size 24

Davita lost 70 pounds

December 12, 2016 by Ajima Jackson 1 Comment

Davita lost 70 pounds, going from a size 24 to a 14. Sleep apnea, high blood pressure, gall bladder issues, depression and a lack of energy were all affecting her wellbeing. She decided to turn it all around and take action. Check out her story.

Davina

My name is Davita and I am 26 years old. So far, I have lost 70 pounds. My weight loss journey began this year, March 30, 2016. After always feeling very tired and not wanting to be active, I knew I had to take another route. I had been diagnosed with sleep apnea, high blood pressure and gall bladder issues. Shopping in stores or at malls was a nightmare for me, because trying on clothes was a struggle. Taking my daughter to the park felt like punishment. I was so depressed, but I knew I couldn’t feel sorry for myself. I didn’t I want other to feel sorry for me either. I did this to myself so I had to fix it.

I spoke positive energy to myself everyday when I looked in the mirror. I went cold turkey on red meat, pop and ALL junk food. I eat fish, chicken, turkey, sweet potatoes and fresh vegetables. I started out walking for an hour on the treadmill each day, as well as using the elliptical machine. Now, I work out 5-6 times a week, 1-2 hours a day.

I started out wearing a size 24 and now I’m in a size 14. My height is 5’9″. I plan on announcing my current weight in a few months, I’m just not ready quite yet. I have seen an improvement in my healthy. I have asthma, but in 8 months I’ve only used my inhaler two times! Also, I no longer need blood pressure medication. Soon, I will be going in to do an overnight test to see where I’m at with my sleep apnea.

Let me just let you guys know that if you are planning on starting a weight loss journey, start today!! You will literally be living in joy, happiness and peace. Believe in yourself and never give up. You will be rewarded with results.

This journey is 2B continued! Instagram: @motivated_26

Davina

Nia has gone from size 24 to size 18

September 24, 2015 by Ajima Jackson 1 Comment

Non-Scale Victory: Nia is just getting started on her weight loss journey this year. She started in February and has gone from an 3XL to a 1XL and from size 22-24 to size 18-20. The support of great trainers and a boot camp community is keeping her motivated. Here is what she shared with us about how she’s losing the pounds.

nia before and after

My name is Nia C. I wanted to share my weight loss journey with the hope that it will inspire and motivate others. My motivation was to be a healthier me. I tried several fad diets and failed. I even considered weight loss surgery.

I started attending cardio classes in February of 2015, but I would only go on Saturday mornings. I had a few friends who joined a group of trainers called #BEASTMODE. I wanted to see what the hype was all about because I’d tried Zumba classes with little results. I would also go to the gym, so I decided to give them a try. Why not, right?

After a few classes, I actually began to feel better but I didn’t see much of a change. That’s when I began to eat differently, cutting back on certain foods, eating smaller portions and eating out less. Beastmode offered a 5 day boot camp and I reluctantly signed up. Instead of paying daily, I payed in advance because I knew that would motivate me to attend daily. That was a life changing week for me because I actually saw great results attending the boot camp. After that, I decided to sign a contract with the trainers at Beastmode Augusta and that was the best decision for my new fit life. These trainers are so concerned with your physical and mental well being, more like family.

I do an hour of fasted cardio 2-3 times a week and walk on the track some days in between. The hour of cardio can consist of jumping jacks, squats, jump squats, push ups, sprints, burpees, etc. I also try to eat clean low carb/high proein meals with smaller potions. I drink a lot of water; infused w/cucumbers, lemons, limes and mint. I get a lot of good recipes from Pinterest.

I honestly haven’t weighed myself because I don’t want to get discouraged. I didn’t gain the weight overnight and I know I’m not going to lose it overnight. The advice I’d give to others on this weight loss journey is to set goals for yourself, focus and aim high. My goal is not to be skinny, but healthy. Is it easy? Of course not. Will it be worth it in the end? Absolutely. This is just the beginning of my weight loss journey. Stay tuned for my #futureafter.

