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Ace lost 107 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Ace lost 107 pounds with weight loss surgery.  She was having difficulty breathing and suffering from knee pain that hindered her ability to exercise.  At 234 pounds and 5’3″, she decided to opt for gastric sleeve bariatric surgery.  Read her story below to find out more about her journey.

Ace weight loss surgery“My name is Ace. A year and a half ago I made a decision that cheanged my life. I decided to have bariatric weight loss surgery. I was 34 years old and weighed 234 lbs at 5 foot, 3 inches tall. I worked in health care so I was always on my feet. I had a knee problems that led me to a orthopedic doctor who said that I needed to loose weight to relieve some of the pressure off my knee. However, I couldn’t exercise due to the pain. A good friend of mine mentioned bariatric surgery. She had it done a few years prior. The rest is history!

I went from getting short of breath climbing a flight of stairs, constantly tired, constantly eating fast food, sweets and drinking pop to working out 6 days a week! No longer drinking pop or juice! No longer eating pork or red meat, or fast food or sweets! I have an amazing amout of energy. I am active. I feel wonderful. I love the way clothes fit. I went from a size 22 at 234 pounds with a BMI of 41.4 to a size 4 at 127 pounds with a BMI of 22.5. Finally I LOVE ME.”

What was your motivation?
“I was tired of the knee pain and being short of breath all the time.”

How did you change your eating habits?
“I went from snacking all the time on unhealthy things to eating 5 small healthy meals a day that were high in protein.”

What did your workout routines look like?
“Mon – Fri, In the am I do crunches, squats and a few weights. After dinner I walk/run on my treadmill and do additional crunches, squats and weights.”

What was your starting weight and your current weight?
“Starting weight prior to surgery was 234lbs. My heaviest was 256lbs. I currently weigh 127lbs.”
How long did your transformation take?
“I had surgery December 2012. It’s been a year and a half.”

What advice to you have for others who want to lose weight?
“You can do it if you want to. You have to really want it. Make small goals. Take it day by day and appreciate every bit of progress that you make! Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels!!”

Ace weight loss story

Yvonne lost 43 pounds

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Update May 2016 – It’s been almost 3 years since we shared Yvonne’s story. She gained many pounds back over the years, but a year ago she made the decision to change her life again. She’s lost a total of 70 pounds.

yvonne before and after

“I was featured once before on your site in 2013. Basically, I’d gone on a diet and began exercising, which led to losing 43 pounds. My reason for wanting to lose the weight at the time was to be able to fit into my clothes again. Shortly after being featured, I went back to all my old eating habits. Needless to say, all my weight returned and then some. My blood pressure also began to elevate. I was tired and drained all the time. I really didn’t even want to go to the doctor’s for my yearly physical. Finally, I got up the nerve to go, and suprisingly I was given a clean bill of health. I made up in my mind that day to take charge of my health. As of May,  it’s been a year since I re-started my journey. I have lost a little over 70 lbs. I refuse to look back!”

yvonne weight loss story

Oct 2013 – Since April 2013, Yvonne has lost 43 pounds after years of yo-you dieting.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

“I’m on a journey to a healthier me. I will be 43 years old in November. For the past 12 years, I have been a yo- yo dieter. I never wanted to put in the time to exercise and always wanted a quick fix. In April 2013, the elevator at my job was down and I had to walk up the steps. I felt like I was going to pass out half way up and I was totally disgusted with myself when I got to the top of stairs. To top it off, I had to teach on the heart that afternoon. I kept hearing my own words that day. I said, ” The heart is a little bigger than an adult fist and it pumps five liters of blood through the body every 8 seconds.” I knew my heart had to be having difficulty doing such a job and I had not done any cardio in years to help strengthen it. I started exercising consistently from that day forward! I could barely walk a mile, now I run 3 miles a day, 4 times a week. I cut out sodas, chips and junk food and I have lost 43 pounds. I have 40 pounds to go. My starting weight was 250 pounds. (It even hurt to type that) I feel great and everyday I’m excited to be on this journey (a lifelong journey)! The following photos are from April, August and September!”

