Black women all around the world are getting healthy and losing the pounds. Let’s show some love to Zoey from South Africa! She lost 57 pounds with regular exercise and healthy eating habits. Read her story to find out the details of how she did it! 
Hi, My weight loss started when I was doing a 4 month course. That was last year in May. We were doing physical training three times a week. My weight when I started was 105 kg (231 pounds). At the end of the course i was 95 kg (209 pounds). However, I relaxed and did not exercise anymore. On Dec 6, 2013 I decided to register with the gym and I haven’t stopped since then. I even join their classes; spinning class which starts 5:30 in the morning till 6:30 and a 30 minute abs classes. I workout 3 times a week at the gym, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 1 day for spinning 2 days I would do cardio and strength, including abs. Now, I jog when I get a chance on the weekends, do TaeBo, skip rope and use an ab wheel. Today, I just bought 10 kg (22 lb) sets of dumbbells. I’ve invested a lot in home equipment like a skipping rope, an exercise ball, ab wheel and women’s health dvds. I’m currently going to the fitness house (gym) 3 times a week and I’ve joined endurance class which is spinning. When I started working out again at the gym I was 98.5 kg (217 pounds) and my body fat was 43%. The last time I checked my body fat it was 32%. I’m not sure what my percentage is now because when I want to check it the machines are always offline. My current weight now is 79kg (174 pounds). My height is 5’5″. My motivation to want to lose weight was because of my health. I’m a diagnosed asthmatic, so I would struggle with breathing and easily get tired. As a person who works in the medical field, I knew that if I didn’t do anything about it I would not live long enough to see my 3 beautiful baby girls group. My Eating Habits: I’ve cut all junk food like fried chips and soda drinks. I avoid eating too many carbohydrates and sugary stuff. My meals For breakfast I always have high fiber cereals, with fat free milk or plain yogurt. Mid day – Fruits, nuts, raisins Lunch – I can chose to eat my Low go bread which is also high in fiber with no sugar or salt added with peanut butter and boiled eggs Dinner – Brown rice, 2 servings of veggies with grilled meat (chicken, turkey or fish). Sometimes sweet potatoes with any meat or High fiber spaghetti Don’t forget the greek salad as well. The discipline that is most important is food portion control. You can use food scale or just a palm of your own hand. It works. Also, eat before 6pm in the evening and try not to stress a lot as you know stressing too much decreases ones digestive system. For those who want to lose weight, I suggest you start a motivating routine and set a realistic goal. Find a weight loss partner or group, this will help you cut down a mental strain by sharing what you going through with someone. Start an exercise log because writing down your progress makes everything concrete. Find an old photo where you look good and post it on your fridge. That will remind you how you used to look and see that what you want to be is attainable is motivating. Lastly but not least, set up a reward, think positively, pace yourself, keep it fresh and have fun.
weight loss blog
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Patricia lost 30 pounds
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Patricia lost 30 pounds and went from a size 12 to a size 6 (height: 5’2″ and a half). She lost the weight by committing to not just regular exercise, but understanding why clean eating is so important. She gives God the glory and is now working to inspire others to change their lifestyle. She shared her story in great detail, so check it out.
Patricia Nubine – “My Story”
My family and I moved to Texas 18 months ago from Seoul, South Korea. We are a retired Army family. God sent us to Houston to start a ministry. We came here by faith. It was a very difficult move. We did not have any family or friends here in Houston. We only had each other and God to lean on. We spent a great deal of time lodging in hotels and extended-stay lodging until we found our home 5 1/2 months later! Because we spent so much time in lodging we were forced to eat all of our meals out. This meant a lot of fast food restaurants.
Prior to this move I felt that I was relatively healthy I worked out and was a certified Zumba instructor. I taught classes twice a week in Korea. Eating out eventually took a toll of my health and I gained quite a bit of weight. My highest weight topped out at 180! I had not weighed this much since I was nine months pregnant 15 years ago. Once we got settled into our home we joined the YMCA in January 2013. Finding the YMCA was a God-send for my family. We had 3 teenagers with a lot of energy. Now they had a place where they could get there energy out. I was ecstatic because I had always been adamant about working out but was waiting until we got settled into our house. I love all the classed that are offered at the YMCA. Prior to this I had only taken Zumba classes. Now I had the opportunity to try an array of different classes from strength to conditioning to flexibility that I could take. I love taking Body Pump, CSI, HIIT, Ripped Pilates and so many other classes. There are too many to name. The variety helps to keep it interesting. When I first started I was very “winded” and found it difficult to move but the more I attended classes the easier it became. Soon I felt my energy coming back and by October I had lost 12 lbs. Then the holidays hit and I started eating straight through the holidays and the weight loss stopped from October to December. The good part is I never stopped working out. Scary to think how much bigger I could have been had I not been exercising. I also began to make friends at the YMCA and it was the exercise and camaraderie that kept me coming back.
