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Latavia lost 47 pounds

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Weight Loss Transformation of the Day: Latavia lost 47 pounds.  This proud mom of 4 was inspired to change her life after losing two loved ones to complications with diabetes and other health issues.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey…

latavia weight loss

My name is Latavia. I am a single mother of 4 children. After I lost both of my grandmothers to complications with diabetes and other hereditary health problems in their early 60’s, I knew I had to make a change. Since July of 2014, I have changed my diet. I drink 160 oz of water a day and I’ve cut down my portions of food. I don’t eat any fast food and I watch my portions very closely. I have limited my eating of meat, especially pork and beef. Now, I eat a lot of veggies and fruits and started eating more beans too. I walk 3-5 miles, 3 times a week and work out for 30 minutes a day.

Since I started my journey, I have lost 47 lbs (height: 5’7″). My starting weight was 272 lbs.My goal is to get to 200 pounds by July of 2015. My advice to others is not give up. It was definite a challenge to find the time to fit in a workout. However, I made time. I go on YouTube and find 30 min workouts that aren’t too strenuous on my back or knees. I have also have been using the workout calendar that BWLW provided for the month of March.

latavia before and after

Jul lost 47 pounds

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Update Oct 2019: Jul lost 60 pounds. She initially shared her story with us back in 2015 and she is still going strong.

Jul before and after

God is good! I have maintained my weight since the last update. My greatest tip is water intake. I can not overemphasize drinking water. Also, I like slices of cucumbers mixed with pineapples.

Don’t ever forget to use portion control. I eat a small meal every 3 hours and drink water in-between. Sometimes, I snack on almonds, pears, or green apples.

The advice I can give to my sisters who are struggling with their weight is that losing weight must start with your mind and spirit. It took me years to realize this. You must change your habits and always remember that when your body is hungry, it wants nutrients, NOT calories. – @officialjulzebulon

April 2015  – Weight Loss Story of the Day: Jul Zebulon lost 47 pounds.  She experienced weight gain from emotional eating after the loss of her father, followed by pregnancy weight gain.  Her story should serve as inspiration for women facing weight loss after pregnancy.  Here is what she shared with us about her journey…

jul before and after

Life is a blessing, but sometimes situations hit us very hard and the only option we have is junk food. During my pregnancy, I was eating everything my eyes saw. Dark chocolate, white chocolate, pink chocolate, whatever chocolates…lol. A day without McDonald felt like I was in prison. Then I lost my Dad and everything went from bad to worst. Junk food became my best friend. I went from 165 pounds to 235 pounds very fast. Adding weight can happen very fast but losing it is a bitch. After that, I gave birth to my baby C-section on 12.26.14. I was resting in my hospital bed, still in a horrible pain, I looked at myself and didn’t like what I saw. I made a promise to myself that now the baby is out I had to take care of myself. I didn’t know how it was going to happen but I had to start somewhere.

Few days later I was discharged. I came back home, changed my eating habits and controlled my cravings. I stopped eating bread, white rice, fried plantain, chips,…etc and I eat 3 hours before bedtime. I made healthy food choices like beans, avocados, greens, more fruits, grapefruit, almonds, and more water intake. I don’t have any specific YouTube videos, I just watch any workout video and do some dancing. I also purchased a treadmill, so I normally workout at home like 30-45mins. My favorite form of exercise is dancing, because I sweat and I don’t feel bored. I also joined some groups on Facebook for motivation.

I’m still a work in progress but so far I’m 47 lbs lighter 3 1/2months (height: 5’5″). My goal weight is 160 lbs and I must achieve it before my baby turns 6 months old. 47 pounds in 3 months might sound wired but yes, I did it and it’s true. I’m working my butt off everyday lol.

My advice for those that wants to lose weight: stop procrastinating. If you truly want to lose weight, focus on it. Cut off sodas, bags of chips, pizza etc, and learn how to say NO to junk foods. Don’t say you want to lose weight yet everyday you’re chilling on the couch snacking on the wrong foods. Make a healthy grocery list and always stick to it. When you feel like giving up, always reach out to people that understand your struggle. Being a SEXY mom isn’t only for celebrities. With dedication, commitment, and discipline, you can achieve anything.

jul weight loss

jul zebulon before and after
April 2018: Jul is still going strong.

