Black Weight Loss Success

The Official Blog of the Black Women Losing Weight Community. Tips, articles and weight loss resources for African American Women.

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Ebonie lost 96 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Ebonie lost 96 pounds with weight loss surgery.  She is a mother of 4 and proud wife who didn’t want obesity or health issues to take her away from her family.

“Hi, my name is Ebonie and I had Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy surgery last July. I have struggled with my weight for over ten years and I reached a point where I knew I had to do something once I ballooned to 327 pounds. My four babies and my hubby need me. I am proud to say I am 96 pounds lighter and feeling great. It is still a daily struggle and some people feel surgery is an easy way out but it is not. You still have to make right choices everyday. I love this forum and good luck to you all on your weight loss journeys.”

Ebonie weight loss surgery

Joanna lost 67 pounds

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Let’s show some Black Women Losing Weight love to Joanna.  She has lost 67 pounds and credits Water, Walking and Willpower as the keys to her success!

“Hi, I am a 35 year old mother of 3 teenagers. 10 months ago I decided to reclaim my life, literally one step at a time. My 3 W’s are what have gotten me here: Water, Walking and Willpower.  No diets, no surgery, no pills, just me learning to love me.  One pound at a time!  I’m down 67 pounds.  Still not at my goal but I’m not where I was, and to me that’s all that matters.

I stopped drinking soda and stopped over eating. I’ve struggled my entire life with being an emotional eater so when I decided to take my life back I exchanged my emotional eating with walking. When I’m upset or sad, I put my music on and walk until I feel better. Its been a struggle but its worth every pound lost and the self esteem I’ve gained. Walking is the only exercise I’ve done. No gym membership, no trainer.  Just me and a pair of Air Max, which I walked the tread off them in 5 months. Be blessed, Ladies!”

Updated  7/2013: Joanna is now down 75 pounds!  She wrote us to say, “Just a little update…75lbs down.  Got a little stuck lately, BUT I’M still pressing on….the finish line is so close I can taste it!”

Joanna weight loss before and after

Original photo:

joanna weight loss before and after

Patricia lost 100 pounds

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Today’s weight loss success story: Patricia lost 100 pounds.  She says that she used to live to eat and now she eats to live by keeping a food and exercise journal, choosing to clean up her diet (she is now Vegan) and exercise.  Another Zumba lover!

“For so many years I’ve struggled with my weight. I tried almost every fad diet on the market, you name it I tried it! I did lose some weight but never could keep it off, gaining what I lost back and then some. At my heaviest I weighed 255 lbs., wearing a size 22. Today I am 100 lbs. lighter! I’m happy, healthy and fit. I used to live to eat, eating made me feel good! Now I eat to live and living makes me feel Fantastic!!!

How I did it: First, I changed how I thought about food and approached exercise. I kept a food and exercise journal charting what I ate and when I exercised. I was then able to see my mistakes, right there in black and white. I made a drastic change to my diet by eliminating meat, fish and dairy products. I’ve been a vegan for over 2 years now and making that change alone was very instrumental in my initial weight loss, along with sticking to a daily exercise routine that consists of weight training, cardio, and I like to mix things up by taking classes such as kickboxing, spin, tabata and now Zumba, my new love!!

I’m on a mission and dedicated to living and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and I love every bit of it!! It wasn’t or isn’t easy by any means, but the hard work and dedication is so worth it!! I’ll be 43 years old this November and my new goal is to find the perfect dress to wear in a size 6!!! If I can do it GOD knows anyone can!!! Choose to live is all I say, and I choose to live.”

Patricia weight loss

Laketra lost 50 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story:  Laketra lost 50 pounds.  Now that is she is pregnant, she will gain baby weight, but she will be able to do it in a healthy way.

“I started at 216 and I am currently 166! I’m a mother of two and I have one on the way!  I cut back on the junk food, I stop eating after 8pm,if i needed to snack it was a healthy one mostly fruit, I worked out 3/4 times a week for almost a year…….me getting married was my biggest motivation! I went from a 2x shirt to a med. in the last photo I’m 2months pregnant currently I’m 4months and I’ve only gained a healthy 9 pounds so far!!!!!!!!! Yay me!!!!!!”

Laketra weight loss

 

Cledra lost 75 pounds and transformed her life

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Ladies, I want to bring you the weight loss journey of a very inspiring sista named Cledra.  She overcame real tragedy and transformed her life.  Now she is working to inspire others.  

“The work you do to support our community is PHENOMENAL! I recently completed a Half Marathon and if my story can serve your audience I am more than willing to help ! MANY black women especially think that running is NOT possible.  I started jogging at 246lbs (as you can see below) BUT you do need the right education about running! OK….. Here’s my before and my “continuously evolving” picture!  NOW changes in every moment as you know!

