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Chanel lost 62 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Chanel lost 62 pounds by changing her habits and committing to a new lifestyle.   Read her story to find out what she did to lose the pounds:

Chanel weight loss

“Hello, my name is Chanel. When I first started working out I was 262 lbs. I have now lost 62 lbs . Over the last 5 months, I have worked out 4-5 days a week. I do squats, 45mins on the elliptical, leg lifts, kickboxing and weights. I eat in correct portion sizes. I only drink water and the different health juices that I make. I no longer eat sweets. I have made this a lifestyle. My goal weight loss is 80-90 lbs, so I’m almost there.

My motivation to lose the weight was so I could be healthy and feel better. I was having knee issues and I have always been told if you lose some weight the pain will probably go away. I just was never motivated to do so until I prayed about it and set goals. Then I just started doing it. My cousin who it’s a trainer started working with me and I did that for about two months then I just took what he taught me and started on my own. I want to live long and not die due to being overweight when that’s something can choose to do that may help me live a long happy life. My body is a temple for the Lord and I need to take care of it. For me this is a lifestyle change. I will continue to workout and stay fit. No more excuse. I love the skin I’m in.

Thanks for letting me share my story. To everyone you can do it as long as you put your mind to it and pray. Determination and will power is the key. Stop making excuses and join us in our weight loss. Become a healthier and fitter you.”

Chanel weight loss

Alaina lost 105 pounds

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Today’s weight loss success story: Alaina lost 105 pounds.  This Instagram diva and mom was motivated by being simply tired of of how she felt and what she was seeing in terms of her weight and healthy.  Here is what she shared about her journey:

Alaina weight loss

“First, let me just say that I love the positivity and message you are sending to all women but especially our women, that we don’t have to be a part of the untrue stereotype. This past year for me has been all about proving that to myself and others like myself we don’t have to settle.

I started my journey in November 2012. What motivated me may sound cliché, but the truth was I was sick and tired of how I felt and what I saw. I vowed and look forward and until this day I have not looked backed. I am 105 pounds down with 15 pounds to go.

I was simply tired of being lethargic at 24 and unable to keep up with my 3 year old son at the time. After weighing myself and being in total shock at how much I weighed I vowed to change my habits immediately. On November 19th, 2012 weighing in at 249.8 pounds I began my journey by first downloading an app and monitoring my calorie intake, staying away from soda, juice, and all high calorie snacks.  All of my meats became lean and I weighed and portioned out each and every meal. I also purchased a gym membership and began working out 5 days weekly for at least an hour. A year later, I weigh in at 145.6 pounds. My goal weight is 130-132lbs. I have realized that this is not a journey, but a lifestyle! And life is a marathon not a sprint! So, we can’t get discouraged at how long it will take us as long as we are giving our absolute best. I’ve also realized that it is best to set smaller weight loss goals and reach them and keep setting them and reaching them  until your at your final weight, that your comfortable with that’s what helped keep me the most focused.

Follow me on my Imstagram which is dedicated to fitness posts and inspiration: @SimpleeUniique1

Thank you for your page it truly recognize and inspires everyday people.”

Alaina weight loss Alaina before and after

My Prayer for 2014

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“Lord, grant me the consciousness that I need to truly manifest the highest divine version of me intended at my creation. Let my mind be in harmony with the divine mind. Let my thoughts echo the purest manifestation of love and kindness. In all things, may I see not fear nor doubt, but endless possibilities and boundless abundance. Let me see in a way that is limitless and certain of outcomes, promised and unseen. Let my steps be ordered and appointed to deliver me to your vision of my life made manifest.” – Ajima

Juhanna lost 60 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Juhanna lost 60 pounds and gained muscles.  She was motivated by a weight loss challenge at her job.  Now she motivates her loved ones and others to get healthy.  Here is more info on her weight loss journey:

“Hello My name is Juhanna (iamjuhanna on instagram). I have been on my weight loss/fitness journey since August 2012.

