Jewel lost 62 pounds

I never really grasped how big I had gotten until my family literally sat me down for an intervention. I was 16 years old, 5’2″ and weighed 237 pounds (or at least that’s the highest weight I actually remember). I remember the concern on my family members’ faces and their willingness to support me. They’ve always been my saving grace. Every time I wanted to give up, I thought of the sacrifices they made for me; their time and money.

My transformation didn’t happen overnight. When I first began, I had no clue where to start. My mommy would make cabbage soups for detoxing. I remember going in to Wendy’s, ordering a chicken Caesar salad and my big sister Janeen saying, nicely, “You need to start cutting things out of your diet.” She had me hold the cheese and croutons. She explained why vinaigrette was a better dressing option. That was the beginning of me “cutting back”. Next, I started getting sandwiches and holding the fries and soda. Before long I was having bun-less burgers.

My other sister Chandra would experiment and make new meals with me. To this day, I will never forget her Portobella Mushroom pizza. That changed the game. I realized that eating healthy wasn’t so bad and all it took was research to find tasty, healthy meals.

I relocated from The Bahamas to Las Vegas to live with my brother for a while. I was scheduled to have breast reduction surgery in The Bahamas, where I’m from, but the Bahamian doctors had health concerns and cancelled my surgery. I cried my eyes out. I needed that surgery to be a normal teen. My brother and his family dedicated space, time, and money to ensure that I became healthier so I could have the much needed surgery to reduce my chronic back pain.

I ate a low carb diet. I mainly ate protein and veggies. I also drank lots of water. My job, while I was in Vegas, was to eat right and workout. I watched The Biggest Loser every week to keep me motivated. I identified with each person on the show and it fueled me to keep going.

I worked out everyday before my surgery, 7 days a week. I worked out twice a day for the first couple of months. Sometimes, I exercised with a trainer, with family or by myself. I usually did cardio, but I also incorporated weights into my workouts. I’d find YouTube videos of people working out and incorporate their workouts into my day.

This all happened in 2007. It was in that year that I had my breast reduction surgery. Before my surgery, I was able to lose 15 pounds by working out and eating a low carb diet. I turned into a different person after surgery. Doctors removed 5 pounds off my chest.

Here I am, in 2018, still on the journey because it doesn’t stop. During my journey, I’ve gone from 237 pounds to 175 pounds. Over the years, I’ve continued to work out about 3-4 times per week. There’s no final destination just consistency and hard work.

People always ask, How long did it take? Usually I’m ashamed to say but I’ve learned that our journeys are different and we are all human. Some days are better than others. We make mistakes, and I made a lot along the way.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to be consistent and trust the process. Not every day will bring huge results, but little by little you’ll see small changes. Soon enough, it will make a huge difference.

My advice to anyone who is on their journey is to stay focused, work hard and rest often. Set alarms to hold yourself accountable. Meal prep so that you eat clean. Exercise at least 3-4 times per week. Drink water and avoid sugar. Rest: clear your mind and let your body repair. Trust the process. Results will come!

Instagram: @theformerfatgrl