Jennell has gone from a size 24 to a size 16

Transformation of the Day: Jennell has gone from a size 24 to a size 16. After the birth of her fifth child, she found herself depressed and out of shape. Having lost her mom to diabetes and her father to heart disease, she decided to create a healthy lifestyle to help ensure she would see her kids grow up and thrive. Check out her journey.

I lost my mother when I was 20 years old due to complications of diabetes. I lost my father when I was 23 years old to heart disease. After giving birth to my fifth child, I was extremely depressed. I was losing my hair, I wasn’t sleeping, and I could barely walk up a flight of stairs. I knew I had to make a change, because I couldn’t bear the thought of not being around to see my kids grow up.

I began my journey in November of 2017. When I started I didn’t work out at all. I only focused on changing my eating habits. First, I went on a sugar fast for two weeks. I stopped eating bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and anything processed. My diet was made up of chicken, salmon, tuna, turkey, beef and vegetables.

I began working out in January 2018 by walking 1.5 – 2 miles a day. After a few weeks of that, I began jogging during my walks as well. I did 2-3 miles a day, 6-7 days a week. A couple weeks into January I added strength training and incorporated bread, pasta,and potatoes back into my diet. (Whole grain breads and pastas. Only sweet or red potatoes.)

Today, I don’t weigh myself so I don’t know exactly how much I’ve lost, but I know that I feel amazing. When I started, I wore a size 24. Now, I’m down to 16/18. No pills, no shakes, just eating right and working hard. It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change and a lifelong battle. With the right support, we will win! I just want to inspire other mothers to take control of their life and health.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that this is not a physical battle it is a mental one. It’s a decision to workout when I don’t want to. I made the decision to be committed to a lifelong change.

My advice for other women trying to lose weight would be start slow, pace yourself, and don’t push too hard. Don’t make it something you dread doing because you will give up. Find a physical activity you enjoy and do it 3-5 times a week. Also, unlearn everything you know about food and start over!

No matter what, just keep going. In most cases, it takes us a lifetime to destroy our bodies, so we are not going to reverse those actions overnight. Be patient, be persistent and be positive. Be good to yourself.

Facebook: jennelljavonne