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Whitney lost 131 pounds

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Transformation of the Day: Whitney lost 131 pounds with cardio and Keto. Photos taken during a family vacation in Hawaii served as her wake-up call. During this journey, she learned to be gentle with herself and practice self-love.

Whitney before and after weight loss

May 2021 to May 2022 – Cardio and Keto

Updated Photo

I went shopping yesterday for an upcoming vacation, and I tried on the outfit on the right. I didn’t get it because I felt like it didn’t look good on me because my thighs are too “thicc.” 

This morning the pic on the left popped up in my iPhone memories. I remember taking pictures of my children in Hawaii and a stranger walking up and asking, “Do you want one of all of you?” 

I usually would always reply, “No, we are good. Thank you.” However, I hesitantly said yes this time because how could I not capture this priceless moment with my kids? Little did I know the pictures this stranger took would be a major catalyst for me that changed my life. 

I remember thanking the lady, taking my phone, looking at the pictures she took, and thinking, “Who is that woman standing with my children?” I knew I had gained weight but seeing myself in the photos was shocking. 

Whitney before and after weight loss

These two photos below are 366 days apart. So although I might not be where I want to be, I’m thankful for the reminder today that I am not where I started! 

What inspired you to keep going, even when you wanted to give up?
My kids inspired me.

How did you change your eating habits? 
I cut carbs and sugar.

What did your workout routine consist of? How many days a week did you work out? 
I do cardio for one hour, 3-4 times a week.

What is your height?
I’m 5’2″.

Is weight loss surgery part of your journey?
No.

Whitney before and after weight loss

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
I learned to be gentle with myself and practice self-love.

What advice would you like to share with women who want to lose weight?
You can do it! Take it one day at a time. One bad day won’t undo all your hard work. Just keep pushing and look forward.

Instagram: @1lockedblackbeauty

Gabrielle lost 65 pounds

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Transformation of the Day: Gabrielle lost 65 pounds. The stress of starting her own business and working her day job, led to significant weight gain. She decided that she’d had enough of avoiding mirrors and feeling uncomfortable in her own skin. This world traveler decided to address her unhealthy lifestyle with low carb eating and exercise. Check out her story.

gabrielle before and after

I’m Gabrielle and one day, I just had enough. I decided I wanted to live. I was tired of avoiding mirrors and trying to make myself invisible. Obesity had been a common denominator in my life. In the past, I wasn’t active. I was inconsistent with what I ate and then top it off, I’ve been battling a brain disorder, depression, anxiety and PCOS for years. I started changing my life one meal at a time. I’ve lost weight before, but not like this. Now, I am actively listening to my body and learning about nutrition and fitness.

I began my own business in the summer of 2015 and between the stress of that and my day job, I had ballooned up to over 350 pounds. I honestly don’t know where I weighed in at after that, because my scale didn’t go any higher. What I do know is that I was tired of feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. I went to Morocco and Brazil and I absolutely hated my pictures. I hid my body as much as possible. I never felt more sick. Feeling sick and trapped became my motivation, not a number or any life event. I was motivated because I want to feel healthy and alive. I wanted to change while I was able to do so. I’m 5 feet tall even and I only could deny how unhealthy I was for so long.

My workouts are focused on strength training first and cardio second. Muscle burns fat all day. A cardio only routine lacks the sculpting and burns muscle as well as fat. I workout between 3-5 times a week, depending on my schedule. My workout regimen is as follows: a 10 minute inclined walk, 1 hour of strength training and free weights, 40 minutes of mixed cardio. I love variety, so I pick 4 machines and do 10 minutes of HIIT training on each. I love the elliptical, but I truly use all of the cardio options available to me at the gym (except the stair climber, that begins in the new year).

My nutrition is low carb based. I eat high protein meals with moderate fat. I also eat smaller portions. I eat 30-40 grams of carbs a day. I learned about timing what I eat and how that effects my body. I follow a macronutrient focused eating regimen that is low carb before dinner and no carbs after 5pm.