Instagram: @cuteniac

Charnice lost 120 pounds

March 31, 2015 by Ajima Jackson 8 Comments

Weight Loss Transformation of the Day: Charnice lost 120 pounds. Her friend JJ asked her about her journey and submitted her photos saying: “This is a school friend of mine. She has come along way and I would like to give her some recognition. I’m proud of her for having the get up and go and for recognizing that she needed a change.” Here is what she shared.

Charnice before and after

In high school, at age 15, I was a size 22/24. I weighed about 280 lbs, that being my heaviest weight. I began to lose weight once leaving school and got down to a size 16 by age 19. I got my weight down to about 220 lbs. Not long after that, I became pregnant with my son which put my weight back up to around 240 lbs. I think I didn’t really weigh myself much back then but I did go back up to a size 18 and once I was pushing to a size 20 I decided to do something about it.

I started to eat better and work out, getting myself down to a size 14. That’s the smallest I’ve been since I was age 13. In December of 2013, I had let myself go and before I knew it I was back to a size 16 going on an 18 and weighing 222 lbs. I decided it was time to kick my butt into gear for good. In January 2014, I started a 12 week weight loss challenge and once I had finished that I just never gave up. I’ve been going ever since because this is just my lifestyle now.

I did a low carb, high protein diet which I found worked best for me. For exercise, I started working out at home for a month where I lost a stone (14 pounds) by cutting out sugar and all junk fried foods. I also did the 30 day shred routine. For a year, I only drank water, up to 3 liters a day. I cooked all fresh foods and cut sugar out.

It’s March 2015, I am now between 158-162 lbs (height” 5’8″ tall). My weight fluctuates and I am a size 10/12. This is the smallest I’ve ever been and more importantly the healthiest and fittest I’ve ever been.

Instagram: @dedicatedchar_24

Update: Sha lost 94 pounds

March 13, 2015 by Ajima Jackson 2 Comments

Update: We featured Sha’s story back in June 2014 when she was down 72 pounds. Now, she’s sent us an update and new photos to let us know that she’s lost another 22 pounds.

Hello, I hope all is well. I’m writing you to let you know that I now weight 188 pounds. I’ve officially lost naturally around 94 pounds and I went from a size 22/24 to a size 12. I’m still focused on my second goal of reaching 175/180 pounds…whatever looks healthy on me LoL. Here are some updated pics.

Check out the post from June to learn more about how she lost the weight…
Instagram: @shalove80

Sha before and after Sha weight loss

Latonya lost 74 pounds

November 24, 2014 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

Weight Loss Success Story of the Day: Latonya lost 47 pounds and has gone from a from a size 22/24 to a size 12/14. With some willpower and the help of a great trainer, she was also able to get off of some serious medication and become a fitness addict. Here is her Transformation Story…

Latonya before and after

I started my weight loss journey in 2009. My weight of 260 pounds exceeded well above what I wanted to be, especially since I was an athletic person. I could not believe that I had allowed myself to get that big. Of course, I was eating any and everything I wanted until I got tired of what I looked like.

I enlisted the help of fitness guru, Alice Sims, a trainer at Success Athletic Training, to help me to get back on track. I knew that once she got involved with my weight loss process there was no turning back. She had my best interest at heart and knew exactly what I needed to do.

My journey was not an easy one but I knew I would have to endure the good and the bad to get results. I started by making small goals so I would not feel overwhelmed or quit. My goals included reducing how often I ate at fast food restaurants, drinking more water versus sodas, portion control and exercising regularly. By following those consisted regimen/routines I began to see the weight continue to come off.

I was so involved that I began going to work out during my lunch break. Who says there is no time to work out? A year into my journey, I had an allergic reaction to the blood pressure medication that I had been on for years. I went to the doctor and because they were so pleased with my weight loss my doctor advised me that I could stay off blood pressure medications as long as I could maintain my pressure.

Four years later, I can still say I no longer take any medications at all because I made the choice to live a healthier lifestyle. Yes, it’s a lifestyle that I find addictive!

