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Tiffany lost 79 pounds

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Featured Weight Loss Success Story: Tiffany lost 79 pounds.  This proud nurse was battling fibromyalgia and created a weight loss plan for herself that worked with her needs.  Here is what she shared about her 8 month journey:Tiffany weight loss photos

“My motivation to lose weight was the pain caused by fibromyalgia coupled with my graduation from nursing school. I started eating more and set my phone for a meal reminder every three hours at first until I built up my metabolism. Medications had erased my appetite. I did the Insanity DVD until I pulled a groin muscle, then I followed that with Hip Hop Abs. I am way too self conscious to go to a gym. When I hit my first plateau, I started taking a weight loss supplement. I went from 234 pounds in the first picture to 155 pounds in the second. I currently work out 3 times a week, mostly cardio, because weight training is actually harder for me with the fibromyalgia. My transformation took eight months and now it’s all about maintenance. I eat clean and do not drink soda. I allow for cheat hours, not days. I also eat the majority of my food in the am, my most active time of the day. My biggest piece of advice is to get a group of friends who understand your journey. For me, it was a young lady named Charmaine Legrone and the ladies of Project Body Back. When I wanted to quit, they held me up. Sometimes just one person saying good work pushes you that much further. I was blessed with hundreds. Thank you and I hope my story helps someone. I’m @tchunt80 on Twitter and instagram.  Thank you.”

Tiffany before and after

Are the Green Tea for Weight Loss Claims True?

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green tea for weight lossIf you were to believe all the advertisements, infomercials and half the websites on the Internet that are connected to a product with green tea, you might think that it is the magical answer to weight loss. It can be hard to separate fact from fiction when it comes to evaluating products and supplements aimed at helping people burn fat because the issue of obesity is highly charged and there is a lot of money made on diet products. The tried and true methods of reducing calories, eating healthy and increasing exercise can seem too hard to maintain, if your schedule is overburdened or your current weight and lifestyle habits make it hard to break through into healthy living. Green tea has been presented as a cure-all of obesity, but are the green tea for weight loss claims true? The answer is a resounding yes and a huge no. Understanding how green tea can assist in weight loss and how to use it to support a weight loss program will help you achieve your goals realistically.

How to spot when things aren’t what they seem

The first thing you have to accept is that the human body is not designed to lose a pound a day. The body is hard-wired to prevent starvation and will quickly seek to regain the weight loss when the chance comes, and not just regain it, but to build up an additional surplus of fat just in case it is placed into starvation mode again. This is why healthy weight loss is most often calculated at a pound every week to two weeks. This pace means that the weight loss has not placed stress on the metabolism that will create a backlash weight gain and that your habits have changed to support sustaining the healthy weight loss as well.

What green tea does

Green tea leaves are taken from the plant Camellia Sinensis which is indigenous to China and grows in many areas of Asia. The leaves are harvested and prepared with a minimum of oxidization, which preserves a high level of naturally occurring polyphenols in the leaf. The polyphenols can then be consumed by ingesting the tea or water the leaf has been steeped in. These polyphenols contain many properties that are just beginning to be understood and documented by the scientific community to support the practices the tea has been used for in traditional medicines. Polyphenols have been shown to provide support to the immune system, act as a diuretic, have high concentrations of antioxidants, and have the effect of raising the metabolic rate without also increasing heart rate. Traditionally, green tea is used to increase energy, fight off sickness and as a weight loss agent. The thought is that by ingesting regular amounts of green tea in powder, capsule or infused water the polyphenols act within the system in support of immune and metabolic functions.  However, this is a theory but one with a lot of information out there to back it up.

How to use it to support a weight loss plan

No green tea product is going to help you lose weight just by taking it alone. It’s not a magic pill.  Green tea is a diuretic, so you will experience some water weight loss but that is not permanent. Green tea has been proven in scientific studies to aide in weight loss by increasing the metabolism by up to 4%. Your metabolism is how fast your body can process fat to fuel, which is how weight is lost. Green tea has also been shown to increase energy levels, similar to caffeine, which can help you keep up with exercise routines. There is also evidence that green tea supports healthy blood sugar maintenance which is also beneficial to weight loss management.

Guaranteeing success

Green tea can play a very important role in weight loss. By using it in conjunction with calorie management and an exercise program, can help you to lose weight and keep it off.  Just think of it as any other supplement you may choose to use.  It’s a tool. One of the best ways to incorporate green tea in your diet is to use it as a substitute for sugary or high caloric drinks, such as lattes and other fancy coffees. In the end, adding green tea to your daily diet may assist you in reaching your weight loss goals in a healthy way that can be maintained, but it will not do the work for you.