I stopped eating fruit for three months and then I slowly reintroduced lower carb options such as apples. I completely removed alcohol, white grains and bread, frozen diet meals (sodium is atrocious) sugar drinks from my diet. This includes crystal light due to the side effects of fake sugar. Complex carbs (such as an apple) are amazing before I work out as opposed to eating sushi post workout, which leaves me starving.

I began this journey in March of 2016, and I’m still on it. My current weight is 285 pounds. I haven’t had any surgery, hopefully I won’t need it. It’s a daily choice for me to workout, to eat right, to make healthier choices throughout my day. If anyone is reading this and you are looking for advice, just start where you are. Focus on your journey and the end result, not any quick fixes. It’s not an overnight process, but the inches add up. The pounds add up as well. And lastly, be gentle with yourself.

Instagram: @goddessgetsfit

gabrielle gabrielle before and after

Diana lost 144 pounds

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Congrats! Diana is featured in the Jan 2017 “Half Their Size” issue of People Magazine. More info.

Transformation of the Day: Diana lost 144 pounds. She had been morbidly obese for her entire life and felt that weight loss wasn’t a real possibility for her. This young lady took action after seeing her prom photos and has not turned back. She shared with us how she lost the pounds over the course of 2 years.

diana before and after

Hey guys! My journey has been intense and a little painful (at first), but trust me. It’s been totally worth it. I had been morbidly obese my entire life. I never felt like losing weight was even an option for me. I was the largest person in my house, weighing 270 pounds. I was bigger than my dad and my brother.

To make a long story short, after attending my senior prom and seeing all of my friends with dates, beautiful dresses, and with so much confidence, I knew that something had to change. About two weeks after my prom I was looking at my pictures. I noticed the smile on my face in all of the photos. I was trying to look confident, but I just looked scared. That was the day that I decided to change my life.

I joined my first gym. I started working out once a day for at least 2 hours a day. Sometimes, I would work out twice in one day. Workout example; I would do 40 minutes of the treadmill, 50 squares, 100-400 sit-ups and 40-80 arm reps.

I started dieting as well. I changed my eating habits by cutting everything in half. I didn’t really stop eating pizza, I just wouldn’t eat the whole box. I started eating a salad with every meal and some meals were salads.

Within my first year of changing my lifestyle, I had lost 80 pounds. I know I am blessed and I’m proud to say that I now weigh 126 pounds. I went from 270 lbs to 126 lbs. I am 5’5″ tall. My mom motivated me everyday on my journey. It took me a good year to lose the first 100 pounds. Another year for the rest of the weight.

My advice for others: Never give up. Ever. Even if you see the scale keeps climbing, don’t give up. When you give up your body gives up.

Instagram: @chefdifitnessjourney

diana before and after

Tia lost over 100 pounds

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Update 2017: She is still going strong in 2017.

Update 2016: Tia lost 30 more pounds for a total of 130 pounds gone.

Hey Loves! So here’s another weight loss progress before & so far pic. I took the ones on the right today. I’m 130+ lbs down so far & unfortunately, I never kept track of the inches that I lost which is the reason I try to also show a side view pic so you can see it better! To all my healthy lifestyle journey fb fam, I hope you all are hanging in there! Remember to be patient..this took me over two years & while I’m nowhere near to my goal, I’m far from where I started! After all, we didn’t get this way overnight right? As always, Love yall ta pieces!!!! #ChroniclesOfChunkToChisel #ActLikeALadyTrainLikeABEAST #EatCleanTrainHard #LiftingIsMyLIFE #FitCurvyGirl #FitnessLife #Quadzilla #ImAGirlThatLiftsHeavy #GirlsThatLiftROCK

A photo posted by Tia Blake (@mstiasingz) on

Weight Loss Story: Tia lost over 100 pounds. Several photos, including one from her sisters wedding, showed this singing diva that she was heavier than she realized. When she was diagnosed with high blood pressure,  her doctor recommended weight loss surgery. However, Tia knew that the real answer was healthy eating and exercise instead. Check out what she shared with us.

tia weight loss story

Hey Loves! I began my weight loss journey in the beginning of 2014, after being diagnosed with high blood pressure. I weighed 358 pounds and I’m 5’5″ tall. My doctor told me that she would recommend weight loss surgery for me since I was incapable of losing weight on my own. That pissed me off, because no one tells me that I’m incapable of doing ANYTHING. I knew that I could lose the weight on my own.

