Black Weight Loss Success

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Marquita lost 130 pounds

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Update Aug 2016 – Marquita wrote in to update us on her weight loss journey. She had surgery in 2010 and shared her story of losing 130 pounds with us in 2013. WLS has been a tool for her, but it didn’t fix emotional eating and last year she saw the pounds coming back. Check out how she turned her life around to get back on track.

marquita before and after

One day, I decided that I was “sick and tired of being sick and tired!” I have always been overweight and have always had weight issues my entire life. In 2010, I reached my highest weight of 369 pounds at 5’3″, and my health began to reflect years of bad decisions. I was young and already had high blood pressure issues. I decided to make one of the BEST decisions that I could have ever made, which was to have weight loss surgery. Many people have their opinions with regards to this surgery, but you really have to know the true story behind a person’s decision. Weight loss surgery is ONLY a tool. It cannot fix emotional eating!

In 2015, I noticed I had stopped using my “tool” and I began to gain weight back. This was weight that I said I would NEVER gain again! Last year, I hit the reset button and took my weight loss journey to a whole new level. I did everything, from going to two different gyms to hiring two different personal trainers. I will never forget what my BeastMode (Savannah, GA) Trainer Brandi said to me. ”Remember why you started!” That bit of motivation was the push I needed.

While my husband was on deployment, I made the decision to gain control of my life! I encouraged myself to “consistently stay consistent”. After years of trying multiple diets, fads, gimmicks, weight loss surgery and excess skin removal, what worked for me was cutting my carb intake, increasing my water intake and consistent workouts. I worked out 6-7 days a week for 2-2 ½ hours a day.

I have gained a deeper understanding of the Jekyll and Hyde relationship I had with food. Don’t get me wrong, I love food and I always will. Food has been my best friend for years…lol, but I love myself more! I’m not where I want to be YET, but I am well on my way. #IGotThis Follow my Facebook Page:
www.facebook.com/MarquitasWeightLossJourneyIGotThis

Jan 2013 – Today’s featured weight loss story: Marquita lost 130 pounds with weight loss surgery and changing her eating habits.

Marquita weight loss

Here is what she had to say about her weight loss journey:

“My name is Marquita and I’ve battled with my weight my entire life. I have always been a bigger girl, but my weight ballooned my senior year of high school when I stopped all sports and band activities. I began college shortly after graduation and gained the freshman 15 x6!  Throughout college and my adult life I tried many diets and gyms, with little or no success. My turning point came in January 2010 when my blood pressure was out of control and my medication was changed four times within two months. I also was at my known highest weight of 369lbs.

I knew I had to make some major changes if I wanted to live to see past 26.  My story is very simple: in September 2010 I gave up sodas. I lost about 14 lbs. November 2010, I had gastric bypass. That’s when my life really changed. I have never been more focused on my weight and my journey more in my life. This was the best decision for ME. It was not a easy decision and it’s NOT the easy way out. I have never worked so hard towards losing weight and changing my life EVER!!!  The easy way out is to continue to talk about wanting to change, but never doing anything about it. I’ve lost 130 lbs so far. After I gave up sodas in September 2010, I went on a high protein diet (protein shake for breakfast and two meals-veggie and meat) for two weeks. I lost 17 lbs doing that for two weeks. I want to lose another 60 lbs, which I am focused on losing in 2013!”

Marquita before after

Christi lost 214 pounds with the Lap Band

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Check out Christi’s amazing transformation. She’s gone from 429 pounds to 215.

Christi before after photos

Here is her story:

