Black Weight Loss Success

The Official Blog of the Black Women Losing Weight Community. Tips, articles and weight loss resources for African American Women.

Join Our Email List:
We respect your email privacy
You are here: Home / Archives for Ajima Jackson

Ajima Jackson

Tammy lost 90 pounds

by 1 Comment

Transformation of the Day: Tammy lost 90 pounds. She celebrating her 7 year journey to Self Mastery, which led to her discovering how to holistically and naturally detox her mind, body and spirit. Along with her mental and spiritual transformation, the physical weight was released via juice fasting, plant based eating and exercise. Check out her inspirational journey. She shared some great insights.

tammye weight loss
242 pounds – 197 pounds – 152 pounds

My Self Mastery Journey started December 26, 2009 as a result of suffering from high blood pressure, lymphedema, dysmenorrhea, weight gain, fibroids and painful menstrual cycles. I was also newly diagnosed high cholesterol in my 30s. After experiencing numbness in my left arm and experiencing poor sleep quality, I decided that enough was enough. Weighing in at 242 pounds at 5’2″, I had to make a decision to Live or Die.

I would be turning 40 that next year and I was determined to live my 40s BETTER than how I lived my 30s. Being married and divorced, along with raising a teenager, were very stressful events in my life. I also worked in sales, which was stressful at times.

Weight loss surgery was an option I explored at one time, because every time I lost 10 or 15 lbs., I would put 20 lbs. back on. I gained a total of 60 pounds in my 30s. However, I spoke to a wonderful medical assistant who discouraged me from choosing that road to gain good health.

Instead, I chose the natural route. I discovered how to holistically detox my mind, body and spirit. What did that look like? December 2009, I began shutting down all social events. I tapped into what I liked to do without friends. I bought a book called “Reinventing the Mind Resurrecting the Soul” by Deepak Chopra that changed my life. I also purchased a Wii system with one remote so I could learn how to be alone and tap into how to entertain and “fix” myself during the winter months.

I started a juice fast in which I lost initially 25 pounds in 25 days. During that time, I worked with my Naturopathic Doctor and a coach who both helped me detox physically, mentally and spiritually. I immediately began to transform. By October of 2010, I lost 65 pounds. The WASTE I had let go of was represented by the weight loss. I was only walking at that time for exercise, maybe 2 or 3 days a week. After the 65 lb. loss, I picked up hot yoga 3 to 4 days a week which helped me improve my body image and as well as sculpt and tone my muscles.

What helped me to lose the additional 40 pounds after the initial 25 day juice fast? My diet after my initial holistic detox became plant based. I removed all animal products and most of the byproducts of animals in order to heal my body. Because this was a spiritual detox as well, Yah identified to me those foods that were causing me to suffer in my body. I eliminated animal products including dairy and I eventually eliminated cheese.

I juiced my fruits and vegetables and ate plenty of fruits, salads and cooked vegetables, along with pastas in the beginning. I also added meat substitutes and changed my water to Kangen alkaline water. My latest accomplishment, which has knocked off my last 45 pounds, is completing a 100 day juice fast. I’ve transitioned to a mostly raw vegan, uncooked diet following this juice fast.

It only took 3 months for my blood pressure to become normal. My cholesterol became normal as well. The painful cycles stopped being painful after a certain point. I was on so much ibuprofen that I didn’t know the pain was gone until about 7 months in. My fibroids disintegrated and my vision improved. I decided to leave Corporate America to start Restored by Tammye Inc. in June of 2010 to teach people how to heal themselves. I created a Holistic Detox program based on my success and now the success of hundreds of others to prevent and reverse diseases including obesity. We can be found at: www.restoredbytammye.com

What was my motivation? The desire to Live life on my terms and not die at an early age from food related diseases. After watching my aunt and close friend die of cancer, I knew there had to be other options. What kept me on track for 7 years? My newly found self love created in me the desire to see myself get healthier and stronger every year! I created workout goals as I became healthier that included: running 5ks and joining boot camps. Today, I’m into weight lifting, Zumba, Cycling and Yoga at the local YMCA. I workout on average 5 days a week doing exercises I love to do.