By far am not where I want to be but I am definitely no longer that unhealthy young lady. Today, I weigh 186 pounds which put me down 74 pounds. I went from a size 22/24 to a size 12/14. In my continued weight loss quest, I have stepped up my game by cutting out all meats except for fish. I have been going steady on this for the last 8 months now and I truly feel great! There were no short cuts for me just pure hard work! It’s all about the 3 D’s!! Dedication, Determination, Disciple! No Excuses!

Updated: Marnita lost 174 pounds

November 1, 2014 by Ajima Jackson 6 Comments

Update March 2018: Shout out to Marnita for being featured by Prevention Magazine again. Check out the article: 8 Real Women Reveal How They Lost 50+ Pounds

marnita update

Update Dec 2016 Congrats go out to Marnita! Her story was recently featured in the Dec 2016 issue of prevention magazine. (Check out how she lost the weight. More info below)

“I have maintained my weight loss for almost 6 years now, by watching what I eat and exercising. I have made a lot of everyday changes. I am a vegetarian, except for fish which I have occasionally. I drink only water, green tea and decaf black coffee. I keep sweets at a minimum and I’ve discontinued buying flour, corn meal and sugar years ago. I have a belief that you should not take the bad stuff home. If I want to cheat every now and then, I do it while I’m out. If you you take a whole cake home, you are sure to eat it.

As for exercise, I try to get in some form of physical activity daily. Primarily, I do core exercises, walking, dancing and hula hooping with a weighted hula hoop. My weight sometimes fluctuates 5-10 pounds. Seeing my weight fluctuate used to be a very bitter pill to swallow, but now I’ve learned that I don’t have to be perfect. I just have to strive to be my best each day! My advice for others would be don’t stress over your weight. I spent a lot of years obsessing over my weight in fear that I would gain it all back! In the past, I was never truly satisfied with my results because of this worry, even though I have lost over 170 lbs. That’s more than my current body weight! Always be happy with yourself at whatever stage you are at in your journey, and always, strive to be your best self yet!”

marnita prevention magazine

Weight Loss Success Story of the Day: Marnita lost 164 pounds. She is 52 years old, the mother of 3 daughters and 6 grandsons…and she looks great and feels great! We have been asked in the past about featuring more stories for mature and seasoned sistas and Marnita’s victory reminds us to stay healthy for life. Find out more about how she did it…

Marnita lost 164 pounds

My journey began almost 4 years ago. In January of 2011, I decided to make lifestyle changes after I was diagnosed with High Blood Pressure. I didn’t go on any specific diet or join a weight loss group or gym. I decided to take matters into my own hands. I initially, cut back on my portion sizes, ate three meals per day, and never ate past 7pm. I was pretty repetitive about the types of foods I ate too. Once I found something that was working for me, I continued to eat those items. For example, almost every morning, I eat a small banana and Greek yogurt for breakfast.

After about a year and a half of watching my eating habits, I added exercise. Now mind you, I hadn’t exercised in probably 20 years, so I wasn’t sure where to begin. Then I realized I had an old stationary bike in my basement that I could use. I pulled it out and begin using it between 30-60 minutes each day. After about a year, it burnt out and I had to purchase a new one. I then decided to add weights and core exercises to my regiment. Recently, I purchased an elliptical.

To date, I have lost 164 lbs. My top weight in 2011, was 334 lbs. and I currently am 170 lbs. I went from a size 24/26 to a size 10/12. My goal weight is 160 lbs. As I previously mentioned in the story you did of me in October of 2013, I was 49 years old, when I began my journey, in January of 2015, I will be 53 years old. I have more energy than I did in my 30’s. I can run, jump, bend, and I play with my six grandchildren like a kid. To God be the glory for blessing me to pursue a healthier way to living. It hasn’t been perfect, but steady!

Check out her Facebook page: Beat The Bulge and Let’s Get Healthy

Additional information about Marnita’s journey…

Update Dec 2015: Marnita was featured in the AARP Bulletin this month. She also gave us an update: “I am a macrobiotic vegetarian now, I don’t eat any meats, except fish, occasionally, no dairy or eggs. I will be 54 years old in Jan 2016. The reporter who captured and reported my story for AARP found me via Black Women Losing Weight featuring my story.”