I also received a picture from my sister’s wedding that she posted on Facebook and cried when I saw it, because I didn’t realize how heavy I was. The other picture is from my audition call back for the movie, “Black Nativity”. I was cast as a gospel singer in the choir and had to do a TON of dancing at that size. I thought I was gonna die but thank God, I survived! Both of these photos were my motivation and inspiration to make significant changes to save my life!

Once I reached 100+ lbs down in the summer of 2015, my goal changed and I ventured into body building. I’ve changed my diet significantly, focusing on eating lean protein, complex carbs and green veggies. I eat six small meals every 3 hours throughout the day. Each meal consists of a lean protein, complex carb and green veggies. I no longer eat processed foods at all. I cook a big meal on Sundays and meal prep for the entire week. I also take supplements, like BCAA, and protein shakes since I’m weight lifting. I’ve noticed significant change in my body so far. I’m burning way more fat, even at rest. I’m stronger than ever and I can feel my muscles when I flex! I plan to continue my weight loss journey on my own, that means without any weight loss surgery.

My advice to others is to realize that this isn’t about a “look”. It’s about making healthy choices, as this is a lifestyle and not a diet. Take one day at a time because you really need to learn to live this way for the rest of your life. I also have a “treat” not “cheat” MEAL and not a Cheat DAY! I would also say please don’t starve yourself. You actually need to eat more in order to speed up your metabolism, which is the reason I’m losing weight more rapidly. That’s in addition to the fact that I’m weight lifting, which bulks up muscles & burns way more fat than cardio alone. I workout 6 days a week weight lifting and I end my workout with about 10-15 minutes of cardio. Then, I rest for 1 day. I still have a ways to go, but I bless God for giving me the strength and determination to continue on my weight loss journey. I’m  going from CHUNK TO CHISEL!!!

Instagram: @mstiasingz

tia before and after

Damilola lost 62 pounds

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Weight Loss Transformation of the Day: Damilola lost 62 pounds. Our Nigerian sista got two wakeup calls that many of us are familiar with, unflattering photos and a doctor’s warning to lose weight for our health. This mom of 2 changed her eating habits, worked out regularly and has gotten results! Here is what she shared with us about her journey…

damilola before and after

I’m a sister from Nigeria and a mother of 2. I lost a total of 28kg within the course of 5 months by simply changing my lifestyle. I knew that I couldn’t continue carrying the extra pounds and I was motivated by a visit to the doctor’s office. I couldn’t walk well due to having too much weight on my 5′ 1.8″ tall body. My doctor said that I had to loose some weight. On my way home, I stopped at my sister’s house to have a piece of her birthday cake. I couldn’t ask that the pictures from that day be deleted, so I was faced with the truth. I didn’t like what I looked like. These two things motivated me to get started.

After thorough research, I started with portion control and a week later, I moved on to a high protein/low carb diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. I also drank a lot of water. I had green tea, ginger, garlic and cut down on salt and seasoning. My workouts started with jogging round my residential area for an hour everyday, 7 days a week, with very few rest days. I later changed my workout plan to 6 days of cardio and strength training. Using the My Fitness Pal app on my phone has helped me to track my calorie intake and I don’t eat more than 1200 calories a day. I can’t go a day without logging my workout and meals on MFP. This app has really helped me. Google and Instagram are my very good friends when I’m looking for options of meal preparation and workouts. (Shout out to Lakeitha Duncan).

My starting weight was 93kg and I’m presently 65kg (205 pounds to 143 pounds). My transformation took five months, although there were weeks I found myself on a plateau and I didn’t loose a pound. I cried sometimes, as this was quite frustrating, but my goals kept me going. I kept telling myself “Dammie you are doing it”. I started on my weight loss journey in April 2015 . The first picture was me in 2009, second was February 2015 and the last one was taken September 2015.

