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Charli lost 68 pounds

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Transformation of the Day: Charli lost 68 pounds. For her, the journey wasn’t about the scale. It was about what made her happy and what made her feel good. She switched her diet to 70% raw, plant-based meals, and embraced intermittent fasting. Check out her story.

Charli before and after

In the photo on the left, I weighed 278 pounds. I have been on restrictive diets since the age of 9, and now I was in my 30’s. On the day that photo was taken, I said enough. I did not put on a girdle. I didn’t worry about what I ate, and I just lived. I promised myself that I would focus on feeling good and keep my goal private. This has nothing to do with a scale. This was just for me.

I learned about intermittent fasting and nutrition. I also learned how to communicate with my body. My body listened and gave me access and clarity that I never thought possible. It took me a year to get on the scale. I “saw “myself and didn’t even want to think of lbs. At a doctor’s visit, I discovered I was 68 pounds lighters with no ailments.

I am in love with practice and process. This lifestyle is my every day, and I love that I choose to be healthy, happy, and fit. Now I want a 1.5 pack abs. Let’s get it!

What was your motivation?
I wanted to give up “worry’ and overthinking of my body. I wanted to focus on my happiness instead of my weight.

What foods did you stop or start eating?
For me, it wasn’t about omitting food. It was about adding food. I incorporated raw, plant-based foods, making that 70 percent of my daily diet. I allow myself one cooked meal.

Tell us about your workout routine.
I work out 5-6 days a week. My favorite workouts include using the Stairmaster for a minimum of 45 minutes, jogging/running, and two days of weight training.

Starting weight/Current weight
My starting weight was 278 pounds, and my current weight is 210 pounds.

What is your height?
5’7″

When did you start your journey?
I started my journey on April 25th, 2018. My transformation took about ten months.

Is weight loss surgery part of your journey?
No. I have gotten this far. I would like to see what more can my body do.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
Don’t focus on taking away. Instead, focus on adding. Only workout if you can find the joy in it. Also, get to what is bothering you. That little voice inside will speak up.

What advice would you like to share with women who want to lose weight?
Make your goal personal, just for you.

Instagram: @getting2the

Charli before and after

Christy lost 60 pounds

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View this post on Instagram

 

As women we can be so hard on ourselves. “I hate my stomach” or “My thighs are too thick”. It may seem that it is taking us FOREVER to reach our weightloss goals. Then when we smash that goal, it isn’t good enough. We are the microwave generation. We want our bodies to show up like Amazon Prime. I HAVE TO LOOK BACK AT MY PROGRESS TO STAY FOCUSED. Not only have I lost 75 pounds but I am carving lean muscles and getting strong. I can now teach multiple fitness classes per day when I used to struggle to make it to the gym at all. My only measurement is to be stronger than yesterday. Ladies be gentle with yourself and the process .🤩 #noexcuses #fitfam #fitnessjourney #fitnessmotivation

A post shared by 💪🥑👑Christy Bey Kelly👑🥑💪 (@prettyfitmommy) on

Transformation of the Day: Christy lost 60 pounds with a plant-based diet and lots of exercise. Having a supportive group of health-focused friends was a game changer for her. This mother of 3 and grandmother of one now believes in reverse aging and healing the body through food. Check out her journey.

christy before and after

For most of my adult life, I have been on a yo-yo journey with weight loss. I ballooned to more than 215 pounds, and I wore a size 16. I would lose weight and later pack the pounds back on again. I have literally tried almost every “diet” there was.

Finally, I looked around and realized that I knew a lot of healthy people. I created a Glide group [live video messaging] called “Healthy Habits” and surrounded myself with all my healthy friends. We would do gym check-ins, post pictures of our food and generally talk about fitness.

I jumped into a commitment to eat raw vegan for 30 days. It was so natural and easy that 30 days turned into almost three months. After I ended the raw food challenge, I organically never went back to meat. Transitioning to a vegetarian then a vegan diet felt very natural for me. I transitioned slowly and was patient with myself. For the most part, it was a smooth transition. I still struggle a bit with salmon, feta, blue cheese, and honey.

I started my journey in February 2017, and I lost 60 pounds in six months. I became a group fitness instructor and was able to wear a size 8. My current weight is 155 pounds, and I’m 5’6″. I am certified in Zumba, Spin, Personal Training, and General Group Fitness. I will be taking my NASM exam in the spring. I teach from 8 to 10 classes per week and do personal training. Before I became a trainer, I worked out a lot to lose weight. I lifted heavy weights at least four times a week, took Zumba classes and got at least 15,000 steps five days per week.