Pros and Cons of Colonic Irrigation Therapy

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colonic irrigationColonic irrigation therapy is gaining popularity. During the past 10 years, many doctors are hearing from their patients that they have started to receive this treatment for relief of everything from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), chronic gas, nausea, chronic fatigue and as a catchall detoxifying process. Given that the therapy is neither approved or regulated by the FDA for treatment for any disorder or disease, many people are wondering if there is any real benefit from having a colonic done. Some are even saying that the risks are too great, and colonics can create more problems. Colonic therapy has both pros and cons. Neither side has absolute evidence of either opposing belief and both sides claim anecdotal proof. Before you decide to try colonic irrigation, here are some things you should know.

What is a colonic?

Colonic irrigation therapy, sometimes referred to as colonic hydrotherapy, is similar to an enema but very different. With an enema, water is pushed into the colon through the rectum using a syringe or gravity fed enema bag. The water rarely goes beyond the first several inches of the colon. With a colonic, water is forced up into the colon via a hose inserted into the rectum to fill the larger intestine. The colon and intestine both have a natural cramping reaction to force the water out, pushing out any fecal matter or debris that is held within as well. While the process sounds uncomfortable, it is pain free for most people (some medical conditions could make it painful) and done in such a manner as to be hardly felt at all. At a colonic clinic, you are taken into a private room where you lay on your side with one leg drawn up on a special table. Sterilized medical equipment is used to introduce the hose into your rectum and then the waste water retuned is siphoned directly into a disposal drain so you will not even smell any odor or see any of the waste removed from your body. It is most commonly recommended that you do not have the procedure performed more than once every 6 weeks as the colon and sphincter muscles need to recover from the expansion and expulsion action forced by the colonic.

The Pros of Colonic Therapy

Colonics work to remove bacteria and debris from the colon and intestine that the body has not been able to pass naturally. This can assist in relieving stomach and lower back pain due to chronic constipation. It can also help to promote weight loss (improved elimination and nutrient absorption) and create a sensation of lightness and well-being. The proponents of colonics also state that the removal of the bacteria and debris acts as a detoxifying action. By washing the colon clean, the body may be able to better regenerate healthy bacteria that are needed to aid in food digestion and metabolism. Some people have a difficulty in emptying their own colons naturally and regularly because the modern diet contains processed foods that are difficult to digest, void of fiber and water intake is not enough to aid the natural elimination process. Also, a general lack of adequate exercise means that for some people the muscles involved cannot control the colon efficiently.

The Risks of Colonic Therapy

Oddly enough, the very same reasons given as a benefit of colonics are also stated as the risk in having the therapy done. Medical science is only just beginning to understand the role of bacteria in the intestinal system in aiding metabolism.  There are questions over how necessary, or beneficial, it is to be constantly starting the bacterial growth and flora from scratch. While probiotics are often used in conjunction with colonics, replacement bacteria are not as adapted to the evolved diet as that which was originally in place in the person. Another valid concern about colonics involves the lack of oversight and regulation in providing the therapy. There is no standard certification or licensure for a colonic therapist and no set methods and procedures for ensuring that safe health management practices are used in the clinical setting. Even the equipment used to perform colonics is not standardized and can vary from practitioner to practitioner. Experts advise caution in using colonics as an aid in weight loss as it may create an electrolyte imbalance, especially in the elderly, that can cause serious health problems.

My advice is that you speak with your medical professional of choice before having a colonic to review the pros and cons and get some sound information to help you make a decision.

 

Weight Loss on a Budget Tip #6: Drink Water Instead of Other Drinks

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The October Challenge is going strong and Ladies are writing in to report that they are finding a myriad of ways to make weight loss more affordable.  Here is my tip for Day 6: Drink Water Instead of Other Drinks.

hydrationThis tip is a no brainer.  Think about all the money you could save on a daily basis buy making water the primary (if not only) thing you drink.

Soda, bottled juice, sweet tea, diet drinks, coffee drinks and other commercial beverages can add calories to your diet that you don’t need on your weight loss journey, but they also cost money.  When you go out to eat, water is free (for the most part).  Choosing water can save calories and pounds for those who have been drinking their calories.