Yvonne weight loss success story

Tumeka lost 60 pounds

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Let’s show some Black Women Losing Weight Love to Tumeka for her 60 pound weight loss with Chris Powell’s book and workout DVD.  Chris is the host and main personal trainer on”Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition”. She says it took 2 years, but the old saying says “Slow and steady wins the race” and she is a Winner.  Here is what she shared with us:

Hello, my name is Tumeka and I would like to share my weight loss story with you. The picture in the white is from 2011. I weighted 303 pounds. The picture in the black jeans is from 2013. I took me me 2 years to lose 60 pounds. It has been hard but I didn’t stop . My goal is to lose 100 pounds total. I purchased Chris Powell book ” CHOOSE TO LOSE (The 7-Day Carb Cycle Solution) & I also purchased Chris Powell DVD EXTREME MAKEOVER WEIGHT LOSS EDITION- THE WORKOUT. Two of the best things I have ever purchased. I did exactly what the book said do & worked out to the DVD once a day. It has been a struggle but thanks to support of my family. I did it and you can too. So don’t give up ladies! Every drop of sweat is worth it. Be blessed & stay fit!!!!!! KISSES

Tumeka weight loss success

Char lost 45 pounds

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Let’s show some Black Women Losing Weight Love to Char!  Char lost 45 pounds with prescription Adipex and eating right over the course of a year and has keep it off since 2011.

In 2010, I weighed 298 pounds (size 26/28).  In 2011 I lost 45 lbs making my weight 253 lbs (size 14/16). I started taking Adipex (prescription weight loss drug) for about 2-3 months in May 2010 to get me started on controlling my appetite.  I also made the decision to eat healthier because it was a requirement per my doctor. I drank nothing but water everyday, ate 2-4 small meals including oatmeal, fruit, boiled eggs, bacon, sausage (not often), vegetables, grilled fish and chicken and cut out many (most) carbs.  Unfortunately, I did not work out at the gym as I lost the weight, which is why I didn’t lose more at the time.   I also didn’t get the toning that I needed.  I can say proudly that I did start working out towards the last few months of 2011 and have worked out at least 3 times per week since!

If I may add to my “testimony”, I’d like to say: The blessing of my epiphany of losing weight is that one day I just got tired of looking in the mirror and not liking what I saw and decided it was time for ME to change ME! I thank God daily that I didn’t make this change due to ANY health problems.  I do not have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes after being overweight for so long and that’s a testimony all by itself! PRAISE GOD! #Grateful

Connect with her on her Facebook Page.

Char weight loss

Flora lost 102 pounds

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Today’s weight loss success story: Flora lost 102 pounds by changing her eating habits and working out with fitness DVDs and Zumba on the Wii.  Here is what she shared with us:

I lost 102 prouds thru eating better and working out with fitness DVDs.  My journey started one day in March 2011 after I took a picture and was surprised that I looked so big. I didn’t even realize I had gained so much. My highest weight was 258 pounds and I was a size 2-3x top and 22 bottoms. I really didn’t know where to start, so Youtube was a great help with the 10 min workouts from Nicole of sparkpeople.com. I could only do the 10 min at a time and then I started doubling up to 20 min. In June 2011 I joined MyFitnessPal, an online community, and I was able to log my foods to help me keep my eating under control and make better choices. I bought the Wii games for Zumba and Jillian Michael DVDs, since I didn’t want others to see me in a gym.  The weight slowly came off, and now I’m at 156 pounds. My children (ages 2, 4 & 12) motivate me, and they work out with me. I’ve started helping other people on this journey with starting groups, working out with them and support. Many blessings to you! Flora B.

flora weight loss

Ms. Fab lost 86 pounds

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Update Dec 2015 – Ms.Fab has kept the weight off for 4 years by exercising and doing yoga at home. She says, “I will continue to keep living this healthy life.” Instagram: @ms.fabs_world

ms fab before and after

May 2013 – Today’s featured weight loss success story:  Ms. Fab lost 86 pounds going from 245 to 159.  Ms. Fab (aka. Rita) is a mother of 4, the founder of the Mommy-Make-Over Campaign and of “Girl Talk with Ms. FAB” a motivational program for teen girls.

“I made the decision to change the way I ate felt and looked by looking at this picture (before photo). I knew I had to do something.  The biggest issue I had was that I ate my problems away…stress stress stress, so I wondered what if I walked my stress away.  I started walking every day, twice a day, in the morning and evening.  I went from 1 mile to 7 miles per day.  Whatever I was stressed out about I left it at the end of my walk and did not bring it back with me.  Water became my love.  I started eating right.  I began drinking a lot of water and switched out sweets with fruits or veggies (mini carrots are everything).  I also use honey.  Working out became something I looked forward to everyday.  I was finally doing something for myself.  Being a wife and a mother of four, I always put weight loss off cause I didn’t think it was important.  That was until I lost my first 30 pounds and then I became addicted to my new lifestyle.  I love the new found Ms.Fab.  I changed completely not just in weight loss.  I changed and became who I always was meant to be…..Fabulous!”