Update 2017 – We shared Jul’s story a year ago and she’s sent in a great update.  She’s had some ups and downs, but she hasn’t given up. Now, she’s down a total of 60 pounds.

jul before and after

Since the last time you shared my story, I have struggled back and forth with my weight, but I finally regained my confidence and self esteem. I figured out that my biggest enemy was my eating habits. So, I stayed away from fast food and starchy food (Pizza, McDonald’s, rice, etc). I increased my protein shakes. I bought a protein shake powder, B12, Zinc and Biotin from GNC store. These things has helped me significantly with achieving my weight loss. The B12 supplement is my No. 1 because it’s gives me energy. I see myself getting skinnier and skinnier every day. I am still dealing with my Dad’s death, but it’s a process that only time will heal.

jul weight loss storyMy goal weight is still 160 pounds. I don’t want to be too skinny, my body is not meant to be tiny. I want to be moderate, elegant, and beautiful. I’m concentrating on losing fat, not lean muscle. I receive so many compliments and everyone wants to know the secret to my success. My advice for other people is to stay away from that “quick fix” stuff. (I.E. slimming tea, herbal medicine, pills, etc.) If you can control what you eat, you will lose weight fast, safe and effectively.

I have lost 60 lbs in total. I am still a work in progress. Sometimes I lose, when I think of my Dad’s death, I end up gaining but so far it’s been steady. I can’t complain because I know that God is great! People can follow me on Instagram: @JUL_ZEBULON or Facebook: LadyJul Zebulon for more weight loss info.

Liza lost 27 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Liza lost 27 pounds.  After years of sugar addiction and unhealthy eating, she decided to change her lifestyle and embrace healthy eating.  This Blogger is now ready to slip into that wedding dress this summer and has shared her journey online to inspire others.  Check out her story and video…

liza before and after

Hi, I wanted to share my weight loss success! I lost 27 lbs in 3 months after years of struggling with a sugar addiction. During my 3 month weight loss journey, I did not have sugar or meat. My motivation came from my relationship with God. I knew that i needed to be healthier because I was heavily addicted to sugar but just could not get it together. Through prayer, he changed the way I saw myself, he changed the way I took care of myself and as a result I started this journey. My faith also helped me to keep at it.

Every single time I did not feel like going running or wanted to just eat out of boredom or whatever other emotion, I reminded myself that I was given a spirit of love, power and of self-control. It definitely was not easy but it was so worth it. I feel so much healthier and am so motivated to stay fit as I am getting married this summer! My workouts consisted of running, salsa dancing and yoga. I ran 3-4 times with the Nike app for about 20-30 mins. My starting weight was: 164lbs/74kg and my weight now is 136lbs/62kg. My height is 5’7″.

My advice is that if I can do it, you can do it too. I used to eat big bags of chocolate daily. I used to hate running but I was able to overcome! Pray and believe that God is with you and that you can do anything you set your mind too! Be strong Sis.

My blog is thedutchnatural.com and I am sharing my weight loss journey on YouTube as well. Thanks for the inspiration. I love the BWLW page!  Instagram: @thedutchnatural

liza weight loss

Tareena lost 60 pounds

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May 2016 Update – Tareena kept off the 63 pounds she lost a year ago and lost 4 additional pounds.

I have a new update to share. I am still going strong, exercising at home and watching what I eat instead of dieting. I currently weigh 153 pounds, down from my highest weigh of 220 pounds.

tareena before and after

Oct 2015 Update – Tareena lost 3 more pounds and is working on strength training.

“I haven’t lost much more, but I am turning what I have into muscle. Now, I weigh 157 pounds. I still work out at home, but now I have a weight bench that I use for shoulders, legs and chest. I use my indoor bike as well for cardio. I do a 5 minute ab routine and squats with heels on lol. My diet is still simple portion control and I also use my Nutribullet from time to time.”

tareena before and after tareena before and after

March 2015 – Weight Loss Transformation of the Day: Tareena lost 60 pounds.  This proud mom of 3 was motivated to lose weight for her family. Embracing health eating and exercise worked for her. Check out what she shared with us about losing the weight…

tareena before and after

I would like to share my weight loss journey. I am a mom of three, ages 11, 7, and 6 years old. I have battled with my weight since the birth of my last child. 5 months ago, I decided to get real and act right. I changed my diet and really started working out hard!! I have lost a total of 60 lbs! I’ve been on this journey from 2013 to today. I plan to keep it up and never go back! Thank you for creating your Facebook page it is such a positive thing to see our queens being more than they make us out to be.

My motivation was the naysayers at first, those who told me to just accept the fact that I was a mom that would never be in shape because this is what mom’s look like. Then it became just wanting to be healthier for my husband and kids. I was tired of being unhappy with my body. Although I acted as if I was ok with it, I was not!

I started with cutting out fast food completely. I have not had any type of potato product in a year and a half. No chips, fries, nothing! After crash dieting, I realized that yes I was losing but it was not healthy so I began following healthy portion sizes and I still am. Took away pies and ice-cream and changed it to fruits. Also, I don’t drink soda or juice, just water and green tea.