Instagram: @dammie_suregirl

Precious lost 72 pounds

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Weight Loss Story: Precious lost 72 pounds. Her wakeup call was a doctor’s visit where she learned the her blood sugar was too high.  She’d seen her grandfather struggle with diabetes and she didn’t want to be put on insulin shots.  Here is what she shared with us about losing the pounds…

precious before and after

My name is Precious A. and I’m 26 years old. At the end of 2014, the last picture I took was during Christmas. After looking at the picture, I felt like I looked so huge. I just kept looking at the picture like, “Is that me?” In February, after going to the my doctor for bad headaches, I discovered that my blood sugar level was too high. Everyday it was in the 400s. My doctor told me that if I didn’t make a change and lose weight, I was gonna have to start taking insulin shots. That was my wake up call since I’d seen my grandfather struggle with diabetes.

In February, I stopped drinking sodas the first week and the next week I stopped eating sweets. The following week, I cut out fried foods and carbs. I went walking every morning, starting with a mile a day. I worked my way up and now I walk 3 miles a day. I only drink water, drink green tea and eat healthy foods. However, once in a while I allow myself to have a cheat day.

I’m currently 72 pounds lighter, with about 58 more lbs to go. I weigh 255 pounds (height: 5’7″). I’m still not where I wanna be, but I think it’s great that I’m not where I used be.

My advice to others is to take it one day at a time. Do your research on weight loss before you jump into it and to remember that you didn’t gain it in a day, so you aren’t going to lose it in a day.

Instagram: @havin_faith

October Group Accountability 2015 Challenge

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octchallengeblog15One of the hardest things about weight loss is being accountable for your actions. This month, we are asking you to share your journey with the world and to be accountable to the group.  We’ve been working for 10 months this year and now it’s time for you to show your work.

Our October Challenge has 2 parts.

  • DietBet Contest – Accountability Group
  • Photo Accountability on Social Media – Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
    Hashtag: #BWLWOct

Join our October DietBet – Starts Oct 6th

dietbetoct15blog2Get motivated. Have Fun. Lose Weight. Win Money. That’s a DietBet in a nutshell. Lose 4% of your weight in 28 days and you win your money back.  You’ll also get a portion of the funds in the pot which is split among all of the winners in the group. Do DietBets work? Out of 294,744 DietBetters, 92.94% have lost weight during the challenges. Combined, they’ve lost 3,327,667 lbs and won $14,428,837. Check out this testimonial from Alfena. She lost 89 pounds and won $3881

Begins October 6th
Photo weigh-in: October 4th – 6th
Bet: $35
Get the full details TODAY!

PHOTO Accountability Challenge – #BWLWOCT

We want you to post your photos to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or your personal blog/website using the tag #BWLWOCT to participate. (Check out some of last October’s photos)

When you sign up for this challenge you are agreeing to post a photo related to your weight loss journey at least 3 times a week. Feel free to post everyday if you like. My personal goal (this is Ajima) is to post photos of what I’ve eaten everyday and recipes I’m trying out. I will post weekly roundups of your great photos on our blog and re-post some of your photos on our social media profiles to motivate the group (linking back to YOU).

Are you In? Ready to join us? Sign up for the challenge by leaving a comment below. Let us know where you will be posting your photos. Give us your username for Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram. Post the link for your blog. Post the link to your Facebook page. We want to follow you! If you’re not posting publicly, let us know how you plan to be accountable on your journey in October.

October Giveaways

Those who sign up and participate publicly on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with this month’s hashtag will be eligible for our weekly Amazon gift card giveaway in the month of October. Winners will chosen at random and notified via social media each week. You will learn about the giveaway winners via email, so make sure that you are signed up for our email list.  Remember, if we can’t find your posts publicly, we can’t count them. Private posts will not be considered for the giveaway portion. (Oct 8, 15, 22, 29: 2 winners will each receive a $15 gift card each week via email (8 cards total). Email notices about winners will be sent out on these dates)
Click Here to Sign Up for Our Email List

Don’t want to show your photos to the world? That’s fine. You can still join this challenge by doing the work of recording your journey in photos in October for your own benefit. You will also have a record of your process that you can be proud of. You may consider posting photos to your private Facebook page, Instagram or Twitter feed to encourage your friends and family. You could also do this challenge with a friend and trade photos back and forth.

