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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Meka lost 51 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Meka lost 51 pounds. This petite diva changed her lifestyle after a lifetime of dealing the social and physical effects of being overweight at 5’2″.  I think many other ladies will see themselves in her story.  Check it out.

Meka weight loss

“Hey there!! I have been following your page for ages. I think it is awesome to see all these women who have made such great life changes because I know first hand that it is HARD to do. I am proud to say that I have lost 51 pounds the good old fashioned way! In the photos on the left, I weighed in at 249. I am super excited to say that as of last week I weigh 198.3 pounds. That’s a weight I haven’t been since 6th grade! It taken me 7 months to lose the weight.

Honestly, I spent the first 4 months just eating less and working out when I felt like it. Being a fulltime student, along with working, it was tough to stick to anything strict. When the weight was not melting off like I knew it could, I just had to kick it into gear! For the past 3 months, I have vowed to give this my all, so I began to do my research. I am a FIRM believer in research when it comes to what you should eat for weight loss.

I began eating 4-5 times a day, incorporating veggies, fruits, lean protein and green smoothies into my diet. I drink 5 bottles of water daily (religiously). I’ve also been working out for an hour 6 days a week doing the infamous INSANITY program. Shaun T is a BEAST and I am loving it! (I am in the 1st week of month 2 of this program, as of today).

Also, I must say that prayer and meditation has been a factor as well. Becoming closer to the Lord and seeking him for guidance and strength has gotten this former food addict where she is today. The past two and a half months have honestly been when I’ve seen the most changes.

My motivation to drop weight was the fact that I have been overweight all of my life and got tired of it holding me back. I did not go to my high school prom and developed social anxiety. I was too young and too short to be the size 22 that I was. I got tired of being ‘the fat one’ and I knew this shy, overweight, lazy body was hiding an outgoing, beautiful, soon to be athlete underneath. I am determined to draw her out!

I want to tell anyone who is thinking about losing weight to STOP thinking about it. Stop thinking about it and DO it. You have no idea what your body is capable of. If you have to take small steps, DO IT! You have to crawl before you walk and walk before you run! My journey is still ongoing. I hope to lose another 50 pounds to fit my small, 5’2″ frame. I am only 21 years old and I am thankful to have had my wake up call now and not a decade from now. Thank you guys so much for listening!”

Instagram: @funsizedcutiee

Meka weight loss

Letia lost 100 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Letia lost 100 pounds.  She went from a size 18/20 to a size 9/10.  She took the time to change her eating habits, changed her portion sizes and exercised.  Here is what she shared about how she lost the weight:

Letia weight loss story

“Hi,my name is Letia Bowling. I lost a 100 pounds by changing my eating habits. It was hard at first, after battling with death in the family and losing a baby at 18 weeks pregnant, but I told myself “No excuses”.  In the past, it seemed like I would always put my weight loss goals on hold.  I would say I’ll do it next week or after my kids birthday is over or after Dec 31, etc.  Well, those dates went by and I was still was doing the same thing.  That is until the one day that I said today is the day, not tomorrow or next week but now :-D. I told myself that if I fall, I will get back up.  

I use to wear a size 18/20 in pants and a xxl shirt.  Now I’m in a 9/10 pants & a medium shirt!I drink 2 cups of lipton green tea with a slice of lemon & honey daily and eat less fried food. I used to eat a lot of red meats but they were too heavy on my stomach, so now I eat a lot of chicken and fish. When I do eat a burger or hot dog, instead of eating two I just add a lot of veggies on my burger/hot dog and that way I feel fuller.  I also have a picture on my fridge that says, “I will not go back.”. I changed my intake of sugar.  My God, have you notice how many calories are in a soda!  When I do have a soft drink, I drink sprite zero,etc. If i do have fried food, I eat small portions.  I look at the calories in any food I eat. It’s funny how I use to hate eating healthy to now all I want is something healthy. For exercise, I walk a least a mile, 4 days a week.  I’ve done Shaun T’s Hip Hop Abs workouts.

I also set realistic goals. For example, I said that if I lose 20 lbs and then I’ll keep doing what got me to that goal until I’ve meet my goal.  So far I have 50 friends who all are losing weight by following my example. I’m so glad I’ve lost weight because I was 276 pounds and now I’m 175 pounds.

My advice: I want everyone to know that if you fall you can get back up. Don’t stay down.  Also, stay away from diet pills because I’ve tried those in the past but I got a blood clot from them, so please stay away.  Also, I did lose weight in the past from diet pills but once I got off of them I was big all over again.  I lost weight naturally this time and I have kept it off going on 1year and a half.  Yayyyyyyyy me!”