I’ve maintained my initial weight loss for 6 years. As of today, I weigh 152 pounds. I started at a size 18/20 and now I wear a size 6/8. As of today, I am on Day 90 of a 100 day juice fast and I have eliminated the additional waste I needed to lose to celebrate my 7 year journey to Self Mastery on December 26, 2016. As I prepare for 50 years old, my prayer and meditation life is balanced. I have reached a place of inner peace which I now realize is the key to Self Mastery.

In addition to my practice, I go into Chicago Public Schools teaching the students, teachers and administrators about the importance of living a balanced life via social emotional learning.

Everything starts in the mind. When we’re intentional in our thoughts, everything else will follow. Our surroundings are a reflection of our thoughts. If you want to see a PERMANENT lifestyle change, you have to do the inner work which includes having a spiritual practice. There are no short cuts to Good Health.

Facebook: RestoredbyTammye

Rhonda lost 33 pounds

by 1 Comment

Update: Rhonda lost more than 40 pounds. She has continued to make progress by switching up her fitness routine, eating vegetarian dishes and drinking protein smoothies. Check out her update.

rhonda before and after

How have you maintained your success and continued to lose weight?
I have maintained my weight by exercising at least three days a week. I still box, go to the gym, and find different ways to exercise, like indoor rock climbing, riding a bike and running in marathons. I try to do things that I won’t get bored with and that will surprise my body. I like to switch my fitness up. 

My eating habits have slightly changed. I still meal prep and eat lean meats, veggies, and fruit, but now I incorporate my vegetarian dishes and protein smoothies into the mix. (Current weight: 157 pounds)

What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned on this journey?
The biggest lesson I have learned is that I shouldn’t be so hard on myself. It is important for me to listen to my body and rest. Self care is very important!

At this point, would you offer any new/different advice to other women who want to lose weight?
My advice to any woman who is thinking about losing weight is just do it. Never allow your current situation to hold you back go far it.

Instagram: @fitwoman_strong

Weight Loss Story: Rhonda lost 33 pounds. She tried many weight loss solutions over the years but nothing led to lasting results. She diagnosed with high blood pressure and told that her weight was the cause of my sluggishness and constant sickness. She decided that it was time to commit to getting healthy. Check out how she got results.

Rhonda

What was your motivation?
I have always struggled with my weight since my senior year of high school. I was not active, so I would always try to find a quick fix to lose weight. During college and into adulthood, I tried everything from detoxes to waist trainers, but my efforts were unsuccessful because the weight would come right back. I started to become depressed about how I looked and felt. However, feeling bad about myself still was not enough for me to stop eating unhealthy food and become more active.

I remember one day a church member asked me if I was pregnant. I felt so low and disgusted with how I let myself get to that point. I decided to go to a doctor to check my health. The doctor informed me that I had high blood pressure, and that my weight was the cause of my sluggishness and constant sickness. Enough was enough. I knew if I wanted to be happy and healthy. I needed to take back control of my life.

I joined a gym, started boxing, and slowly improved my eating habits. There were days where I would want to give up. There were times when I would doubt myself, but I would also think back to the reason why I decided to make this lifestyle change. That reason was to love myself again. I do not want to go back to that woman who was a prisoner to her insecurities and food. I don’t want to go back to being complacent about my situation.

How did you change your eating habits?
I love food, especially fried foods, so changing how I ate was the most difficult part. I used to eat out and get fast food almost everyday, just because it was quick and easy. I realized that exercise was only a piece of a healthy lifestyle. What I put in my body was the most important part.