Update May 2015: “Since the last update back in 2014, I have lost another 10 lbs. I’m down a total of 174 lbs since I began my journey in January 2011. I’m down from 334 lbs to 160 lbs. I am keeping the weight off by continuing to watch what I eat and exercise. I have added walking and bike riding to my exercise routine. I am pretty happy with my current weight and plan to start weight training to tone. I have gone from a size 26W/24W to a size 8/10. My shoe size- from a 9W to a 7 1/2-8M, Bra size a 40DD to a 36C. The picture to the left was taken in Nov 2011, eleven months into my four year journey and the pic to the right was taken less than a month ago. As you know, I began my journey at 49 years old, I am now 53 years old, and feel better than I have in years. I can run, jump, swing, and play in the jungle gym with my grandchildren. When they come to visit we take long walks, and workout together. Those are some of my proudest moments. My passion now is doing what I can to inspire others to live a more healthy life. I am also a child care center owner/ director and I make it a point to serve a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables to the children because as we know, childhood obesity is at an all-time high.”

Lakeisha lost 64 pounds

July 18, 2014 by Ajima Jackson 3 Comments

Update September 2017: Check out this update from Lakeisha. She’s kept the weight off for more than 2 years.

lakeisha before and after

What has worked in terms of eating habits?
Before I knew anything about nutrition, I gave up fried foods, sodas and watched my portions. When I’m hungry, I drink black coffee or eat a slice of pickle. I also drink plenty of water. I love alkaline water (I encourage people to do their research on alkaline water).

I gained some of the weight back while dealing a death and stress. Meal prepping helped me out a lot this time. Now, I’m back stronger than ever.

What have you been doing to maintain your success in terms of exercise?
I started doing 2 hours of cardio. After two weeks of this, I’ll stop and go back into my normal routine… leg day, arms etc. I workout 6 to 7 days a week.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
I don’t care how much you workout, you cannot eat whatever you want… lol.

At this point, would you offer any new or different advice to women who want to lose weight?
Stay focused and don’t compare your success to others. Also, sometimes you have to switch up your routine when you don’t see results. Never give up on your journey. We all get off track but that’s what makes us fight harder.

lakeisha before and after

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Lakeisha lost 64 pounds and went from a size 24 to a size 14. This proud mom of 2 is now a fitness fanatic. Here is what she shared with us about losing the pounds: KeishaJuly3blog My name is Lakeisha Thomas and I’m from Mississippi. I’m a 34 year old mother of 2 (Tia 14 yrs old and CJ 6 years old). I’m also a nurse aid and a production tech at Nissan. When I first started my weight lost journey I weighted 254 pounds. I was shocked. I never cared about my weight until one day when my doctor told me I was obese. So, I started working out at home in my bedroom. I went from a size 24 to a size 14. I want to enjoy my kids and see them grow up. Now, fitness is my life, my passion, my everything. This is why I love what I do, why I’m so passionate and why I share with others everything I do to stay fitt. I’m a #fitmom and I love my 2 children with all my heart. Instagram: @KeishaaBeast

How did you change your eating habits? Chewing gum and drinking coffee has helped me out a lot on my journey. I started drinking plenty of water and cut out the sodas. I continue to eat what I always ate but in smaller portions. I work the night shift so that was a struggle as well. I’m not gonna lie, I fail daily but I never gave up. If I ate chips, ice cream, etc, I didn’t quit. I just went harder in the gym.

What did your workout routines look like? I started doing the Black Girls Workout Too & Billy Blank Exercise DVDs. I did a thousand sit up a day and started going to the gym 6 or 7 days a week. I also did HIIT workout that I found online (just do a Google search…there are tons of workouts). I did like a thousand ab exercises every night and every morning. Now, I’m doing like 500 abs exercises, 3 days out of a week.

What is your height? What is your current weight? I’m 5’7 and I weight 190 pounds. My goal weight is 175 pounds.

How long did your transformation take? I started in 2003 when I weighted 254. I dropped down 54 pounds in one month (no lie). I just worked out that whole month. However, it was very unhealthy because I stopped eating as well. I was drinking one soda a day and eating cabbage greens. Since then, I have been on and off my journey. So in 2012, I decided that I wanted to tone so I went harder and changed my lifestyle.

