Kaela lost 100 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Kaela lost 100 pounds. While visiting family down south, one of her cousins made a hurtful joke about her weight that really stuck with her. It was just another in a long history of jokes at her expense due to weight. She turned pain into motivation and began doing research on healthy eating habits and exercise. Check out how this mom changed her lifestyle and released the weight.

It was the summer of 2009, and I was visiting family in Alabama. One of my cousins jokingly said to me “Girl, you done ate a house.” In the moment, I laughed and played it off. However, the reality is that my feelings were very hurt. She made this joke in front of other people and it really resonated with me. That August, I decided to make a change.

All my life I dealt with hurtful jokes and being known as the “big girl”. I wanted to lose that crown. Now my journey is all but done, but I still have struggles and have to remind myself
regularly to stay committed. I have gotten off track before and regressed back into bad eating habits, yet and still I refuse to give up.

Lifestyle Changes: That summer I quit drinking pop, eating any sweets or eating bread. I also gave up pork and stopped eating fried foods.  I increased my water intake slowly, and eventually was drinking a gallon a day. I ate mainly grilled foods and vegetables. I decreased my sugar intake and cut out all sweets. I researched meals plans online and looked on Instagram for meal ideas. I also cut down on my liquor intake.

In the beginning, I focused mainly on cardio. I would do 45 minutes to an hour of cardio about 5 days a week.  I was dedicated and would get up at 5 am to go before class. I would do core workouts and interval cardio. I also reached out to a personal trainer named Danny Spice via Instagram and he was GREAT.

• Starting Weight:* August 2009 – 350lbs
• Lowest Weight:* January 2014 – 240lbs
• Pregnancy Weight*: January 2015 – 325lbs
• Current Weight:* November 2016 – 250lbs

I’m 5ft 9inches tall and have not had weight loss surgery.

My best advice for others is to Never Quit! No matter how hard it gets and how discouraged or stagnant you may feel, keep at it! I’ve plateaued and I had to seek help and advice to keep seeing results. If you are not getting the results you want and you are PUTTING in the work and eating right, then you may need to switch it your routine. Get a trainer and look on IG and Fb for tips. Lastly, I suggest that you read more. There is so much to learn about what works for each person and their individual needs.

Instagram: @__melanin_poppin