A truly pivotal turn in my journey began in January 2014. I was tired of being on this roller coaster of mediocrity and I was ready to see some real change. I was in a class and the instructor made the statement “you can not keep doing the same thing and get different results.” It was like I heard it for the first time and it really resonated with me. I acknowledged that I was exercising but not following through on healthy eating. I decided to stop eating junk food at night when I came home from gym. I also knew that I needed extra help to stay focused if I was going to be successful this time around. I begged my husband for a Christmas gift of personal training. (Some more wonderful benefits of being a member of the YMCA). I did not receive the personal training gift for Christmas but my husband gave it to me anyway in January after I kept asking for it and he saw how much it meant to me. I had started taking Body Pump classes in January and loved taking Deborahʼs classes. She has a way of “preaching fitness” and motivating you that is really inspiring. So I knew I wanted to train with her. I began training with Deborah at the end of January 2014. This is where I really began to see a drastic change for the better in my fitness and health. It has been life changing.
She told me to first get rid of processed foods and sugar. I took her very seriously and stopped eating processed foods and replaced them with healthy fruits, vegetables and whole grains and lean protein. I immediately had more energy and stamina. She also taught how to get the most out of my workouts using high intensity interval training. I love it because you can get faster results in a shorter time. The personal training that I received has made me more fit, stronger and has developed my confidence. I began to accomplish more than what I thought I could in the past. I became stronger, healthier and I began to really get leaner. The training that I received provided the tools that I had been missing from my toolbox to guarantee my success. I began to lose the weight very quickly. I lost 4.8 lbs the first week of training. By exercising smarter and eating clean 85% of the time I was able to drop 4.4% body fat in 90 days and I lowered my BMI from a 30 to a 26 in 4 short months. This year alone I have lost 20 lbs so far!! I have lost a total of over 30 pounds since I began at the YMCA last year. This year alone I have dropped from a size 12 to a size 6!! I am not dieting. I take no diet pills or diet food. I have just been consistent with my workouts and healthy eating. I now love to be challenged by things that are harder. I am enjoying the Grit Series classes right now. It came right at a time when I needed to be more challenged. I would have never saw myself being challenged this much and I love it!
This time around was so different for me. I had to lose the weight not just for myself but for the many people coming behind me that I would be mentoring. I needed to be an example of what a disciplined life looked like. If I can conquer weight then there are so many other areas that I could also conquer. In turn could show others that they could overcome obstacles that they face. I have been able to conquer negative thoughts and seeing myself in a more positive way. I have received so much encouragement and kind words from so many people at the YMCA. It really is an extended family and a community here. Many people have inspired me to continue to my goal just from the kind words. They motivate me to continue on this journey. I feel better than I have ever felt. I am happier than I have ever been and healthier than I have ever been. I have more energy than there is daylight. I am able to accomplish so much more in my day because I have the stamina to do it. I no longer need an afternoon nap. I feel better than I did two decades ago. I have more confidence than I have ever had. I feel younger and I know I do not look 46 years young! The pain that I had in my knees is now a non-issue. I no longer deal with acid reflux because of the healthy eating. There are so many things that I look forward to accomplishing as a result of my weight loss. Now, I know that I will be able to do them.
Because of the positive response I have received from so many members here at the YMCA along with questions about what I did to lose weight I am starting a health and fitness coaching blog. It is called “Eat Clean For A New You“. I want to help people who deal with the same struggles that I dealt with and sometimes still deal with. I plan on getting my personal training certification so that I can help others who feel stuck like I did. I am grateful for the opportunity to share my testimony with others that may have the same struggles that I had. My motto is I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me Philippians 4:13. I love that the principles of the YMCA line up with my personal values. My message to anyone who is on their own personal weight loss journey is do not give up. No matter how long the road may seem. A journey begins with the first step. If you make one step the other steps will follow. If you fall get back up and start again, But never ever quit.
