Jessica lost 40 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Jessica lost 40 pounds. She and her husband decided to adopt a plant-based, whole foods focused eating style. During this process, she learned that you can’t lose weight for other people, and you can’t solely rely on them to keep you accountable or motivated. You have to stay the course with self-love and discipline.

What was your motivation?
My initial motivation was my family: husband and unborn children that I wanted to be around for. However, I soon learned that you can’t do it for other people. You have to do it for yourself simply because they don’t and won’t have the same appreciation for your efforts. You can’t make other people responsible or accountable for you reaching your goals because they will always let up on you, simply because they are not you. 

Whenever I felt less loved or appreciated, my weight would fluctuate, or I would fall off entirely. My weight would change with my relationships. Therefore I needed to find something permanent, which was me. I’m never leaving myself. Now I am my motivation. 

I had to believe that I was worthy of loving myself. Being disciplined enough to change so I can be healthy is the perfect display of love and sacrifice. When I want to give up, I remember why I started. I think back on how I felt mentally and emotionally. I remember how uncomfortable I felt in my body and push through because I no longer want to feel that way. I can’t give up because I’m all I have. Therefore, I have to show up for me.

How did you change your eating habits?
I changed my eating habits to what was the simplest and easiest way to accomplish my goals. At the time, I was plant-based/vegetarian, and my husband was a meat-eater. I would work long hours and come home to cook, but I wasn’t successful. Frequently, I would make his food first and then be too tired to make mine. So I would grab chips or some other snack food and call it a night. 

At the beginning of 2020, I realized I could no longer do that because I was gaining the weight back. When I talked to my husband, we agreed to do one diet. We began the year with The Daniel Fast and then transitioned into a pescatarian diet with a Whole Foods-plant based model. The seafood was meant to be a side dish at best. We ate out once every two weeks, meal prepped and didn’t purchase any junk food. If we wanted a treat, such as ice cream, we had to physically leave the house to get it. Who has time for that? We also drank water with our meals except for a cheat meal every two weeks. In May 2020, I completed the Dherbs Full Body Cleanse as well. I modified it as needed but dropped about 10 pounds.

What is your workout routine?
I didn’t start working out until Week 3 of The Daniel Fast. I suddenly had this extra boost of energy and had to start moving. At the time, my exercise routine solely consisted of dancing. It’s something I love to do, and I knew that I would be having fun and not thinking about exercise. 

I started with 30 minutes of YouTube videos from Crystal Wall. Once we were on lockdown due to the pandemic, I purchased weekly passes to her live classes. That resulted in me taking about five hourlong classes each week. In May 2020, I added strength training to my workouts (about 30 minutes a day). In June 2020, I purchased a virtual training package from the King of Fitness and have lost a significant amount of fat.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
Starting weight: 300 pounds. Current weight: 260 pounds.

What is your height?
4’11”

When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take?
I’ve been overweight my entire life. My parents always tried to make me lose weight. I tried in 2013 and lost some weight. For the next seven years, I would be on and off. My longest run was from 3/2017 to 5/2018. Then, I had a reboot in January 2020. This is a lifetime transformation.

Is weight loss surgery part of your journey?
It’s not. 

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
I learned that I have to be worthy in my own eyes in order to make this change. You simply can’t do this for someone else. When I was doing this for my husband, my weight fluctuated with how he treated me or whether we were in a rough patch. I depended on him for accountability and praise, but it would never satisfy me because he just wasn’t good with those things that I needed. I learned that I had to take responsibility and accountability for my actions. If I wanted this change, I would be the one who had to make it happen. 

People can support and cheer me on the sidelines, but I have to be my biggest cheerleader and accountability partner. I have to be disciplined and determined. They can’t eat for me or exercise for me. This is on me.

What advice do you have for people who want to lose weight?
KEEP GOING! I put that in all caps on purpose because that’s what I always ask myself every single time I start over: “What if I kept going?” I am going to make missteps on this journey. I am going binge. I am going to get lazy, stressed, and discouraged, but I don’t have to give up. I don’t have to quit. I DO have to keep moving forward because that’s what life is going to do. 

My advice: DON’T YOU DARE QUIT ON YOURSELF! You are worthy of the sacrifice and the discipline it takes to create this new person who is healthy physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. You are worthy, so don’t throw your progress away because something didn’t go your way.

Instagram: @bigbaudybabe