weight loss

Dee lost 156 pounds with weight loss surgery

July 2, 2014 by Ajima Jackson 1 Comment

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:

Dee weight loss surgery

Dee weight loss old pants — She can now fit into one leg of her old pants

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!”.

Dee before and after Dee weight loss surgery

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Barbara lost 37 pounds

July 2, 2014 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

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: Barbara before and after 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 Barbara weight loss success

Video of Black Women Who’ve Lost 170 Pounds or More

July 1, 2014 by Ajima Jackson 1 Comment

Doretta weight loss story This is just a quick video we’ve put together featuring a few of the wonderful women who have lost 170 pounds or more and were kind enough to write to us about their weight loss journeys. All of the women featured in this video lost their weight by changing their diet, choosing healthier foods, and exercising (no weight loss surgery). Also, a few of the stories were so impressive, we were able to help a few of the women get featured in People Magazine.

Just remember… any weight loss, regardless of how much, is positive weight loss. And, no matter how big or small your weight loss goals are, the power to change comes from within… and the women in this video are living proof of that type of change. Blessings!

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Jessica lost 83 pounds

July 1, 2014 by Ajima Jackson 1 Comment

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:

Jessica weight loss

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_

JessicaJuly2blog

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Termaine lost 55 pounds

June 30, 2014 by Ajima Jackson 3 Comments

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.

TermaineJune4blog

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 TermaineJune3blog 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

June 29, 2014 by Ajima Jackson 4 Comments

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

June 28, 2014 by Ajima Jackson 2 Comments

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

Update: Leslie shares how she lost 22 more pounds

June 26, 2014 by Ajima Jackson 4 Comments

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.

leslie weight loss journey

Update March 2015: Leslie has lost 22 more pounds for a total of 120 pounds gone. She wrote in to share this update…

leslie weight loss story

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):

Leslie weight loss

“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.

Leslie before and after

The Number One Drinking Mistake Affecting Your Weight

June 26, 2014 by Ajima Jackson 7 Comments

The Number One Drinking Mistake Affecting Your Weight

What is the number one mistake? Not Drinking Enough Water!

Water – it’s all around us. We see it in rivers and oceans, it flows freely from our faucets, it purges into our basements during violent storms. We’ve always heard how pivotal it is to our overall health and yet somehow most of us fail to get our required daily intake. About 70% of our bodies is water and it is involved in so many essential body functions including flushing waste materials in the body, metabolism, body temperature and digestion.

If you are on a weight loss journey, you should pay close attention to how much H20 you are drinking on a daily basis. People can spend hundreds of dollars on diet food, exercise equipment, and yoga pants but the key to weight control might be in the glass right in front of them the whole time.

Water and Weight Loss

A healthy intake of water doesn’t just maintain your weight loss goals, it actually supports a healthy metabolism so that you can see results faster. Water consumption increases the rate at which you burn calories which means that the exercise that is so vital in trimming your pounds becomes even more efficient. Drinking extra water also helps you to feel more full and you’ll have a better chance at passing on that last helping of carbs.

How Water Helps In Exercising

The first thing water does in helping you exercise is quench your thirst so you can work out longer. Being hydrated helps reduce muscle and joint aches while you’re pumping iron or logging time on the treadmill. In addition, water lubes up your joints and helps keep muscles from cramping. In addition water helps stave off dehydration, which if it sets in reduces blood volume and thus the oxygen supply to your blood falters and you’ll feel tired, nauseated and sluggish.

Water Detoxes the Liver and Kidneys

One thing about drinking a lot more water than you’re accustomed to is that you’ll have more frequent trips to the bathroom – but that’s a good thing. H20 helps to flush toxins out of your kidneys and liver at a quicker pace. One unfortunate thing about burning calories is that the process creates toxins and chemicals, which need to be flushed from your system for optimum health.

