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weight loss diet

Lanise lost 158 pounds with Gastric Bypass surgery

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Let’s show some BWLW love to Lanise.  She lost 158 pounds with Gastric Bypass weight loss surgery.  After years of using different dieting methods, she is very glad about her choice. Here is her weight loss story:

335 lbs to 177 lbs! After years and years of Weight Watchers, Slim Fast, diet doctors, etc, Gastric Bypass was my last option. I love that after 4 years(this November) I still get full after a small meal! Yes, I have to take vitamins, calcium and b12s for the rest of my life.  I’m fine with that! My only regret is not doing it a decade ago!

My motivation: I was tired of carrying around this weight, tired of my back hurting and I wanted to travel more.

Eating habits: Once you have gastric bypass your are forced to change your eating habits. I hear a lot of people say that weight loss surgery is an easy way out, but in all reality it’s not. It’s a lifestyle change. You can not longer eat the huge portions. Some foods that you used to be able to eat, you may not be able to tolerate them. After 4 years post surgery, I still eat small portions, eat on smaller plates or on plates with sections.

Workout routines: I walk a lot and I try to get a least two days a week in the gym.

Advice for others: Do what’s best for you. Whether it’s weight loss surgery or doing it on your own, just be motivated and have faith in yourself.

Lanise weight loss photos

Tanya lost 80 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Let’s show some BWLW love to Tanya who has lost 80 pounds.  This petite 5 foot tall lady was dealing with polycystic ovarian syndrome, insulin resistance and high blood pressure.  Weight loss surgery worked for her.  Here is what she shared about her weight loss journey:

Hi my name is Tanya and I just wanted to share part of my weight loss journey. My highest recorded weight was 301 pounds at 5 feet tall. I suffered from pcos (polycystic ovarian syndrome) which causes one to be insulin resistant, along with a slew of other problems. I also was suffering from high blood pressure. While in school, preparing to be a medical assistant, I noticed I was eating more, moving less and tiring easy.  I was opting for the elevator from the first floor to the second floor. Not liking this feeling or the way I looked, I was motivated to do something…but what? I had already failed at every diet under the sun so I decided to talk to the surgeon who had previously removed my gallbladder and have gastric bypass surgery.

On 12/18/12 my surgery was performed. Now, almost 10 months later, I’m down 80 pounds. I eat dramatically different now; low carb, low fat and very small portions. I also workout five times a week. Recently, I added strength training to my exercise program. It’s not a quick fix.  Surgery is not a easy way out.  There are plenty of days when I want to give up but I don’t want to go back to high blood pressure.  My blood pressure  has been great since the day after surgery. I also don’t want to trade my size 18 jeans back in for size 28. God has blessed me. I have none of the bad side affects associated with gastric bypass surgery. Even though I suffer from severe depression and bipolar disorder, for the most part I’m happy knowing that I’m on the right track to a healthier me.

Tanya weight loss story

6 Essential Habits for Losing Weight and Keeping it Off

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healthy habits weight lossLosing weight is really difficult to start with, but on top of that we all want to keep the weight off for good. There are healthy habits you can adopt NOW in order to increase your chances of keeping the weight off long term. Here are 6 tips that can help.

1. Don’t call what you’re doing a “diet.” This will set you up for failure immediately. Diets are quick, short term solutions for weight loss that usually are not permanent. If you are looking for permanent, long term weight loss, you need to think about it as a lifestyle change. Diets aren’t bad; they can help kick your metabolism into gear so that you can lose weight more easily. But a diet isn’t going to give you long-term success; changes in your lifestyle and food choices will.

2. Set weight loss goals. Goals are one of the most important parts of the weight loss process. The problem is, too many people say “I want to lose x number of pounds.” That is great but sometimes it’s not enough in terms of goal setting. Instead, start making your lifestyle changes gradually and make several mini-goals at a time. Sure, you can say that you want to lose 100 lbs, but it may be easier to stay motivated if you say you want to lose 10 pounds in the next 6 weeks or that you want to be able to walk a mile in addition to losing weight.

3. Reward yourself. …but please don’t make the mistake of rewarding yourself with food. If you can create rewards that are encouraging, but don’t involve messing up your lifestyle changes, they can be really good motivators. Effective rewards are desirable, timely, and contingent on meeting a particular goal. Use several smaller rewards for smaller goals, too. For example, if you went through a month of walking for 30 minutes every day, you can reward yourself with a haircut or a trip to the spa.