Cledra weight loss

My motivation……
I was a woman who lived my life by a checklist. College, Grad school, corporate job, get married, and have a baby. It wasn’t until the day after Mothers Day 2007 when I went in for my 2nd trimester ultrasound that my entire life changed.  I discovered that my baby’s heart had stopped. It was the darkest time of my life and just when I thought it couldn’t get any darker, less than 90 days later my then husband sat me down to tell me he was seeing someone else. Life by design had become life by destruction. Having doubled in size during my pregnancy and the grief of my baby and my “fairy tale” life, I started running.

In the picture on the left I was 246lbs and it was 2 weeks after the memorial service for my baby. Running was my sanctuary. Many days I couldn’t tell the difference between the sweat and the tears but God had spoken to me during my baby’s service and said “lay aside the weight….run on….run on”. My life had been sparred for some reason and at the time I didn’t know why. Obese, filing for divorce, trying to wrap my mind around just how my life ended up this way I joined Jenny Craig because the thought of planning meals, counting, points, or doing anything beyond getting out of bed each day with the weight of grief and pain in my heart was just too much. I got 40 lbs off with Jenny Crag but then would binge repeatedly and self sabotage. This went on for so long I got professional help and realized that at 205lbs (which was the what I weighed when I got pregnant) I would have flashbacks of my baby and I would eat to numb the pain.

I was diagnosed with PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and at that time to get past 205lbs I decided I needed stronger intervention for my obesity and I got lapband surgery. It had just been approved for people who were obese and had one other illness which for me was also high blood pressure. With a lot of therapy, a life coach, and prayer I was able to move past 205lbs and drop another 35lbs. My journey has been long and at times I made it longer by looking for the quick fix. I want women to know that when life deals us cards of disappointment, tragedy, and heartbreak that we can PRESS. We can PRESS when it doesn’t make sense. We can PRESS with a heavy and broken heart. We can PRESS with a “mrs” or without. We can PRESS if God spares our baby or not. PRESS and see what GOD has. Now my life is once again beyond what I ever imagined. I help other women drop ALL weight…not just physical but the weight of bad relationships, the weight of childhood messages, the weight of the “happy face mask”, and so much more. I also just wrote my first book “8 Weights to Drop to WAKE UP to your BEST life”. God has given me beauty for ashes and kept every promise to stay close to the broken hearted and to give double for my trouble. I hope my story inspires a woman who is in the dark right now. A woman who feels loss, hopeless, and perhaps even forsaken. I’ve been there and I KNOW there is HOPE.

EXERCISE:
I workout ALL the time! I was the classic woman who always worked out but OVERATE and so NEVER saw results! I just completed a half marathon but my typical workout regimen(which btw I worked out 90% of the time at home…no gym membership…at least not one that I used!) is 3 days cardio and 2-3 days the FIRM DVDs (aerobic weight training) and 1 day yoga/hot yoga and sometimes 1 day active rest like a bike ride. Working out is my anti-depressant! In my darkest days my OB doctor told me that 30 min of activity had the same benefits of taking a pill without the side effects and I was SOLD! I wanted healing and so in a way ….exercise is the way I cooperate with my God in restoring my soul each and every day!

My site: www.planBEcoach.com There’s a FREE ebook “Stop the INSANITY of QUITTING on your BEST body and BEST life”
My book: 8 weights to drop to wake up to your best life.  All the BEST! -Cledra”

Updated Photo (Nov 2013)

Cledra plan be weight loss book

Updated: Princess lost 60 pounds

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Today’s featured success story: Princess lost 60 pounds by eating clean and working out 5 days per week.  Her story should give hope to women who are dealing with post-baby weight and weight that comes with dealing with the stress of life.  Here is what she shared (check out the update below):

“I haven’t attained my goal, YET. I’m getting there, though. My weight issue started the same as many mothers. I had my first child 2 years ago. I weighed in at 175 lbs prior to pregnancy and I lived in the gym. I gained 40 lbs during the pregnancy. I lost most of it during the hospital stay and shortly after. However, with the stress of having a new life, mixed with unhealthy eating, I blew up to 265 – 270 lbs in a year’s time!!

I’ve been consistently working on my weight loss a little under a year, with glitches here and there. I’m currently down to 209lbs!!! My goal is to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. I eat clean. I also blend/juice daily and workout 5 days a week.

I took control because I wanted my life back! Being overweight is so uncomfortable. It made my body ache. It also made me lazy and unmotivated. I was active prior to pregnancy and it went out the window with the weight gain. I’m getting back to it.