On December 4th 2009, I had my daughter. I went from a size 8 to 16/18. By the end of my pregnancy, I weighed 193 pounds. So, I decided to lose weight. I went down to 186 within a month but I wasn’t really motivated to lose anymore until last year.

There was a weightloss challenge at my job and I decided to join in with others to lose weight. When I started the challenge I was 186. By the end of the challenge I was 155. I felt so empowered. I was working out 5 days a week, counting my calories and drinking mostly water. I decided then that I would continue this healthy lifestyle. I set a goal of 135 and a under goal weight of 128. I am now 126 and I’m  working out 3-5 days a week with weight training to tone up and running. I still count my calories and drink mostly water.

I did Zumba on Xbox and Leslie Sansone “Walk Your Belly Flat” the first 5 months to drop weight (3-5 days a week, 45 minutes to an hour a day). Once I saw skin hanging, I started doing every old school workout that you can do in your own home. I don’t have a gym membership (love them, but expensive). Squats with weights, lunges with weights, planks, pushups, tricep dips, shoulder presses, tricep pull backs, reverse flys and wall sits. A lot of challenges with these exercises are on my instagram page. I follow Fit4life Sisters which motivated me a lot. I watch portion control with my eating, as well as cut out a lot of fried foods (my weakness). I cook only baked, boiled, steamed or sauteed at home. Only drink water and teas.

I have become a motivator to the love ones around me that it is possible and there aren’t any excuses but the ones you make. Diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and heart problems run strong in my family. I made the commitment last year to end that cycle. No excuses. So, make the choice today to live a healthy lifestyle.”

juhanna weight loss story

Bridgetta lost 44 pounds

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Let’s show some love to Bridgetta.  She lost 44 pounds and went from a size 20 to a size 11/12.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

Bridgetta weight loss story

“My motivation came from within as far as losing weight goes. I could no longer fit into any of my clothes and I felt depressed. I drove by the gym for weeks before I muscled up the nerve to go inside and finally join. It was the best decision I EVER made! I changed my eating habits from junk food, Little Debbies, McDonald’s, etc. to green, leafy veggies, proteins, water, fruit, and less red meat! My workouts consist of an hour of any cardio (my favorite is the elliptical trainer) and then working a specific area of my body.  I work a different area of the body each day of the week, seven days a week. My starting weight was 240 pounds & my current weight is 196 pounds! I started out as a size 20 & am now a solid size 11/12! I couldn’t be happier. It took me a year and 9 months to get to the size I am. My advice to all the other beautiful African American women out there or anyone else trying to lose weight is to not give up! It takes time and hard work, but it is so worth it!”

Bridgetta weight loss photos
Bridgetta weight loss story

Melissa lost 157 pounds

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Let’s show some BWLW love to Melissa.  She has lost a total of 157 pounds.  Here is what she shared with us:

“Good Evening, my name is Melissa Thomas. I’m 44 years old. In 2009, I weighed 325 pounds. In 2011, I lost a total of 143 pounds. I now weigh 168 pounds, down 157 pounds total.  I went from a size 26 to a size 10.”

Weight Loss Motivation: “My sons and my health were the main motivation for my weight loss.”

What did you do to lose the weight?: “I changed my eating habits by eating breakfast. I wasn’t doing that at first. I also stopped eating pork and I eat a meal at least 6 times a day.  I started at Curves for a year, then I just worked out at the gym 3 days a week.  It took me 2 years to lose get to a healthy size.”

Your advice for others who want to lose weight: “The only advice I can give is “Stay motivated and focus”. It’s hard work but as long as you have determination it will be ok.”

Melissa weight loss story

6 Tips to help you find the best personal trainer

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personal trainerHiring a personal trainer isn’t just for pro-athletes and celebrities. Everyone can benefit from even 6 sessions with one. The cost is worth it because you will benefit in two ways. For one, a trainer can show you the exercises and routines to perform to reach your goals and show you how to do them properly so you do not injure yourself. Secondly, having a personal trainer can be one of the best ways to motivate yourself to stick with exercise and makes it more fun to do.