4. Figure out why you gained weight in the first place. Your Big WHY! – This is one of the hardest parts of maintaining long-term weight loss, but you do have to do some self evaluation. Why did you start overeating in the first place? What happened that made you want to overeat? Was there a life event/trauma? Were you struggling with a hormonal imbalance like PMS or a chemical imbalance that caused mood issues? Do you have a health issue? What happened to make you start neglecting your diet? Once you figure that out, you need to take steps that help you deal with those issues effectively later on. This will help you prevent similar issues in the future.

5. Understand portion sizes. If you understand how portion sizes are supposed to work, you’re going to be better off. We have an issue in the United States where we fill our plates to overflowing, and you really can’t do this. Even healthy foods can be bad if your portions are too big. A good rule to go by is the “fist rule.” A serving of healthy food is about the size of your fist; the smaller you are the smaller your fist is, and the smaller your portions will be. Keeping a food diary can help control your potions too.

6. Follow the 80/20 rule. You don’t have to be perfect all of the time, trust me. The key is balance and moderation. It’s going to take a lot of effort to maintain this lifestyle, so it’s okay to slack every once in awhile. If you live by healthy habits 80% of the time, slacking a little for the other 20% is okay (as long as you don’t go absolutely crazy and ruin what you did all week). Give yourself a treat on the weekend after being “good” all week.

Healthy Curves: Tomeria lost 23 pounds

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Let’s show some BWLW love to Tomeria.  She lost 23 pounds and is focused on keeping her curves in a healthy way.  After struggling for years, she is now sharing her weight loss success story with us:

“My motivation for losing weight was a desire to be healthier and more confident. I’ve always struggled with my weight because no matter how I looked to others I wasn’t happy with myself. This caused added stress and my weight continually fluctuated because I wasn’t confident in who I was. With a smile on my face, I was secretly unhappy with my body image. I am more confident and I know that I don’t have to be a size 6 to be healthy. I am currently a 14/16 but I see and feel the difference in just a short period. This will keep me pushing towards my ultimate goal which is to weigh less than 200 lbs. Looks can be definitely be deceiving.

I recently relocated to a new state and I am now within walking distance of a Whole Foods and my job. This makes eating healthier a breeze because I cook more, eat out less and purchase more fresh foods versus processed foods. At my heaviest, I was working out but my poor food choices made it difficult to lose weight so I stayed in the 225-234 pound range. Since the scale didn’t reflect a significant change, I found comfort in food which was counter productive.

My workout routine consists of 3-4 days of cardio for a minimum of 30 minutes. My cardio choices include Zumba, Kickboxing and Walking. I also began to incorporate strength and weight training for at least 30 minutes two times a week. I’ve found that including my workouts in my daily plan make it easier to stick with it.

My starting weight was 234 pounds. I currently weigh 211 pounds. It has taken 3 months to witness a true transformation but I’m not stopping here. My goal is to keep my curves healthy.”

Tomeria weight loss success story Tomeria weight loss story

Erika lost 42 pounds

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Today’s weight loss success story: Erika lost 42 pounds.  This 5’2″ diva went from 180 to 138 after years of trying diet pills and fads.  A friend’s success with just eating right and calorie counting inspired her and now her story can inspire others to do the same. Here is what she shared with us:

Erika weight loss before and after

October 17, 2012 for the third time I decided I was going to give losing weight a try. The first time I tried taking phentermine diet pills and after losing my first 7 pounds in 3 days I couldn’t lose anymore, I gave up. The second time I tried the HCG diet and lost 12 pounds, but after a month I gave up because I was still hungry. After waiting a whole year I had gained all that weight back. At the age of 23 I was 5’2″ tall and weighing 180 pounds. I was overweight, uncomfortable, unhappy, and had low self-esteem. That wasn’t the person I knew for 22 years of my life. After 3 years, I was finally fed up with being that person.

On October 17, 2012 I woke up and looked in the mirror and said to myself “I’m about to lose this weight once and for all”. This time I was serious because after seeing one of my close friends lose 14 pounds in one month by just eating healthy and counting calories, it gave me hope. That very same day that’s what I did. I downloaded a app on my phone called “Lose it”, which by the way is one of the best things to happen to me. That app helped me tremendously. My very first month I lost 12 pounds. By Christmas I was down 21 pounds. Finally I had found something that worked for me. I was so happy. After 3 months of losing weight just by eating healthy I decided to add some exercise in. I took Zumba classes once a week and I stayed in the gym. I weigh 138 pounds (42 pounds lighter) and I’m feeling like the person I used to be. My goal was to be able to wear a belly shirt, but most importantly to be healthy and fit. Best decision I’ve ever made. Im still eating healthy and exercising to stay in shape and this is now a lifestyle.

Could you tell us more about how you changed your eating habits?

