Laquarry lost 72 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Laquarry lost 72 pounds. Since childhood, her weight had been a concern, and she was determined to get her health under control with healthy habits. She credits her success to intermittent fasting, calorie counting, working out, and being consistent.

My name is Laquarry, and in one year, I was able to lose roughly 70 pounds. I started my journey in January 2020, but I remember being in fifth grade and going to Planet Fitness with my mother because of my weight. Throughout my childhood, I tried many diets. However, coming from a Caribbean background, it was tough for me to stay consistent while being pulled back by temptation. Later I joined high school sports teams because I didn’t want to continue to tell myself all the excuses that held me back. 

I was in a difficult cycle of losing and then re-gaining weight. All in all, I had an issue with being consistent. When I finally started to lose some weight and maintain a healthy diet and overall better lifestyle, that’s when the pandemic arose. Not only did I panic, but I went into shock when I saw that everything was closing, including the gym. I felt like as soon as I got everything on track, I was then being pushed back to where I started. 

Around April 2020, I lost 2 pounds that month. I realized that even though the gyms were closed, I would have to develop an at-home workout routine. So every day after work (around noon), I would jog around my block in the gruesome South Florida heat. 

I also started intermittent fasting and calorie counting so that I was getting the best results. When the gyms began to open in August 2020, I went in harder than I did before. When I turned 21 in November 2020, I was the smallest that I’ve been in the last ten years. I was incredibly proud of myself because, for once in my life, I didn’t let temptation, C-19, inconsistency, excuses, or anything else hold me back from getting to where I needed to be. 

All of the women in my life currently have health issues, which inspired me to make a change. I didn’t want to continue to let my health spiral out of control. One year later, it has been hard for me, but I always look back at where I’ve come from to inspire me to move in the direction of growth. I know a lot of people gained the quarantine 15, but I had a quarantine -70!

What was your motivation? What inspired you to keep going, even when you wanted to give up?
My motivation was to better my health because I was on a downward spiral regarding my weight. When the idea of giving up came to mind, I just remembered how long that it took me to finally start losing weight. I told myself to stay consistent because everything was beginning to work for me. 

Do you have a daily goal for calories?
Not really. I made sure that I was making better eating choices and incorporating more lean meats and vegetables. Restriction never really worked for me.

What did your workouts consist of?
I mainly did cardio in the gym before Covid. Then, when the gyms closed, I would run five days a week. 

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 250 pounds, and I currently weigh 178 pounds.

What is your height?
My height is 5’4″. 

How long did your transformation take?
I started in January 2020, and I weighed in at 172 around November of 2020.

Is weight loss surgery part of your journey?
No. I barely had the money for organic food, let alone surgery.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
Consistency is key. If I never became consistent, I never would’ve seen results. 

What advice would you like to share with women who want to lose weight?
No matter how hard it gets, just keep pushing yourself. 

Instagram: @badgy4l.l_