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weight loss story

Tabaitha lost 53 pounds

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Today’s featured success story: Tabaitha lost 53 pounds and she’s kept the weight off since 2011.  Here is what she shared about her weight loss journey:

Hi! I want to be a inspiration to the ladies to keep going! My name is Tabaitha and I’m 53 pounds down and counting.

My motivation for losing the weight is I wanted to feel like myself again after gaining over 80 pounds while pregnant with my daughter.

I changed my eating habits by eliminating white sugar, sodas, friend foods & breads. I replaced them with baked or broiled lean meats and lots of green veggies on the side.

My starting weight was 213 pounds and my current weight is 160 pounds.

My workout routines consisted of 45 min of cardio, 5-6 days a week and light strength training.   I did a mix or the elliptical and the treadmill. When I would use the treadmill I would set the incline high to make me really work but I would power walk. I’m still not to the point where I’m running yet but I’m working on it. When I use the elliptical I up the cross ramp a little too. You just want to constantly challenge your body. Every week go up a notch in speed, weights or reps.

My transformation started off slow with me losing 23 lbs in 2010 over the course of 4 months and then took off in 2011 with me losing 30 lbs in 2 months

My advice to the ladies is to be consistent with your workouts and nutrition. Nutrition is the most important part. Drink lots of water and stay positive! I’m not done with my journey I’m losing my last pounds and getting lean & toned. Just keep going  🙂Tabaitha weight loss photos

Tabaitha weight loss story

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

Tina lost 50 pounds

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Today’s weight loss success story: Tina lost 50 pounds and has kept it off for 6 years.  We all know that it’s hard to get the weight off, but it can be even harder to keep it off.  Here is what she shared with us:

Hello, My name is Tina and I would like to share my story as to how I lost 50 lbs and keep it off for 6 years. My motivation was the health problems that some of my family members faced, like high blood pressure, diabetes, and difficulty breathing due to their weight.

I changed my eating habits by drinking a gallon of water a day and not eating after 6pm.At the time I started ,my workout plan was nothing, but then I decided I’d join the gym and get a regular routine going of crunches, cardio, and toning.

My starting weight was 197 pounds and my current weight is 147 pounds. My transformation took me about half a year. Now, I’m on an exercise regimen to where I go to the gym 3 times a week and when I’m not at the gym I’m here at my home working out in my small gym room. My diet is a gallon of water a day still and not eating after 6pm. I have protein drinks that I drink throughout the night to curve my appetite.  No sodas, no sweets and this pic is my motivation. My advice to others is to have supreme discipline when trying to loose weight and stay steadfast on your goal.

TinaOct13

T’Ericka lost 50 pounds

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Featured before and after story: T’Ericka lost 50 pounds and found her true self.  After struggling with weight loss and low self esteem since childhood, she was able to make lifestyle changes that are about more than just losing pounds.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey: T'Ericka weight loss photos “Many people have been asking and inboxing me about my weight loss and the question that stood out to me most was ‘Why I did it and what motivated me to stay on track?’. So, here is my story: Growing up I’ve always been the chunky girl. I LOVED to eat (I still do lol) but then I didnt know how bad it was until I started started getting teased EVERYDAY for my weight. Tt bothered me but I always kept it in.  I turned 12 and I was into modeling so my mom took me to a nearby agency, only to hear from the lady that I was very pretty but too big to be a model for her. That crushed me and from that point on I had the lowest self esteem. I ate myself into being unhealthy. I used to ask God to make me skinny (lol) so that people could like me (smh). In school I always wanted to do different things but instead I put myself in the background because I thought everyone would be judging me on my weight. I really disliked who I was!! I always thought the world only welcomed skinny people!! Then I got older and wanted to make changes so I lost weight the fast way. Then I started dating my guy and gained it all back, which put me in my lowest self esteem EVER!! (I tried not to show it but I truly gave up on myself) I didn’t go out much. I didn’t take some opportunities because I was really in a BATTLE with myself! I was unhealthy physically and mentally! However, last year I had enough. I wanted to be at my full potential. I wanted to start a journey that would be a lifestyle change for me. It wasn’t just about losing weight, it was also about gaining who I knew God wanted me to be! I ate better and really started getting my business together. I go to the gym 4-5 times a week for an hour. I do cardio (40 mins) and weight training(20 mins)! I’ve added lots of fruits and green vegetables to my plate and cut out a lot of red meat (I eat red meat occasionally). I rarely go to fast food restaurants because that once was my weakness! Im just really enjoying this lifestyle change. I feel great! I wanted to be the best T’Ericka Tifany-Joy Mullen There was!! I WANTED THIS FOR ME!!! That’s why this 50 pound weight loss means so much to me! It makes me feel accomplished! I feel like I graduated from who I was and walked across the stage to who I always knew I had the potential of being!! I not only burned away some pounds but I burned my past hurts, my low self esteem, etc. I am still a work in progress but I refuse to go back to who I was physically and MENTALLY. This Journey wasn’t just about weight loss it was about gaining me back!! God Bless!

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

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

Denetra lost 67 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Denetra lost 67 pounds with weight loss surgery.  She decided to have the gastric sleeve procedure as a tool to fight stroke and high blood pressure. Here is what she had to say about losing the weight:

“Hi, wanted to share my photo. I had the gastric sleeve surgery last year on October 9th 2012 and I have lost 67 pounds with exercising and eating right. It is definitely a struggle but I encourage everyone to find what works for them . The photos are 2010 top left, 2011 top right, 2012 bottom left, and today 2013.”

