Bianca lost 37 pounds

Update: Bianca has lost 60 pounds.

#transformationtuesday sometimes we don’t see our progress as we go through the stages of our weight loss, thanks to my iCloud I was able to revive some of my pics.. top left was April 2015 -bottom right is January 2017. It’s def a process that took tons of discipline within my eating and gym sessions but it was worth it! from 215 to 155 (I’m 5’8) I did it without a personal trainer (with the exception of my boxing trainer who I met with on Sunday’s). So it can be done ladies!

A post shared by Bee (@b_nonchalant) on Feb 7, 2017 at 5:31am PST

Transformation of the Day: Bianca lost 37 pounds. Facing a number of factors, including arthritis, a bad breakup, stress and depression, did not derail her for making changes in her life. She wanted to be better, mentally and physically and she shared with us the actions she took to change her life.

My name is Bianca and I’m 29 years old. I have mild arthritis in my knees and I was battling with stress and depression, from work, my arthritis, a horrible breakup and a break in my home. In the beginning of this year, there was so much on me, but it was after seeing a picture of myself on April 11th, 2015 at my God daughters birthday party I decided to make some serious changes, mentally and physically.

It took a certain level of dedication, discipline and consistency to stay focused on my journey. It wasn’t easy to say the least, but I went from 212 pounds to 175 pounds. I did a green smoothie cleanse to help kick start things off, but overall I did it by staying focused and wanting better for myself. I am 5’8″ tall and my transformation took about 8 months. I’m still working on toning as we speak.

I gave up beef, pork and fried foods. I increased my water intake and started working out at 5:30 am and then again at 6 pm (after work). After I cut those foods out, I only ate baked or grilled chicken, fish and shrimp, with at least 2 veggies. I ate lots of salads as well. I made sure to eat more fruits and veggies on a daily basis. I did this mostly in my smoothies, which consisted of baby spinach, mixed frozen fruit, flax seeds, stevia sweetner and 2 cups of water. I still drink these on a daily. The biggest factor in terms of my weight loss was portion control. I ate smaller portions and dramatically increased my water intake to 64 ounces a day.

As far as my workouts, I work out every day, I started my 5:30 am workouts with a friend who wanted to join me on the journey. I felt an accountability partner would be helpful, and we work out every morning from 530-630 am. Then on M/W/F, I usually go for my second win in the gym or at home. Cardio was the key to losing. I also box on Sundays which is GREAT cardio. I do lots of jump roping, use elliptical and ride the bikes, but I stay away from the treadmill due to the arthritis in my knees (the impact is quite harsh). Everyday I do different workouts; cardio, legs, arms, abs and glutes, with tons of stretching in between. I increase my reps with my weights as well.

The advice I would give others: Although diet and exercise play a huge role in losing weight, there are also a lot of other factors. I think some people forget that making major change takes major discipline, consistency, drive, and faith that you can do it. There will be days when you get frustrated because you feel like you’ve been working hard and nothing seems to be changing. That’s when you should find even more motivation. That’s what I did and its like the inches started fading faster and faster. It does help having an accountability partner too, if you can, so they can help push you. However, the sheer desire to want to be healthy and live a long life should always keep you motivated!

Instagram: @B_nonchalant