I started off by pacing myself. I did not want to be overwhelmed by what foods to eat and not eat, so I slowly made little adjustments that ultimately made a big difference. First off, I stopped eating fast food and started cooking my meals at home. I made the time and I realized I was saving a lot of money. I incorporated more vegetables and fruits into my meals. Everything is baked opposed to fried. I eat lean meats (chicken, turkey, fish). I was never much of a sugary drink person, so drinking nothing but water was pretty easy for me. I meal prep on Sundays for the week. I make sure I have a green vegetable, fruit, some type of carb (mainly sweet potato) and lean meat on my plate. I eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and I snack light in between (on things like fruit, nuts or yogurt). I still enjoy the fried and sugary treats, but I no longer indulge in them. I just eat those things in moderation.

What was your workout routine?
I joined a boxing club that I absolutely love. Cardio is a big part of my daily workout routine, but I recently incorporated heavy weights. I go boxing Monday through Thursday and I go to the gym Friday and Saturday. When I go to the gym, I do 30 minutes on the treadmill, 10 minutes on the stair master and then I go to weights. I do a lot of various arm and back workouts with weights. I also do some home workouts, doing squats, pushups, crunches and planks.

Starting weight/Current weight
My heaviest, I weighed 197 pounds and now I weigh 164 pounds. I am 5’3″ tall.

How long did your journey take?
I started my journey in June 2016 and I am still on my journey. I will not stop.

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
Invest in yourself and do it! There will be doubters and there will be times when you hit a wall and want to give up. You have to look in the mirror and ask yourself what is it that you truly want for yourself. If you want better for yourself physically, first you have to change your mindset and believe you can do it. Once your mindset is changed, then the action will follow. Start off little by little; walking, eating baked or grilled instead of fried, drinking water in place of sweet tea, eating a piece of fruit in place of candy, etc.  The little things all add up and make a big difference.

rhonda weight loss

Samantha lost 61 pounds

by 2 Comments

Transformation of the Day: Samantha lost 61 pounds. At the age of 49, was caring for her daughter through a traumatic health scare. At the same time, she was diagnosed with hypertension and placed on medication. She saw how hard her daughter was fighting and knew she had no excuse not to fight for her own health and well-being. She shared with us how she took action to turn her health around.

samantha before and after

Before: 247 Pounds (February 2015)
Current: 186 Pounds (December 2016)
61 Pounds and counting. My Goal is to lose 34 more pounds.
Height: 5 feet, 3 inches

I am an Oncology Nurse Educator who has struggled with being overweight my entire life. I have tried every ‘Diet Solution’ except weight loss surgery. I started my journey in February 2015, so it’s been 21 Months! (still on the journey)

At my heaviest, I weighed 247 pounds and had not been in the ‘100 Club’ in over 23 years. In April 2016 and at the age of 49, after assisting my daughter through a traumatic health scare, I was diagnosed with hypertension and placed on medication. The thought of being on blood pressure medication angered me tremendously and became a driving force to change my life. Most importantly, I wanted to be an example for my only daughter. Even though she’s just 20 years old, she is a pillar of strength and a True Example of God’s miraculous power. She fought to fully recover from her traumatic injury; so, who am I to give up!

At the recommendation of my physician, I began the Weight Watchers program. I had attempted Weight Watchers multiple times, but my life depended on this try. I vowed that this time I would make it work! I gave up sodas and picked fruit over candy and sweets, which had been my weaknesses. I limited my caffeine, and chose water and green tea instead. I also follow the Weight Watchers program very closely. I eat lean protein (mostly chicken, fish, and shellfish) and lots of fruits and vegetables. I limit my intake of beef, fried foods, sugar and starches. I created monthly lifestyle changes for myself. For December, I have incorporated not eating after 8PM.

I work out at least four days a week. I am a certified group fitness teacher, and I teach classes at my church and in my community. I also power walk at least twice a week. Recently, I began strength training.