You can get filtered water from…

  • your refridgerator door
  • a filtered pitcher, like Brita or Pur
  • a faucet filer, like Pur
  • a personal water bottle with filter that you can carry around with you
  • natural, alkaline filter machines

…Or you can drink good old fashioned tap water.  If you don’t like those options…you can always buy bottled water.  It’s usually less expensive than the soda, diet drinks or other beverages that you may be drinking.

Drinking more water is key to weight loss and being hydrated can affect your health in many ways including the proper function of your metabolism.

Fasting 101: Water Fasting and Intermittent Fasting

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Fasting is considered as one of the most powerful and ancient methods of detoxification of the body and all the systems. Overtime, a number of variations in the methods and strategies of fasting have been developed, but the overall health benefits and effect on the metabolism are still the same.  Today I want to talk about two very common methods:

  • Water fasting
  • Intermittent fasting

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This info is my opinion and based on my own research.  Since I’m not a medical expert, I would always suggest that you talk to your doctor before starting any fast…water, juicing, etc.

Regardless of the strategy employed, the main health benefits of fasting are:

  • Spiritual rejuvenation and connection for those who do it for spiritual reasons.
  • Healing and detoxification for the body, per organs being able to heal and do their natural detox functions
  • Conservation of energy by the body in general and with regard to the body processes related to digestion.  That energy can be used for cleaning the tissues, blood, etc.
  • Metabolism of fats
  • Promotion of weight loss

What happens during fasting?

Fasting is a physiological phenomenon for your body. Human body is designed for fasting and research suggests that most of the dramatic changes take place during initial 3 days of fasting. These changes are attributed to the alterations in the normal pattern of energy metabolism (from glucose and carbohydrates to fatty acids and ketones).

Benefits of fasting in addition to detoxification:

  1. Fasting is helpful in controlling blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia and high LDL cholesterol levels.
  2. Tightly regulated and properly structured fasting plans are helpful in decreasing the obesity and obesity related health issues.
  3. Fasting increases the production and concentration of anti-inflammatory mediators in the body that lessen the symptoms of joints disorders, arthritis and other inflammatory disorders.
  4. Fasting has been used for spiritual uplift in cultures and religions all over the world.

Who should not fast?

If you have any of the below listed condition, you may not be an ideal candidate for detoxification by fasting:

  • If you are severely anemic
  • If you have eating disorders, like bulimia or anorexia nervosa, as well as depression.
  • If you are pregnant or nursing
  • If you are suffering from malnutrition
  • If you have diabetes or blood sugar issues
  • If you have issues with kidney function
  • If you have a serious health concern or chronic illness, you may benefit from fasting or it could make your condition worse.  You have to discuss fasting as an option for greater health with your doctor/medical expert.

Those of you who are medically well and want to choose fasting for detoxification have a lot of options.  Here are the 3 most common methods.

Water Fasting

Normally done for 3 – 10 days, water fasting is one of the oldest forms of fasting.  It is most often done for spiritual as well as physical healing.  How do you do a water fast?  You abstain from anything other than purified water for the period of time you are fasting.  No water, no food, no juice, etc.   Thus, it’s not something that most people can do for an extended time and their are many potential health risks for long term water fasting.  Increased self control and increased spiritual connection are thought to be the main benefits of water fasting.

I don’t suggest water fasting for weight loss because of the lack of nutrients and nutrition, however I do think that for detoxing and spiritual practices that it’s fine for healthy people.

Intermittent Fasting with Calorie Restriction:

Intermittent fasting refers to decreasing total calorie intake and increasing the spacing between the meals.  In essence it’s changing your eating patterns.  Some people designate a window of time (6 hours or 4 hours for example) and they only eat then.  They fast the rest of the day.  Others will fast a full 24 hours a few times per week.  For example, They may have breakfast ending at 10am and not eat again until 10 am the next day.

The thought with intermittent fasting is that your body will have to pull from it’s stored fat for energy rather than the food you eat that is turned into glucose that goes into your bloodstream or glycogen in your muscles.  The metabolizing of this fat should cause weight loss, but it also opens the door for toxins that are stored in the fat and lymphatic system to be detoxed (if you properly fast).  This is basically true with all claims that fasting will help you lose weight because the only fuel available to the body is fat…technically.