I work out at home for 30 mins to an hour everyday. I started off with Hip Hop Abs in October 2014 then around December I started doing routines from YouTube. Now I do my own routine which is a combination of different videos from YouTube. My starting weight was 220 pounds and that was my heaviest, wearing a size 14. I am currently 160 pounds and wearing a size 8-10 at 5’8″ tall.

tareena weight loss

3 Ways to Make Money from Sharing Your Weight Loss Journey

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make money bloggingDid you know that you can make money from documenting and sharing your weight loss/healthy lifestyle transformation? If you’re unfamiliar with online business you might be surprised that even a fitness amateur may be able to create a side income or fund their journey to better health by creating a web presence.

First off, before delving into how to make money, you will need to figure out what type of web presence you want. Maybe you want a blog or you want to work solely through a social media platform like Facebook or Tumblr. Sometimes a combination of these is the best way to go. The decision is yours but the methods you can use to share your story may differ.  I always suggest a blog and a combination of social media channels like Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.  Here are 3 ways you can monetize a website using this combination while sharing your weight loss and fitness journey.

(Note: I’m not making any promises that these methods will work for you, but these are time tested methods used by thousands of bloggers and website owners for make money. All 3 of these methods take time to be built up because you do need a thriving, regular audience interested in your site’s content to make it work.)

Don’t have a blog?  Here is a great guide we put together about how to get started with creating your blog today.

3 Ways to Monetize

There are many ways you can make money by blogging and sharing your story online but there are 3 main methods that can be most effective.

  • Affiliate Programs

Affiliate programs are an easy but very effective ways of making money from your weight loss journey. As an affiliate you are granted a special link from the company’s website that you share with your audience. When someone in your audience clicks this link they are directed to the company where the can buy a products or products. Every sale made through your link grants you a certain % commission.

Affiliate links can show up as ads on your website/blog or be hyperlinked into a blog post when discussing a particular product, program or what have you. Affiliate commissions vary greatly based on the company but typically if you have a fairly large audience you can make it work.  Even with a smaller audience the key is getting regular traffic and a loyal readership who will be interested in the product and services you share. This is especially true if you’re audience is apt to purchase an expensive piece of equipment like a treadmill or home gym.

More and more companies offer affiliate programs now. You can either do a Google search for fitness or weight loss-related programs or check the websites of companies you use and love (look for a site map or footer links) to find a page about affiliate programs. If you can’t find the info online, you can always contact the company and ask them about partnerships and affiliate opportunities. Also, popular websites like eBay and Amazon offer affiliate programs that are easy to sign up for. Commission Junction and ShareASale are great sites that list lots of affiliate programs from major brands.

  • Google AdSense

The Google AdSense ad network is generally the very first and most basic way of monetizing a website or a blog. Don’t be fooled though. AdSense can be super powerful despite being commonly used. The key is learning the tips and tricks to harnessing its power properly.

Google AdSense works by using ads as the name suggests. When you activate AdSense for your website or blog you are allowing Google to share ads from other companies related to your niche (in this case, weight loss, fitness, health, etc) on your page. You may have noticed yourself that many websites and blogs have Google sponsored ads on them. This is AdSense.

You can make money from using AdSense when someone on your blog or website clicks the ad. These ads are also known as “PPC” or Pay Per Click ads. AdSense is best used with a combination of other monetization methods since commission from it can be fairly low to begin with for new bloggers who don’t have a loyal audience.

  • YouTube Partner Network

With over 25,000 official YouTube partners, using this video hub to share your can give you a voice and a source of revenue. Any time you see an ad before a video on YouTube, there is a good chance that the person is part of the Google Adsense ad network via being a YouTube partner and monetizing their videos. You have to get views and post content regularly to be accepted into the program, so it takes time and work. Here is the official overview and breakdown of criteria.

In order to become a YouTube partner you will of course need a video camera/or phone that takes video, editing software/app and the time to film and edit videos. You also need to make some decisions about what you want to share and how often you want to share.  There are some GREAT examples you can follow on Youtube from women who’ve created personal brands from their weight loss struggles. DivaSlimsDown is one of my favorite YouTubers. It is definitely a more intensive process than just blogging but worthwhile if you have a passion for video, want to make workout routines, film recipes, etc.

In all honesty, it isn’t easy to become a Successful YouTube Partner. There is a lot of competition and it will require a lot of time and hard work on your part. If you succeed however, it is an amazing route to go. You can find out the criteria for becoming a Partner by clicking here.

