Cherice lost 149 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Cherice lost 149 pounds with healthy eating habits and exercise. From the age of 10, she battled with her weight, suffering from bullying, and low self-esteem. Her transformation journey began in 2016 when she got a dog and started walking him 30 minutes a day. She learned that results don’t just happen. You have to do the work to make them happen.

My name is Cherice. I’m 22 years old, and I’m from Louisiana. I have been huge almost my entire life. Around ten years old, I started to gain weight. 

In August of 2016, I weighed almost 300 pounds – weighing at 289 pounds. I got my first dog, and that’s when everything changed. I started walking him 30 minutes a day, and the weight began to fall off. Now, I weigh 140 pounds, and I feel amazing. 

What was your motivation?
I always loved to take pictures. I always loved dressing up and going places. Once I became interested in boys, I noticed that a lot of the girls they liked were way smaller than me. I noticed that the models I saw in the media, and a lot of popular girls around me (who all the boys and other students liked at school) were all thin. Even the girls in dance class would not want to partner with me because of my weight. That motivated me every day. I would have that in mind when I would walk my dog, Prince.

What inspired you to keep going, even if you felt like giving up?
What inspired me to keep going was my dog, but also seeing a lot of girls I wanted to be like every day. Even though I did not want to keep going at times, my dog is everything to me. I knew if I was not going to take care of him, no one else would. 

How did you change your eating habits?
I changed my eating habits a little. Drinking a gallon of water made me cut back on eating. I would decide on specific times to drink the water and put inspirational quotes on the bottle, like “Keep going, that’s it!” By the end of the day, when I had my last drink, the quote would be, “You did it! Bye Bye, Weight!”. While drinking during the day, I would get very full. 

I really didn’t go on a diet. I did change some eating habits and the portion sizes I ate. Dinner would be some fish or chicken (baked instead of fried). Breakfast would be egg whites, wheat toast, and peanut butter (instead of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and buttered toast). I would eat something light because I would already be full from drinking water. For snacks, it would be fruit or tree nuts like pistachios. I also cut out sodas and sugary snacks. 

I took it easy on fast food also. If my family went to McDonald’s, I’d have a salad with water instead. I usually would ask for Panera bread lol. 

What was your workout routine?
I work out every day except weekends. My workout routine mainly consisted of cardio in the beginning. Then I went into weight lifting. While walking Prince, that’s when the weight started to drop. After that, after I noticed a lot of leftover, loose skin. I began lifting things at home, like the couch. I did squats and started walking using stretch bands. It would tone my thighs while walking, and then I’d do more band workouts, crunches, etc. at home.

What is your height?
I’m 5’5. 

How long did your transformation take?
I started this journey in October of 2016, and it took me until June 2017 to actually lose the weight. From July 2017 to November 2018, I toned up. It took me eight months to lose and one year and three months to tone it up.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
The biggest lesson I learned during this transformation: It doesn’t happen until you make it happen. I prayed every night for God to help me lose this weight. I went through terrible bullying, and I literally hated myself. It wasn’t until I started to put the effort in and do the work that I began to see results. 

One day when I was asking God to help me again, I kept telling my mom how much I was praying about it, and she said, “God can’t help you until you start helping yourself.” After that, I started to ask God to show me what I needed to do. That’s when I started getting into this lifestyle more and doing routines. I fell in love with this lifestyle. Now, I wouldn’t change how I look for this world, even though at one point, I would’ve.

What advice would you like to share with women who want to lose weight?
The advice I have for anyone out there wanting/trying to lose weight is, don’t give up. Do all you can to get where you want to be. If you’re asking God for help like I was, know that when you put in that effort, that’s when the blessings pour in. Make that change. It’s not going to happen until you want it to. Do what you have to do to get where you want to be. It will be so worth it in the end. 

Instagram: @cherricce