At 42 years old, I now believe in “reverse aging” and eradicating diseases through healthy eating. I am married, have three children and a grandchild! I truly believe that I am the best version of myself.

In my quest to be healthy (body, mind, and spirit), I have developed the following life habits:

  • Have a circle of friends that you can learn from.
  • Create a community with shared health goals.
  • Go Plant-based/Vegan and avoid processed foods.
  • Do things that make your soul happy.
  • Make exercise a family affair.
  • Never diet. Make sustainable food changes instead.
  • Mindfulness/mediation for the entire family.
  • MCT Oil, water, ginger root, kale, garlic, juicing, sunlight and green tea is life.
  • Interval fasting, grounding and sun gazing.
  • More books less TV.
  • Never stop learning.

What is the biggest lesson I’ve learned so far? Do not diet. Only make changes that are sustainable for the long run.

My advice: Have a supportive team of people to motivative you. I joined an online weight loss group, challenged my girlfriends to exercise challenges and participated in Fitbit contests to keep me motivated.

Instagram: @prettyfitmommy

christy before and after

Crunchy Curried Vegetables

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curried vegetable saladI love a good salad and I love snacking on crunchy vegetables. I’ve been eating a lot of broccoli and cauliflower lately and I wanted to take it in a little different direction flavor wise. I also wanted to create something that would work with the Raw Vegan journey I’m trying to transition to. This recipe works if you are eating Clean, going Paleo, going Vegan or even low carb.

curry veggies

This salad is full of delicious, nutritious veggies and lots of spicy curry. The curry I use is made up of coriander, red chillies, tumeric, cumin, pepper and fenugreek. Yum!

This recipe is also great for meal prep. It makes an awesome side dish when paired with fish or chicken. I find that when I make it and let it sit overnight, the flavors get to sink into the veggies more and it’s totally wonderful. I usually eat it over the course of 3 days… depending on how much my husband eats.

curried vegetables

Bonus: If you aren’t in the mood for a salad, you can heat it up. Roast in a baking dish at 375 for about 30-35 min. We are talking tasty, ok?

Crunchy Curried Vegetables
Recipe Type: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Clean Eating, Vegan, Raw Vegan, Raw Food, Vegetarian, Low Carb
Author: Black Weight Loss Success
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 3
Spicy and Crunchy collide in this delicious and satisfying salad. Curry at its best.
Ingredients
  • 3 cups broccoli florets
  • 2 cups cauliflower florets
  • 1 1/2 cups celery
  • 1/3 of a small red onion
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
Instructions
  1. For this recipe, you need broccoli and cauliflower florets. Measure out the cups liberally.
  2. Chop your red onion into large dice or cut it into 1/2 inch wide strips, and then cut those strips in half.
  3. Slice your celery into 1/4 inch moons or 1/8 inch moons (your choice).
  4. Combine all of the veggies into a large bowl and set aside.
  5. Combine the lemon juice, olive oil and apple cider vinegar into a small bowl and stir to create a dressing.
  6. Pour the dressing all over the vegetables in the large bowl and mix to coat.
  7. In another small bowl, mix the salt, pepper and curry powder together.
  8. Use a spoon to sprinkle the seasoning mixture all over the veggies. Sprinkle in one spoonful at a time and mix the veggies after each spoonful.
Serving size: 257 g Calories: 161 Fat: 10.5 g Carbohydrates: 15 g Sugar: 5 g Fiber: 6 g Protein: 5.1 g

 
PS: If you don’t like onions, you can use carrots instead. Carrots or grape tomatoes will help to mellow out the onions.

crunchy curried vegetables

curry powder

Surprising Ways to Lose Weight By Focusing on Food Quality

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calories arent equal

It’s about food quality, as well as quantity. Say goodbye to the old model of weight loss relying solely on calorie calculations and restriction. Be excited by some new news, you can “have your cake and eat it…” and lose weight too! Maintain and open mind and get ready for some surprises as we reveal that you can eat cake and lose weight!

Burning Calories

The current model for measuring energy, the calorie, is very outdated. Developed in the 1800’s a calorimeter is no more than a chamber for burning things in. Foods, and other energy rich substances such as fuel, are incinerated to see how much heat they give off. The amount of heat is measured in calories. The last time I checked, my digestive system is not a furnace, nowhere near! Yet, for over 100 years we have relied on the same old model – and where has it got us?

