Maleika lost 56 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Maleika lost 56 pounds by eating clean and doing lots of exercise. In 2018, she found out that she had a tumor in her neck and needed surgery. Stressed out, she gained weight, and following surgery, she couldn’t work out for a while. This year, she decided to get serious about getting fit and releasing the weight. Check out her journey.

What was your motivation? What inspired you to keep going when you felt like giving up?
In the early part of 2018, I found out I had a tumor in my neck that needed to be removed. I spent most of my year scared and stressed out about my surgery, which took place later that year. I worked out, but my eating habits were horrible. I ended up gaining 30 lbs.

My neck surgery was a success, but I couldn’t go back to working out until February 2019. I was not happy with the weight gain, and I was very disappointed in myself. I couldn’t fit any of my clothes, and I didn’t feel pretty. I also thought that the extra weight aged me.

I was ready to get serious about losing weight and finally meeting my goals. I belong to a wonderful fitness community, Boot Camp Cincinnati. My trainer and my fit-family inspired me, challenged me, and were very supportive throughout my fitness journey.

How did you change your eating habits?
I really just incorporated clean eating. I cut out sweets, pop, fast food, fried foods, pasta, and bread. I started eating breakfast (which I never really ate previously). I also cooked more, which I rarely did before. I started eating more veggies, baked chicken, fish, green smoothies, and protein shakes. I made sure I got in my water, and I paid more attention to my calorie and sugar intake.

Tell us about your workout routine.
My workout routine was non-stop: Monday-Thursday, I would do Advanced weight training at 5 am. Monday’s after work, I would do a cardio class and then complete a 3 to 5 mile walk. Tues and Thursday after work, I would attend a boot camp class. Wednesday after work, I would walk 3 to 5 miles. On Friday mornings, I would run Sprints on a high school football field at 5 am. Saturday mornings, I would attend my boot camp class, and on Sunday, I would walk a set of steps in my city that consisted of 365 steps. I would do 3 to 4 rounds and then walk a mile.

Starting weight/Current weight
My starting weight in January was 278 pounds, and my current weight is 222 pounds.

What is your height?
I am 5 feet, 3 inches tall.

How long did your transformation take?
I started my weight loss journey in 2015 when I joined Boot Camp Cincinnati. However, I didn’t get serious about losing weight until this year when I reached my highest weight of 278 pounds. My transformation took nine months.

Was weight loss surgery part of your journey?
Weight loss surgery is not part of my journey.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
The biggest lesson I have learned is to keep trusting the process. Pray, eat clean, workout, drink your water, get enough rest, have a positive mindset, and don’t quit.

What advice would you like to share?
For those who want to lose weight, I would say stop being comfortable. Stop being comfortable with being a size or weight that you are unhappy with. Set small goals and work towards them. For example, that could be drinking one less can of pop a day and replacing it with water. Go at your own pace and if you mess up tomorrow is another day to try again. Challenge yourself. Most of the time, we are stronger than what we think we are. If possible, connect with a gym or fitness community that will provide support along the way.