If you think the cost of a personal trainer is too much, sit down and go through your expenses. Look at how much you spend on foods and wellness items as a result of ill health, catching a cold, loss of work due to sick days and general misbehavior on your free time. Chances are the cost of working out with a personal trainer will wind up saving you money because being fit reduces illness, gives you more energy and encourages healthier living choices that can benefit your budget.

Not all personal trainers are going to be a good match for you and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to training to guarantee results. It does take time and effort to find the best personal trainer for your goals. Here are 6 tips to save you time in finding the best one for you.

Tip # 1 – Make sure they are certified

They don’t have to have a full out degree in sports medicine or physical education, but the many trainers are certified by a nationally recognized agency. That said, you can also find highly qualified ones at your local gym who have completed that gym’s proprietary training program. The point is you want someone who is qualified and who has credentials you can verify. There can be a risk for injury in training and you don’t want to be someone’s learning experience.

Tip # 2 – Make sure they ask the right questions

Good trainers will ask about your fitness goals. The best personal trainers will ask you questions about your current fitness levels, past experience and involvements with sports and fitness routines, current goals and most importantly, your medical history past and present. Knowing your medical history is essential to being able to construct a fitness routine that builds your strength, stamina and overall health. If you aren’t asked about your history, don’t go any further with that trainer.

Tip # 3 – Ask for Recommendations

Ask your friends who they use as their trainer. You should also look around your local gym and find someone who is in the kind of shape you want to be and ask who they used. You will get a lot of good feedback, not just about local trainers, but often about working out and healthy living that you can start making part of your routine as you continue your search for a trainer.

Tip # 4 – Schedule an assessment

An assessment is very different from “trying out” a training session. During the assessment, the trainer should be asking you questions about your history and goals, and performing baseline fitness tests to measure your strength, endurance, flexibility and cardiovascular levels. Some trainers will charge for an assessment as they tend to last longer than a typical training session and some will not. Many gyms will offer them for free as a way of promoting the trainers associated with the facility. Even if you wind up not going with the trainer that performed the assessment, you will have that much more knowledge about your goals and fitness level to help your find a better match.

Tip # 5 – A trial period

Don’t sign on for life with a new trainer; arrange a trial period with them. Setting a time frame like 90-days is a good way to get used to the trainer, the routines and to see results. At the end of the 90-days, another assessment should be performed and the decision made then if you are going to continue on.  Don’t be pressured into signing up for some long term deal.

Tip # 6 – The blind leading the blind

This last tip is one of the most important. Take a look at the trainer and ask yourself if they live the life they are selling. If your trainer has chronic injuries or inflammation associated with over training, has bad habits and promotes them or is a walking poster child for steroids then you should consider these issues as you make your choice.  Ideally, you want to be trained by someone who has the type of health and fitness you want for yourself so that you have a synergy with them and you click.

How Peer Pressure Can Make You Fat: Dealing with Friends with Unhealthy Habits

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There’s no denying the power of peer pressure, especially among teens. Even adults are not immune. Peer pressure is everywhere – work, school, church and at home. You may think that you’re above the influence of others, but few people are completely. If you’re doubtful, just think about the last time someone commented negatively on your haircut, your man or the clothes you were wearing. Even about your weight. How did you handle it? If you stuck the clothes in the back of your closet, felt bad about your hair or felt a blow to your self esteem, you may have been influenced by peer pressure.

friendsPeer pressure works in much the same manner among all age groups regardless of the thoughts or actions being influenced. As humans, we all have an intense need to fit in. When it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle, we are apt to go along with what those around us choose to do. If our family and friends lead an unhealthy lifestyle, it’s very easy to follow suit.

I hear from women all the time who are dealing with negative comments from family members, boyfriends, friends, co-workers, etc.  They want to stay on the path of health and wellness, but they are dealing with the assumptions of others and being told things like:

  • You are losing too much weight.
  • Don’t lose your curves.
  • Why do you want to be thin.
  • Oh…I forgot…You don’t eat.
  • Why are you eating that?  Enjoy Yourself.

