Melissa lost 50 pounds

Update: Melissa has lost a total of 121 pounds. Check out her update.

On May 5, 2018, you featured my weight loss story. At that time, I was 50 pounds down. So much has changed. Now, I’ve lost a total of 121 pounds down in 15 months. My starting weight at the beginning of my journey I was 230 pounds. (From October 2017 to December 2017, I lost 20 pounds, down from 250lbs.) In 2018, I lost 101 pounds. Now, I weigh 129 pounds.

I have fully transitioned to clean eating. I no longer eat processed or junk foods. I also do not eat red meat. I practice portion control, and I keep up with my macros. I eat chicken breasts, turkey, seafood, fresh berries, vegetables, whole grains, and minimal dairy.

I am working with a fitness coach who has developed weight lifting plans for me that I do 4 times a week. I also do cardio twice a week. My cardio routine is a mix of Sprint 8 and Jillian Michaels DVDs. I’ve made my job a workout as well. I have a Fitbit, so I keep track of steps at work. I aim for 5000 steps on lift days and 10,000 steps on cardio days.

My new journey is just beginning. I am going into 2019 with high expectations of leaning out more and gaining more muscle. I do want to mention that my fitness coach and I live in different states. I study my plan and utilize YouTube to understand proper form. My husband helps me as well.

I am now only on two medications. At my heaviest weight, I was on 16 medications. My blood pressure and cholesterol levels are normal now. I am also at a healthy fat percentage. Today, I am the size I was when I was 13 years old. I used to wear a size 18 pants, and now I wear a size 7/8. I was wearing a 38 DDD bra, and now I wear a 32 DD (almost at a 32D).

My motivation has always been the will to live a healthier life. I want everyone to know that they can get healthy as well. Just start. Remain consistent and find what works for you.

Transformation of the Day: Melissa lost 50 pounds in 4 months. After working in 2017 to control the emotional eating that led to a hypertensive crisis, she began her journey at the start of the new year with focus and determination. Check out how she released the weight.

I am 38 years old and I’m from Raleigh, North Carolina. I started my weight loss journey on January 1, 2018.  I am 5’7″ and my starting weight was 230 pounds.

I had an terrible health scare in 2017. I was in a hypertensive crisis. A number of years of unhealthy eating habits that came as a result of grieving my mother’s death took a toll on my health. The doctor told me that I was going to end up with heart disease, like my mother, if I didn’t turn my lifestyle around.

I started working on my mind from August 2017 to December 2017. I was in for the battle of my life, so I had to get my mind on board first. Then, at the start of 2018, I started the next stage of my journey after I conquered the mental side: Emotional Eating. I started doing the Keto diet and walking for exercise. I actually lost 20 pounds with Keto, but I quickly learned that I needed to find a plan I could commit to for a lifetime because my health was on the line.

In March, I educated myself on proper nutrition for my body and my unique health needs. (I am a chef, so I know about nutrition.) I started eating a balanced diet of protein, fruit, whole grains and dairy. My carb count is at 100 grams a day. My sodium intake is at 1000 mg a day. My calorie intake is at 1700 a day. I eat 3 meals and 3 snacks made up of whole foods. No processed food. I cook frozen or fresh vegetables only. I use fresh herbs, like garlic and mint, to season my food. I learned to make better food choices. I don’t eat white bread. Instead, I eat flaxseed bread. I’ve switched out white rice for brown rice as well.

I had my nutrition down to a science and next my exercise routine came together. I educated myself on lifting weighs, something I never did before. In the middle of February, I started working out with Jullian Michaels’ DVDs and I never looked back. I started doing Beginners Shred at 4am, and Ripped in 30 and 10 Minute Body Transformation at 4pm on weekdays. On Saturday mornings, I did Extreme Shed and Shred levels one and two. Sunday morning, I did Beginners Shred and had an active rest day. My whole body composition began changing. Now, I focus on strength training for fat loss. I don’t believe in long hours at the gym. My workouts are 30 to 60 minutes long.

I’ve lost 50 pounds within 4 months. My current weight is 180 pounds. I went from a size 18 pants to a size 11/12. I went down 3 shirt sizes, 3 bra sizes and 3 panties sizes. My blood pressure is finally stable. I am still grieving, however I’m learning to cope with it. I know my mother would want me healthy. I will not stop. My goal is to be medication free, lose more fat off of my body and have a healthy BMI. Also, I am so much stronger now. I can hold a minute plank and do knee pushups. I’ve added 20 burpees and 25 pushups each day to my existing workout plan to build up my strength.

The biggest lesson that I have learned is that our bodies are our temples and we must take care of them. It is cheaper to eat healthy and exercise than to have an illness. A little work everyday goes a long way.

I love to share my story and inspire others. I want to let them know they can do it as well. The advice that I give to other people who want to get healthy: Just do it. Don’t say, “I will get it done tomorrow.” There is no better time like the present. Look in the mirror and say, “I am worth it. I am beautiful. I am strong. With this breath in my body, I will overcome obesity and I will win.” One day at a time and one pound at a time, you can do this…we can do this. With proper nutrition and exercise, good health can be yours.

I strive everyday to live my best life. I am still pushing.