I want to be healthy for my family. I want to get back to looking and feeling good about my appearance. My Mother always said, “When you look good, you feel good!” I’m working hard to get back to that place.”

princess weight loss story
Updated Nov 2013:  “A few months back, I told you all my pregnancy and post pregnancy weight gain story. At the time I was down by 60 pounds. Well, I stuck to it. To date, I’m now down another 20lbs and countless inches! My update is to inspire my Black Queens to stay focused and determined to reach their goals. Yes, you may fall off from time to time. The key is to get back up and restart your journey! Clean eating, strength training, cardio and spinning have all helped me lose the majority of the weight. I’m so driven to make this a lifestyle change because I want to be healthy for my family and live a life without health complications that I can control by staying active and eating well. Continue on that journey, Ladies!”
Princess weight loss photos

Updated: Carmen lost 130 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Nov 2016: I have maintained my weight by eating small portions. I’m also very active and I love to walk. On this journey, I have learned not to go back to old habits. I stay away from the scale these days. I don’t focus on how much weight I’m lost. Instead, I just focus on my lifestyle change and I don’t beat myself up.
Instagram: @angelcarm

Carmen

June 2016: I’m 4 years out from having gastric bypass surgery. I’ve lost over 100 pounds and kept the weight off for more than 3 years. I’m still eating small portions and staying active.

carmen before and after
June 2016

Dec 2015: Carmen has lost at total of 130 pounds with gastric bypass surgery and hard work. We’ve been following her story since March 2013 and she’d released 65 pounds at that time. More than 2 years later, we asked her what she’s been doing to maintain her weight loss. She says, “To maintain my weight loss I still drink protein shakes, drink water, eat small portions and continue to stay active. Also, my faith has brought me thru.”

carmen before and after

April 2014: Carmen wrote in to let us know that she is still going strong with her weight loss and has lost 65 more pounds, for a total of 130 pounds lost after weight loss surgery.  She says: “I would love share my story. I was battling with diabetes for 12 years. It took my faith in God to make a change in my life. I lost a total of 130 pounds with in 12 years. I had my ups and downs but my faith in God kept me going.”

Carmen before and afterCarmen weight loss story

Original Post – March 2013
Let’s show some BWLW love to Carmen who lost 65 pounds with weight loss surgery.  She feels that it is the best decision that she has ever made. 

She wrote to us at the end of February saying…

“I lost my weight by having weight loss surgery 9 months ago. I have lost 65 pounds.  It was the best decision that I have ever made.  To God be the glory!  I been dealing with diabetes for about 12 years.  What woke me up was realizing that I needed to make a change in my life.  My doctor told me that I was heading towards dialysis if I didnt do something about my weight. I give GOD the glory for being with me every step of the way.  If you have question please feel free send a message GOD bless.”

carmen weight loss surgery

Victoria has lost 25 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story:  Victoria has lost 25 pounds.  She is participating in a challenge sponsored by Genghis Grill.  She started in February and she has made amazing progress.

“Just wanted to update on my progress (challenge: eat Genghis Grill for 60 days) no sodas, lots of water and exercise. Me on day 40 🙂

Eating: Breakfast oatmeal with fruit. Lunch pasta with tuna/chicken. Dinner grilled fish with broccoli and pineapples or chicken fajita WITHOUT tortilla.  I ate breakfast and dinner at home, Genghis Grill for lunch before heading to the gym. Snacked on carrots, celery, or apples throughout the day if I got hungry.

Exercise: Zumba two-three times a week (my instructor is hardcore), Treadmill 1-2 times a week, At home kickboxing 1-2 days a week.

Cheat day every 8 days. No red meat, only whole grains. ONLY WATER. I recently began replacing my lunch with Naked Green Machine. My motivation: I refuse to buy any more “plus size” clothes,so I have to lose the weight to fit in my pre-pregnancy clothes (which I CAN NOW).   I was still wearing maternity clothes when my son was over a year old. Also, the Genghis Grill competition is awarding $10,000 to the person who has highest percent weight loss in 60 days (I’m in 14th place out of 100). Even though I won’t win, the fact that I fit into my clothes again makes me a winner anyway.”

Victoria weight loss

Tamika lost 147 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Let’s show some love to Tamika who lost 147 pounds with weight loss surgery.  She wrote us saying…

“I’m Tamika I lost 147.8 pounds after having vertical sleeve gastrectomy. My surgery was Dec. 2011 and I was 348 pounds at the time.  I am currently 200.2 pounds. I have found a new love for Zumba.  I go five to six times a week.  I also have a personal trainer that I see twice a week.  I take exercise classes including kettle bell, kickboxing, aqua Zumba and spin.   I use the elliptical machine and do strength training as well. My goal for 2013 is to lose my last 27 pounds.”

Tamika weight loss

Tamberlyn lost 68 pounds

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Today’s weight loss success story: Tamberlyn lost 68 pounds by making simple diet changes and walking.

She says: “I lost weight by not eating anything after 8 pm and I cut out a lot of bread and starches. I cut out all sodas and I drink more water.  Also, I walk for exercise three times a week.  My starting weight was 343 pounds and now I weigh 262 pounds. I wore a size 28w and now I wear a size 18w.”

tamberlyn weight loss