Goal:

This challenge is all about Accountability! You will be showing the proof of your journey through photos and being accountable to the group. Your photos will show the actions you are taking to get to where you want to be. You might want to share your ups and downs. You may be sharing a major victory or lesson you’ve learned. You may just be posting a photo of your breakfast or the read out of calories burned on your favorite elliptical machine. Just like we tell children who are doing their math problems to “Show your work.” we will be showing ours to the world.

If you participate in this challenge, I promise you that it will be motivating. You will truly be challenged to see what you’re actually doing in terms of eating, exercising and how you feel when you see those photos staring back at you. Also, taking photos is a great way to document your progress and victories, so that if you feel discouraged in the future you can reflect on those photos for encouragement.

What kinds of photos should you post? It’s up to you. Ideas:

  • Photos of what you’re eating – meals and snacks
  • Photos of you working out (at home, in the gym, etc)
  • Photos of the read out screen on exercise equipment showing your calories burned, time, heart rate, etc
  • Progress Photos
  • Before and After Photos
  • Gym Selfies
  • Photos of recipes you’re making
  • Photos of recipes you want to try
  • Photos of your meal prep routine
  • Photos from the grocery store
  • Photos from when you are eating out with friends
  • Smoothie Photos
  • Photos of the clothing you can now wear since you’ve lost pounds.
  • Photos of your dream outfit
  • Quotes and Inspirational images you find online that inspire you and speak to your journey

Don’t forget to tag your posts with #BWLWOCT so that we can find them and check out your photos all month. I look forward to seeing all of your photos!!! – Ebony Ajima

inspire october challenge weight loss

Measure Your Progress Without the Scale

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It is very easy for us to become obsessed with our weight as a number and start to weigh ourselves every day. Stepping on a scale isn’t the only way to judge whether you are making progress or not. In fact, it isn’t even the best way to know how much fat you’re losing and how much muscle you’re gaining.

Obsession with the scale can become a serious problem and lead to depression, eating disorders or giving up due to disappointment. The reason for this is because even the healthiest individual’s weight fluctuates on a daily basis. Instead of relying solely on the scale to judge how well you are doing, try some of these methods instead.

fit into your jeans

Photo Track Visual Progress

One of the best ways to track your weight loss progress is to take photos biweekly or monthly. There are a couple reasons why tracking with pictures is a good idea. Most women tend to want to lose weight or workout for their appearance. It isn’t the only reason but generally it’s up there in the top 3.

Taking pictures enables you to see how your body changes from an outside perspective. Often, women don’t realize how much their body has changed because they see it every day in the mirror. Seeing a photo from a month ago can really give insight into how well you are doing.

Photos taken in the same positions and angles every time will also show much fat you’re losing and from where, as well as how much muscle you’re gaining. How visible your abdominal muscles are is another great indicator of body fat percentage as your abs will only become visible when you reach a low body fat percentage, generally.

These photo don’t need to be fancy and you don’t have to show them to anyone- just take them for yourself. If you plan to keep your progress photos private anyways, try to wear clothing that really let’s you see your body vs bulky clothing. A bathing suit is a great choice. As mentioned earlier, try to take your pictures from the same angles every time. You may also want to take 2 sets of pictures, one where you are totally relaxed (don’t hold anything in!) and another where you tighten/flex your muscles. Even if you still rely on a scale, taking pictures should still be done as it is truly eye-opening and motivational.

Track Body Measurements

A second excellent way of tracking your progress without a scale is to take body measurements. Just like tracking with pictures, measuring your body will tell you a lot more about how your body is changing than a number on a scale. It is also extremely easy to do, so there really is no excuse to not track these numbers.