What was your motivation? “My motivation to lose weight was when the doctor told me that I had high blood pressure. I was borderline for a stroke because of my cholesterol being so high. I also had constant back and neck pain.”

How did you change your eating habits? “I changed my eating habits but nothing was working. So I decided to have the gastric sleeve in October 2012.  Now, I eat 4 oz of food every 2 to 3 hours. I drink lots of water. No sugars no breads no heavy carbs…no fried foods. I can’t eat and drink at the same time because of the smaller size of my stomach. It’s definitely an adjustment especially when I used to eat and drink at the same time. Do that now and I will regret it. I eat 1800-2000 protein a day. Its hard and expensive.

What did your workout routines look like? “I now workout 3 to 4 times a week. It gets difficult at times, when I feel like I just don’t want to exercise. I look at where I was to where I am at now.”

What was your starting weight? “I weighed 230 pounds”

What is your current weight? “I am 163 pounds.”

How long did your transformation take? “It has been one year (October 9th) since I had the gastric sleeve.”

What advice to you have for others who want to lose weight? “When losing weight we can get lost in the wrong things, such as wanting to change for others or wanting to be able to get into that special outfit.  However, weight loss is for you and your health. You have to want to change and do it to make you happy. It gets discouraging at times but  you should surround yourself with positive people who will support you. Losing weight is mind over matter. It matters what you think about yourself, so don’t mind what others think about you.”

Denetra weight loss photos Denetra before and after photos

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.”

BrieAunna lost 40 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story: BrieAunna lost 40 pounds.  She was dealing with a high blood pressure diagnosis since 20 years old and gallbladder issues.  This proud mom of two wrote in to us to share how she lost the weight by working out at home and finding a way of eating that worked for her.

Brie weight loss success story

“Hello BWLW community, My name is BrieAunna. I am 27 yrs. old and I joined this group for daily inspiration to help me along my journey to loose 100 pounds. I love seeing so many of us take our health and happiness into our own hands. So far, I have lost 40 pounds since January by working out six days a week and cleaning up my eating. I hope to loose another 30 lb. by the end of the year. I have stuggled with weight since childhood and developed medical issues related to my weight at an early age. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure at the age of 20 that is only controlled with medication. I selfishly put my two babies at risk by being overweight when I got pregnant. By the grace of God they both made it close to term and were healthy. I have been to the ER countless times thinking I was having a heart attack, but in reality I was suffering from gallbladder attacks all along. I’m bad with medicine and bad with doctors so I knew I had to make a change.

I began by making subtle changes to my diet, I began to drink water only and not waste my calories on sugary drinks. I try to avoid eating out as much as possible, but when I have to due to lack of planning I try to make the best choices possible. I have also began replacing at least one of my meals with a shake, smoothie, or nutriblast.  I work in retail and this works really well when I work night shifts. I make sure to eat 5-6 meals a day, all equally balanced and around the same amount of calories. I use My Fitness Pal to count my calories and to track my exercise.

I prefer to workout from home. With my schedule and two small kids the gym is not worth the hassle. At home, I can wear what I want and not worry about keeping up with others, or about finding a gym with childcare and working around their hours. I get up before everyone else and knock it out so I can start my day. I also plan to turn my garage into a gym space soon. I have been using workout DVD’s to lose the weight. I have done Zumba, Turbo Jam, Turbo Fire, Chalean Extreme, and sometimes throw a youtube workout for kettlebells in the mix. I love weight lifting the most. It helped me break through a plateau and changed the shape of my body. Lifting weights will not make you look you manly. It leans you out and muscle burns fat. My starting weight was 271 pounds and at my heaviest I was 290 pounds. I currently weigh 231 lbs. I hope to get to 200 by January and lose another 30 pounds after that. I still struggle with my blood pressure but I don’t have the constant headaches associated with it any longer.

My advice to anyone looking to lose weight is just get moving. Don’t think to hard about it, just get up. Find things you enjoy to do so it doesn’t seem like a chore. Plan your meals ahead of time to avoid being caught in a tough situation. Don’t drink your calories!!! Most importantly don’t give up until you get where YOU want to be. Thanks for letting me share.

Chandra lost 61 pounds

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Today’s weight loss success story: Chandra lost 61 pounds.  This proud mom was motivated by her son who is fighting obesity as well.  Here is what she shared with us about how she is losing the weight:

“I’ve lost 61 pounds so far from my highest weight. I plan to lose 50 more. I’ve done this by switching to a high protein, low carb diet, drinking plenty of water, and exercising at least 3 days a week. I had to finally make up in my mind that I was ready to make a change.

My first motivation is to be an example to my son who is struggling with obesity. Secondly I just want to live a healthier lifestyle so I can live longer. I’ve struggled with weight all of my life and I’m ready to change for good. My starting weight was 336 pounds and my current weight is 275 pounds. My goal is 235 pounds. I’ve been working with a nutritionist who has been helping me with a high protein, low carb plan. I eat between 1200 and 1400 protein calories a day and no more than 30 grams of carbs a day. For exercise, I workout on the elliptical for 30 minutes, 3 times a week and other multiple machines that target my thighs, stomach, and arms.”

Chandra weight loss success story