Brande lost 84 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Brande lost 84 pounds with healthy food and exercise. After she gave birth to her fourth child, she was at risk for developing diabetes. She also experienced several unfortunate situations that led her to seek out spiritual awakening and the healthy transformation of her mind and body.

What was your motivation? What inspired you to keep going, even when you wanted to give up?
I was motivated to lose weight after having my fourth child. I was on the verge of possibly having gestational diabetes. It runs in my family, and it can develop into full diabetes after the pregnancy. So, I started food management while pregnant and it kind of stuck with me. 

What inspired me wasn’t something great. One day, I was out getting food, and a young man asked me about my pregnancy. I wasn’t pregnant at the time. In fact, my child was two years old. I felt awful and didn’t want to look a large as I did after that ordeal. 

I had also gone through a marital affair and felt like my weight was the reason my spouse was having an affair. The woman was younger and much slimmer than me. I figured he liked that. 

I was awakening spiritually, and the woman I envisioned myself to be was not the person I was displaying. I had to change this. So, it was a series of things that happened, which caused me to say, “No more!” 

How did you change your eating habits?
I was extremely unhappy and used food to comfort my unhappiness. It’s my deepest belief that as a human being, I have the power to transform at any moment in life. Whether it be my mind or my body, I am so powerful that I can change it. It’s a divine ability we all have.

I changed my eating habits first by praying. Yes, I literally asked my creator to rewire my brain and my relationship with food. I knew it was an unhealthy one, and it would have to start there. Working out has never been an issue for me. It’s the food part. 

Before I knew it, a force larger than me was pulling me towards healthier options. I no longer craved certain things. Things that I used to like became unsavory to me. To this day, it’s tough to explain, but it worked. It actually led me to live a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle for almost a year. 

I let go of soda/pop right away and replaced it with seltzer waters. I made sure I had more veggies and color on my plate than meat and starches. I practiced eating methods from Dr. Sebi. I also began to shop only on the grocery store’s outer aisles (The inner part of the store has “shelf life.” We are alive and living, so I put fresh foods in my body.) 

Tell us about your workout routine.
At first, I focused on building consistency, telling myself to at least get a 30-minute workout in three days a week. After doing that for a month, I kicked it up a notch and incorporated weights and heavier cardio. I would do workout classes and really push myself. 

My biggest peak happened when I did an online program from @trainwithmarissa. 3-5 days a week, I worked out using HIIT training. I only worked out for 45 min (no more than one hour), and I felt amazing. 

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
When I started my journey, I weighed 274 pounds. My current weight is 190 pounds. My lowest weight while on my journey was 183 pounds, and my goal right now is to get back there. 

What is your height?
I’m 5’3″. 

When did you start your weight loss journey?
I started my journey in October 2018. It took me a full year to get down to my peak weight of 183 pounds.

Is weight loss surgery part of your journey?
No weight loss surgery. Just hard work, consistency, and pure dedication to be the best version of the woman who lives within. 

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
I’ve learned that anything is possible once you change your mindset. My motto: When I changed my focus, my vision got clearer. 20/20 baby. 

I also learned that consistency is key. Nothing changes if you don’t. You have to stay the course if you want to see changes. 

What advice would you like to share with women who want to lose weight?
I would tell women who want to lose weight not to beat themselves up along the way. We are only humans, and sometimes we give ourselves too much credit for being just that. Work on consistency first and don’t focus on seeing results. This is especially important if you are someone like me who would expect major results quickly. Staying the course is going to get you where you want to be. 

Change won’t happen overnight, so just try to do better than the day before. The only competition you have is the old you. 

Instagram: @1badbrand