Black Weight Loss Success

The Official Blog of the Black Women Losing Weight Community. Tips, articles and weight loss resources for African American Women.

Join Our Email List:
We respect your email privacy
You are here: Home / Archives for workout

workout

Weight Loss on a Budget Tip #4: Use Daily Deal Sites

by Leave a Comment

deal of the dayI’m doing a tip everyday for our October Challenge and here is today’s tip:  Use Daily Deal Sites to find special offers and discounts.

Are you familiar with Daily Deal sites like LivingSocial and Groupon?  Well you might be missing out on deals for local exercise bootcamps, yoga classes, healthy meals at restaurants, local food growers, food co-ops, fitness centers and more.  Of course, each area is different, so if you are in a small town…I can’t say what is available for you on the more location based sites.  However, there deals to be found on fitness products as well.

Just keep in mind that all these deals expire and if you see a deal one day…it could be gone the next day.  Make sure that you look for dates when you search and in the terms of the deals.

LivingSocial – This site gives you the incentive to share. “After you purchase something, you can tell all your friends. Tweet, post to Facebook, or send your unique link to friends in an email. If three people buy that deal with your link, your deal is free!”  That’s awesome.  I usually look under Local and then pick the category “Sports & Fitness” to find great deals on classes, bootcamps and gyms in my area.  I’ve also been able to try out expensive local restaurants on the cheap for healthy meals.

Groupon – Check out the “Health and Fitness” section of the Groupon site for deals in your area that help can make losing weight loss and exercise classes more affordable.

Active GearUp – Deals on workout gear from a wide variety of brands.  From gym shoes to bike wheels to hiking bags…the deals are different depending on when you visit the site because they expire.

Zozi – This is a new deal site that is all about adventure.  Since they are new, you may not find your city or town in their listing, but you may find deals in a big city near you or get the hook up on a great out of town trip.  Their site says,“ZOZI is a venture-backed startup in San Francisco, emerging as the leading brand for adventure. Discover and book extraordinary experiences around the corner, around the world, and with celebrity expert guides. ZOZI offers everything from midnight kayaking, abalone diving and urban zip lining to oyster farming, white water rafting, training with Olympic gold medalists, plus all the gear needed for these adventures.”

Bottomline, I love it when I can try an exercise class for a discount and see if I really click with the trainer or try a new form of working out without having to commit to a package of classes or buying a membership.  I also love going to restaurants with high quality ingredients, but not breaking my budget. These daily deal sites help to make this happen.  Check them out.  You might not see a deal for you today but you never know when you may be looking to try something new to help motivate you on your weight loss journey.

Weight Loss on a Budget Tip #2: High Intensity Exercise Routines on Youtube

by 1 Comment

I am a firm believer that 70% or more of the weight loss equation is about what you eat, but moving your body to burn calories is part of the plan too.  These days, you don’t have pay for a gym membership to figure calorie burn into your weight loss plan. There are lots of ways to feel the burn without the cost of a gym membership.

October Challenge: Today’s tip for budget savvy weight loss is that you can access great, high intensity exercise routines for FREE at home!!  That’s right.  Here are some great resources:

YOUTUBE – Number one on my list of where to find free workouts online is YouTube!!  Here are four channels you should check out:

Baria lost 55 pounds

by 2 Comments

55 pounds gone!  Baria wrote in to tell us how the Fitness Center founded by another sister we featured (Lakeishea) has helped her lose weight.  I love it when one person’s personal victory and ministry helps others to find greater health and wellness.  Sisters helping Sisters!

“I am Baria Jordan and I’m 27 years old.  Since joining Faith & Fitness Studios (Gastonia, NC) in January, I’ve not only lost 55 pounds and 8 inches,  but I have also gone down four pants sizes & gained a whole new lifestyle. Eating healthy has always been hard for me and I didn’t care about what I consumed or how it could affect my health. My diet was based on convenience and I was drinking over 72 oz of soda a day. That’s a whole six pack! Now, I’m very cautious of what goes into my body. I find that I’m able to run and play with my son, be active daily, even walk around my classroom and teach better since working out with with them because I’ve gained so much energy! I’ve also gained muscle definition in places I never had them before! Believe me hubby LOVES that!  I look forward to Mondays and Fridays not just to workout, but because to top all that off, you get a spiritual uplift from the prayer and music! Faith & Fitness has been such a blessing to my life in more ways than I can count!”

Baria Jordan weight loss

6 Exercise Options for People with Bad Knees

by 5 Comments

kneesPeople have bad knees for a variety of reasons. It can be from overuse, under use, past injuries, being overweight, having arthritis or many other disorders that affect the joint. The new thinking on joints is that staying in motion is more beneficial to keeping your mobility than avoiding movement.  For many people, the benefits of exercising are also recognized as doing much more to help your mood and physical health as well. The golden rule to remember is that if you do any of them and your knees hurt, stop.