Weight Loss on a Budget Tip #24: Create a Home Gym and Save Money

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home gym save moneyTip #24: Create a Home Gym to Save Money.  The number one way that a home gym can help you lose weight on a budget is that you won’t have to pay for a gym membership.  This is the most obvious benefit, but let me share another 5 tips with you.

  • Time is Money:  When you can roll out of bed and workout or workout as soon as you get home it can be a huge time saver.  Whether using less gas or having time for other things, you will see a savings on top of more convenience.
  • World Class Personal Trainers in Your Living Room: Workout at home with workout DVDs and have some of the best trainers in the world as your exercise coaches.  Bob Harper and Dolvet Quince in the Biggest Loser DVDs.  Tony Horton in P90X.  Jillian Michaels in her various workout DVDs.  Chalene Johnson in the Turbo Jam and Turbo Fire series.  Shaun T in the Insanity series.  Leslie Sansone’s Walk Away the Pounds series.  These are just few titles that feature some of the best trainers in the world.  In your home gym, you can workout with them on the cheap compared to what it might cost to workout regularly with a local personal trainer.  Here is a list of top workout DVDs.
  • No Drama – Save yourself from the drama of going to the gym.  Yes, you can avoid feeling awkward, anxious or self conscious about your body.  You can avoid the meat heads who are grunting and dropping weights.  You can avoid the people who are just there to hit on women or be seen.  At home, you can focus on getting your workout on, not on who’s in the gym and what they are doing.  Less distractions, More focus!
  • Low Cost Equiptment – You can start with workout DVDs, a yoga mat, dumbbells (3 different sizes), an exercise ball for around $75-150 dollars.  You may be able to get second hand workout equipment from friends and family or at a discount on sites like Ebay.  Put together your equipment list based on the exercises you like to do.  In the future, You might even work up to buying an elliptical machine or spin bike if you are even more serious about working out at home vs. paying for a gym membership.
  • Your Apartment/Condo’s Workout Room – If you have a free, well maintained workout room in your condo, apartment or community club house that can be your home gym.  Many residents don’t take advantage of gyms on the premises where they live, and they can be basically empty during non peak hours (Most people workout right after work or in the morning.

Elaine lost 42 pounds

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Today’s weight loss success story: Elaine lost 42 pounds and has gone from a size 20 to a size 14.  She credits God, changing her eating habits, juicing, and exercise for her transformation.  She says:

Elaine weight lossMy Journey was not an easy one. I had so many trials going on at one time. My family was affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, In 2006 my son (who never been in trouble) was facing charges of 10 yrs.  He was charged with Guilt by Association in Oklahoma City and I didn’t have the finances to get an attorney (He was cleared of all Charges).  By 2008, I was going thru a divorce. So long story short ” Life Happened”.

I remember crying after looking in the mirror one day and asking myself “How did you let yourself get like this”.  I was 242lbs, and had severe high blood pressure of 200/144.  I have always been a fighter, and it was time to fight!  From my hospital bed, I surrendered my life to God and asked Him to save me and restore me. After I was discharged from the hospital, I knew If I wanted to live I had to change some things in my life. I was a good mother, my kids deserved to enjoy me at my best. They are my true motivation!!!

I seeked help thru counseling, because I realized I was eating every issue that I was going through. After 2 months of counseling, I was ready to do whatever I had to do to start loving myself again and with God’s Grace, I could save my life.

I started researching for list of nutrients that were healthy and would be most beneficial for my body in order to heal from all the toxic and bad food that I fed to myself. I made a list to eliminated all junk foods and drinks, labeling them “Non Factor Foods”, because they were not serving a purpose in my temple. The lifestyle changes I made was more like the foods listed in the Daniel Fast , but I added olive oil, coconut oil, whole wheat bread and Oatmeal with some pecans.  I ate 50% less sugar to keep from depriving myself. I also purchased Leslie Sansone: Walk at Home – 5 Mile Fat Burning Walk at Home Videos. After 3 weeks of dedication, walking everyday 1 mile and increasing my miles…the weight started falling off. I later upgraded to Shaun T Rockin Body videos and I also started juicing between meals. And 42lbs later…Here I am. God is Good and I give Him all the glory. My heart, mind, body and soul have been restored and I just want to help, inspire and encourage as many people as I can.