Tamara lost 61 pounds

Tamara lost 61 pounds. She’d been told that because her thyroid gland was removed over a decade earlier, she would not be able to lose weight. She figured out the eating habits that work for her and fell in love with weight training. Check out her journey.

What was your motivation?
After years of being miserable with my weight I decided that I would rather die than live the way I was living. My self-esteem had started to slide and I rarely wanted to go anywhere. In March of 2015, I told myself that I HAD to lose this weight once and for all. I was told I would probably not be able to lose weight due to having my thyroid gland removed in 2003. Thankfully, I did not listen!

How did you change your eating habits?
Water, water and more water! I was a confessed Sprite-aholic and I completely quit drinking it cold turkey. I drank one glass of orange juice in the morning and then water with lemon throughout the rest of the day. I also changed my diet. I no longer purchased processed foods and I began to shop on the outside aisles of the grocery store. I found ways to cook veggies that I liked. I also love experimenting with trying out different veggies. For desserts, I always stuck with fruit.

What did your workout routines look like?
I also made my daily workouts just as important as brushing my teeth. Exercise was non-negotiable!  I started with the treadmill and quickly moved on to weight training. I found my salvation by lifting weights. I worked out 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week and still do.

Starting weight/Current weight?
Before: 178 pounds. After: Maintaining at 117 pounds. Height: 5’3″ I got on the scale every day. I know for some people that’s not good, but for me I had to face that number every day and know that I was in control of it.

How long did your transformation take?
I started in March 2015 and reached my goal weight of reaching 120 pounds on Sept 1, 2015.

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
Do not give up. Progress is progress, no matter how slow you go. I now have a beautiful business in which I am able to help other ladies lose weight. I can be found on Facebook at Tamara Winstead Fitness. The fact that I can give back means so much to me. Very humbling.

Instagram: @tamarawinsteadfitness