Facebook: Girl Talk with Ms. Fab

Ms. Fab Rita weight loss

Staci lost 33 pounds

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Let’s show some love to Staci who has lost 33 pounds post pregnancy with My Fitness Pal, portion control and watching her calorie intake.  She is blogging about her progress and wants to be less than 200 pounds by her birthday in November.

I love your page! It is truly an inspiration to see the great results and it pushes me more and more towards reaching my goal! I started my journey in August 2012 at 286.6 pounds (I’m 290 in my before photo) and today I am 259.2 pounds (A little more than my after photo).  I am a firm believer that I can do all things through Christ who strengths me! I plan to lose 60-70 pounds before my next birthday in November and get below 200 pounds. I lost my weight by using My Fitness Pal and watching my calorie intake and portion control. Feel free to check out my blog as well: getfitwithstaci.wordpress.com/

When I feel like I can’t press forward I look at the success stories of those who have had a successful journey. I am reminding myself that I also can obtain the same results.  My motivation: my husband, my two children, Co-workers and inspirational posts from Facebook friends and people who post their success stories.

I changed my eating habits by eliminating sodas and sugary drinks, eating more whole wheat products and avoiding white rice and pastas. I now avoid cakes and sugary snacks and opt for fresh fruits. I still enjoy certain foods in moderation and during special occasions. I’ve increased my water intake to at least 10 cups per day.  I’ve become more active by playing with my kids.  I’m CONSTANTLY MOVING around the house, at work and parking far from the store while out shopping. I’m also making healthier choices when eating, practicing portion control and staying active most days of the week.

Staci Weight Loss

Latashia lost weight and went from a size 22-24 to a size 16-18

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Latashia lost weight and went from a size 22-24 to a size 16-18 from February 2013 to April 2013.

What would you like to share regarding your weight loss journey?

The three main things I do is pray and put holy oil over my mouth and stomach.  I am a user of the detox trio by Robin Anthony  of renuherbs.com.  I also have the help of my trainer Shawn Taylor!!!  Believe me when I say that my big bro is the bomb dot com!  I mean it for reals!!! Everyday is a struggle. Do I eat bad sometimes? Yes, but I know to cleanse that evening and the next day go hard with my eating and exercise! I do two a days every other day when I’m not running my own business!!! Please guys, stay committed and strong!! Everybody can’t do it! Like my trainer states everytime 80% of the people who go to the gym look the same day after day,  only a few change over time!! Always continue to DIG DEEPER!!!

How much do you weigh?

You know what I never weigh myself because it discourages me. i never look like what i weigh! lol sad i know.  I want to say it’s because of muscle. I can say that I went from a size 22-24 to a size 16-18.

Latashia weight loss

Charmaine lost 90 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story: Charmaine lost 90 pounds and is working on “reversing” her diabetes.

I’ve lost 90 pounds by eating healthier, staying active and roller derby! My diabetes is almost reversed now. 🙂

My motivation was to get my diabetes under control. I took oral medication for it which helped.  For my weight loss, I cut out fast food and sweets. I eat a big breakfast and a small dinner. I care for a handicapped boy for a living and we are always on the move, going somewhere, doing something.  This is versus my old job where I sat for 8 hours, so that has  kept me active.  Then I joined a roller derby team and that has really kicked me in to gear.  I feel healthy happy and I’m feeling good with more energy than I’ve ever had.  I went from 297 to 207 still have more to go.  Now, it’s a lifestyle.”

Charmaine weight loss story

Valaria lost 60 pounds

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Let’s show some BWLW love to Valaria who lost 60 pounds with the help of bootcamp classes and changing her eating habits.

I just hit my 60 pound goal as of today by eating right, taking bootcamp class and having a great healthy support system and accountibility partners. I am excited about continuing my healthy journey and I have fifteen more pounds to my goal.  I plan to start toning within the next month with a personal trainer.

My motivation at the beginning was inconsistent but when I became serious I was unstoppable. I changed my eating habits to fish, chicken and veggies.  I drank more water and got more rest. My workout routine is a mixture of cardio, light weights and bootcamp drills for four days out of the week.

Valaria weight loss