Using calories is an inaccurate way of calculating the full impact of food on your body – your beautiful biological being is not an oven! 400 calories of refined sugar laden sweets is very different to 400 calories of avocado! Sadly, the calorie model doesn’t take into account usefulness of the foods we eat, toxicity of the food or other negative impacts on the body. Specifically when losing weight it is our hormones which require the closest attention.

Some hormones, such as insulin, drive us to put on weight. Other hormones, such as glucagon, help the body to burn fat and lose weight. Our body can either use carbohydrates as fuel OR fats, but (this is really important….) it cannot use both at the same time!

So if you are eating carbs (especially refined carbs like sweets/cakes/bread/white pasta) your body will likely be producing lots of insulin and you will go into fat STORING mode to deal with excess blood sugar. If you are eating protein and fats (plus some low carb fruits and vegetables) you will be in more of a fat BURNING mode. It is one or the other, burning OR storing, not both. Makes sense really, think of it like a suitcase, are you packing or unpacking?

(Note: I’m talking about a normal metabolism. If you don’t have a normal metabolism due to things like type 1 diabetes, hormone imbalances, insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome… that’s another story. Always talk to your doctor about your unique case)

We need a new model!

So, you can see the old model of calories really doesn’t fully support us (highlighted by the epidemic levels of obesity) and sadly the standard US food pyramid is no better (and mainly due to food industry lobbying it’s woefully inadequate) as a guide for what we should be eating.*

New models for measuring food healthfulness based on the biological responses of our body are needed to help dieters and healthy eaters make the best choices. One such solution is the new SANE approach which looks at the impact of foods from a hormonal and satiety perspective. Advertised as ‘Dieting 2.0’ this model is certainly an improvement on the current calorie counting method but it still relies on us learning a lot about specific foods. What is needed is some simple guidelines we can easily understand and adopt!

Emotionally Satisfying Food

We eat food to nourish ourselves but also for many other reasons, including emotional comfort and social cohesion. If you are feeling bored and uninspired by your food it is more likely that you will rebel against your healthy wishes and end up cheating with something more exciting – a bit like an affair!

The trick is to make your food taste amazing and healthy – let’s call it healthy decadent! Fortunately this is easily done, with a bit of creativity, visual appeal, combing tastes and textures and adding healthy fats. Here are 3 quick tips to REALLY enjoy your food and meet your emotional needs along with your nutritional ones!

1. Find out what you like

This may sound obvious but many people do not take the time to experiment with foods to find out what is personally satisfying. Do you like hot and spicy, crunchy, saucy or something else? Do you like just one type of food at once or lots of things to try? The internet is so full of recipes to consider that you will for sure find the foods that are healthy AND satisfying. Try using the word ‘healthy’ along with your favorite recipes in a google search and see what you can find. Many successful dieters have taken the time to experiment with food substitutions to create healthy alternatives that still hit the spot and they have kindly put them online for you to try too! What would tickle your taste buds?

2. Make it look amazing

Cooking with love and creating visual appeal is important; a plate which looks like it was slopped out by a sub-standard high school canteen will not send the right messages to your mind or belly. You are important – communicate this to yourself through the food you prepare. Arranging things nicely on a plate, adding a single flower for decoration, preparing a variety of dips, taking time to eat sat at the table, lighting a candle – these are all relatively simple things you can do which just take a couple of minutes and will reinforce the idea that you are worth honoring and taking the time over. How will you pimp up your plate?

3. Add healthy fats

Yet another lie spread by the food (and diet) industry is that fat is bad. This is not true: some fats are bad – mainly processed oils, margarines and intensively farmed animal fats. But there is one extra safe, and very delicious, fat. Coconut oil is an amazing addition to your diet – it protects the brain, prevents neurodegenerative disease, encourages weight loss and even helps to improve your mood and mental function.** It is typically solid at room temperature but melts really easily; it is good for cooking and adding to sauces and many other dishes.

When you add fat back you increase the flavor via, recently discovered, special receptors on the tongue. Healthy fats like those in coconut, avocado and unheated virgin olive oil are biologically and evolutionary beneficial, this is why our body and brain responds positively to them. Unfortunately Mother Nature didn’t know the food industry would get their hands on this concept and create processed fanken-fats which cause us physical and emotional damage.