 

Advice for those who want to lose weight: Keep Pushing and Praying! Every day is a new day, so don’t beat yourself up. Celebrate the small victories, because they add up! In October 2016, my physician took me off the Hypertensive Medication! In January, I will be blessed to turn 50 years old and it feels great to be Fit, Fearless, & ‘5-Star’! Prayer, exercise and Weight Watchers is a Winning Combination!

La’Tresha lost 42 pounds

by 1 Comment

Transformation of the Day: La’Tresha lost 42 pounds. Being diagnosed with stage III colon cancer dramatically changed her health, but also her relationship with food. Due to treatment, the sight, smell and taste of food made her physically ill and she lost a lot of weight. With recovery came the joy of eating again and weight gain. Her life was now on the up and up, but she didn’t want to start this new chapter unhappy with the way she looked. Check out how she’s taken action over the past year to change her life.

LaTresha weight loss

Today marks the 1 year anniversary of my journey to ‘release the weight’ (12/28/16). To commemorate this very special day, I’ve decided to, break out of my very introverted shell, and share my story.

For most of my life, I was someone who was able to maintain a reasonably healthy weight. At times I did exercise, but I’ve always had a poor diet. Until my mid-30’s, I was what people would consider ‘moderately thin’. At the age of 36 I was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer and my overall health and relationship with food radically changed. Like many cancer patients, throughout my treatment (i.e. surgery and chemotherapy) the sight, smell and taste of food made me physically ill. Eating certain foods would often cause unpleasant side effects as well. Not surprisingly, during this time I went from being relatively thin to appearing emaciated.

As I began to recover, I began to enjoy food eating again. At 37, I got married, moved to a new city and began a new job. Despite my sporadic attempts at exercising, over the next six years, my weight continued to climb. At my heaviest, I weighed 212 pounds at 5’10″.  Finally, exactly 365 days ago, I decided I didn’t want to start the second half of my life being unhappy with my appearance.

There really wasn’t a single ‘ah-ha’ moment that made me finally decide to get serious about my health, but rather a series of moments. Examples; buying larger sizes, becoming out of breath while climbing stairs, avoiding mirrors, generally be self-conscience about my size, etc. Last December, my bestie (who lives in another state) and I became weight loss accountability partners. Each week we would text our progress (miles walked/ran, number of days we hit the gym, weight lost or gained). It’s great to have someone to celebrate my successes with as well as commiserate with when the progress was slow or discouraging.

In the beginning, my focus was to simply be active six days per week. Activity didn’t always mean going to the gym. Some days, it was walking home from work or going for a walk during my lunch. It didn’t matter as long as I did something other than eat, sit and sleep. As I began to make progress, I started introducing other small changes that, by themselves, didn’t feel radical. I started a food diary using My Fitness Pal. I logged everything I ate and the calories I burned with physical activity. Being able to see the math (i.e. calories consumed vs. calories burned) was very helpful for me.

I became mindful of everything I was putting in my body and started evaluating the cost/benefit. One of the things that helped was going grocery shopping so that I could bring healthy breakfast and lunch options to work. I stopped drinking sugary drinks. I keep healthy snacks in my office for those mid-morning or mid-afternoon cravings.

Generally, I prefer outdoor activities (biking or running), but I live and work in downtown Chicago, which can make exercising outdoors a challenge. I’m fortunate to have access to a gym at both my residence and where I work, which made it easier to remain active during the long winter months. If for some reason I missed my morning workout, I made it a point to get it in after work. Eventually, my normal workout routines became boring and I started taking fitness classes. I’ve become addicted to spinning and high intensity interval training classes. My typical exercise regime includes 3 days of straight cardio and 3 days of light cardio and weight training.

The result has been that over the past 365 days I’ve lost a total of 42 pounds! My advice to anyone who is finally ready to release the weight is 1) Stay committed. It took time to put on the weight and it’ll take time to lose it. 2) Start by focusing on one thing you can do consistently. Once you have that one thing mastered add something else.  3) You can’t outrun a poor diet.  This was the hardest lesson for me to learn.  No matter how much I worked out, if I didn’t learn to control my diet I wouldn’t see the results.

