Simona lost 41 pounds

Simona lost 41 pounds. She was fed up with the weight loss rollercoaster. Our sister from St. Thomas Jamaica partnered with her co-workers, working out with them after work five days a week. By leaning on her faith in Jehovah, cutting her portions down, practicing intermittent fasting, and refusing to quit, she got great results. 

My name is Simona, I’m from St. Thomas, Jamaica, and this is my story. It’s funny how I’ve always told myself that I would lose weight come January, and each year I did nothing. 

Background: Throughout my school and career years, I was always bigger than my classmates/colleagues. Bigger didn’t mean I was sloppy. No, your girl was always sexy with it. Still, there were times when I just felt out of place.

Fast forward to January 2019: Coming off a 3-week vacation in New York with my two boys, I visited my doctor’s office for a routine visit. Hopping on the scale in the office left me shocked and confused. The scale read 240 pounds. I thought it had malfunctioned. I didn’t hear a thing the doctor said since I was still confused about the results on that scale. 240 pounds is the heaviest I have ever been. I decided then that I was going to lose those pounds.

By November 2019, your girl only managed to lose 10 pounds. Reason: I was never motivated enough, and I could still find clothes. However, deep down inside, I was depressed. Depression plus celebrating my favorite time of the year, Christmas. Then BOOM, Covid-19 hit. While I was working from home, the pounds piled on. By June 2020, I weighed 234 pounds. My clothes were tighter, my stomach was bigger, and my feet were constantly swollen. I knew I needed to do something. My body was screaming for help. 

After countless random discussions with my colleagues at work, we decided that we all needed to lose some weight, and daily exercise at work each day would be a good start. I bought activewear (something that I don’t like to wear), a scale, an exercise mat, and a jump rope. Later, I purchased resistance bands and waist trainer.

June 8, 2020, was my first workout day. Please note that none of us were fitness professionals. We just wanted to lose weight, some more than others. Our instructors were our colleagues. We had a nurse do our weigh-ins (42-inch waist, 234 lbs – Way past obese. Sad face). My Blood pressure reading okay. All set! I was ready to start.

Even the warm-ups were a challenge for me. Raising my legs off the ground? Hell, no. That task was impossible. When it came to skipping, I couldn’t do one. We laughed and joked around but each day and with each challenge, I did what I was tasked to do. Maybe not perfectly, but I did it.

What inspired you to keep going, even when you wanted to give up?
My support system at home and work inspired me. Most importantly, I saw it as I challenge I wanted to overcome. I wanted to prove to myself that this was something I could do. When the weight started falling off, that was all the motivation I needed to continue.

How did you change your eating habits?
I was never a fan of rice and sweet dishes. Fried foods in all formats were my specialty, but I knew I had to cut back on those foods, so that’s what I did. Honestly, I never totally removed any food from my diet. I just cut the portion sizes, and the time I ate it. Intermittent Fasting (16:8 and sometimes 18:6 schedules) and the My Fitness Pal App were my go-to buddies throughout this journey.

What did your workout routine consist of? How often did you work out?
I worked out Monday –Friday for 40 minutes after work with my colleagues. Eventually, I became so motivated that I would wake up and work out at 4:30 a.m. every morning, six days per week, using YouTube videos from Joanna Soh, Chloe Ting, and HasFit. I continued with my colleagues in the afternoon as well.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 234 pounds on June 8, 2020. At my last weigh-in, I weighed 193 pounds. I’ve lost a total of 41 pounds in 6 months.

What is your height?
I am 5 feet, 7 inches tall.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
I learned that consistency is key. Having faith in Jehovah while trusting the process will yield only positive things. I’ve also learned not to listen to the naysayers. People will always have an opinion on what’s right or wrong for you, but in the end, the decision lies with you.

Is weight loss surgery part of your journey?
No weight loss surgery was a part of my journey. 

What advice do you have for women who want to lose weight?
Be you. Do It for You. If you want it really bad, you will do it. Just trust the timing and remain focus on simple goals. Avoid distractions.

My journey is far from over. This is not just about losing weight. It’s about re-redesigning myself. It’s about bringing out the healthier, sexier me who motivates others around. So, stick around. The best is yet to come.

Instagram: @Mona__drealest