Low Carbohydrate – Less Insulin

Low Carb eating isn’t for everyone, but it works for many people. Foods which are low in carbohydrates do not stimulate insulin the way high carb foods do. When there is no insulin in your blood your body can switch to fat burning mode – this is why the Atkins diet is so successful. If you want to lose weight and burn fat you need to reduce sweet and starchy foods (including artificial sweeteners if you want to cut out chemicals and toxins. Stevia is an option if it’s not over processed) and limit the higher-sugar fruits and vegetables. Instead opt for greener vegetables and less sweet fruits – like cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, watermelon and some varieties of apples and melon. Swap your potatoes for sweet potatoes and cut out pasta and bread.

When you do eat carbohydrates combine them with fats and proteins to slow digestion and reduce peaks in insulin production. You do not need carbs with every meal, eat what you find satisfying not what you think you should eat. Make your choices based on what feels right to you. How do you feel after a light lunch of a protein filled salad then a fruity and nutty snack later compared to a single meal of a heavy bowl of pasta?

Cheeky Chocolate Saucy Salad

Try this as an example, cook a handful of dates in a little hot water (a little more than half a cup) and stir until they ‘melt’. Add two to three couple of heaped teaspoons of coconut oil, add roughly half a cup of raw cacao powder…. In just a few minutes you have made a delicious, healthy, guilt free “dark chocolate” sauce! Tastes amazing, especially smothered over a less exciting fruit salad, and you know it is all fresh and good-for-you ingredients. (Here is a similar recipe with more details) The fiber in the dates plus the coconut fat slow down digestion reducing insulin levels too. Put some cut up fruit in a lovely bowl, drizzle on the sauce add a flower or mint leaf for decoration. Then sit somewhere special and enjoy this decadent healthy treat.

Ready for your cake?

Chocolate sauce isn’t the only healthy trick you can play on yourself. Raw cakes are just as delicious as the baked varieties but rely on careful combinations of fresh fruit, nuts and healthy fats to craft delicious and satisfying treats. Also guilt free these cakes really can help weight loss as they provide an alternative to the shop bought sugar-filled processed options and instead fill you with healthful ingredients. They do contain carbohydrate and should be eaten, and enjoyed in moderation but for days when you feel like giving in, try an emergency raw cake instead! Dieting doesn’t have to be painful, with some careful research, experimentation and planning you can adopt healthy eating patterns which are satisfying on all levels.

 

References:

*
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/06/18/usda-nutritional-guidelines.aspx

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/1/29/934261/-

http://healthwyze.org/reports/164-the-perversion-of-the-food-pyramid

http://www.realfitnessblog.com/2008/11/07/the-food-pyramid-conspiracy/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8375951

**
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4247320/

https://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/

Ashley lost 125 pounds

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Have you ever just looked back on your life and felt pure gratitude? This photo of Andrew and I popped up on my Facebook memories today and I was so full of thanks. Thanks for growth, thanks for life, thanks for my husband who's loved me since I was fifteen years old, thanks for my daughter, thanks for enlightenment, thanks for inspiration, thanks for love, thanks for LIFE! We've come such a long way in five years @rawmuscle. I'm so grateful and excited for more growth, more opportunity, and especially more love. Thanks for being my everything! ETA. This is the last week to sign up for the June workshop! If interested shoot me an email or follow the link in my bio. #rawandradiant #radiantmommy #mondaymotivation #weightloss #rawvegan #washandgo #veganfood #vegankids #veganmom #fitness #fit #momlife #eatclean #healthy #plantfood

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Weight Loss Transformation of the Day: Ashley lost 125 pounds by embracing a Raw Vegan lifestyle. Her husband joined her and he lost 85 pounds by eating a raw, plant-based diet as well. Now, she is sharing her journey with us and inspiring others to consider the plant-based life with ebooks, cleansing programs and coaching on her website, Raw and Radiant.

ashley before and after

About three years ago, I was beginning to look for ways to lose weight yet again. This time it was for my sister’s upcoming wedding and unlike previous attempts to shed the weight, I decided to do what I do best; research. I studied nutrition, human biology, disease, and how these things were related. What I found was absolutely mind-blowing. I found people who were reversing disease, losing weight, and gaining energy by solely eating raw fruit, vegetables, and leafy greens. So, instead of following advice from doctors who were telling me restrict calories, eat meat, and to take a popular weight-loss drug phentermine, I did the exact opposite. I went 100% raw vegan overnight and it changed my life.