You can measure whatever parts of your body you feel you need to, but overall you’ll want to track you:

  • Waist
  • Hips
  • Legs (thighs & calves)
  • Arms (bicep area)
  • Chest (under and over bust)

Some women also choose to track their wrists, ankles, neck, etc. It’s really up to you. As you take your waist and hip measurements, calculate the ratio between them as this can be an important way of measuring health. Typically women should have 0.08 ratio. You can find more about waist-to-hip (WTH) ratios here.

To make measuring easy, it is best to use a cloth tape measure or a special body measurement flexible tape measure. You can probably find one at your local $.99 or $1 store.

Use a Body Fat Caliper


affiliate links

A lot of women can get so hung up on weight that they don’t realize the more important number is body fat percentage. A super fit woman who has a lot of muscle could actually be considered “overweight” just based on her weight alone, even if she is really healthy with a low body fat %. There are so many different body types out there and people who are bigger boned may not be as unhealthy as they believe if they have their body fat tracked.

You can see a professional to get a body fat analysis but this isn’t necessary to do on a regular basis. There are body fat calipers and monitors you can buy online from websites like Amazon and in health stores so you can measure yourself at home. It is important to thoroughly read the instructions that come with the calipers and even do some research online to ensure you measure yourself properly.

Body fat is the best way to judge your health and you should never just rely on the automatic body fat calculator on some digital scales as they are not perfectly accurate. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to buy some calipers and then visit a doctor or personal trainer to get help with measuring body fat. Most will be happy to show you how to use calipers at home. Here is some additional info on ideal body fat percentages.

Get Weighed by a Professional

Finally, you can get “weighed” by a professional. There are two techniques which will measure your weight but more importantly, they will show you far more about your actual body composition. These two methods are:

  • DEXA Scanning: Judged by some fitness professionals to be the absolute best method of body measurement. DEXA stands for dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry which measures fat and lean mass as well as bone mass. Many universities offer DEXA scanning and it’s well worth the $75-$100 price tag to gain so much insight into your body. It would be best to get a scan done before starting your weight loss journey and every 3-6 months during your journey is this is something in your budget.
  • Hydrostatic Weighing: Hydrostatic weighing is done in water and tends to also be offered by universities and high end, retreat-style weight loss programs. Some very high end gyms may do this as well. Even though technology like the DEXA scan is more accurate, hydrostatic weighing is still an excellent alternative to a scale. It tends to be much less expensive than a DEXA scan as well.

A scale still has its place in everyone’s weight loss journey but should be a tool saved for biweekly or monthly tracking to avoid obsession. Remember that muscle is more dense than fat, so if you find your weight isn’t dropping off despite hard work, you could be gaining muscle. Don’t convince yourself that you’re not making progress just because the needle is not moving. Weight is just a number, so don’t become fixated on it. Focus on how you look, how you feel and your body fat percentage.

Chimere lost 151 pounds

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Weight Loss Transformation of the Day: Chimere lost 151 pounds. Over the course of 2 years, she worked hard to change her eating habits and embrace regular exercise.  Now, she is sharing her story to be an inspiration to others.  Here is what she had to share about her weight loss journey…

chimera weight loss

To post this is taking some huge guts right now. I’ve never shown anyone the pic of me on the right (unless you follow me on Instagram). That is me at my biggest and I promise I’m never going back. I don’t even know who she is anymore because I’m a whole new me. I weighed 380 pounds and I now weigh 229 pounds.

The crazy thing is, I didn’t even think I was that big. I’ve got a long way to go but I’ve also come a long way. I hope that I can be an inspiration to someone, and let them know that it just takes time. Nothing comes easy, but if you keep at it you’ll start seeing results. I always say “slowly but surely.” I’m learning to be patient with myself and that patience has gotten me where I am now.

I used to hate running and now I love jogging down Cowles Mountain. Instead of eating out so much I started cooking meals at home. I cut out all sugary drinks; soda, juices, etc. and started drinking nothing but water. I did a lot of lemon infused water so that it wasn’t so “boring” all the time. I made smoothies and juice a lot with my Nutribullet. I’m not a huge vegetable eater so I got most of my nutrients from juicing. I started working out and now I love it. From working out in the gym to working out outside, which I found out I love the most. Working out in a gym isn’t for everybody.