What are the benefits?    Intermittent fasting is helpful not only for weight loss and healthy metabolism but also for longevity and well-being according to a research published in the peer reviewed journal Ageing research reviews suggested that intermittent fasting and calorie restriction can decrease the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia. This suggests that reducing the amount of calories help the cells to adapt and regenerate to the toxic environment around us. In addition, studies have shown that intermittent fasting may increase the rate of overall metabolism. This is a concept that’s still be sorted out in the research so it’s not set in stone.

Personally, I think it’s healthier to focus on whole, unprocessed foods, like fresh, uncooked fruits and veggies (organic if you can get them) to cleanse the body.

General Cautions:

  • If your total calorie intake was more than 3000 calories, intermittent fasting or severe calorie restriction may lead to complications. It’s better to reduce your calorie intake moderately by 500-1000 calories (cleaning up your diet) per day and then initiate intermittent fasting.
  • Lastly, after certain period of fasting, body begin to mobilize muscle proteins to generate energy (leading to weakness and muscle aches). Research data indicates that after the mobilization of glycogen (the storage form of glucose), body begin to metabolize proteins (almost 60 and 84 grams per day or 3 ounce of muscle mass) for the first few days until ketone production is initiated after which the rate of protein breakdown decreases.  You don’t want to lose muscle, you want to lose fat.  This one of the main reasons why people gain the weight back after fasting or dieting.  Less lean, calorie burning muscle on their bodies because it’s been eaten away.

Prolonging you fasting (more than 2 weeks) can lead to severe lethargy, electrolyte imbalance, weakness, dizziness and alterations in the productivity.  Talk with your doctor before going on any fasting plan.  Fasting can be done in a healthy way, but you have to know what you’re doing.

Your Metabolism Likes Food: How Not Eating Is Keeping You Fat

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metabolismYou go on a diet, restricting your caloric intake drastically. What happens? At first, you lose a lot of weight; it seems like things are going in the right direction. Suddenly, though, you reach a plateau. You become discouraged, start eating again, and end up putting the weight back on plus a few extra pounds. Why? This phenomenon is all due to your metabolism. When you severely restrict your calories, it slows, resulting in fewer calories burned in a day.

Metabolism: Your Fat-Burning Friend

At its most basic, metabolism refers to the rate of speed at which your body breaks down food and uses it as energy. Each unit of energy is measured as a calorie. On average, it takes approximately 2,000 calories to fuel a human body. However, a more active person will require more calories and a less active person fewer calories.

Your metabolism determines how many calories are burned for each activity. While you may only burn a hundred calories performing an activity, someone else might burn twice that amount doing the same activity. It all comes down to your metabolism. As you can imagine, a faster metabolism is desired when it comes to losing and maintaining weight, but many people accidently stall their metabolism, resulting in fewer calories burned per activity or function.

How Not Eating Slows Your Metabolism

Your metabolism is designed to speed up in times of excess abundance and slow down during times when there’s little food. Throughout history when food was scarce, metabolism helped people survive famine. Although there’s little use for this gas and brake system in today’s world of abundance, metabolism still works the same. When you consume fewer calories than your body needs to perform basic biological functions – about 1200 calories for women – your metabolism will slow or stall.

How Many Calories Should You Consume?

“The Ideal Daily Caloric Deficit: 20% below maintenance level per day.  What this means is, whatever your daily calorie maintenance level is, you should be about 20% below it each day. Here’s an example…

Let’s say some person (male or female) had a daily calorie maintenance level of 2500 calories. They’d first figure out that 20% of 2500 is 500 (2500 x 0.20 = 500). This means they should create a caloric deficit of 500 calories each day. In this example, that would mean eating 2000 calories per day.” – A Calorie Counter

The key to successful weight loss is to take in fewer calories than you burn without dropping below the level that will trigger your metabolism, resulting in a slow down. You want to figure out what the correct calorie deficit is for YOU.  While this number is different for different people, most people need an average of 2,000 calories per day. However, many people consume as many as 3,000 or 4,000 calories per day which explains the weight crisis in this country.

One issue I see all the time, is when women don’t take the time to figure out how many calories they were consuming before they start reducing.  For example, for some ladies, going from regularly eating 3000 calories per day down to 1200 all of a sudden can be too drastic and your metabolism could slow.  I suggest that you do a food diary for a week to find out how much you’ve been eating on average.  Then, decrease that number by 500 calories at a time to start.  Later, decide how many more calories you need to reduce on a weekly or monthly basis and and don’t drop below 1200 calories in a day.

To lose or maintain your weight without stalling your metabolism, you need to figure out how many calories your body requires. There are numerous charts that will give you this number. Simply choose your weight, height, and activity level to find your caloric intake amount for weight maintenance and weight loss.