ashely and husband weight loss

I ended up losing about 125 pounds in little less than a year. My husband then followed suit about 5 months after I did and lost approximately 85 pounds. Thriving on a plant-based diet. I dived into studying the nutrient make-up of different foods, live food recipes, and so much more. Although I was shedding weight, it became about way more than the size of the pants that kept falling off of me and more about the entire health status of my physical body. The longer I ate living foods and gave up the standard American diet, the more I experienced euphoria, glowing skin, an increased amount of energy. I realized that foods should not be processed, altered, or heated in any way and that nature provides our food in its perfect form ready to eat.

ashley people magazineI follow a raw, plant-based lifestyle so my meals consists mostly of fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, smoothies and fresh pressed juices. A typical day for me starts with lemon water followed by a green juice which is loaded with raw vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. For lunch I always eat fruit until I’m satisfied, dinner is usually a really large salad with a lot of different types of vegetables and different green leaves or it could be a raw vegan meal such as zuchinni pasta or raw pizza!

I have been featured on numerous media outlets, including People Magazine’s Half Their Size Issue (2014).

Instagram: @rawandradiant
Facebook: RawandRadiant
rawandradiant.com – Check out Ashley’s 21 Day Radiant Cleanse

Keyrah lost 100 pounds

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Shout out to Keyrah. She is still going strong and spreading the Vegan love. She’s gone from 288 pounds to 161 pounds.

It’s Meatless Motivational Monday💪🏽🌱💕 . 🗣Can I please have your attention for a moment? 🤗 #LongPostAlert . I know that for those people on the fence and not really sure if they’re ready to be Vegan any Little post has the potential to push them closer to this lifestyle or make them dive completely in. With that said I’m here to plant a little seed and I pray it reaches who it is intended for. I was in your shoes. I wanted to be vegan but didn’t know how or if I would be able to. But I had no choice. As a mom or 2 princesses I had to live what I wanted them to learn. I was scared at 288 lbs and suffering daily from migraines which was a symptom of my PTSD, anxiety and depression. I honestly thought I was “stuck” feeling like that. I would have to choose between being scared and sad or being medicated. Both sounded sucky to me. So I decided after lots of sleepless nights googling, stalking vegan accounts, scrolling through IG and FB to put my big girl panties on and just do it! So 🤷🏾‍♀️I did it! On March 1, 2015 I started my plant based lifestyle by detoxing and incorporating daily exercise and meditation. 10 months later I was 100 lbs lighter💪🏽🌱 and I have not taken ANY medication since I started. Because I was able to completely change my thoughts I was able to change my life and how PTSD, anxiety and depression affects me. I’m not living a sad miserable life or on any medication. I now honestly know what if feels like to feel great even when things aren’t “perfect”. But My biggest most noticeable change has been my 127 pound weight loss that I’ve been able to also maintain for 2 years. This has been by far the best decision I’ve ever made for myself and my children. I went from never wanting to go up to my kids school and embarrass them to being the “cool mom” And most requested chaperone🤦🏾‍♀️ I’ve learned to just get through each moment and I’ll never fail. Whether it’s for health or mental conditioning and clarity I encourage you to try a plant based diet🤗🌱 . 🌟💭🌟💭🌟💭🌟💭🌟💭🌟💭🌟💭🌟 #blackvegan #vegan #natural #vegang #weightloss #weightlossstory #weightlossjourney #whatveganseat #transformation #dreadstagram #dreadlocks #fitfam #igfitness

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keyrah vegan weight loss
Update 2016 – Keyrah is now down 100 lbs! Congrats! #Vegan

Aug 2015 – Weight Loss Transformation of the Day: Keyrah lost 76 pounds.  After feeling uncomfortable and self conscious about being overweight, she was determined to change.  Embracing plant-based eating, she was able to break up with unhealthy eating habits and change her lifestyle.  Here is what she shared with us about her journey…

keyrah before and after

My name is Keyrah and I started my journey on March 1, 2015 at 288 pounds. To be honest, before then my weight was on my mind about 90% of the time. I was always scared someone would take a picture of me and tag me in it. I constantly pulled my pants up or pulled my shirt down. I was extremely uncomfortable and didn’t feel like I was “suppose” to be overweight. In the privacy of my own room I would literally day dream about being fit. I would think about walking around without being self conscious, or being able to tie my shoes without taking a break. Things that are easy for many become hardcore task when you’re overweight.

