weight loss. Since I started, I have dropped three to four dress sizes and I like the pictures I am taking now. I don’t have to find outfits that will hide something because some of that extra is gone. The transformation was difficult, but the results have been positive.

As I said earlier, I have always tried something to lose weight and the difference is that as I got older it became harder to lose weight. I knew I had to do something different that was good for my body. This time the focus was on the types of food I was eating, how much I was eating, when I was eating, and the nutritional value of the foods I was taking in daily. I never focused on food this much in my life and learned more about how to eat than ever before. It changed how I view food and I see food for the value it has and not just for fun or comfort.

I ended up working with Body Refined because I looked at the Facebook posts and the transformation stories of current clients. Some of their stories sounded just like mine and they were experiencing positive results. After thinking I could do it on my own, making excuses about my work schedule and a workout schedule, and gaining weight while doing it on my own, I decided to follow up with Body Refined. It has been a very good decision. Once I listened, stopped making excuses why I could not eat clean or workout and followed the plan that was designed for me, I started losing weight. It took me a little longer than some other clients and I will say once again a person’s mindset is very important. Once I followed everything and became more determined, I saw the changes. It hasn’t been easy, but it has been beneficial.

I would recommend people who are really focused about losing weight and at a point where they acknowledge that they need to make health changes. If you just want to lose 10 pounds for an outfit or an event, then Body Refined is not the program for you. It is not a diet plan and includes you following up with the health tips and meal plans that you are given. Kurt can be kind of curt and hard, no pun intended, but often when you start on this journey you need that type of rigor so you don’t feel like it is okay to never lose the weight or just continue with the same old eating habits. If you have the mindset that you are ready to change, then Body Refined is definitely the program you should check out.
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The Top 5 Things to Look For After Weight Loss

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swimsuit after weight lossYou’ve put in the work, logged hours at the gym, made the conscious effort to make healthier decisions and it’s all finally paying off. Many people mistakenly believe that the hard work is over when the scale shows a number that you have been looking for. That’s not the case at all. The journey to losing weight is more than just altering your appearance; it’s a complete lifestyle transformation. There are a number of things that you may be challenged with after losing weight that you want to look out for. Even if you haven’t started your journey, taking a look at this list ahead of time and it may help you prepare for or bypass a few of these common post-weight loss occurrences/issues.

Loose Skin

Having loose skin is a battle many people have to fight, whether they’ve lost a couple of pounds or over a hundred. The absence of that extra weight can leave behind unsightly loose skin that can be annoying or create health concerns (depending on how much loose skin you have). Weight loss surgeries result in rapid results, without slower results and methodological fitness training, but surgery usually results in significant loose skin due to the rapid nature of the weight loss.

You can have surgery, of course, but unfortunately, surgery isn’t a viable option for everyone. There are a variety of reasons you may opt against going under the knife but rest assured, there are other ways to deal with loose skin. The best way to limit the skin’s loss of elasticity is to lose weight slowly.  We are talking 2-6 pounds per month depending on how much weight you have to lose.  If you have more than 75 pounds to lose and you are very focused, you could lost 5-10 pounds per month and it still be slow weight loss.  Everyone is different so, some people have a lot of loose skin or very little with fast weight loss. The skin is a living organ, if you allow it enough time to adjust, it will naturally form to your new shape. A good rule of thumb is about 1-2 pounds of fat loss each week. Be sure to incorporate weight lifting in your exercise routine to build muscle and keep your skin tight.  Use the muscle to keep your body filled out and not deflated. If your weight loss is already done, most experts  say it takes around 2 years for the skin to tighten on its own, and even then it may not snap back all the way (or the way you would like it to).

Your eating habits and hydration are also crucial to taking care of your skin during and after weight loss. Between food and water consumption, you should be taking in a minimum of 64 oz of water per day. Be sure to moisturize your skin with nutrients such as aloe vera, vitamin E, vitamin C, and vitamin A to help elasticity.  Here is a whole article on the subject.

Life As A Thin Person

Life at your goal weight may not turn out how you’ve always pictured. Losing weight alters your appearance but you also have to work on your emotional and mental state to truly be whole. Insecurities, low self esteem, relationship issues and negative thoughts can carry on after your weight loss, affecting how much you enjoy your new physique. On the other hand, you may receive an overwhelming amount of love and positive attention.  You may have better self esteem and release the past of your past while in your new body.  Again, each person is different. What you don’t want to do is think that because you’ve lost weight that all of your problems will go away and that life will be exactly what you want it to be.  Be it negative or favorable interactions, thoughts or situations, you have to be prepared to deal with life through new eyes.

When making the decision to lose weight, it should be for your own benefit. Your lifestyle change should make you healthier and happier, but you can’t be concerned with how it will affect others or situations. Never make a decision for anyone else’s approval or acceptance. The truth is, your physical appearance shouldn’t matter to those who really matter in your life. Love and friendships should not be based on superficial concerns, walking into your transformation with these expectations could result in a emotional let down.

More Haters

Unfortunately, everyone who’s smiling at you and encouraging you regarding your recent weight loss is not sincere in their well-wishes. Making the decision to be accountable for your actions and take your health into your own hands is seldom made and even less likely to be completed. When you join the ranks of those who have achieved a weight loss transformation, you may be faced with a few friends and family members who aren’t too supportive of your new look. Normally the “hate” stems from their own insecurities and shortcomings but it something you may or not be faced with.

Connecting to the last point on the list, you’ll have to mentally prepare yourself to make the transition for your own benefit. Support may be few and far between, but if you’re embarking on this journey with the right mindset, the haters will be irrelevant.  Look at those you are hating on you with compassion and understand that their hating has very little to do with you. Show love, but don’t allow yourself to attacked or abused by those who don’t like the “new you”.

Gaining The Weight Back

Reaching a certain size or weight may be your initial goal but you’ll need to create a plan to keep the weight off. Once it’s loss, you may feel you have room to revert back to a few old habits and take a couple days off from the gym. While you may be able to ease up on your routine, you should definitely continue to make healthy decisions. Gaining back the weight can be more frustrating than losing it. If you aren’t careful, you can find yourself taking a few steps backward. Don’t beat yourself up for slipping up, be proactive and create a plan that makes you comfortable and stick with it. The longer you make decisions that will benefit your health and appearance, the more they’ll come naturally. You didn’t do all of that hard work for nothing, keep it up!

What To Wear

Shopping for clothes you may have never worn, in sizes you may have only dreamed of wearing, can be overwhelming. Weight loss can come about in a variety of stages and you should celebrate each one. However, restocking your wardrobe can be expensive if you buy new clothing for every 10 pounds lost.  You don’t want to end up with a closet full of 4 different sizes. Shop smart and take advantage of sales and special offers. Find a good local tailor to downsize your favorite outfits so that you don’t have to buy new ones. If you’re still progressing through your weight loss it may be smart to take advantage of hidden gems found in thrift stores and consignment shops. You can find new or gently used outfits for the office or even just to work out in without breaking the bank at big name stores. Weight loss can be similar to pregnancy in the sense that you’ll have to find clothes to adjust as your body continues to change. There isn’t a point to buy brand new cloths that will soon be too big. Save as much shopping as possible for the big reveal once you’ve hit your target.

When you do reach your goal, go out and have fun. Shop around and try on different styles in the store. It takes some practice to get used to your new shape and your overall transformation should be full of great memories like the first time you see yourself in what has been your dream outfit. Try colors, styles and prints you wouldn’t have worn before, but losing weight doesn’t mean you have to lose yourself. It’s ok to keep your same sense of style, your same loving personality, but wrap it all up in a new and improved, healthy package.