Update: Latoria lost 105 pounds

Update Feb 2018: Tori‘s transformation story has been inspiring us since 2013. She lost 110 pounds and has worked to keep the weight off off by focusing on nutrition and exercise. In 2017, she became a spinning instructor. Check out her awesome journey.

Hey everybody! So many great things happened in 2017! I did run my 1st Marathon (26.2miles) in January 2017. It was by far the hardest fitness challenge of my life! The weather wasn’t great, it rained and was really cold, but I powered through and received my medal. I was able to maintain my weight for a few months for most of the time because I had trained so hard.

Last summer, I did something I had planned on doing for a while: I became a spinning instructor. Now I get to teach, motivate, and inspire others every week. I put on about 10 pounds during the holidays, which doesn’t normally happen to me, but it did. With proper nutrition, Iwas able to go back to my normal weight of 170 pounds.

Life is all about learning how to balance everything out. This is what I tell the people I meet who are looking to lose weight. It takes time to learn your body and find out what works for you. You can workout seven days a week, but if your nutrition isn’t on point, you won’t get tye results your looking for. Nutrition is key.

My goal for Summer 2018 is to become a Certified Personal Trainer so thatI can help people on their journey. To inspiring, motivating and encouraging people is apart of who I am. I love helping others reach their goals. When I tell people that I lost 110lbs – ALL NATURALLY – and now I’m instructing classes every week, it’s an amazing feeling… and I love every minute of it.
I’m on Instagram as @get_fit_tory and Facebook as @Getfittory.
Stay motivated, and continue on the course!

Oct 2013 – Featured weight loss story of the day: Latoria lost 84 pounds and found a love for exercise that includes 5k runs, Zumba and weight lifting.  Here is what she shared with us about how she changed her lifestyle to lose weight, as well as photos below:

“Hi, My name is Latoria and I am a black women losing weight. After giving birth to my son 4 years ago, my starting weight was 266 pounds and I was wearing size 20w in jeans. I now weight 182 pounds and wear a size 10/12. I love spinning and running 5ks. I have an amazing group of trainers who are showing me how to train effectively. Also, I am excited about my 1st Half Marathon that I will be running in December 2013 at the Official Biggest Loser Run/Walk series in Panama City Beach, Fl. I ran my first 5k last year.

As far as my eating habits, I stopped eating fast food and cooked healthier meals in the kitchen. I cut out fried foods and used portion control with all my food, all the way down to salad dressings. I included more vegetables in my meals. For example, I just started eating broccoli last year as well as spinach… lol.

My husband brought me an elliptical machine and I used it for 30 minutes everyday when I felt uncomfortable going to the gym at 220 pounds. I fell in love with spinning at my local gym, taking classes 4-5 times a week along with other class routines, like Zumba. I discovered through my personal trainer how much weight lifting is beneficial. Also, I plan on becoming a certified instructor in January 2014.

My advice for others is to educate yourself about eating healthy. For support, keep a positive group of people who have the same goals in mind about getting healthy and fit. Take small steps toward your goals. For example, eat brown rice instead of white rice and cut out sugary drinks. Before you sit down to eat, ask yourself “Is this a healthy meal or could it be changed to a better, healthy meal.” Thank you so very much for this opportunity. I never knew I could do this until I tried and put forth the effort. I hope my story will inspire black women everywhere who think they can’t do it!”

Instagram: @get_fit_tory

Check out her previous updates

Dec 2016: Tori has been inspiring us with her story since 2013. She lost 105 pounds and has maintained her success for more than a year. She is a busy mom, wife and professional who has learned to balance all of the demands on her time and found the strength to never give up. Check out what she’s shared with us about how she released the weight.

“I just wanted give an update on my weight loss journey. Well, it’s been a few years since I lost 105 pounds. With consistency and hard work, I have been able to maintain and make some improvements a long the way. What has helped me continue this journey was making it a lifestyle change and working to make healthy food choices everyday. This year, I FINALLY challenged myself and registered for a Full Marathon (running 26.2miles). This is something that I have wanted to do for years, but I never felt like I was ready mentally and physically. This is the year of No Excuses, so in February 2017 I will be checking a marathon off my fitness list.

I have also learned a few lessons about myself on this journey and have learned how to handle these lessons. For example: One of the hardest things I had to content with was finding balance. I had to find a schedule that would work for not only myself, but for my family as well. Being a mother, a wife, and having a full time job makes it harder, but not impossible. Once I created a schedule, it allowed me to plan ahead and make sure that I am able to get my workouts in and prep healthy meals.

The best advice I have to give is what I tell myself daily… “Never Give Up!” No matter what obstacles come your way. You may feel like your journey is moving at a slower pace and that’s okay. You’ve just got to keep pushing! My goal is to help inspire, encourage and motivate others. You can do this! Follow my marathon training on Instagram: @get_fit_tory.  I am nervous, but determined to end this chapter and become a marathoner.

2015: “I’ve lost 105lbs. As a wife and mother of 2 kids, it’s hard to find time for yourself and make sure that we also take care of ourselves so that we can be around to take care of family. Since my weight loss story was posted, I’ve ran 8 half marathons and countless 5k runs. Since last year, I’ve started doing CrossFit. I’ve had my first CrossFit competition and my team placed 11th out of 25 teams. I’m looking forward to the future and looking to see what else I can do. My goal is to motivate and inspire others to let them know that it’s possible.”