My weightloss journey started in June 2013. In 2 years, I lost 151 pounds. It just takes time. There’s no easy way out. Determination and motivation is what I stand by. I learned that I only get one life and one body and I had to start treating myself better. I deserve to live and be happy and that’s exactly what I’m doing, Living happily. I love myself. To anyone struggling with their weight, I want you to love yourself too. Love yourself enough to treat your body right. You deserve it. So, if you thought you knew me at that time, how about you try getting to know me all over again, because that was the unhappy Chimere. That’s no longer me. Feel free to show this pic to anyone struggling with weightloss. I want to inspire.

Instagram: @_californiadoll

Tiffany lost 110 pounds

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Update May 2016 – Tiffany lost over 100 pounds and has maintained her weight loss long term. This month she appeared on the Dr. Oz show.

tiffany update weight loss

“I just wanted to update you on my progress but first thank you for all of the incredible work you do! You’re dedication to sharing these transformations is amazing! Your page keeps me motivated and accountable to keeping the weight off daily! So encouraging! You shared my weight loss story on your page months back. I got so much encouraging feedback from many of the women who have liked your page. It feels good to be able to inspire and motivate, while at the same time holding myself accountable. I have continued to maintain my weight, even though it has certainly been a challenge. I was, and still am an emotional eater, but through the dedication and daily motivation from pages like yours, I have done it. Since you have shared my story, I have had the honor of sharing my weightloss story in amazing ways! I was on the Today Show in the Joy Fit Club Segment with Joy Bauer. Just recently, I was able to share my story on the Dr. Oz Show (video)! I am so thankful for pages like yours and people like you who inspire and motivate with real life stories!”

Aug 2015 – Weight Loss Transformation of the Day: Tiffany lost 110 pounds. After battling her weight for years, she reached a point where enough was enough. She focused on learning all about healthy eating, portion control and exercise.  Now, she is a personal trainer, fitness instructor and author.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey…

tiffany before and after

I had struggled with my weight my entire life. Once I got married, I weighed about 180 pounds. After about 3 years of marriage my weight skyrocketed to 250 pounds. I think I just started letting myself go. I ate whatever I wanted and was not active at all. I just kept making excuses for myself and ignoring the changes I was seeing in the mirror. I had not weighed myself in years. Then, they built a new fitness center in my community and my husband wanted to join. I joined too, but not because I wanted to. I just didn’t want to be left out of what he was doing. I decided to buy a scale. When I finally had enough courage to step on, I was shocked to see my weight. 250lbs! I was considered morbidly obese. How did this happen? I was mortified, depressed and so disappointed in myself. I decided that day to make a change.

tiffanyI slowly started to work out and instantly cut my calorie intake. After the 1st week I had lost 5 pounds! This was so motivating to me and I just kept going. Little by little I became more determined as I saw more progress. I constantly did research on how to burn calories and eat right. Eventually, I had lost 110 pounds! It took me about 8 months. I was very focused! My weight loss success story was featured in Oxygen Magazine. I wanted to help others who had struggled with their weight as well, so I became a Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor. I love inspiring others with my story and hope to encourage anyone who feels like they cannot do it.


Tiffany’s Book

I changed my eating habits pretty much immediately. I instantly cut my calories down to about 1,000 a day, which I would not recommend. This was before I had done any research. Now, I would say only go down to about 1200 per day. Never the less, I got educated about the calories in food. I had never payed any attention to that before. I downloaded the MyFitnessPal App and literally logged my calories everyday! Every morsel of food was accounted for. When I look back on how I used to eat before my change, I realized I was consuming about 4,000 calories per day. No wonder I was overweight. The main trick that I learned was calories in, calories, out. I found out that as long as I burned more calories than I ate, I could still lose weight and eat whatever I wanted in the proper proportions. I learned all about serving sizes, ate about 1200 calories per day and had 1 cheat meal per week. When I hit a plateau, I actually took my calories up to about 1500 per day, and was able to continue losing. My go to fitness product now is definitely the Fit Bit! It helps me stay on track with calories I’ve burned per day and I still log my food in the app!

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tiffany weight loss