La'Tresha before and after

Timyra lost 50 pounds

by 2 Comments

Transformation of the Day: Timyra lost 50 pounds. This young lady saw her clothing sizes keep increasing while she was dealing with the effects of depression. As a health professional, she knew that exercise could improve the situation. She shared with us how she took action to change her lifestyle.

timyra before and after

As a young, 20 something year old woman, I was used to eating whatever I wanted and not really gaining too much weight. I weighed about 150 pounds at 5’3″ and thought I was overweight then. It was when I reached 225 pounds that I realized what being overweight was really about.

About a year ago, in September, I had a combination of issues going on. I felt depressed, sluggish and noticed that each time I shopped I had to buy a bigger size. However, the depression was the most difficult issue I was dealing with. As a RN. I knew that exercise could help with mood and feelings, so I made a decision to get started but I wasn’t sure what to do.

One Sunday afternoon after church, I was approached about a Zumba class that was offered at our local YMCA so I decided to give it a try since I loved to dance. I attended and was hooked. Even though I struggled to keep up the pace and my energy, I kept going. When I started that class, I weighed 225 pounds and I now I weigh 175 pounds. It took me a year to lose 43 pounds and at this point I’ve lost 50 lbs. My journey has taken about 15 months (not even a pound per week). My goal weight is 150 lbs.

My motivation was the feeling of accomplishment I got every time I finished the class. There were many times I wanted to give up because it was difficult and easier to just come home, sleep and eat. My Zumba instructor was so engaging and I was very determined to stick to exercise this time, since I had given up many times before (usually within 3 months).

One thing that was really helpful for me was using the My Fitness Pal app and being completely honest about what I ate, no matter what it was. Even if it was just a bite size piece of candy, I recorded it. I made gradual changes because sudden big changes are not good for me, because it would be too overwhelming. The first thing I gave up was pop. Previously, I would drink about 4 cans of regular pop a day. I went through a case of pop a week. Then, I began to reduce my bad carbs, such as white bread, cookies, cakes, bagels and pancakes. I ate those things on a daily basis before and I still eat them, but only occasionally. I focused on protein and made sure that the bad carbs are replaced with vegetables and fruits.

As far as my workout routine, I started off by going to Zumba class twice a week. As I got use to it, I increased how much I exercised and now I workout about 5-6 days a week. I do a combination of cardio and toning exercises for an hour total.

My advice to anyone that wants to lose weight is to start slow. Eliminate bad habits one at a time, not all at once. It is too overwhelming to do that. Be realistic. Losing 1-2 lbs a week is more realistic. Be consistent and keeping going. You will have bad weeks, but keep working at it and set small goals. I set 10 pounds at a time goals, it still feels as good as reaching a 50 pound weight loss.

Instagram: @healthfitnessdiva

Transformation Tuesday #Godisgood

A post shared by Timyra Carter (@healthfitnessdiva) on

Davida lost more than 30 pounds

by Leave a Comment

A post shared by Davida (@davida_getn_fit) on

Transformation of the Day: Davida lost more than 30 pounds. Her sister passed away due to complications from diabetes, so when she was diagnosed with pre-diabetes it was devastating. She was also dealing with serious anxiety. By embracing healthy eating and exercise she has changed her life.

Davida weight loss

I lost my sister Daphne to complications with Diabetes in 2009. I had been experiencing tightness of the chest, nervousness and so much more. After my general physician couldn’t tell me what was wrong, I went to the emergency room (again) where the physician’s assistant looked at my chart. Seeing that I had checked myself in there several times, they asked me if had I considered seeing someone, because he felt that I had anxiety issue.

Shortly thereafter, I went to another doctor and she agreed that anxiety was an issue, but the also said that I was pre-diabetic. I instantly broke down when I heard that news. Then the doctor asked me if she let me leave without any medication, did I think could I come back about 10 pounds lighter? I promised her that I could. 3 months later, I came back 15 pounds lighter.