VEGETABLES & FRUITS
I love salad so I eat salad a lot. I try eating different meats in my salad such as low sodium bacon, turkey and chicken lunch meat, or tilapia. I make sure I eat vegetables especially green vegetables with every meal (broccoli, spinach, green beans, peas, etc. I also eat lots of fruit (apples, bananas, watermelon, oranges, strawberries, cantaloupe, mango, blueberries, and especially pineapples because they help with digestion.

MEATS
I eat fish (tilapia or salmon), turkey (bacon, ground, burger, etc… and chicken, mainly breast (baked, grilled, or broiled). I try eating 6 times a day, 3 small meals and three snacks.

DRINKS
I started off drinking crystal light but now I only drink lemon water and smoothies. Sometimes, I may drink a smoothie in place of a meal. In my smoothies I use frozen and fresh fruit, almond milk, and sometimes frozen yogurt.

SNACKS
I am a big snacker so when I’m craving sweets I buy and eat 100 calorie snacks such as (cookies, brownies, chocolate candy, pastries, chips, etc, or I may have some fruit. I eat a lot of Special K and weight watchers products (frozen dinners, cereals, ice creams, cheese, etc.

Carlee lost 70 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story: Carlee lost 70 pounds.  After fighting the pounds all her life, she turned to things many things to lose weight, even a eating disorder.  Eventually she found that eating right and exercise were truly the way to reach her health and weight loss goals.  Here is what she shared with us:

“I was big all my life. Doctors told me it was impossible for me to get as small as I wanted to be.  They said that it was in my genes to big…genetics. I hated who I was but it wasnt until I chose to love who I was, whether the weight was shed or not, that it worked and now I am 70 pounds lighter.

At my highest weight I was 220 pounds. I never thought I’d be any smaller. I thought bulimia was the cure, which was not good at all.  Eventually, I went away to school and decided I’d come back a new person. I cut out all fried foods, pork and snacks. I drank plenty of water as well.  Cardio became my best friend along with bicycle crunches.  Here I am almost two years later at 150 pounds.  My advice is to love you, first and foremost, and to find what works for you.  It is about you, not everyone else. Be healthy and dont resort to quick fixes.  You are worth it!”

Carlee weight loss photos

Yvonne lost 43 pounds

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Update May 2016 – It’s been almost 3 years since we shared Yvonne’s story. She gained many pounds back over the years, but a year ago she made the decision to change her life again. She’s lost a total of 70 pounds.

yvonne before and after

“I was featured once before on your site in 2013. Basically, I’d gone on a diet and began exercising, which led to losing 43 pounds. My reason for wanting to lose the weight at the time was to be able to fit into my clothes again. Shortly after being featured, I went back to all my old eating habits. Needless to say, all my weight returned and then some. My blood pressure also began to elevate. I was tired and drained all the time. I really didn’t even want to go to the doctor’s for my yearly physical. Finally, I got up the nerve to go, and suprisingly I was given a clean bill of health. I made up in my mind that day to take charge of my health. As of May,  it’s been a year since I re-started my journey. I have lost a little over 70 lbs. I refuse to look back!”

yvonne weight loss story

Oct 2013 – Since April 2013, Yvonne has lost 43 pounds after years of yo-you dieting.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

“I’m on a journey to a healthier me. I will be 43 years old in November. For the past 12 years, I have been a yo- yo dieter. I never wanted to put in the time to exercise and always wanted a quick fix. In April 2013, the elevator at my job was down and I had to walk up the steps. I felt like I was going to pass out half way up and I was totally disgusted with myself when I got to the top of stairs. To top it off, I had to teach on the heart that afternoon. I kept hearing my own words that day. I said, ” The heart is a little bigger than an adult fist and it pumps five liters of blood through the body every 8 seconds.” I knew my heart had to be having difficulty doing such a job and I had not done any cardio in years to help strengthen it. I started exercising consistently from that day forward! I could barely walk a mile, now I run 3 miles a day, 4 times a week. I cut out sodas, chips and junk food and I have lost 43 pounds. I have 40 pounds to go. My starting weight was 250 pounds. (It even hurt to type that) I feel great and everyday I’m excited to be on this journey (a lifelong journey)! The following photos are from April, August and September!”