Remember, there’s a golden range for weight loss. If you drop too low, you will slow your metabolism and not lose weight – plateau. For successful weight loss and a speedy metabolism, consume slightly fewer calories than is recommended for your body and activity level. Exercise is also important. Not only does it burn calories, it helps speed up your metabolism.

While skipping a meal here or there isn’t going to break your metabolism completely, it’s a good idea to eat small, frequent meals. Not only does this help your metabolism, it keeps you from feeling hungry which will help you fight off cravings and binges.

Fact or Fiction: Are There Really Foods that Will Speed Up Your Metabolism?

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Responsible for how fast your body burns calories and fat, metabolism not only affects your current weight, it also determines how fast you will lose weight, how many calories you can eat per day, and how well you maintain your weight. With all of these factors relying on your metabolism, there are a lot of reasons why you want yours to be fast.

Recently, many diets have claimed that you can speed up your metabolism simply by eating certain foods. If such a magical combination of foods existed, anyone who wants to lose weight should know what foods speed up the body’s metabolic rate and include them in their diet, but do they exist?

Myth: Metabolism Boosting Foods

Each time you consume calories, you give your metabolism a little boost. But are there really some foods that boost it a little more than others? Aside from a few foods that increase the amount of calories burned – hot peppers, green tea, and cold water – there’s not much difference between the foods you eat when it comes to your metabolic rate. Even the few foods that do boost your body’s calorie-burning ability make such a small difference that it’s hardly worth mentioning. So, no, there are no foods that magically speed up your metabolism, making this tale a huge myth.

How Eating Affects Your Metabolism

Your body learns to rely on the amount of calories you consume each day, adjusting your metabolic rate accordingly. If you consume too few calories, your metabolism slows down, resulting in fewer calories burned. The more you eat, the faster your metabolism works. However, you have to eat only as many calories as your body can burn in a day for this to work. If you consume too many calories, your body will turn them into fat, resulting in weight gain.

Your metabolism also speeds up and slows down throughout the day according to how often you eat. If you go a long time between meals, your metabolism slows because your body doesn’t know when more food is coming. Therefore, it tries to reserve the calories it already knows it has.

Eating for a Speedy Metabolism

Increasing your metabolic rate has more to do with how often you eat than it does with what foods you choose. This is, of course, assuming that you eat healthy foods to begin with. Going a long time between eating slows your metabolism. When you finally do eat, your body burns the new calories slowly.

Eating increases your metabolism. Eating six small meals per day rather than three large ones speeds up your metabolism because your body is busy burning calories in anticipation of the next meal. For this to work, though, you need to be consistent. It takes time to train your metabolism to work at peak performance.

Your Liver, Your Metabolism and Weight Loss

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Fat is primarily broken down and processed in the stomach and throughout the intestinal tract, but other organs play an important role as well including the liver. An unhealthy liver cannot digest and process fats and other toxins, causing the body to store fat cells instead of using them for energy. And we all know what happens when fat cells are stored in the body – your weight increases.

An unhealthy liver also makes it more difficult to lose weight despite your best efforts. You can diet and exercise until you starve yourself and fall over from exhaustion, but you’re not going to see much difference until you get your fat-burning organs in proper working order.

Your Liver Weight LossThe Liver’s Role in Weight Loss

Your liver is a giant filter responsible for processing everything you put in your body as well as breaking down and releasing the toxins your body naturally produces. Believe it or not, fat cells actually contain a great deal of toxins, making them harder than other types of cells for the liver to process.

Unhealthy and processed foods contain fat and other ingredients that the liver finds difficult to process. When you consume a large amount of these foods, your liver cannot handle the work load and starts storing fat. Additionally, your liver becomes less efficient, resulting in a slower metabolism. So not only does an unhealthy liver result in weight gain, it slows down the very process responsible for weight loss – metabolism.

Your Liver and Your Metabolism

Since your liver is responsible for choosing which fat cells to burn and which ones to store, it is primarily responsible for your metabolic rate – the speed at which your body uses and burns calories. The liver is also responsible for regulating cholesterol levels within the body. Therefore, an efficient and healthy liver burns calories and fat faster, resulting in healthy weight loss and maintenance.