I was determined to make my life a little easier. The day before I started my weight loss journey I got on my knees and prayed. Now, when I say I prayed I mean I gave everything in me. I asked for willpower, strength and determination. I also cried because I knew I was giving up my “best friend”: processed food. So, I made the decision to be vegan. The first 10 days, I decided to detox eating raw foods (fruits and veggies) and a gallon of water daily. The first 3 days were the hardest, I craved EVERYTHING that I knew I couldn’t eat. By day 4, it was smooth sailing with no turning back. I felt so good! Like seriously, before I started I suffered from migraines and anxiety and I have not experienced ANY migraines or anxiety since then. By day 7, I was starting to understand my body. I wasn’t hungry because when my body was ready to eat I ate, the only difference is that I ate things that fueled my body.

After the detox I continued with a plant based diet, drinking 1 gallon daily and exercising at least 30 min a day which is what is still currently do. I now weigh 212 pounds and I’m 5’9″. That’s 76 lbs gone… Forever! Now, I can jog, run, do a cartwheel (go figure), and I can tie my shoes without getting winded. OMG, I swear this feeling is by far one of the best! I want everyone to know that this is possible without surgery or supplements. You, my friend, can do it too!

I document my journey on Instagram. If you would like to follow you can find me @HeyKeyrah. I really appreciate you reading my story. Now, let’s get moving!

keyrah weight loss story

Sarah lost 47 pounds

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Weight Loss Transformation Story: Sarah lost 47 pounds.  This proud mom of 2 faced the pregnancy pounds and won.  She embraced plant-based eating and weight training for great results.  Read more about her weight loss journey…

sarah before and after

My name is Sarah and I’m a 30 year old mum of 2 from the UK. I’ve lost 47 pounds and I’m continuing with strength and weight training to sculpt my body.

I began my transformation 2 years ago after having my daughter, I gained 3 stone (42 pounds) in my pregnancy and weighed over 15 stone (210 pounds) at my heaviest.  I started by eliminating white carbs, swapping them for whole food versions. I started exercising at the gym 3 times a week mostly doing cardio for 1-2 hours and started to lose weight quickly but hated my shape and still suffered with bloating. I had no energy and found myself slipping back into old eating habits of takeaways and white carbs.

When I got pregnant with my son in 2014, I wanted to be much healthier and not gain so much weight. I eliminated all pasta, rice, white potato’s and bread. Instead, I opted for sweet potato, quinoa and whole food wraps alongside fish, chicken breast, beans and lentils. The biggest change came after I had my son 10 months ago and really invested in plant-based nutrition. I started drinking a green smoothie every morning using spinach or kale along with fruit and nut milks.

I started working out with my partner at home who is a personal trainer, 3 times a week doing weight training, body weight exercises like squats and planks which built up my core strength and helped to start shaping my body. I still suffered with bloating, so I completed a 9 day aloe vera cleanse in November of last year and lost another 16 lbs. My bloating has been dramatically reduced. I’ve carried on drinking aloe vera gel and haven’t gained any weight since. I now weigh 11stone 12lbs (166 pounds, height: 5’10”), back to my pre pregnancy weight.

I’d say the most important things in my weight loss journey were my personal training sessions especially the weight training and sticking to plant based foods, especially raw foods like huge salads. I’d recommend anyone wanting to lose weight to ensure they are always properly hydrated. I’d also recommend a cleanse to flush out the toxins that might be hindering your weight loss results, I read somewhere we have about 10 lbs of it just sitting there.

Instagram: @sarah_lovesliving
My partners page, who is also my personal trainer, is @trainlocal_fitness

Eating for Weight Loss: Alana lost 70 pounds

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Alana lost an additional 5 pounds from when we originally shared her story last month, for a total of 70 pounds.  I asked her to tell us more about her eating habits and she provided a great deal of detail.  She has embraced the Flexitarian lifestyle.  Check it out!

Alana weight loss

“Losing the weight and maintaining can be challenging, especially if you are not aware of what to eat and when to eat certain foods. To lose the weight, I became a Flexitarian. What’s a Flexitarian? It is when you go meatless most of the time, and you’ll lose weight and get healthy with ease. I only eat meat when my body craves the protein. If I do eat meat products, I try to stick to Chicken, Fish or Turkey. Very rarely will I eat red meat or touch any pork. Studies show that both vegetarians and semi-flexitarian women have lower BMIs (body mass indexes) than women who regularly eat meat. When I cut red meat and pork out of my diet, I had more energy. There has been a change in my body and I noticed my mid-section (stomach) has gotten flatter. (I get asked daily, how to get a flatter stomach.) Certain meats take longer to digest in our bodies and to lose the stomach it is 90% what we eat and 10% exercise. You can do crunches all day but until you change what you consume, all you will have is a six-pack under your belly fat. This is not what you want. The goal is to turn your fat into muscle.