As you know, it’s always best to check in with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine, especially if you have health issues, chronic knee issues or a recent injury.  Check with a certified personal trainer as well, because the way you are doing the exercise may be wrong in terms of bad form or too much intensity for your level of fitness. For some, exercise if not beneficial.  You have to know where you stand. 

What you are trying to do

The goal to exercising is to raise your heart rate enough to be able to burn calories and to help your body transform fat to muscle. There is a side benefit to achieving this cardio target rate.  Exercise stimulates your lymphatic system. The lymphatic system doesn’t have a built in pump like the circulatory system has the heart. It is dependent on the contraction and expansion of your muscles to pump through the body. Moving the lymph is important because it helps to clean toxins and wastes from your body, boosting your immune system.  Detoxing and boosting your immune system are important to healing the body and weight loss.  Also, the affect that cardio has on your circulation also helps the body heal.  Here are some workout options for people with bad knees:

Bicycling

Bicycling has a very low impact on the knees and can elevate your heart rate into target ranges quickly. Many people with bad knees avoid cycling because they think it will strain the knee. The proper way of pedaling (seated) uses the knee joint correctly; its role is as a flexion point for the muscles in the calf and thigh. It is one of the best workout options for people with bad knees. Cycling is something you can choose to do at a gym, in a Spinning class, or on your own with a minimal investment.

Rowing

Rowing is another one that makes the list as a great workout option. Rowing not only raises your heart rate but it is considered a full body exercise. Like bicycling, the knee joint doesn’t have to bear significant weight but is put in motion, which can help bad knees.

Swimming

Swimming is one of the best overall exercises for people with bad knees, or bad anything. Your body is supported by the water so there is less to no load bearing on the joint. Using good form, your swimming style can work out the whole body with little strain. Even if you know how to swim, it can be a good idea to take a few refresher lessons to check your form and get some help building a varied and interesting lap routine.

Circuit Training

Moving from station to station on the weight machines not only will develop muscle mass but also elevates you into the right cardio target range. Many gyms now have a special area set up for this type of training so you can keep moving quickly enough to get the most benefit.   You don’t have to use machines which put stress on the knees and you can still get a good workout.

Elliptical

The Elliptical machine can be a good choice in workout options for people with bad knees because it is a full body exercising that emulates running, but is specifically designed as low impact to avoid putting weight on the knee. It is considered to be a low impact exercise, but you can achieve a high cardio rate quickly. Many gyms have them installed in groups in front of TV screens so exercising on them becomes more interesting.  To start, go slow in terms of pace.

Pilates, Yoga & Tai Chi

While there are certain moves in each that will prove too much for your knees at first; Pilates, Yoga and Tai Chi have much to offer and may be a better way for you to keep a workout schedule. Each involves a great deal of stretching and motion, which is good for maintaining flexibility in your knees. They all can provide a deceptively intense workout as well. Your heart rate can easily reach the maximum range in certain advanced yoga and Pilates classes. Tai Chi is very deceptive. When you see it from a distance it looks slow and easy, but once you learn how to do it properly, you realize why it is considered one of the most difficult martial arts to master. As always, make sure to inform the instructor of your knee issues and your workout goals so they can guide you properly.

Latoya lost 72 pounds with weight loss surgery

by Leave a Comment

Let’s show some BWLW lost to Latoya.  She lost 72 pounds with LapBand surgery.  Here is what she shared with us:

I love that we are here motivating one another, I wanted to share my story!! I have lost 72lbs. My motivation is my son. I made the decision to become a healthier me, so that I may watch him grow up!!  On January 28, 2013, I received the LapBand Surgery. To date, I still replace a meal with a protein shake, usually breakfast and I workout at least 5 days per week. I do not eat fried foods, candy or fast foods, nor do I drink soda. The last time I had soda or junk food was in December. I made the decision to have the surgery when my doctor threatened to put me on meds. I did not want that. My 4 yr old son Preston is my heart and my motivation! Getting the band only limits how much I can eat, what I intake is all on me!! Additionally, I use myfitnesspal as a calorie tracker!

Latoya weight loss before and after

Blanche lost 48 pounds

by 4 Comments

Today’s weight loss before and after story: Blanche lost 48 pounds with My Fitness Pal, Zumba, Body Pump classes and running.  Here is what she shared with us:

I gained the a weight from being pregnant and it never came off! I was very sad about not being able to wear my former clothes. One day, I said only I can change it. I used My Fitness Pal and ran three times a week. I also took Zumba classes at Fitness Connection!  I’ve lost about 48 pounds and I don’t want to gain it back.