While it’s natural for people who love you to want the best for you, there is a difference between looking out for your interests and wanting to control you or having a problem with you losing the weight.  Sometimes you may feel as if your loved ones would prefer that you stayed overweight and if you bow to the pressure you just might.

Your Weight and Negative Peer Pressure

If your family and friends are overweight, sedentary and consume junk food, chances are, they will have something to say about you being on the path to health and wellness. It’s not always about jealousy, and you have to know that your actions may make them feel like they need to change.  That can be uncomfortable.  However, your friends and family can still affect your efforts negatively by:

  • Temptation – When you’re alone, it’s easier to choose items from the healthy menu. Put a couple of friends in the mix and things get tricky. Whether you’re at a restaurant or fixing a meal for your family, the food eaten by those around you often looks better, more satisfying than your own healthy choices. It’s very tempting to forgo the salad for a couple slices of pizza in these situations.
  • Lack of Motivation – Ever notice how active people hang out together and other groups of friends sit and play video games all day? If you’re around people who don’t move, chances are you won’t.
  • Changing Your Views – Once you’re around people who think it’s OK to live an unhealthy lifestyle, you might begin to think the same way. You might start thinking thinks such as “I’m still smaller than so and so” or “I’m a little heavy not gaining weight, so I’m fine.” These thoughts can devastate any movement toward a healthy lifestyle.  Don’t compare yourself to others or let them compare you.  You have to define your goals based on your health and lifestyle needs.

Positive Peer Pressure

Just as negative peer pressure can affect the way you eat and how much exercise you get, the opposite is also true. Surround yourself with active people and people who eat healthy and you will start to make healthy choices simply from their positive influence.  If your friends and loved ones aren’t living a healthy lifestyle, be encouraging and do what you can to help them.

The key is to increase positive peer pressure and to decrease negative peer pressure. While you can remove a great deal of negative influence from your life, you might not be able to stop associating with all of the people who influence you negatively, like family or a spouse. Therefore, it’s important to have a clear plan of action when encountering situations involving negative peer pressure.  The most important thing you can do is be very clear on WHY you are losing the weight in terms of what your motivation is.   That why is the truth you have to hold on to.

Anita lost over 50 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story: Anita lost 53 pounds by working out with a boot camp workout group and changing her eating habits.  Here is what she shared with us:

Hello BWLW, my name is Anita. I have lost over 50 pounds in the last ten months. My biggest motivation was one of my 3 year old students calling me fat. So, I called a trainer that I used in the past and we talked. She invited me to join her Boot Camp that meets 3 days a week, for an hour. Then she began to teach me how to eat clean. I did everything she said and worked really hard. It has helped me a lot too. I now eat a lot of vegetables, whole grains, smoothies, lean meats and drink lots of water. I gave up white foods (white sugar, white flour, etc), sweets, sodas and wine. My start weight was 240 pounds and now I weight 187 pounds. I have God, my trainer and my loving husband (who drinks smoothies now) to thank for encouraging me along for the last ten months.

Anita weight loss before and after

Rashaun went from 511 pounds to 295 pounds with surgery

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Let’s show some Black Women Losing Weight love to Rashaun who lost 216 pounds with gastric sleeve weight loss surgery.  Her starting weight was 511 pounds and working out was a significant part of her transformation.  Here is what she shared with us:

I wanted to share my pictures with this group/page.  I started my weight loss journey on April 9, 2012 at 511 pounds.  To date, I’m 295 pounds.  I did have the gastric bypass surgery, which is the sleeve surgery.  I was tired of not being able to walk up 2 or 3 steps without being outta breath.  I couldn’t go to my daughter school events cause I couldn’t fit in the chairs, so my daughter was my motivation.  I changed my eating habits to protein drinks, oatmeal and only veggies.  I also drank 3 liters of water a day.  I started going to the gym.  I would work out in the pool, run 2 miles and then do a hour of water aerobics.  I did that 6 days out the week, equaling up to 3 hours per workout session.

Rashaun before and after weight loss surgery