Alicia lost 51.8 pounds

Update Nov 2017: Alicia lost more than 50 pounds and has kept it off for a year. She’s gone from a size 18 to a size 8. We asked her to share how she’s been able to maintain her success.

Starting weight: 221.8lbs
Current weight: 171lbs
Total weight loss: 50.8lbs

How have you maintained your weight loss/continued to lose weight?
I have continued to lose weight and manage my weight loss journey by focusing on eating clean and getting my workouts in daily. I also get plenty of sleep (which is very important), remain stress free and follow the advice of my Nutritionist and my Trainer.

What has worked in terms of eating habits and what worked in terms of exercise?
What worked for me in terms of my eating habits is staying prepared. Preparation is the key to staying on track and eating healthy. I prepare all my meals and snacks in advance so that I will know exactly what I’m eating each day and I’m not tempted to eat bad foods.

What has worked for me in terms of exercise is staying focused on my journey and my goals. Setting new goals for myself each month helps me to work harder in reaching those goals and maintaining my healthy lifestyle. I know that this is not a quick fix, but a lifelong journey I can maintain through healthy living.

What lessons have you learned on this journey?
I’ve learned that I’m not perfect. The scale doesn’t own me, and I’m more than just a number. I’ve learned to celebrate my successes. I’ve learned to accept that there will be challenges and difficult times when you feel like you will never reach your goal, but you have to keep going everyday. I realized that change does not happen all at once and it takes time. You won’t be a certain size over night and it’s never good to compare your journey to someone else’s.

At this point, would you offer any new or different advice to others who want to lose weight?
My advice to others is to take it one day at a time. If you mess up, don’t give up. Just get back on it and you will succeed. Don’t let others judge you or your journey, because they don’t know what you went through to get where you are. Love yourself through the process. If you make a mistake, don’t dwell on it. Move on and do better the next time. Everyday is a new day and another opportunity to be better than you were yesterday. Plan, plan, plan and stay prepared so that you won’t fall back into bad habits and sabotage your success. Love you, be you and enjoy your journey!

Nov 2016: Transformation of the Day: Alicia lost 51.8 pounds. After seeing the results in another transformation story, she decided to give an online training program a try. She’s gained the knowledge she needed to take better care of her body. Learning which exercises work best for her body type and how to eat to meet her nutrition goals has been key to her success.

Age: 44
Height: 5’8″
Starting weight: 221.8lbs
Current weight: 170lbs
Total weight loss: 51.8lbs
Representing: Columbia,SC

What was your motivation?
I had gall bladder surgery back in June of 2015, and that’s I knew that I needed to make a change in my eating habits and exercise regime. I was drinking way too many sodas, eating a lot fast food, lots of fried foods and not exercising at all. I was totally disappointed in the way I looked and felt. I had zero energy. I was motivated after the surgery and I made a vow to God and myself that after I got through the healing process I would get back on track to being healthy.

What inspired me most on my journey was looking at all the great weight loss stories and awesome transformations I read about on the BWLW blog. I was definitely ready for a change. I lost 25 pounds on my own during the first 4 months and then I hit a plateau. I was struggling to not go back to my old ways and I knew I had to do something different. I was online one night and came across another transformation story on BWLW and her name was Lucy Merritt. She talked about how the Fitness On Fire Online Training Program worked for her. When I saw her results, I knew that this was the program I needed. I clicked on the link and saw all the people that the training program had helped to transform their bodies and I was all in. I signed up for the program on Feb. 10th 2016 and I haven’t looked back since.

How did you change your eating habits?
I stopped drinking soda completely and stopped eating fast food everyday. I began to drink more water everyday and push myself to drink even more, until I was up to a gallon a day. The foods I eliminated were red meats, pork, cookies, pastries, white rice, pasta and fried food. I eat fish, chicken, turkey, most vegetables and fruit.

What did your workout routine consist of?
My workouts consist of lots of HIIT training, mixed with resistance training and some strength training. I’ve lost a total of 14 inches off my waist alone! My FOF trainer designed a workout regimen that works perfectly for me and I love it. I work out six days a week and I focus on eating clean.

Starting weight/Current weight

I weighed 246 pounds and lost 24.2 pounds on my own before I hit a plateau. When I started with the Fitness on Fire program, I weighed in at 221.8 pounds. My current weight is 170 pounds.

I don’t focus on the scale any more. I was educated by my trainer on the importance of having a healthy body fat percentage. When I started the program, I had a body fat percentage of almost 42%. Within 6 months, I am down to 34% and counting. With the help of Nutritionist Guru, I’ve learned how to make healthier food choices and determine what fuels my body. This knowledge helps me to continue to lose those inches around my waist (which is some of the most stubborn fat to lose) and transform my body.

How long did your transformation take?
I’ve been on the program for 7 months and I’ve seen changes in my body that I never would have achieved on my own. My transformation isn’t complete yet. I am not so focused on the scale, but more on losing inches dropping the body fat instead. I am focused on just being a healthier me.

The Fitness on Fire online training program worked for me because it provided me with the knowledge and tools I needed to take my fitness journey to the next level. Other programs give you the basics, but really don’t teach you the true meaning of clean eating and how to make changing your eating habits a lifestyle (not a quick fix diet). Fitness on Fire is something that I can do long term. I’ve been empowered with the knowledge and tools I need to take better care of my body, as well as what workouts work best for my body type. This is not a quick fix and it’s not a diet. It’s a lifestyle change that equips you to be successful on your weight loss journey.

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
My advice to others is to never give up on yourself. Even when you don’t see change right away, just keep going and you will achieve your goals. Everyone faces challenges, but it is up to you how you will overcome those challenges and stay on the path to creating a more beautiful healthier you.