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight? If you mess up along the way, don’t quit. Just keep going. I’ve basically been tsame size since 2003 I just drop inches phuck yo scale…it didn’t take you 5 days to gain the weight so it’s not gonna take you 14 days to lose it. Keisha weight loss story

Update: Denna lost 90 pounds

July 8, 2014 by Ajima Jackson 2 Comments

Update: Denna sent us an inbox message on Facebook to let us know that she lost 13 more pounds since we featured her story back in Dec 2013. She is now down a total of 90 pounds and has gone from a size 22/24 to a size 6/8. Find out how she did it below:

I’ve been a yoyo dieter more years than not. I think it where most of the trouble lies. I can’t be on a diet, it must be a lifestyle. A diet is temporary and only yields temporary results. I’m in this for the long haul so it has become a lifestyle for me. What I THOUGHT was my wake up call really wasn’t. My kids had lost one parent to cancer, something that could not be helped or stopped. In my mind I said this is something you can control, so don’t eat yourself to death. Fix it! So at over 240 lbs I embarked on a journey to save myself…for them. Wrong! Although I lost weight and a lot of weight, I quickly discovered I could not be about someone else, not even my kids. I had to be for me. When we do things for others there’s ALWAYS an unspoken contingency, that the other party is not even aware of most of the time. At least it’s true for me. Therefore, when that contingency falls through so does your desire and motivation (That along with some other things). I fell off the wagon and watched it roll almost completely out of site. However, just as “The Wagon” was almost out of site it hit me like never before, Fool WHAT are you doing? You put in ALL that hard work and you are flushing it down the toilet! Get a grip. Forget your kids. (Giggles but yeah) They don’t even now they had anything to do with your weight loss. So, I decided this time it’s all about ME. I’m doing it for me for the very first time. Every other time I have done this for someone else, my husband, my parents, my kids, worried about what other people thought about me and my weight. That’s the biggest difference this time. It’s for me and my desire to look and feel better.

I hired a great trainer that I have been working with during my journey. I’ve got a better yet not perfect grip on my nutrition. I’ve learned how to make fitness a part of my everyday life. My workout time is my “me” time. I need that DAILY (I’m the mom of 3 teens lol). I’ve identified emotional triggers and when I feel buttons being pushed I immediately begin tell myself you can’t eat it away! I say, “You are going to feel guilty if you turn to food” or “At least make yourself proud of the good choice you made and go burn off some calories”. No that won’t make the problem go away but it certainly won’t add to it. This fitness life is mostly a head game and you have to be able to strategize so you can win.

I workout 5, 6 or 7 days a week. I do a WIDE variety of things to keep myself interested; everything from pole dancing to CrossFit. However, the backbone of my fitness plan is working out with my trainer. My nutrition is my hiccup. I do eat clean but sometimes not enough (quantity or frequency). I don’t drink sodas or eat processed foods. I drink lots of water. So far I’m down a total of 90 pounds. I’ve gone from a size 22/24 to a 6/8. My confidence is soaring, I feel alive and sexy. I can’t wait to see what things will look like when I reach my goal. This is me sharing my progress, the end result is yet to be seen. Like I always say, my journey is mine, yours is yours and hers is hers. Don’t judge yourself by someone else’s success or failure. Someone is going to lose faster and slower. Someone is going to have a smaller waist, a bigger butt you name it. It’s ok just work hard to become the best you, you can be.

Facebook page: Get Right, Get Tight – The Journey

For more info, check out the original post about her journey

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Nikki lost 65 pounds

June 26, 2014 by Ajima Jackson 2 Comments

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Nikki lost 65 pounds. This proud mom of three has gone from a size 24/26 to now a size 18 by eating clean and exercising regularly. Read her story and learn more about her weight loss journey:

Nikki before and after

“Hey, my Name is Nikki 32 and I’m a single mom of three. I work for hospice, so my day is always very busy and full. I have been on my weight loss journey for a while, but in the last 7 months I have lost 65 pounds. My goal is to lose a total of 100 by September. I am losing weight for me and not to be skinny but healthy. My weight loss journey started at 363 pounds I am now 298 pounds. I went from a size 24/26 to now a size 18.