Dee lost 156 pounds with weight loss surgery
Let’s show some BWLW love to Dee who has lost 156 pounds and gone from a size 32 to a size 14-16. She decided to have weight loss surgery so that she could be a healthy and happy mom for the long haul and decrease the possibility of dealing with a number of illnesses that run in her family. We congratulate her! Here is what she shared with us about her journey:
I’m a 32 year old mother to two boys (11 and 13 years old). They were my motivation to lose weight. I want to be here to see them graduate and have families of their own. My mother’s side of the family suffers from diabetes; my mother, 2 aunts, 1 uncle and my late grandmother. I knew I would be at risk with me being overweight. My mother also suffered from high blood pressure and my daddy suffered from high cholesterol, so I knew of the risks I could possibly face having 1 or all 3 problems. Luckily, I did something about my weight before it got to the point of me having those problems. On 11/6/2013 I opted to have gastric bypass weight loss surgery. I swear that I tried everything before it resorted to this. I had no choice but to change my eating habits my new stomach pouch. It won’t let me eat certain foods like I use to, which in my case is a good thing. It actually keeps me balanced. For the 1st few months after surgery, I walked 30-45 minutes, 3 days a week. I’m now on the process of toning and dealing with all the extra skin I have cause it’s just about everywhere. I had to cut out fried fatty foods but I do have a cheat meal twice a month (just being honest). Healthy eating gave me a whole new outlook on life and my health. With me having this surgery protein is the key. I eat Greek yogurt, more vegetables, chicken, turkey, seafood and I try to limit my carbs.
Luckily my insurance is covering my breast lift and a pannis removal (which is the extra skin that hangs below my private area…thank goodness for that…lol). My highest weight was 363 pounds. On the day of my surgery I was 345 pounds. As of today I’m 207 pounds and still counting (I’m 5″11). My transformation took 7 1/2 months. My advice to others wanting to lose weight by surgery, the old fashion way or however makes you happy know that it’s a lifestyle change anyway you look at it. I did it to be healthy and like a tattoo that I have says “Only God can judge me now!”.
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Barbara lost 37 pounds
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Barbara lost 37 pounds. I LOVE it when families support each other on this weight loss journey. Barbara’s story is a great example of that. Her daughter was a major contributor to her success story. Here is what she shared with us: 
Hello, my name is Barbara and I am on a journey to get fit. My journey began last year after I had surgery on my shoulder. My daughter, Anyika had started a Boot camp Fitness Class and thought the stretching exercises would help me. I am 5 ft tall and was weighing almost 170 pounds. I had gained up to 177 but I lost 10 lbs after my surgery. After working out for a few months, I learned I was type II diabetic and I panicked. By then my daughter, Anyika, got her Zumba certification. I started working out with her class and lost 25 lbs. I did her class 2 to 3 days a week if my back wasn’t hurting really bad. She always modified my workouts. I have been on all type of diets and exercise but with her class, meal planning and fitness tips, I have maintained my weight loss for over a year now.
I stopped binge eating and I always ate in the afternoon with no breakfast. Before, I had pancakes with fruit and lots of syrup with bacon, eggs and hash brown, pork chops, fried chicken for dinner. Now, its oatmeal with no sugar and fruit. I have a smoothie, veggies or fruit for snack or lunch and salmon, tuna or baked chicken for dinner with salad and lots of water. I juice a lot with Anyikas recipes. When the doctor said I was type 2 diabetic, I cut down on the sweets a lot. I learned to eat in small portions, with 3 to 4 meals a day including snacks of fruit or veggies.
I don’t have to take my high blood pressure pills anymore and I feel a lot better. My blood pressure was always high but now its normal. I have back problems but the stretching helps. My daughter has changed my life and my way of thinking. I am down to 140 pounds and I’m still counting down the pounds on this weight loss journey. My daughter Anyika’s class is called Zumba with A. Hunt 
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Jessica lost 83 pounds
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Jessica lost 73 pounds. Jessica learned that by sharing her story she could not only help others, but she was motivated by the feedback. Here is what she shared with us:
What was your motivation?
I wasn’t happy with how I looked at all. I was very self conscious and no longer felt comfortable in my own skin. I knew something had to change. It also motivated me when I would post before and after pictures online and everyone would ask me how I lost weight. It really encouraged me to keep going knowing that I was influencing others to reach their weight lost goals as well. I started my journey in August 2013. My goal is to lose 80 pounds and I’ve lost 83 so far.
How did you change your eating habits?