I am a big fruit eater and sometimes I will substitute a meal with a plate of various fruits and veggies. If I’m not eating whole fruits, I’m drinking a smoothie that contains all the nutrients I need and will add multi-vitamins or antioxidants to my smoothies. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, you need this to function. Your body is in starvation mode while you are sleeping so you need food to rebuild your energy. Now, with that all being said, I am a chocolate lover. I don’t deprive my body of all sweets, I just know when to eat them. You should treat your body, because what will happen is you will start to over indulge when you come in contact with the things you love to eat. Pick a day out of the week where you will eat those delicacies that you cannot eat on a daily basis. My day is Sunday. Why? Because I know I go hard on Monday with my workout.

Just to give you an example of my day on Mondays, look below: (I’m a night owl because I teach majority in the evenings so the times will seem a little late for some.) I have to wind down off my natural energy so I go to bed a little later and get up a little later in the mornings.  Also, water is very important. Water washes the fat out of your body and helps with digestion and the functioning of your major organs.

9:30-10am Breakfast
Croissant with Omega3 eggs and 1 slice of cheese. (I make this into a breakfast sandwich)
Water, Orange Juice or Cranberry Juice

10:30am Snack
Granola Bar with Water 16.9 oz

12pm Lunch
Salmon Burger with Wheat Bread.. Apply light ketchup with fruit on the side
Or a plate of veggies and fruit
Water 16.9 oz

1pm #GetPulsed
Teach a 1 hour high impact Zumba Class (Burn between 800-950 calories per class)
(By now I have burned off majority everything I have eaten earlier. Because I teach another class 3 hours later, I try not to eat too heavy but enough to sustain)
Drinking two bottles of 16.9oz of water during class.

2:30pm For Energy
Fruit Smoothie with vitamins “Eat to live , not Live to Eat”

3:30pm Snack
Granola bar with water 16.9 oz

4:00pm Mid-day Meal
Salad with chicken and ranch dressing. Watch what you put on your salad. It can up the calories. Water or natural fruit juice

4:30pm #GetPulsed
I take a body works class for toning (Burn between 550-650 calories per class)
Drinking plenty of water

5:45pm #Get Pulsed
Teach a 1 hour high impact Zumba Class (Burn between 800-950 calories per class)
Drinking two bottles of 16.9oz of water

7:00pm Dinner
Baked Fish with Spanish Rice
Natural juice…

9:30pm #GetPulsed
Night toning exercises (burn 350-400 calories)
Water 16.9 oz

If I snack, I will eat some grapes or popcorn with no salt. All carbs are not bad. You actually need carbs to build muscle. You should get to know your body. Every body type is different and your exercise structure should fit you. Don’t compare yourself to someone else. Try to gradually eliminate those foods that are bad for you. Start by eating less of them to eventually only consuming twice a month. Being healthy is a lifestyle. We want to be here for our children, family and friends. Your body is a temple and you only have one, so take care of if. Feel free to ask me questions at www.Facebook.com/GetPulsedFitness. Let’s do this together!

alana before and after

Alana weight loss story

6 Reasons You Should Eat More Veggies for Weight Loss

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veggiereasonsIf losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight are your goals, then you should add as many veggies to your diet as possible. You can eat them in many different forms – from raw to juiced – making them an easy add to your daily diet. Many of the most common veggies are considered “superfoods” and can also increase your health and wellness while helping you lose weight. Here are 6 other reasons why you should eat more veggies to help reach your weight loss goals, and keep the weight off.

Reason #1 – Low in calories

Veggies are some of the lowest calorie foods around, which is one of the reasons why you can overindulge if you like, compared to eating a ton of donuts. As long as you are mindful that you aren’t ruining your calorie count goals with high calorie dips and sauces, you will have found the super snack food that tastes greats, makes you feel full and doesn’t pack on the pounds.

Reason #2 – Veggies make you feel full due to fiber

Veggies are packed with fiber; it is what forms the shell that protects the interior where the vegetable nutrients are. This is good for you as your body not only needs fiber in order to digest those nutrients.  The fiber also helps keep you feeling full. Make veggies your go-to snack when you are hungry and between meals and it will be easier to control your portion intake.

