Featured weight loss success story: Torrie lost 41 pounds with Zumba, Weight Watchers, walking and working out with a trainer. She was willing to put in the work to push past a plateau. Here is what she shared with us:
“My name is Torrie and I’m 36 years old. My weight struggle started after I had my first and only son. I gained over 30 pounds while pregnant, on top of weight I had gained already before pregnancy. My total weight was 233 pounds. This was the biggest I had ever been. I was in graduate school, working full-time, plus overtime with a newborn and got so comfortable that I did not even realize how much weight I gained. I was tired of not having anything to wear because my clothes were too small and I was tired of spending all of my money on plus size clothes (because they can be a little more expensive). In Spring 2012, decided to join Weight Watchers and later incorporated Zumba classes. I lost about 10 pounds which put me at 221 pounds. I continued with my Weight Watchers program and Zumba but I noticed that I was no longer losing. I got so frustrated and stopped going to Zumba and did not rejoin Weight Watchers; I hit a Plateau!
In April of 2013, my job decided to have a free 6-week weight lost challenge using Weight Watchers. I decided to rejoin. My starting weight was 221.8 pounds at my first weight in. I got frustrated in the beginning because I gained 1.3 pounds which put me at 223.1. After talking with a few high school alum that work out a lot they informed me that I needed to do more than just Zumba to push that plateau. I decided to join a gym and get a trainer. I would work out in the morning everyday, Monday thru Thursday and some Saturdays for an hour doing nothing but cardio machines (Treadmills, Elliptical, Stepper, and Bike). I worked out with my trainer once a week doing weights. By the end of my 6 weeks Weight Watchers challenge, I was down to 217 pounds. I decided that I would not rejoin Weight Watchers but to keep track of my food on my own. My eating habits consist of lots of salads, fruit, and veggies. I ate in small portions, elimitated pop, junk and fried food from my diet. I continued to go to the gym and workout with my trainer faithfully. I started walking on my breaks at work for 15 to 20 minutes a day, as well as going to the track and walk. I keep track of my walking using the MapMyWalk app. I also did some bike riding when I could. I just tried to get as much cardio in as possible. On September 21, 2013, I attended my first real walk with the American Lung Association: Fight For Air 5K Run/Walk, with a few High School Alumni. It was a very exciting experience for me and I really enjoyed it. I took me close to 8 months but as of today my current weight is 192. The biggest advice I would give is to lost weight for you and not for anyone else. You are your own motivation.”
If you were to believe all the advertisements, infomercials and half the websites on the Internet that are connected to a product with green tea, you might think that it is the magical answer to weight loss. It can be hard to separate fact from fiction when it comes to evaluating products and supplements aimed at helping people burn fat because the issue of obesity is highly charged and there is a lot of money made on diet products. The tried and true methods of reducing calories, eating healthy and increasing exercise can seem too hard to maintain, if your schedule is overburdened or your current weight and lifestyle habits make it hard to break through into healthy living. Green tea has been presented as a cure-all of obesity, but are the green tea for weight loss claims true? The answer is a resounding yes and a huge no. Understanding how green tea can assist in weight loss and how to use it to support a weight loss program will help you achieve your goals realistically.
The picture where I’m in the green tank top with a pink head rap, was taken the October 23, 2012, a day before surgery. The one where I’m in the flower printed dress is from June 8, 2013 (my birthday) and the one where I’m in a tube grey skirt are from September 26, 2013. The one where I’m in a white dress and jean jacket is from June 2, 2012.”
“The advice that I want to give to those who are trying to lose weight is, do what you think you have to do to lose the weight. As long as it’s safe, do it. If I would have listened to those who didn’t want me to get the surgery, I still would be unhappy and struggling to lose the weight. I’m certain of that. And…you have to want to lose the weight for your health and not for others or how others may see you. Meaning, don’t lose weight because a man or woman might find you more attractive. Those are extras that come with losing weight for yourself and for your own happiness. In the end, make sure your praying also, keeping yourself in the word and use God as your guide through your journey, because your going to need him. My YouTube channel is 
Today’s Weight Loss on a Budget Tip – #29: Don’t Follow The Fads! This tip is really easy to understand and follow. The bottom-line is that weight loss is an Industry! Any industry needs products, diverse products. If you’re in business, you also have to create new products to keep your marketshare and keep your customers interested. The way this works in the diet industry is that there are new fads, books and workout styles that become popular each year and those that die out. Sometimes the old diet and exercise fads will come back, and sometimes they are exposed as fads and abandoned by their followers. Buying into all of these plans and equipment can be very expensive, especially if you don’t lose weight with these plans.