It took time, but I basically stopped eating fried foods, pork, and well…really a lot of stuff. I began eating talipia and drinking diet shakes as meal replacements.
What did your workout routines look like?
I would walk 2 miles everyday
What was your starting weight? 273 pounds.
What is your current weight? 190 pounds
How long did your transformation take? 10 months.
What advice to you have for others who want to lose weight?
You have to believe in yourself and know that it can be done.
Instagram: @_boss_lady88_
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Termaine lost 55 pounds
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Termaine lost 55 pounds. This proud mom wanted to make sure that illness did not take her away from her family. Improving her health was her motivation to lose the pounds. Read what she shared with us about what steps she took to achieve her goals.
Hi my name is Termaine Walls and I want to share my weight loss story with you and others. I have recently lost 55 pounds from November 2013- June 2014. My decision for starting on this journey was that I have hypertension, high cholesterol, fluid
on the brain and am border line diabetic. At an appointment, my doctor told me at my next appointment she was going to 
discuss insulin treatment with me and that was the last and final straw for me. I realized either I changed my life for me and my babies or they would not have a mom. I began to cut back on eating so much in one sitting. Also, I realized that when I drink ice cold water right before I ate it helped me feel full while eating so I really didn’t want that much of my food. I also started walking in the park when my son would go to Tee-ball practice. My exercise routine consists of walking 2-3 times a week. Instead of taking the elevator at work I took the stairs and I began to park further away at the the grocery store. I also speed walk to the store and while I am in the store. I recently began to the 8 Minute workout 2-3 times a week. My eating has went from eating from big plates to eating out of my kids bowls. I take in a 16 oz cup of cold water right before my meal and that helps me feel full. After a while, I noticed some progress and I began to want it even more. Now, I am at the weight I was before having my kids.
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Dawn lost 110 pounds
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Dawn lost 110 pounds. She made the decision that changing her lifestyle and eating habits was worth it so that she could be the person she wanted to be. Read more about her weight loss journey:
“Hello, my name is Dawn. This is me two year ago at 320 pounds and then me today at 210 pounds. I was really depressed and stressed out. I decided to leave everything alone, focus on myself and the weight started to come off. I also joined the gym with my cousin and our children, until she got sick. When I went to the gym I started with the treadmill and did an hour on that. From there I used the bike and my cousin and I went together in one of the step dance routine classes. I worked out when I could, doing a lot of cardio. I walked a lot too. Everyone noticed how small I started to get.
I left a lot of the junk foods alone and tried to cook a meal every day. No more restaurant foods at all. I really did not do anything special, except for avoiding lot of junk food that I was eating once a day and having coffee in the morning. I work at a night job (third shift), so there really was not any room for me to change anything. One main thing I did was stop eating late at work everyday at restaurants and getting all those greasy foods. I ate before 7pm and was fine for the rest of the night.
I never knew that I was that big until I looked at some old pictures. I made the change not because of health reasons but also because I wanted to for myself. I did it because I was tired of being depressed and not living like I wanted to. I’m hoping every one can see this so that they to can get inspired to enjoy life like I’m doing. I have bad knees and losing weight will help with that too. I could move when I was 320 pounds but now I really can get around with more energy. I’m not done yet, I got a couple more pounds to go. Who ever reads this, just remember to love yourself first and things will fall into place.
Instagram: @mz_shay42 Twitter: @allboutme40
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Krysty lost 44 pounds
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Krysty lost 44 pounds. In less than a year, she has transformed her body by working out consistently, counting calories and eating the things she loves in moderation. Read all about her weight loss journey: 
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Krysty lost 44 pounds. In less than a year, she has transformed her body by working our consistently, counting calories and eating the things she loves in moderation. Read all about her weight loss journey: My name is Krysty. I am 5’6″ and my starting size and weight was 16/244 pounds. I was hanging out with friends on a boat cruise when the picture on the right was taken and I didn’t recognize her. That next weekend I went to the gym and signed up for training and haven’t looked back. I had a trainer who set up weight lifting plans for me each week. Couldn’t have done it without him. I worked out 3-5 days a week. I keep changing my workout to keep my body guessing. I do weight training, cardio, bootcamp, kickboxing, yoga, and Zumba. When I started I didn’t change my diet and soon I plateaued. So then I began counting calories and substituting. I cut back on calories, but not necessarily what I was eating. I used a tracker to make sure I stayed at 1800 calories on days I worked out and 1500 on days that I didn’t. I would have the fried chicken or burger but with a side salad instead of fries or mash potatoes. I eventually cut out sweets and juices to cut down on my sugar intake and I think that took my fitness to the next level. My typical breakfast is oatmeal or granola with fruit or eggs and peanut butter. My lunch is usually a salad with tuna or chicken a vinegarette dressing and my dinner is usually fish and veggies or beef and veggies. I snack all day on veggies, kale chips or pretzels with peanut butter. I am currently 200 pounds and between a size 8 and 10. I joined the gym August 19, 2013 and I am still a work in progress. My advice is you can’t do it for others, it has to be a fire inside of you. It won’t be easy, and I have had many stumbles but I didn’t stop and I continue to keep trying. All is possible with enough faith and motivation.
