Transformation of the Day: Alisha lost 65 pounds. In December, this mom of three switched to an alkaline, plant-based lifestyle. During her journey, she found that addressing her mental health, past trauma, and emotional eating was essential to her success.
For as long as I can remember, I have battled with my weight and emotional eating. My emotional eating stemmed from unresolved childhood trauma that followed me throughout my twenties and into my early thirties. In 2020, I had two cancer scares when my doctor told me that they found some abnormal cells that need to be tested for cancer. At that moment, I had decided to dig into my research and fully commit to a plant-based lifestyle.
Today I have lost 65 pounds and counting. During this journey, by committing to my personal development, I’ve learned that my struggle with weight loss was more mental than physical. I had to heal from trauma and confront why I didn’t feel worthy or beautiful enough to live a healthy lifestyle. I’m delighted to say I don’t have a trace of cancer, and I am healthy in mind, body, and soul!
How did you change your eating habits? I transitioned to an alkaline vegan lifestyle. I don’t eat meat or any other animal products. I also stay away from sugar, gluten, and soy products.
What did your workout routine consist of? How often did you work out? Honestly, I dislike working out. I always struggled with consistency. Now, my workout regimen consists of walking, upper body dumbbell exercises, and lower body exercises. I work out 3-4 days a week. I will also be incorporating yoga into my routine soon.
What was your starting weight? What is your current weight? My starting weight in August 2020 was 330 pounds. I currently weigh 265 pounds as of May 2021.
What is your height? I am 5’7″.
When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take? Technically, my journey began 15 years ago when I had my first son and gained close to 100lbs during my pregnancy. Since then, my weight has fluctuated in addition to having two more children. My vegan lifestyle started in December 2020. I have been able to successfully lose 65 pounds in 5 months.
Is weight loss surgery part of your journey? No, I did not have any weight loss surgery.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far? The biggest lesson I have learned is that to make any true lifestyle change, you first have to deal with any mental health issues that may be the cause of the actual problem. Before I could shed weight physically, I had to shed weight mentally.
What advice would you like to share with women who want to lose weight? The most significant piece of advice I have for women is to start with their mental health first. Along my journey, I found out that I was an emotional eater. Further along in my journey, I learned that I couldn’t successfully lose weight and keep it off because of my beliefs about myself, my relationship with food, unresolved trauma, and lack of health education. It is in my opinion that weight loss is 90% mental and 10% physical.
Instagram: @AlishaSmall_
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