Dari has gone from a size 22 to a size 12

Today’s featured weight loss before and after story: Dari started at a size 22 and dropped down to a size 12.  She changed her eating habits, worked out with P90X and Zumba and now she is a personal trainer helping others to get fit and healthy.  Here is what she shared with us:

I remember one day at my house on WV, my sisters were there and of course Brittany was there too. Heehee! I looked through my old red camera and came across some pictures of myself. I sat in the family room crying and asking them, “Why didn’t y’all tell me I was this fat, I mean this big?” By then, I think we all had tears in our eyes. LOL I can laugh about it now, but that day I swore to myself I would never look like that again. See by then, I had already loss several pounds and had a successful business, but what I didn’t have was closure. Closure from the fat person I used to be. Look, I never thought even at my heaviest size 22, that I looked bad. Sounds funny, huh?! I knew I was cute, I could do my hair and make up and not to mention my clothes were nice, but inside I was depressed, unhappy and often thought about giving up on life. Wow, even typing this is hard.  You see, you can’t wait for someone else to tell you, you need to lose weight, you have want it for yourself. For years I wanted to lose weight, but didn’t have it in me. That “it” I’m referring to is Christ. It wasn’t until I totally surrendered all of my life to Him, that I started to “Make changes from the INSIDE OUT.” Now at a size 12, I still often cry and pray daily. That is what gets me through.  Now matter what size you are today, you can do it. You can get healthier! You can be fit! You deserve it! I deserved it too! XOXOXO

What did you do in terms of exercise?

To lose the weight, I started out doing p90x.  Then I joined the gym and started taking Zumba class.  Later, I started teaching Zumba.  I have become a personal trainer and I have been at it ever since. Started my fitness business in June 2010 (Workout Hunny Fitness). Now, I do corporate fitness, Bootcamps, personal training and Zumba.

How did you change your eating habits?

I cut my calories back to 1200 – 1600 per day depending on my workout schedule. I ate mostly a high protein diet. I drink at least a gallon of water daily. No soda, fried food, sugar.