Today’s featured weight loss success story: Kionne lost 55 pounds by developing her own plan for eating right and exercising. She was motivated by an office weight loss pool. She is a member of our online community and after she posted her photos, I asked her to submit her story. Here is what she had to say about how she lost the weight:
“It all started with a “Biggest Loser” contest at work, 11 women ready to make a change with a $1,000 in the pot waiting for the one who made the biggest change. Little did we know, with any commitment to lose weight, we ALL were making the biggest change. Well for me, I had no clue how committed I would become. For starters, I am VERY competitive so I wanted to win just for the sake of winning. I have had made attempts in the past a far as weight lost, so I knew I had to do something different. I had to add a third party, a trainer to be specific, Troy Richardson, who corrected me on day one to not focus on “weight” loss but more so “fat” loss. I felt I needed that extra push to help me set goals and achieve them.
Yes the money was a great motivator, but the biggest motivator was for me to see a better me. I did one very extreme thing to destroy any possible excuse for not working out, I went natural. In the past, my hair was the number one thing that deterred me from working out. Now, I am not suggesting that everyone go natural, but find ways to defeat your excuses before they defeat you and your goal. When people see me now, they ask “What’s the big secret, what did you do?” When I simply reply, eating right and exercising, they look at me as if I was supposed to say I used some magic pill or had a particular surgery. Sad to say, it is really simple to lose weight, but the difficulty comes in the mind.
Here was and is my simple formula, working out at least 30 minutes a workout for 3-5 times a week, and making better food choices. I did the insanity workouts 1-2 times a week, worked out with my trainer 1-2 times a week, played (and still play) flag football, and jogged. My trainer provided me with a meal plan to follow, and adjusted as my goals changed. I ate all my carbs early in my day, and even had my cheat days. That’s all I committed to throughout the competition and now, through the rest of my life. You don’t have to totally restrict yourself, like on an Atkins diet, just pay attention to your body. Food is just supposed to fuel your body, not slow it down. So number one thing to stop doing is OVER-EATING. Smaller portions and oddly enough more meals is what you should focus on. 5 meals a day, space out 2-3 hours apart with a meal cut off time of 7pm or 3-4hrs before you “LAY” in the bed to go to sleep. Most important….STAY OUT OF THE DRIVE THRU LINE and go to the market. Preparing your meals and keeping them on you will stop the reason for wanting to get that quick bite. Another thing, pick one day of the week that will be your actually day to record your weight. Looking at the scale every single day can be discouraging if you allow it to be. Our weigh in day was Tuesday (and this is still my day to record my weight), so on Mondays and Tuesday mornings I pushed myself harder in my workouts to “help” my weigh in results. Stop giving power to why you can’t do it and just do it, yes Nike it up and JUST DO IT! Trust me I know from experience, losing weight the “right” way and not the easy way, will have more rewards than just a better looking body. It took me 7 months in 2011 to lose 55 lbs. I started off at 244lbs on January 4th 2011, and today on February 20th, 2013 I am at 188lbs, with 18 more pounds to shake. To be transparent, you won’t be perfect every single day of your lifestyle change, I once got down to 179lbs, but I let off the brakes a little, and found myself up to 192 at one point. The great thing about a “LIFESTYLE CHANGE” is, I was about to bounce back and, at minimum, maintain my self between 185-189lbs. BUT! I will get to my goal weight with the help of my trainer, watching my sugar intake, staying active!
maria says
you look great, you look like a different person, you go girl and keep up the good work
Cheryl Walker says
You look wonderful…smart tip going natural.
Tamara Stewart says
Amazing and Inspirational story, Keep UP the good work. Taking it a day at time.
Thelma says
Awesome,congratulations you look great!Thanx for the detailed account…
Miya Turner says
You look awesome. Congrats. Keep up the good work.
thalassa says
How tall are you because you look smaller than 188
Kionne says
I am 5’7″ :-)….with my current workouts I am gaining muscle so it shifts the scale a bit
cmeharris says
Thanks for the inspiration
Hitachi Willis says
Amazing that’s how you look!!! Maybe your motivation will motivate me to do the same!!!!
kiki banton says
Girl you are amazing thanks for the tips.
Cindy Parker says
Girl you look good! Keep up the work. Headed down the same path
balencia grissom says
You look amazing. I took the natural journey also to motivate me to exercise more without the”I don’t want to sweat out my perm excuse”!!! Keep up the great work, your journey was very inspirational.
Gloria says
Thank you for your story Kionne. Congrats on your success. I love the way you stress hard work
and dedication is what it takes to lose weight. The more success stories I read the more I’ve learned is that you’ve got to get your mind right in order to be successful. I now realize that is where true and lasting weightloss starts. Keep up your great work!
Deanna says
CONGRATS!! This is more motivation for me. I started watching what I eat in Dec and lost11 lbs. I just recently started working out an hour a day. I hope my story is as successful as yours. Keep it up!
Zina says
Congrats on weight loss. I know about the scale thing because I’m in congestive heart failure and my cardiologist say I have to weigh myself every morning. My weight goes up and down. It’s very hard sometimes I get frustrated when the scale go up even a pound. You are a true inspiration though.
Latasha Burnett says
Wow. Confirmation because going natural is what God used for my weight loss journey too. It started w/my hair June 2012- did big chop in Jan 2013 & then the switch to a Vegan lifestyle. Down 50lbs so far. Thanks for the inspiration & motivation. U were already beautiful on the first pic, but on the 2nd pic u now look beautiful & happy. Keep shining!!! 🙂
Lisa Irby says
Wow, you kept it real, your words are so true! Congrats!
Unique Lovett says
Congrats!! You look GREAT:) Continue to reach your weight goals…But most of all thanks for your inspiration & motivation, for me as I begin my weight loss journey.
ella says
Great story! Thanks so much for sharing.
KIM HENSON says
Kionne, Congratulations on your weight loss success. You are a very beautiful and confident young lady. I loved your story it was very real and beleiveable. I hate to see these ads that say I lost 25 lbs ..I went from a size 12 to a size 6.. and the person does not look like a size 6 at all. I can relate to your story. I lost weight in 2011 going from 190 lbs to 155, I went from a size 16 to a size 12. I gained a few pounds back, but I’m ready to get back on track to reach my healthy weight. Thank you for sharing your story. It has definitely motivied me. You look great.. Keep up the great work!!! Be Blessed!!!
P.S. Plus I’m going natural..no excuses..
I know you from Morning Star.. your mom is a beautiful woman also!!!
Kionne says
Hey Kim!!! Thank you and congrats to you!!
Nadika says
Wow! You look wonderful am trying to lose 60 pounds. My problem is snacking, and looking at the scale. I weight now 230 pounds the same weight after having my daughter 10 years ago. Sometimes I feel a difference in my clothes, but when I go on the scale, it the same. I will take up your advice and work out some more and play a sports with my kid. I will email u in 7 months. Thanks for your motivation.
Kionne says
I can’t wait for your story!!! 🙂
Lisa says
Awesome job!!!!!!
Linda Anderson says
Congrats!! You look so pretty you was pretty now you just more healthy you. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
Nycole Williams says
I absolutely love your story, I love it!! So proud of you and keep up the good work!!
Patti says
Go KiKi!!!
Tymisha Erving says
Great advice!!
quandriel says
Congrats you look great!!!!
Lisa says
Awesome! So inspiring, you look great!
CherronRW says
YOU LOOK GREAT, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
Lisia says
What an inspiring story. You look great, and much smaller than 188. That’s a lesson not to focus on the number but instead gutting healthy. Keep up the good work. God Bless!!