I was an emotional eater. I would let life have a negative effect on the way I was eating. I have always carried myself well and I never looked like what I weighed. Last year my doctor told me that I needed to do something or I would not live to see 40 years old. So, I decided to join the 90 day challenge with Body by Vi. During my first challenge I lost 38 pounds. I am now on my second challenge and I am doing so much better. I changed the way I was eating and I started clean eating. I have my shakes once or twice a day with healthy snacks in between and then a healthy dinner. I have my days where I crave certain things but I know that its mind over matter. I also workout twice a day. I do Zumba, workout with the Wii and I do Shaun T hip hop dance workouts. I try and walk at least 3 miles a day as well. My advice to anyone that is trying to lose wieght is to make up in your mind first that your going to do it. I stopped saying I will try and started doing it. Cut that try word out and just do it. Join support groups and get your friends involved. It is not easy doing this alone but you can do it. The main thing I suggest it that you change the way you eat and get that cardio in. Also, don’t always focus on the scale but inches lost instead. MIND OVER MATTER.”

Instagram: @mzcharmz32

Update: Elaine lost 145 pounds

June 11, 2014 by Ajima Jackson 1 Comment

Check out this update from Elaine on how she lost the pregnancy weight – July 2015:

elaine before and after

I was featured back in June of last year for losing a total of 145 pounds. In September of last year I found out that I was having a baby and gained over 80 pounds during the pregnancy. I knew that I had to eat healthier meals for my child’s health, as well as my health. On May 14 2015, I gave birth to baby boy. As I was leaving the hospital the nurse told me to weigh myself and I was devastated to find I was up to 269 lbs again.

After I was released from the doctor’s care, I immediately started making healthy choices. First, I changed my eating habits back to clean eating. I also started walking 2 miles per day while trying to build up the courage to reach my goals again. I started eating 1200 calories a day and worked out. While looking back over my pictures from before pregnancy, I knew that I had to do what I’s done before.

I committed through the hard workouts, calories counting, eating healthy, low carb diet, walking, and running. I knew I could get back too where I was or at least half way there. Now my baby is 2 months old and I’ve lost a total of 68 lbs (2 months post pregnancy). I’m proud of myself because I had some doubts that I would make it back to my size 14 pants and medium shirts so soon. I’m so thankful that I did not lose the motivation and courage I’ve gained on my long life journey. I’m proud to say that if you put forth the effort, the results will always be positive.

June 2014 – Let’s show some BWLW love to Elaine. She is down an extra 32 pounds since we first featured her story in December. She has gone from a size 24 down to a size 14. Read her update and then check out our original post on her journey to see how she did it.

Elaine weight loss

“On Dec 11 2013, I shared my story of success with the Black Women Losing Weight community. February 2013 I was at 323 lbs. When I shared my story with you all in December 2013 I was at 210 lbs, a total of down 113 lbs lost. I wanted to give you an update from that time period. I’ve lost an additional 32 pounds which brings me at a total weight loss of 145 pounds lost. I am on the 1500 calorie diet. I use Bragg’s apple cider vinegar to detox. I eat 3 meals per day and 3 snacks to add up to 1500 calories. My meals are made up of turkey, fish, baked salmon, baked fish, baked potatoes and baked sweet potatoes. The majority of my meals consist of vegetables. I try to have something healthy for my snacks, such as apples, bananas, etc. I have a cheat meal every now and then. I am a exercise person. I workout 5 to 6 days a week doing exercises with dumbbells, walking at least 2 miles per day, jogging, weight lifts, kick boxing, power walking, running up stairs and cardio. I am proud to say that weight loss has helped me maintain a healthy lifestyle. I went from a pant size of 24 t down to 14. I’m wearing a size medium shirt and size large pants. I have worked so hard and I know it can be done.”

Elaine before and after Photo from Dec 2013