Even if you don’t want to go strictly with video, filming some videos and uploading them on YouTube is a great method of creating content for your website/blog.  YouTube is now considered a search engine of sorts and it’s a great way tool for generating traffic if you put in the time and effort.

How to Get Started

There is a lot of information about creating online presences available on the web. We’ve decided to create a site to help bloggers on a weight loss journey, fitness professionals, personal trainers, nutrition experts and others who want to know how to have a more effective web presence and how to make the most out of their efforts.  Our new site will launch in March 2016.  Click the button to sign up for our mailing list.

Sign Up Now For More Info

If you think documenting your weight loss journey is something you’d like to tackle, your next step is to research. Don’t worry about the concept of competition in the health niche when it comes to fitness websites and blogs.  You have to find your own unique audience and niche where people want to hear from you. That means that you can really be successful but in order to do so you need a plan and a unique approach.  Check out these references to get started.

Brandy lost 94 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Brandy lost 94 pounds.  She is a survivor of sexual abuse and a woman of faith who wants to use her story to inspire others.  Here is what she shared with us about how she changed her lifestyle and found success.

Brandy before and after

Hello, my name is Brandy. I am 30 years old and I started my weight loss journey about 5 or 6 months ago. My starting weight was 353.8 pounds and my current weight is 259.8 pounds. I now have less than 100 lbs to lose until I reach my goal weight of 170 lbs.

In September 2014, I had to have an emergency surgery. I flatlined and died in the recovery room. When they brought me back to life I knew I could never live the same. Inside I knew that my weight was the reason for the complications. I changed how I eat, think, and live. I haven’t had a soda since May 2014. I drink nothing but water, except on sunday only when I have a  low calorie low sugar juice with dinner. I didn’t eat pork, beef, rice, bread, or pasta on my journey.  I also haven’t had anything fried since August. I am into making my own shakes (mostly veggies and protein powder).

I have a treadmill so I do an hour in the morning and 30 minutes before bed. I also wear a sauna suit when I clean my house everyday with the heat turned up so that I sweat like crazy. I try to sneak in a workout while doing day to day things. I park far away when I go to the store or mall so I have to walk longer. I strength train 3 days a week.

I have been given a second chance and I’ll never look back.  I love life like never before. It’s my goal to help all, especially my black women, to get healthy. I have a weight loss group I just started and my Instagram page @Know_mo_secrets.  I also have a YouTube channel.

Brandy weight loss

Aisa’s 3 Month Weight Loss Transformation

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Success Story: Natural Hair Diva Aisa of For Us Naturals shared her 3 month weight loss transformation with us.  She’s lost about 25 pounds and it shows.  Here is what she shared about her journey…

Asia weight loss transformation

My name is Aisa and I recently had a 3 month weight loss challenge. These are my results. Earlier this year, I was out of shape when my doctors gave me a Lupron shot to put me into menopause. They were trying to shrink my fibroids for an upcoming surgery. My hormones were all messed up and I just kept gaining weight. I weighed about 150 lbs while in the hospital after my surgery. I thought I should weigh less without the 5 fibroid tumors but that wasn’t the case. I lost about 12 lbs quickly over my recuperation time. I was however stuck at 138 for a long time. That was previously the most I ever weighed. Doctors cleared me to exercise on July 3rd. I started my fitness journey on my 1 year wedding anniversary (July 16th). I let my online  followers know about the challenge and even started a fitness channel on youtube specifically to show just fitness videos. I got a little stressed when I plateaued or my weight went up etc but I stuck with it and it paid off. I still am not where I want to be but I feel more comfortable in my skin again. I am currently adding a lot more weight lifting into my workouts. I’m a member of bodybuilding.com so I can find workouts etc. I am now wavering between 125-127 lbs with about 25% body fat. My goal is to get to 118 lbs with around 16% body fat.

As I mentioned before I have followers via my natural hair and health channel on youtubeyoutube.com/user/forusnaturals . My new fitness channel however is much smaller but I’m still proud of my progress. youtube.com/user/funfitness5000. I also post some fitness and food pics on Instagram: @Funfitness5000

As far as eating, I just started counting calories on My Fitness Pal and stayed near 1280 calories per day. I still ate stuff I wanted but maybe less on certain days. If I burn a ton of calories, I eat anything. My workouts were mostly outdoor activities. We were hiking in a popular canyon area of LA, but most times my hubby and I would walk/jog up and down some really steep hills in a close by neighborhood. It’s like the step machine on steroids, so you burn a ton of calories. Lol. I am 5’3″ (actually 5’2.5″) and was working out probably 4-6 days a week. My advice would be to just be active jog/run/climb. Get a heart rate monitor so you can see how many calories you’re burning. That is probably one of my greatest motivators (trying to burn more calories so I can eat more).