My motivation to lose weight came from the clothes in my closet that I could not wear anymore. It was very painful to see my size 10 jeans in the closet and wear a size 14. My emotions were all over the place!  Then, a friend told me about Black Girls RUN! I joined the group but was always to nervous to run with them. I worked at it a little on my own. I started running two miles on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Then, I’d run like four miles on Saturday. I would participate in Body Pump led by Chelle Thompson at Fitness Connection. My family and friends were very supportive! Now, I do group runs, 5Ks,and even completed my first half marathon! Diet wise, I started out using the My Fitness Pal app which was helpful. Now, I just follow portion control, stop when I feel full, and drink water. It has been an amazing journey. I’m now smaller than my pre pregnancy weight!
Blanche weight loss before and after

Stephanie lost 71 pounds

by 7 Comments

Let’s show some BWLW love to Stephanie.  This proud mom lost 71 pounds by  eating right, working out and drinking lots of water.  Here is what she shared with us:

My name is Stephanie and I’m a single mom of two kids. Pretty much, I have been struggling all my life with my weight. I had went to the doctor and was put on blood pressure medicine. I knew then that I had to make a change. On June 4, 2012, I decided to make a lifestyle change. With two kids at the time, it was hard to work out at a gym since the ones in my neighborhood didn’t offer child care.  I decided to first take Zumba classes that were offered for free at my job. I started off my first two weeks doing protein shakes from GNC. One shake in the morning, afternoon and my meal in the evening. I drank a lot of water throughout the day, ate fruits and vegetables as well. I soon moved off the shakes and slowly moved into eating regular healthy foods. I ate what I wanted but in moderation. During the time of transitioning into my weight loss, I hit a plateau and decided to move from Zumba to doing kickboxing videos that were offered through my cable company on demand. I can now workout in the pleasure of my own home. I get up on several mornings around 4:30am and workout before getting my children up for school and having to be to work at 8am. I workout in my home 5-6 times a week doing Kickboxing/martial fusion.

I was determined and as if today I’ve lost 71 pounds by eating right, working out and drinking lots and lots of water. I was on nobody’s diet but my own. Being a mom it was hard but a sacrifice had to be made so I could have the energy to play with them and to work towards living a healthy lifestyle. It’s not easy but its so well worth it because you feel good about yourself. Prayer works, dedication works and motivation from others works. Most importantly, knowing what “YOU” accomplished is the best feeling. I have no goal. I workout to be healthy and that’s what keeps me going. I know with being a single mom working a 8-5 job, coming home to make meals for the kids and doing homework was a struggle of its own.  However, when you have the mindset that you are determined it all works out for the good. I shifted my atmosphere to better me. Praises to God for the push.

Stephanie weight loss before and after

Dawn’s Journey to Health and Helping Others

by 1 Comment

Today I want to share the story of personal trainer Dawn Zaczkiewicz. Her story isn’t about loosing weight but it is about becoming a healthier woman and now helping others.  She is the owner and lead trainer at Achieve Fitness San Diego, a military wife and proud mother of 4.  I’m posting this story because no matter how happy you may be with your current size, you may not be as healthy or fit as you would like to be.  So many of us aren’t interested in being any smaller, but most of the time we want greater wellness.  I also think she story could inspire a few of us, especially those who are moms and/or business owners.

Here is what she shared with us:

Before I became a trainer, I worked out simply because I wanted to look good. I didn’t really care about what I ate or my fitness level. I only made sure I worked out enough not to be considered fat. One day, around my 30th birthday, I went to the track with my husband and 4 children. I tried to run and couldn’t even finish a full lap. I chalked it up to the fact that I  smoked in the past, so decided I’d try again the following week. The next week, I went back to the track with my husband and this time I was actually able to run a whole mile without stopping. It was a really slow mile but I was so happy that I did it. The following weekend I went to the track by myself and ran 3 miles without stopping. This was something I hadn’t done since I was in the 6th grade. I was so excited I called my mom from the track and told her what I had just done. She totally busted my bubble when she told me, she was running 5 miles everyday when she was my age. I took that as a challenge and said to myself, if she could do it, I can do it.

The next week, I went out and ran 5 miles without stopping. I was so excited I could do it, I started running 5 miles 3 days/week. At the time, I didn’t know anything about running and two weeks later ended up with “Runner’s Knee” because I started doing too much running too fast. Once my knee healed, I eased back into my running. I did my first 10K four months after I started running and I did it in under a 9min/mile pace. Six months within starting to run, I ran my first half marathon and finished in just under 2 hours( pic to left). To date, I’ve run 12 half marathons, and serval other running events. Besides being the first in my division a couple of times in small events, I usually rank within the top 3-10% of my division in really large events. I started off really small, stayed consistent and turned my running into something big in my life. Running made me start to pay attention to my diet and other things such as my heart rate.. I learned the better I ate the better I felt during a run. I also learned something as small as paying attention to my heart rate would help me keep track of my fitness level.

