LaTonya lost 51 pounds

Weight Loss Story of the Day: LaTonya lost 51 pounds.  Watching weight related illness affect her family members, she decided that she was in control of her health and made up her mind to change her life.  This proud nurse is an inspiration. Check out her story.

My name is LaTonya Glaze. I decided to lose weight because I want to be healthy. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity run in my family. My Maternal Grandmother died from complications related to diabetes when she was 61 years old; that was 11 years ago. She also had high blood pressure. All of my father’s aunts & uncles were very obese. They all weigh 300+ pounds. I want more out of life than trying to manage ailments that we have so much control over by the decisions we make.

The first thing I did was make up my mind and allow the change to take place in my heart. What was May 2013 and I was 220 pounds. I started keeping a food diary so that I could become more aware of what I was eating. I also started drinking water like it was going out of style. In fact, that’s about the only thing I drink. If I feel like I need something with flavor, I add Crystal Light to my water or drink a diet soda, but that’s not often. I do not eat anything fried, I do not eat pork, and I do not eat sweets. I eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, and grilled/baked/broiled lean meats. If I feel like I need a snack, I eat healthy popcorn, almonds (dry roasted), rice cake, or something low calorie. As far as working out, I get a great work out 5 days per week at work. I am a nurse and I literally hit the door running once I get to work, and it’s like that until I leave. We had a Health & Wellness Coach come to our job and determined that our activity level is considered moderate to fast paced based on the work we do. I am currently down to 169 pounds and I would like to lose 9 more pounds.

For those trying to lose: the change definitely starts in your heart and mind. Do it for no other reason than yourself. It takes discipline, dedication, and determination. While it is not easy, it certainly is possible & attainable. There are no “cheats” with weight loss. It truly is a life style change and adjustments will need to be made to your diet and exercise regimen. These changes will put you on the path to a healthier you and you’ll absolutely feel a lot better not carrying extra weight around or feeling weighed down by eating the wrong foods! I pray each of you will have strength on this life long journey!