Aisa before and after Aisa weight loss

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Kimberly lost 90 pounds

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kimberly before and afterUpdate – Shout out to Kim. We have followed her for a few years and she has maintained her 90 lbs weight loss. (read more about how Kim lost the weight below): I wanted to give you an update as to my journey! By the grace of God, I am still down 90 pounds. Oct 10th was my fitness anniversary, marking 4 years that I have been able to keep the weight off. My best advice for others is to love yourself where you are. Getting healthier is the goal, weight-loss is the bonus. To maintain my weight loss I have kept a consistent cardio plan, but I now have added strength training into my workout routine. My toning results are amazing. I still go vegetarian twice a year for a system cleansing and of course I limit my intake any foods that weren’t cooked in a healthy way.

During my weight loss journey, I have had so many women reach out to me to help them start their journey. I always ran from it because I am not a trainer and I don’t have the stereotypical gym body that people associate with health and fitness. Finally, one day I accepted the vision that God gave me and I created “Team Curvy and Healthy”. Team Curvy and Healthy is a empowerment movement for women of all shapes and sizes to embrace their body. So many of us work out 4-7 days a week and eat clean, but we are not stick thin or completely chiseled. Many people are body shamed at the gym that they don’t even want to go. Team Curvy and Healthy is empowering for everyone to love themselves! It’s a movement!


Update May 2014 – Weight Loss Story of the Day:  We featured Kimberly’s story back in 2012 and she has not only maintained her weight loss for 2 years, she’s lost 6 more pounds.  Read more about her journey and check out her weight loss video below:

Check out our original post from 2012 for more info on how she did it.

Kimberly Rainey Weight Loss Story

“You posted my story back in 2012 and I wanted to give you an update. I am now 90 pounds down. Through diet and exercise, I have been able to maintain my weight and even lose more. I still believe in no diet pills, surgery or anything unnatural for weight loss. I try to eat a clean diet.  Every 6 months or so, I go completely vegan for 9 days. I am so excited to see so many women on the path to healthier living. Giving God all the glory, I have had several people thank me as their weight loss inspiration as they have started and STUCK to their plans. I have a updated photo for you. My original YouTube video of Kim Rainey’s weight loss journey is still up and because of your Facebook feature it had over 5,000 views! I am so appreciative of you spreading the word of health and fitness with our sisters!”

kimraineybeforeafter2014

Diedre lost 57 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Diedre lost 57 pounds.  This 5″5″ mother of 3 embraced healthy eating and committed to regular exercise to change her lifestyle.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

DiedreMay14

“My name is Diedre Wiggins. I’m a 41 year old mother of three. My weight loss journey started in October of 2010. My starting weight was 267 pounds and I am only 5 foot, 5 inches tall. When I begin my journey, I was only walking and counting calories. Later, I started working out with weights and going to exercise classes. I began clean eating and changing a lot of my eating habits. Now, I’m gluten free and dairy free.

It has been a long journey and I’m still going. My lowest weight was 185 pounds and my current weight is 210 pounds. My goal weight is 150 pounds.

I have lost and gained this weight several times in the past 4 years, but I finally think I found the right eating plan. I believe that I can stick to clean eating along with doing DVD workouts from Shaun T and Fitness Blender (on YouTube).  I work out on a regular basis, at least five to six times a week. I think I finally figured it out and hopefully this weight to stay off. I still have a ways to go and I will keep you updated.

You can find me on Instagram @diedre_goddess
YouTube: Diedregoddess
Facebook @diedre.reline.

DiedreMay142

Shatia lost 20 pounds

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Mother of 5 Shatia has lost 20 pounds since January 2014.  She decided that it was time to give herself some extra attention and change her lifestyle.  Check out here before and after photos:

ShatiaApr14

“My name is Shatia and I’m a 31 year old mom of five. On January 1, 2014, I decided to focus more on myself because I’ve spent so many years mainly catering to the needs of my husband and my children. I was finally ready to take care of me. So, I followed the Bikini Body Mommy’s 90 Day Challenge on YouTube.  I also attended a cardio workout bootcamp every Saturday morning. I also started drinking only water Monday-Saturday and eating a lot healthier. On Sundays I always had “sunday dinner” and wine. LOL, that was my cheat day. I went from 187 pounds to 167 pounds in 90 days. My journey is not over but I’m a lot closer to reaching my goals.”

Instagram: @BEAUTIFUL_MOM_OF5

Sample of the Bikini Body Mom 90 Day Challenge