I changed my eating habits to a more clean diet. I had green tea with no sugar, green veggies and lean meats. I also minimized my intake of  sugar and white foods (white sugar, white flour, etc.). I exercised at least 30-minutes a day, hip-hop dancing and walking.

Fast forward to today. I am over 30 pounds down. I weigh 185 pounds at 5’5″. When I got started, my weight was in the mid 200’s. While I am not at my goal weight, I stay inspired and motivated because of my loving family and by surrounding myself with people who have a like-minded, wellness conscious approach to life!  I also try to stay off the scale and I celebrate the many non-scale victories that I
have!

I still try to eat clean (again, I have not been perfect, but I am so much better!). I have a green smoothie every day. I workout 3-5 times a week. My workouts are made up of cycling, using the elliptical, zumba class, walking… cardio! I’m slowly incorporating weight training into my routine as well. I see a naturopathic doctor on a regular basis in addition to practicing yoga and using essential oils (for ailments and my anxiety).

My advice to others is to NEVER give up on yourself, even when you may feel defeated. Don’t let anyone tell you that there are quick fixes. It will not be easy, but you deserve to be the best you that you can be, even if it might take longer for you than for others.

Instagram: @davida_getn_fit

Cynthia lost 71 pounds

by 6 Comments

Transformation of the Day: Cynthia lost 71 pounds. Her doctors advised that releasing the weight could help improve her blood pressure and blood sugar problems. She found the help she needed at a local recreational center and worked on making healthy eating a habit. 53 years old and fabulous! Check out her story.

Cynthia weight loss story

My name is Cynthia and I am 53 years old. My weigh loss journey started in November 2015. I have high blood pressure and type 2 Diabetes. Every doctor told me that I wouldn’t get any better if I didn’t lose weight. I am 5’4″ tall and weighed 242 pounds at the time. I was also taking 14 pills a day and 4 shots to control my illnesses.

In November, my friend and I decided to start walking. I went from one mile 3 times a week to 5 miles twice a week. I also began working out at the local recreational center in our neighborhood and praying for guidance. Varian May of Tailored Fitness is our trainer at the center. We joined 107.7’s 107 Days Challenge in February 2016. (HOT 107.7 is a radio station here in Birmingham, Al.) The 107 Challenge was done to see which recreational center would lose the most weight in 107 days. Our center won and I won 2nd place.With Varian’s encouraging words, I stopped saying “I can’t” and giving up. “I can!” became my mantra. I go to bootcamp twice a week and walk at least two days a week.

I changed my eating habits by cutting out all the sodas, chips and snacks cakes that I used to start the day with. I began to eat a balanced breakfast instead. Also, I started baking more, eating less fast-food and increasing my water intake by adding fruit and mint to give it favor. I more added vegetables and fruit to my meals and cut out junk food. With everything I stopped eating, I would do a 21 day challenge to make it a habit instead of doing it all at once so that it was easier.

My starting weight was 242 pounds and my current weight is 171 pounds. My advice to others is take the first step and focus on you. Your weight and your health will not change until you do!

Montia lost 46 pounds

by Leave a Comment

Montia lost 46 pounds. Love and marriage brought weight gain. Then pregnancy weight gain followed. She also had to deal with high blood pressure and postpartum depression. Despite these challenges, she connected to a long standing love of fitness and figured out what worked for her. Green smoothies and training for a triathlon were major factors in her success.

Montia

My biggest motivation was the scale alone. I fell in love and gained a lot of weight right before I got married and continued gaining after I got married. However, love and marriage did not motivate me to get to the gym. In addition to this, I had always struggled with my blood pressure so working out was a “must”
in my life.

I managed to lose the “love” weight, but once I got pregnant and had my daughter, I was back at my heavy “love” weight and plus some more. My blood pressure went out of control and postpartum depression had settled into my life. Even though I began working out again, the number on the scale was not moving. Nothing seemed to move the pounds and my postpartum was still in full bloom, even a year after having my daughter. I knew that baby weight would be different from regular weight, but I had no idea how different.