Water Promotes a Healthy Metabolism

Having more water flowing through your body helps improve your ability to burn fat and helps metabolism overall. Metabolism is essentially the speed of your body, not how fast you can run the 40-yard-dash but how fast your motor is running, especially at night. The body is burning calories at all times, even while sleeping or lounging while watching TV. This motor needs healthy food for fuel and water to power the body so that the metabolism can increase and thus burn calories and fat at a higher rate. Drinking more water overall is a benefit but water has also been shown to affect the metabolism immediately, like 10 minutes after consumption.

Start by drinking more water and less soda (diet and regular), drinks with refined sugar and drinks with artificial sweeteners.

5 Ways to Avoid Gaining Weight on Vacation

June 26, 2014 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

Oh, the summer. Many of us spend all winter either working out or fretting about how to get ready for the warm weather. We want to get fit before it’s time to expose more of our bodies than can be covered up with a winter parka. Hopefully everyone was successful with their cold weather weight loss goals and feels that it’s important to avoid reversing that progress on vacation. Even if you haven’t reached your goals yet, you don’t want to be side tracked by a few days out of town. There’s nothing better than enjoying the time away from home with some relaxation but a vacation can also be a weight-gain trap. Follow these 5 tips to avoid gaining weight while on your sabbatical. These suggestions will help you preserve all of your progress and hard work.

Avoid High-Calorie Drinks and Cocktails

Typically, traveling on a vacation often involves plenty of stops at convenience stores to fuel up and drive-thru fast food, especially when traveling with children. This is something you have to avoid. It’s hard to watch your fellow travelers quench their thirst or have junk food without doing so yourself but joining in could really put a strain on your waistline. Suppose you assume you’re drinking healthy and grab an Arizona Kiwi Strawberry (345 calories) or want to get a little kick with a Rockstar Energy Drink (280 calories) you might as well have a few doughnuts or or 3 ice cream sandwiches for the same amount of empty calories. Then there’s the stresses of traveling that can drive you to have a cocktails, but too many margaritas (full of sugar) and you’ll have to upgrade to a bigger car for the ride home.

Eat Fresh If Possible

Vacations are supposed to be fun and allow you to have no cares in the world, which could constitute a lot of eating out at restaurants for almost every meal. It’s hard to underestimate on a vacation just how much of an impact eating all fresh foods for one meal a day can have. Eating a light menu of fresh food like veggies, fruit and fresh fish can give you energy and reduce the risk of feeling bloated or bogged down so you can see more sights and dance the night away.

Get Some Sort of Workout Daily

If you’re staying in a hotel or resort for your getaway, try and take advantage of the on site workout room if possible. Even just 20 minutes on the treadmill or exercise bike can keep you on your routine of working out. It can also help to clear your mind for the sometimes stressful family vacations. If workout equipment isn’t supplied get your heart pumping, exercise in another way such as taking a hike, walking around an amusement park, swimming or walking on the beach.

Plan For Your High-Calorie Meals

A vacation might include a trip to visit your family and keeping up with the tradition of eating at your favorite local restaurant while enjoying 2 to 3 cocktails or super fattening mac and cheese. You should by all means enjoy the time with family and nostalgia but make plans for the 3,000+ extra calories you’re going to have to deal with. Make sure to eat in moderation and schedule light meals the next day to make up for jumping off the wagon. Plan physical activities for your family and friends to burn some calories with you as well.

Get Info About Local Restaurants and Grocery Stores In the Area

In this online information and GPS age there’s no excuse not to have a good roadmap and blueprint of all the healthy dining establishments in the area you’re about to visit. If you’re a super-organizer you can even map out your meals for each day of your trip at local restaurants or plan to visit a grocery store to have a good mix of home-prepared, healthy dining out, and high-calorie splurges. Online nutrition guides on restaurant websites are your friend.

One important thing to remember is that your top priority while on vacation is to enjoy it. This means you should have a few fancy dinners and lounge around when the schedule permits. Eating high calorie foods in moderation and using portion control is key. Looking back on your trip you’ll find the vacation was even more stimulating when you step on the scale back home to a limited catastrophe.