I am a military wife and the mother of four, soI know how hard it can be to workout and pay attention to your own health. In the beginning I didn’t care so much about my health. I only cared about how I looked. Then I found something I liked to do that helped me improve my health. I realized I had to maintain my health to keep doing what I liked to do.
What I like best about my success story is, not only do I love the way I look and feel, now I help others achieve their health and fitness goals too.

Dawn personal trainer

Natalie lost 112 pounds

by 10 Comments

Update 2015: “It has been 2 years and I have kept my weight off. I did gain 30lbs last year, but I quickly turned it around. The BWLW Facebook page has helped me and kept me focused. I was able to lose the 30 pounds I gained plus and 11 lbs. Today, I weigh 174 pounds.” That’s a total of 123 pounds gone. Instagram: @new_natalie

natalie before and after

Today’s weight loss before and after story:  Natalie lost 112 pounds by embracing regular exercise and changing her eating habits.  Here is what she shared with us:

Natalie weight lossI went from 297 pounds to 185 pounds. I did it all on my own and would love to share my story. Started my journey on 9/20/2011.  What motivated my journey was trying on clothes and being almost out of a size 24 pants, about to be a size 26 pants.  I cried in the dressing room and all the way home. I then threw out all my bad food and began my new life that day. I only baked or grill my meats.  I only eat chicken or turkey meat.  Water or tea are my only drinks. I eat lot’s of fruits and vegetables. I learned how to turn my favorite meals into healthy meals. For instance, I love pizza and now I can make it healthy by using 100 calorie whole wheat pita and low fat cheese, chicken and all the vegetables I can fit on it.  That would be considered a treat for me.

I love the gym now, it’s my stress reliever. I started off not really being able to do anything in the gym before feeling like I was going to pass out. I set little goals for myself.  When I started I was running and one minute and 30 seconds in I was ready to stop. Each week I went up a minute and now I am able to run 4 miles on the street.  In the beginning, I worked out twice a day for an hour or two per session. I used every machine in the gym and sometimes I would freestyle routines or watch YouTube to pick up tips. I always set little goals and my first goal was to get into a size 22.  Once I did that, I kept going down in size until I reached my goal of a size 13/14. My goal weight is 175 pounds. I cried many nights and prayed for the strength from God to help me through this. I have empowered my little sister to lose 46lbs this year and have helped some friends as well. I love telling my story, because may help one person who feels like I did.  It may help them know that they too can do it.  It was a long road and is still a long road, but I will never gave up and never will.

Natalie weight loss before and after

Tyreea lost over 30 pounds

by Leave a Comment

Update 2017: Tyreea lost 50 pounds. Her husband has joined her on this journey and both have seen their blood pressure improve. Exercise, green smoothies and healthy eating habits have helped her continue to lose weight.

Tyreea and husband

The picture on the left is from March 2012 and the picture on the right is from March 2017. My husband and I decided to join the Green Smoothie Cleanse LIFE. Our blood pressure has changed for the better. We have more energy and we are working together as a team! This has truly been a blessing. I’ve lost 50 pounds. My weight stays regulated with exercise, green smoothies and watching what I eat. I will find out on March 24th if I will completely free from high blood pressure pills. I currently take half of a pill. However, my husband’s blood pressure has been more consistent.

tyreea before and after

Nov 2016: I have maintained my weight loss through Green Smoothies. I am also continually working out with Shaun T’s CIZE program 3 days a week. I have stopped eating sweets, I crave more fruits and I drink 64 oz or more of water a day. I’ve learned that I can be more disciplined about my health. To benefit my kids, I want to feel better and not be so tired. I’m hoping that in January 2017 my doctor say I no long have to take high blood pressure pills. I’m currently down to just half a pill. Advice for others: If you start, keep going and don’t give up. It might look dark but keep going!

 

May 2013 – Let’s celebrate with Tyreea who has lost 22 pounds.  Her motivation was to get of high blood pressure medication and be there long term for her kids.

I would like to share my weight lost.  I started July of 2012 and the after pic is this month, May 2013.  I’m still going.  I feel so much better!!  Before I started, I was 258 pounds and now I’m down to 236 pounds. My motivation was losing weight so that I could get off of high blood pressure medication.  I also wanted to stick around longer for my children. I stayed away from carbs, sweets and I began eating more fruits and vegetables. I workout to “Sweating in the Spirit”, a Donna Richardson workout DVD, 3 times per week. Thank u so much!!

Tyreea weight loss before and after