I began working out -actually training my co-workers every Saturday. My colleagues were having a lot of success with *my* workouts, but I was drowning in stress from my job and other personal issues with family. Along with suffering from depression, I continued to struggle to get my weight down. I became a certified Zumba Instructor but was so embarrassed by my weight  that I never taught it. I practiced my routines, but because of my body I didn’t have the courage to teach others until I got myself together first.

After weeks of migraines and repeated visits to the doctor, I was threatened with hospitalization for my blood pressure. I made it to see my 32nd birthday in January 2016. Standing at only 5’3”, I saw 200 pounds on the scale. Right then, I made my mind up to figure out something different to do with my eating and my workouts so that I could see success.

In February, I committed to a new beginning. Before I got pregnant, I was the smallest I had been in my life since high school at 168 pounds. All I wanted to do was be at 168 lbs. again by the Summer. So, for about a month, I watched my food. That helped, but it was extremely slow progress. I remembered my old supervisor said she trained for a triathlon and lost a lot of by weight training. I have always felt athletic, but my feelings about my weight and body have kept me afraid of doing many things I’ve wanted to do or try. I was fed up feeling that way.

I found out the YMCA has a large women’s triathlon every year and I was determined to “try”! The training was going to begin in April and I wanted to prepare for the training to keep from being embarrassed-even though I was already somewhat fit. I continued to watch my food and train a little harder… But the pounds were still barely moving.

I remembered being successful before for a short moment doing JJ Smith’s 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse. I found this book again and it changed my life. I gave it another try and in 10 days I lost 9 ½ lbs. I waited a couple weeks, and I tried the cleanse again and lost 9 more pounds. In about a month,  I had lost almost 20 pounds. Then, I wondered, “Does this work because it’s meatless or because of the bread and sugar cutback?” So, I gave up meat, bread, and cut out sweets.

As the weather got warmer, I started running more. I made the goal of being able to run 3 miles in under 45 minutes. Then running became goals. I made the goal of running 3 miles in under 35 minutes. I signed up to run all types of 5Ks. The goal now is to run a 5K in under 30 minutes. Along with running 3 times a week and training for a triathlon 3 times a week, I had met my 168 pound goal by June. I was going on a cruise in August, and I found that I had written in my journal that I wanted to weigh 160 pounds. So, my new goal became reaching 160 lbs. by August. By the time I went on my cruise in August, I weighed 159 lbs.

Since August, the struggle has been to lose my last 10 lbs., going from 155 lbs. to 145lbs. However, I’m ok with my success. I have surpassed my goal for the year. I started this journey at the end of January (2016) weighing about 200 pounds, and as of December 2016 I weigh 154 pounds. My goal for this moment is to continue to find peace with my body and learn what self-love really is.

Advice: My biggest advice would be to trust the process. No matter what the success is, big or small, be grateful for the progress!

Instagram: @mrs_montia

Shareka lost 47 pounds

by 1 Comment

#FromChubby2Classy #justthebeginning

A post shared by Shareka Jones (@shareka_jones) on

Transformation of the Day: Shareka lost 47 pounds. She decided to have weight loss surgery to improve her health. As the surgery is just a tool, so she’s dedicated to low carb, high protein eating and regular exercise to create a new lifestyle. Check out what she shared with us.

shareka before and after

My name is Shareka and so far I’ve lost 47 pounds. I had weight loss surgery on October 17, 2016. I am 5’5″  and I now weigh 198 pounds. My starting weight was 245 pounds.

My motivation to pursue Gastric Sleeve surgery was the many failed attempts at losing weight I’ve had in the past and a desire to change my eating habits. Being exceedingly out of breath when I was just walking up one flight of stairs was enough to motivate me.