Reason #3 – Veggies are full of vitamins and nutrients

Cooked, canned or raw veggies remain the best choice for your vitamins and nutrients each day. Don’t be fooled into thinking that just taking supplements can provide you with what several servings of veggies can. These are natural sources of what our very natural bodies need to be healthy. The body loves nutrients from real food sources (unless you have an allergy or medical issue that inhibits you from eating veggies, of course).  No synthetic substitute will do as much for you as the real thing.

Reason #4 – Veggies can crowd out negative foods like fried food and fast food

One great trick to get into the habit of eating more veggies and less negative foods is to begin to replace some of your negative foods with portions of vegetables. Have your fast food fries, but have half of the normal serving and replace that half with a serving of sliced carrots instead. Slowly begin to replace the fast and fried foods with vegetables. Many times we are drawn to the negative foods because they are easy to come by and we like the taste. If you make reaching for veggies as easy, that takes care of one issue. If you also start to make eating veggies a part of your negative meals, the veggies themselves will start to take on the association of a treat – and that takes care of the other issue.

Reason #5 – You can eat large portions of fresh veggies

Eat too much pasta and you will fill full and tired. Eat too much meat and chances are you will feel bloated and heavy. Eat too much dessert and you can just watch your waistline expand. You can’t eat too large a portion of veggies. There are some, like cabbage, that can make you gassy but for the most part there is no harm to eating too much. If you have the urge to snack and much, make it veggies and you won’t have to worry about suffering later from any ill effects or guilt from having indulged.

Reason #6 – Veggies add variety so you don’t feel denied

One of the hardest parts about sticking to a diet is the feeling that you are missing out on all of your favorite foods. It is this sense of denial that leads to cheating and why many diets recommend that you plan to have a cheat meal once a week. The more veggies you add to your diet the more variety you are going to introduce, this can help reduce the feeling of being trapped into eating the same foods every day and keep you on your diet longer. Don’t fall into the habit of only eating certain types of veggies but experiment and find the ones you like. Make those veggies a part of your treat and cheat meal and you will reach your goals even faster.

Fatimah lost 70 pounds

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Weight Loss Success Story of the Day: Fatimah lost 70 pounds by eating a holistic, plant-based diet.  Now, she helps others as a health coach. Check out her transformation video and the details of her journey:

fatimah before and after

“Growing up both of Fatimah’s parents were vegetarian and she was raised on a plant based diet. At the age of 16, Fatimah went to Wisconsin to live with her older sister. This is when her life changed and her journey to wellness began. Fatimah stayed in Wisconsin, ” The dairy state”, for three years. Over the course of that period of time, she began to take on the eating habits of those in that environment. She began consuming a lot of processed foods, dairy, meat and alcohol. She was eating the SAD or “standard american diet “, which was a normal way of eating for those living in the dairy state. Unknowingly at the time, her health was rapidly declining. Growing up Fatimah was very athletic maintaining a healthy weight of 136 . This all changed when she moved to Wisconsin and took on this new SAD diet. It wasn’t until a routine check up at the doctors office in 2004 that the reality of her degenerating health sink in. She got on the scale at the doctors office and weighed in at 206 pounds. She was borderline diabetic and had high cholesterol. Fatimah knew she had to do something fast. She tried many quick fixes and fad diets but none of it worked. She spent several years yo-yo dieting and losing a few pounds just to gain it all right back. It wasn’t until she made the commitment in 2009 to make a complete holistic lifestyle change that she began to improve her health and heal herself. Going back to a plant based diet, Fatimah was able to loose 70 pounds and return back to her natural weight. Today Fatimah Shabazz works as a Certified Holistic Health Coach offering programs and workshops to educate people in how to use food as medicine and maintain optimal health through holistic living and plant based nutrition. www.fanashaa.com”

“In terms of what was my motivation, for me, I think of my son. I try to be the best role model in all or most areas of my life to set a good example.

My starting weight was 206 pounds. My current weight is 136 pounds. My total weight loss is 70  pounds. It took me 9 months to loose the weight.

My work out routine was doing yoga & breathing exercises 5 days a week at 7am for one hour each day.

My advice to others would be to love yourself enough to have patience, faith and be willing to make a lifestyle change while keeping in mind that nothing happens overnight.”

Fanashaa weight loss