Instagram: @Koolkrysbchi
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Danietta lost 35 pounds
Weight Loss Story of the Day: Danietta lost 35 pounds. This petite diva’s story shows us that you don’t have to lose tons of weight for the change to make a major difference in your life. Check out what she shared with us about losing the weight:
My co-workers were my motivation to begin my weight loss journey back in March 2013. We started a Biggest Loser competition that lasted 6 weeks. I lost a total of 14 pound and ended up only losing the contest by .5 pounds. So, after the competition I decided to keep up with this lifestyle change. In order to change my eating habits, I joined Weight Watchers and started to get my portion sizes under control. I eliminated all sweets and white bread. My goal was to eat as much fruit and vegetables I could. In the beginning I joined a local gym and began working out at least 6 days a week. For exercise, I started out doing the elliptical and treadmill rotating and doing either on daily for about 3 months. Then I slowly started getting myself familiar with a little weightlifting. I also did 30 days of the Insanity workouts. My starting weight was 211 pounds (5’3″ tall) and I am now a weighing in at 176 pounds. I have been working on this journey since February 2013 and I am still in transformation mode as of today. I have few more pounds to get off so I can be in a healthy weight range. My advice to others is the road to weight loss is not easy but if you are willing to travel alone sometimes it s well worth it. Self-motivation is the best motivation.
Instagram: @LadyDn31
Update: Leslie shares how she lost 22 more pounds
Update March 2016: Leslie lost more than 120 pounds and has kept the weight off for 2 years. I will never give up still at it sending blessings your way! Your vision is impacting the lives of many and I’m one of them!
Check out her updates below and the original post we did on her story in April 2014.
Update March 2015: Leslie has lost 22 more pounds for a total of 120 pounds gone. She wrote in to share this update…
I have lost 120 pounds thus far and I know God ain’t through with me yet! I lost the additional pounds by getting back on my Herbalife Nutrition Plan, working out no less than 3 times a week and adding weight lifting! The biggest lesson I learned is that I was the only person holding myself back from achieving my goals and that with determination and faith all things are possible! The advice I have for others is work with people who have the same goals you have. I suggest they have no negative self talk, stay off the scale and make better choices daily! Treat yourself to one cheat meal a week too!!! Live a little, get out there and enjoy life! My Uupdated Instagram name is: @PriestBaby01 By changing your life, others lives are changed. It starts with the one looking back in the mirror!
Update June 2014:
We shared Leslie’s story back in April of this year. She was down 71 pounds and now she’s lost an additional 27 pounds for a total of 98 pounds gone. Here is what she shared with us about her continued progress (check out her updated photos too):
“I lost an additional 27 pounds by taking my efforts up a notch. In terms of eating right, I cut out the starchy foods and ate little to no carbs! I also made sure that I was never eating too late at night. My last meal is usually around 6 PM. Even though I use herbalife products, I had to get more aggressive in terms of my workouts so I committed to doing Chalene Extreme Workouts along with my program. In terms of motivation, I use accountability partners and I meet with a group least 3 times a week to do group workouts! I simply asked a few friends who lives close if they want to workout! We keep each other on point, no excuses! I listen to my body and when it tells me to rest I do! My advice to others is start fresh each week like it’s the first day on your journey! I encourage everyone to burn off the same amount of calories they consumed each day if they are able. If not, at least try to get in 4 workouts a week! I also suggestion snacking on fruits and veggies combined with small portions of protein in between meals. Spend your calories like you spend money. Only spend what’s really needed lol! I’m motivated by prayer, reading of the word and connecting with more individuals who have like minded goals. I’ve connected with people who are active in this lifestyle of good health!
Read more about how she lost the weight in our previous post on Leslie’s journey.