“Hello Black Women Losing Weight. My name is Christi and I had lap band surgery February 2008. At my heaviest, I was 429 lbs with a BMI of over 55. It took me 2 1/2years to lose half of my body weight. I have been at 215 since April of 2010 and I have worked mighty hard to not go back to how I was before. For me, weight loss surgery was a last resort. I really tried to lose the weight on my own. Diet, exercise, doctors. At most, I lost 40 pounds and then hit a plateau. I was sooo frustrating doing everything the doctor and the health community told me to do with no results. So, after years of avoid the wls, even though my primary care doctor was constantly recommending it, I chose the lap band surgery against my doctor’s wishes. He stated that in his opinion, the lap band surgery did not work and that I would most likely have to have a revisional surgery once it didn’t take. Well, I proved him wrong. I lost the weight and have managed to keep it off going on three years. It was the best decision I ever made and I wish I hadn’t waited as long as I did to have the surgery. For anyone who is considering having one of the weight loss surgery, keep this in mind. 1. It is just a tool that you have to work in order for it to be successful. 2. Start by making small changes in your diet, from white to wheat bread, from whole milk to 2% milk, cut back on the amount of empty calories you are consuming i.e. sodas, candy, etc. For me, I had already made these changes prior to my surgery so the diet that was required was not that big of a jump. True enough, there are times when I miss being about to wrap a drumstick in a piece of white bread, but I don’t ever want to go back to the weight that I was. I am currently working with a trainer to get to a healthier weight due to the fact that according to the weight chart, I am still classified as being obese. Will never understand that chart. I never want to be bone skinny. I chose healthy and for me, healthy is around 190 to 200 lbs since I am 5’10”. I will never let the doctor tell me what looks best on my body. That’s my decision and no one else’s just like the decision on which wls to have.”

Jeanine lost 70 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Today’s Weight Loss Success Story: Jeanine has lost 70+ pounds and gone from a size 22w to a 10/12.  She is a member of our online community.

Jeanine

She says,
“My journey: I am 5’2” and come from a family of plump women, so I talked my self into believing that it was okay for me to balloon up and was heading towards 300lbs. I became the biggest one in the family. My joints ached, blood pressure became a problem, simple tasks like walking a few feet became a chore and I started to have some sleep apnea issues. I got tired of feeling like 1 more lb and I would implode. I had no energy or pep in my step. One day I had a coming to Jesus with my doctor, I cried and realized I couldn’t deal with the physical ailments that were so frequent and I also didn’t want to live my life anymore being obese. I shared with her family health issues cancer, blood pressure and kidney problems runs deep and mostly related to weight. I didn’t want to die and leave my son behind and also wanted to be a positive model for him. You name it, I’ve done it! Weight watchers, LA weight loss, Adipex, Richard Simmons, lean cuisine, medifast and the list goes on. I researched lap band surgery and went to bariatric surgeon. I immediately went on 1500 calorie eating where I use the Lose It IPhone app. It was difficult but the weight started coming off slowly but surely. For me being a carb and sweet tea junkie, I had to let that go for the most part. Lots of lean protein and veggies and crystal light became my bestie. Eventually I lost 40lbs and decided to go though with surgery anyway, with the objection of my family. It’s been the best decision of my life. After a short recovery I started doing Zumba and couch to 5k on IPhone. This chunky diva never ran a day in her life! Now 2 5k’s later, receiving my zumba instructor license and Clinical Social Work license, I feel great! I can walk, jog, hike, dance which I love to do now. WLS isn’t for everyone and lapband is a tool that helped me achieve success and keep my yo yo dieting and weight loss under control. It’s not a panacea and believe you me, I have to work at it everyday! It’s a mental battle, that I have to fight daily, especially went I want to eat a tub of ice cream or another piece of cake. I still enjoy carbs and sweets but now I rarely if ever eat bread, pasta or rice. Sweets perhaps once or twice per week. I focus more on ensuring that I get enough protein in, as the nutritionist indicated that’s what will keep you full and more satiated versus empty calories. I feel better, my son is proud of me and so are the people in my life that love me. Now they tell me slow down girl! My son says: “mom why are you walking so fast?” I say I can’t help it. I’ve gone from a 22W with the buttons bulging to wearing size 10/12. My bras went from 44c to 38c. Foot went from 9 or 9 1/2 to size 8 1/2. Am I finished? no! I want to get toned and build more endurance as well as muscle. I say to others: Do what’s best for you, that makes you happy and life more fulfilling. Everyone has their opinions but at end of day it’s your life and your vote that counts. Now I often laugh when people use the word small or skinny in a sentence with my name or I walk into a store and the don’t have my size (M/L) or I get seated and I’m amazed I can fit in the seat. I am thankful for BWLW, which I saw post from friends FB page. This is the first time I have told my story to anyone other than close friends and immediate family. I feel even more free and I hope I have inspired you all to run on and see what the end will be! God bless.”