Yvonne weight loss success story

Megan lost weight in a workplace weight loss contest

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Megan wrote in to share with us how a weight loss contest at work helped her to lose 13 pounds in about a month.  She shared with us how she did it:

Megan weight loss story

“Hello BWLW!!  Here’s a quick story about myself. Up until the age of 21, I’ve maitained a solid 150 frame. It wasn’t until the birth of my daughter in 2003, is where I began putting on pounds. The funny thing is I stayed in between 150-160 pounds for many many years. Moving forward to the present, July 1st this year and at my heaviest, I weighted 176 pounds. I was floored as to the amount of weight I’ve been carrying around it showed. My knees and back hurt, I was tired all the time, I had no energy to do anything. I knew I had to make a change and fast, I just didn’t know where to start. One day while sitting at my desk at work, an employee came up with the idea to host a “Biggest Loser” challenge (July 24th-Septemeber 24th) for any employee who wanted to joined. I thought about and brushed it off. It wasn’t until the last day for signing up that I said to myself “What’s the worst that can happen” so I entered the contest. Initially, it was all about the money and prizes one can win when losing the most weight but after a week of “detoxing” my body. I could care less about the contest and if I won because I felt great! The best I felt in a very long time. I started my weight loss journey 7/24/2013 and in that first week I went cold turkey! I came home, tossed everything out my fridge that was considered a bad food and replaced it with boneless/skinless chicken, fish, fruits and veggies. The first week was hard but I stuck with it and lost 7 pounds!! I was ecstatic! This was the motivation to keep me going. Two weeks later, I shed additional pounds! The weight is coming off slowly but surely due to hard work and dedication. After almost one full month and I went from 176 down to 163 pounds! I’m not a member of a gym yet but in the meantime, I stick to my routine of a 30 minute workout in the morning before work and after work, I do a hour routine of cardio and walking or jogging. I also maintain eating healthy, portion control and drinking plenty of water. I also take pointers from you guys, BWLW which have been a life saver for me. I still have a ways to go in my journey but I’m so happy to have embraced this lifestyle! Thank you BWLW!!”

Weight Loss on a Budget Tip #19: Use the Crockpot or Slow Cooker

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slow cooker crock potThis month I’m sharing a tip each day about how you can save money while losing weight.  Here is today’s tip: Weight Loss on a Budget Tip #19: Use the Crockpot.

How can a Crockpot save you money?  When you are cooking your own meals and using healthy recipes to stay on course with your weight loss goals, slow cooking has a number of benefits:

  • Saving time, because time is money. You can put your ingredients in the pot and spend time doing other things (like exercising).
  • You can buy cheaper cuts of lean meat because slow cooking will tenderize them.  You can also use affordable things like turkey legs or neck bones for flavor.
  • Slow cookers and Crock Pots are cheap to buy (around $30) and use less electricity than a stove.
  • Save money by making large recipes and then freezing or storing the leftovers.  No need to buy a meal when you have a great one in the fridge.

The other reason you should embrace using a Crockpot or slow cooker is variety.  There are hundreds of healthy slow cooker recipes you can try that have a lot of flavor, so that you never get bored.

Here is a sample of some of the great recipes out there:

Low Carb

Prachel lost 72 pounds

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Today’s weight loss success story: Prachel lost 72 pounds.  Her goal was to be able to wear a bikini and now she competes in bikini competitions.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

Prachel weight loss photos

“On March 17, 2012, I was driving home from work and stopped at In and Out Burger (a popular SoCal burger chain) and had a grilled cheese sandwich, fries and a strawberry milkshake. Then, I drove across the street and had two buttermilk donuts.

I was at an emotional low, after a very turbulent 3 1/2 years, I had gotten up to 222lbs and 38% body fat. After this “meal”, something stirred inside of me to move. So, the same night, I walked 15 minutes on the treadmill, because that’s all I could do. But, I went back the day after and walked again. I ended up walking on the treadmill everyday for 30 days. I had lost 10 lbs in a month and felt great. However, there was still something inside of me telling me to move. So, I increased my intensity with my workouts and by October of 2012 I was down 40lbs.

All the while I had one goal in mind – to walk onstage in a bikini. I hadn’t worn a bathing suit since I was 14 years old. In November of 2012, I hired Fit Diva Dawn Rae to work with me. Dawn taught me things about my body that I didn’t know before and together we worked on my plan to compete in a Bikini Competition. Well, just a few days ago, I achieved that goal and ended up with a first place trophy in my division.

I now weigh 150lbs and am around 26% body fat. I cut out all unhealthy foods and allow myself to have a treat every once in a while. I also don’t eat simple carbs after 5 and eat about 5-6 times per day. I eat very clean, healthy and fresh. I’m never hungry. I also take apple cider vinegar and drink fresh coconut water (from the coconut, not from a can) on a daily basis.

My life has been forever changed and I am so thankful that I listened to that voice inside of me telling me to move. I now know that my purpose is not to sit around and lead a boring life…it is to have fun, be excited and experience adventures. They say to never post anything online that you wouldn’t want on the front page news one day. I am very proud of myself right now and am posting these to hopefully inspire other people to live their dreams out loud. It’s a great feeling to be led by the spirit.”