As the surgery is only a tool, the rest is up to me. Now, I exercise 5 days a week, doing 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of weights. I am learning to be a runner and become as active as I can be. I eat a high protein/low carb diet daily. No sweets or foods high in carbs, period. I have about 10-20 grams of carbs a day.

Part of the reason I had the surgery was to change my eating habits. I knew that after surgery I would not be able to resort back to bad eating habits. Eating high amounts of sweet results in flu-like symptoms called “Dumping Syndrome“, which causes vomiting, nausea, etc. I cut out soda as well, because it could stretch my stomach back out. Resorting back to bad food choices is unbeneicial and defeats the purpose of having the surgery.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned so far is that once you have a made up mind to change, that’s when you’ll start to see the results you’ve always imagined and hoped to have.

To those who are considering weight loss surgery, I want you to be encouraged and never give up on pursuing your weight loss goals. Be Encouraged.

Instagram: @Shareka _Jones

Gabrielle lost 65 pounds

by 2 Comments

Transformation of the Day: Gabrielle lost 65 pounds. The stress of starting her own business and working her day job, led to significant weight gain. She decided that she’d had enough of avoiding mirrors and feeling uncomfortable in her own skin. This world traveler decided to address her unhealthy lifestyle with low carb eating and exercise. Check out her story.

gabrielle before and after

I’m Gabrielle and one day, I just had enough. I decided I wanted to live. I was tired of avoiding mirrors and trying to make myself invisible. Obesity had been a common denominator in my life. In the past, I wasn’t active. I was inconsistent with what I ate and then top it off, I’ve been battling a brain disorder, depression, anxiety and PCOS for years. I started changing my life one meal at a time. I’ve lost weight before, but not like this. Now, I am actively listening to my body and learning about nutrition and fitness.

I began my own business in the summer of 2015 and between the stress of that and my day job, I had ballooned up to over 350 pounds. I honestly don’t know where I weighed in at after that, because my scale didn’t go any higher. What I do know is that I was tired of feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. I went to Morocco and Brazil and I absolutely hated my pictures. I hid my body as much as possible. I never felt more sick. Feeling sick and trapped became my motivation, not a number or any life event. I was motivated because I want to feel healthy and alive. I wanted to change while I was able to do so. I’m 5 feet tall even and I only could deny how unhealthy I was for so long.

My workouts are focused on strength training first and cardio second. Muscle burns fat all day. A cardio only routine lacks the sculpting and burns muscle as well as fat. I workout between 3-5 times a week, depending on my schedule. My workout regimen is as follows: a 10 minute inclined walk, 1 hour of strength training and free weights, 40 minutes of mixed cardio. I love variety, so I pick 4 machines and do 10 minutes of HIIT training on each. I love the elliptical, but I truly use all of the cardio options available to me at the gym (except the stair climber, that begins in the new year).

My nutrition is low carb based. I eat high protein meals with moderate fat. I also eat smaller portions. I eat 30-40 grams of carbs a day. I learned about timing what I eat and how that effects my body. I follow a macronutrient focused eating regimen that is low carb before dinner and no carbs after 5pm.

I stopped eating fruit for three months and then I slowly reintroduced lower carb options such as apples. I completely removed alcohol, white grains and bread, frozen diet meals (sodium is atrocious) sugar drinks from my diet. This includes crystal light due to the side effects of fake sugar. Complex carbs (such as an apple) are amazing before I work out as opposed to eating sushi post workout, which leaves me starving.

I began this journey in March of 2016, and I’m still on it. My current weight is 285 pounds. I haven’t had any surgery, hopefully I won’t need it. It’s a daily choice for me to workout, to eat right, to make healthier choices throughout my day. If anyone is reading this and you are looking for advice, just start where you are. Focus on your journey and the end result, not any quick fixes. It’s not an overnight process, but the inches add up. The pounds add up as well. And lastly, be gentle with yourself.

Instagram: @goddessgetsfit

gabrielle gabrielle before and after