Trece lost 101 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Trece lost 101 pounds this year. She realized that she had to stop using the fact that she’d recently given birth as an excuse for her weight. This Delta Sigma Theta soror heard about a great program that her line sister was using and it was just the support and accountability she needed to succeed. Check out her journey.

What was your motivation?
Honestly, I got tired of being fat and using the fact that I just had a baby as an excuse. I went to a holiday party at work shortly after I had my daughter, and realized that I had never seen myself at that size. I knew it was time to do something. My husband kept saying baby you look great you just had a baby, but I had to decide how long I would use that excuse. I just knew that I couldn’t anymore.

A few months later I realized I was still the same size and I had no more excuses. I found an accountability group and started to do kickboxing. I found my strength in the group, but I didn’t lose a lot of weight or at least what I thought I should. I was working out 6 days a week and the program came with some high level nutrition guidance, but I quickly went back to eating what I wanted. I thought that working out was going to help balance things out. I learned soon that you can’t outwork a bad diet, so even though I was working hard I didn’t lose anything.

I had to start investing in myself. I was a walking statistic. My line sister was posting all these awesome pics online and she mentioned she did the IUTBU program with Coach Trina, I quickly started researching and decided that I was tired, so I joined IUTBU’s  January 2016 contest. When I wanted to quit, I had a group of individuals of like mind going through the struggle along with me. The group setting that IUTBU fosters was and has constantly been my motivation.

How did you change your eating habits?
I followed an accelerated meal plan provided by Coach Wiltrina Jones. Her plans provide a lot of variety and I was able to stick to it. I cut out fast food and about 90% of processed foods. If I didn’t make it at home then I couldn’t eat it. I completely stop drinking soda’s and juice. No candy, unless I earned it. No cookies, cakes or any type of baked goods. This may seem unrealistic, but when you clean out your body, you body tends to react negatively to eating the types of foods that I omitted.

I replaced the foods I cut out with whole grains, lean cut meats and lots of veggies. I practiced portion control too. When I ate pasta, it was in a small amount and my rice was also properly portioned. I ate lots of fresh fruits and veggies to combat those sweet cravings, and re-trained my pallet with variety of spices. I ate lots of oatmeal, grits, and eggs whites for breakfast. The IUTBU group gave me cooking ideas and motivation. I just went along that program and had great success. I was able to quickly change my relationship with food.

What did your workout routines look like?
I did a combination of cardio, HITT, intervals and strength training. I did a lot of research and found out what worked best for my body. IUTBU requires a heart rate monitor and I tell you a Heart Rate Monitor will elevate your workout and your results. I soon became numbers driven. Coach Trina gives weekly burn goals and I became addicted to reaching those goals. Even when I didn’t make it, I knew my body was getting stronger and better, day by day. I knew I would hit them one day. There is constant progression when working out regularly.

Starting weight/Current weight
I started the program at 316.4 pounds and I am currently at 214.8 pounds. I’m 5 ft, 7 in tall.

How long did your transformation take?
I started in January 2016, and loss 69 lbs in 83 days. 101.6 lbs in 6 months. All natural, no surgery. I am still working on my transformation. You never stop. People tend to think that once I hit my goal weight I’m done. I can’t say this enough, “Once you’ve been fat, you will always have to work to keep it off.” What do you think fit people do? They work to keep it off. There are no exceptions for making this lifestyle choice.

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
Consistency is Key. Don’t give up. Do this for you. Even when you not seeing the numbers you want, remember that this is a marathon, not a race. You will see results. Create realistic goals and make yourself a priority. Transformation starts in your head. YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Instagram: @simplyleo28