Transformation of the Day: Shakerah lost 2 stone/28 pounds. She’s gone from 15 stone to 11 stone to 13 stone, and learned so much. Through the ups and downs, she learned that extreme and unhealthy weight loss methods don’t work. Calorie counting and lots of exercise has helped her lose weight in a healthy way. Check out her journey.
Living in a Caribbean household, my relationship with food wasn’t great. After all, we cook amazing, but not always healthy, food. Everyone in my family was big. My mum would get angry and say cruel things about my weight, but I didn’t care until before I started university. I went to Jamaica for 4 months and something snapped within me. I wanted to be confident. I didn’t want to be “the fat girl with a pretty face”. I just wanted to FEEL amazingly pretty.
When I got to university, my weight yo-yo’d a lot because I was ill. Unfortunately, I started down the wrong path, with diet teas, exercising 4 hours a day and bulimia.
I found success with calorie counting, exercise and I’m STILL ENJOYING LIFE! I eat more than I ever did and I even manage to still eat the KFC occasionally. I love my new life. Now, I’m determined to not give up because I want to be consistent in one thing in my life… something I can control: my weight.
Eating Habits:
When I first started out, I tried only eating 500 calories a day which as everyone knows is unsustainable. Now I’m eating 1700 a day. If I go over, I don’t spend ages being upset or even wanting to give up. I just start again, happily. I cycle my calories monthly with a calculator my boyfriend made me, so I can make sure they all equal out in a month. This allows me to make allowances for things like KFC but still lose weight. (I’m happy to send the calculator to anyone for free!)
Workout Routine:
I used to do Zumba workouts at home, which worked well for my core. Now, I lift HEAVY in the gym and hit my 10,000 steps daily.
What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 15 stone/210 pounds and I got down to 11 stone/154 pounds. I currently weigh 13 stone/182 pounds. I plan on losing weight SLOWLY this time, and so far it’s working. My height is 5’4″.
When did you start your journey?
In May 2012 and again in Jan 2018.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
Go slow. If you try to lose all the weight unhealthy and quickly, you will put it all back on, I had to try and change my mindset and not use food to fuel my emotions.
What advice do you have for other women who want to lose weight?
Don’t listen to the scale. Get the tape measure out instead. Its all about CALORIES IN AND CALORIES OUT. Use My Fitness Pal and an activity heart rate monitor. (You can get a monitor cheap.)
Find supportive people on instagram. I’ve found that it really helps! (Feel free to add me and I’ll add you back) Having a fitness instagram where you can post your progress or frustrations and have people support you does wonders!
Instagram: @brokefitnessgirl
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