How to Get a Healthy Liver

If your liver is less than healthy, you don’t have to accept the fact that your body burns fat slower than it could. You can improve the health of your liver and increase your metabolism by doing the following:

  • Avoid Processed Foods – As mentioned before, the liver finds it difficult to break down processed foods. These foods usually come in boxes and are more convenient than other types of foods. They include frozen pizza, microwave dinners, and most comfort foods. Instead of eating these types of foods, eat fresh foods.  Also, avoid foods with trans fats.
  • Lower Your Stress – Stress causes the digestive system to slow down, resulting in a slower metabolism. Keep stress at a minimum or learn how to manage it properly. The calmer you are in your daily life, the better your body and fat-burning organs will perform.
  • Cleanse – Consider performing a gentle liver cleanse. One of the easiest ways to do this is to incorporate 1-2 servings of vinegar into your diet (a teaspoon or 2). Put a little on your salad as a dressing or on veggies to intensify the flavor while detoxifying your liver at the same time. Apple Cider Vinegar is a great choice. There are also cleaning herbs that you can research that help the liver. However, no detoxing methods will have much impact if you are still eating and drinking junk.
  • Drink Water – Most people understand the connection between liver issues and alcohol, but soda, sugary juice and other chemical laden drinks are also not the best choice for a healthy liver.  Let water be your drink of choice for a happier liver and happier kidneys.
  • Stop drinking alcohol – This really should go without saying. You don’t need the extra calories that are in most alcoholic beverages and you don’t need the liver damage that comes with regular drinking. More info.

The role the liver plays in weight loss is huge. If you want to lose weight and speed up your metabolism, you shouldn’t ignore this vital organ. A healthy, efficient liver will help you reach your weight-loss goals faster.

Side Note: We should take this very seriously due to the rise in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver disease. “Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the build up of extra fat in liver cells that is not caused by alcohol. It is normal for the liver to contain some fat. However, if more than 5% – 10% percent of the liver’s weight is fat, then it is called a fatty liver (steatosis). NAFLD tends to develop in people who are overweight or obese or have diabetes, high cholesterol or high triglycerides. Rapid weight loss and poor eating habits also may lead to NAFLD. However, some people develop NAFLD even if they do not have any risk factors. NAFLD affects up to 25% of people in the United States.” – American Liver Foundation

Monica lost 91 pounds

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Let’s show some “You DID that, Girl” love to Monica who has lost 91 pounds.  The mother of triplets + one more completely changed her diet and embraced exercise and meal planning.  Here is what she had to say about her weight loss journey:

I started my weight lost journey on December 16 2011. The moment I stood on the scale at the doctor’s office for my yearly check up, I felt like crawling under a rock. I had no idea that I weighted 278 pounds. I knew I had to do something right at that moment. With the doctors advice, I started walking three times a week for 30 min, eating five smaller portioned meals and drinking water (no sodas).  I stopped eating after eight and made sure I got at least eight hours of sleep. I thought that there was no way this was going to work, but with in four months I lost 50 pounds. I also learned that white carbs did not agree with my body so I stopped eating white rice and white bread and replaced it with whole wheat bread. I cut out the sweets and replaced them with fiber bars and fruit. I also found out skipping breakfast was bad, because that was slowing down my metabolism.  Now, I never go without eating breakfast.  My meals are usually oatmeal, cereal in the morning, fruit as a am snack, salad with baked/ grilled chicken or a lean protein with a vegetable for lunch and dinner.  I have fruit or yogurt as a afternoon are pm snack.

I never knew that this would be a true lifestyle change but it has been. As a mother of triplets plus one, I have to step back and get my health in check. By planning my meals in advance and watching others with there journeys on youtube, BWLW, and weight loss friends on Facebook, my motivation stays up. I am currently down 91 pounds, and still going on with this lifestyle change.  This has truly been a journey getting to know about health and about myself in general. I am doing this for me so I can build myself up to the best person that I can be both physically and emotionally.  NO ONE SHOULD THINK THAT THEY CAN’T DO IT, BECAUSE ITS POSSIBLE!!!!

Monica before and after weight loss

Shawn lost 30 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story: Shawn lost 30 pounds with Curves.

shawn weight loss

She said, “I lost 30 lbs on Curves! I increased my water intake, exercised 3-4 days/week (treadmill at home 1-2x/week) and did the Curves Complete Diet Plan. It has on-line support and meal plan assistance.  I’m still working on it! 20-30 more pounds to go! I went from size 18 to 14!  I actually wasn’t eating enough and was in “starvation mode.” My metabolism had shut completely DOWN! I went from 216 to 186.”