Mellenie wrote in to share an update. She’s faced some ups and downs since she shared her story with us back in 2016, but she hasn’t given up.
“I was featured on your site for my 54 pound weight loss. Unfortunately, I regained the weight after being in a motor vehicle accident. I was restricted from exercise for 5 months. As the weight crept back up, so did my blood pressure and sugar levels. In May 2018, I grew tired of being obese. I decided to give strict Keto a try. Eliminating carbs and sugar from my diet has allowed me to lose 23 pounds in a little less than 3 months. I workout 5 days a week, with focus on strength training, group workout classes and HIIT. I’ve also regained my health and have managed to break my addiction to sugar. Life can knock you down multiple times, but you must get up and try again every time it does!” – @mellbfit
Transformation of the Day: Mellenie lost 54 pounds. After being told that her weight was contributing to the major health issues that she was facing, including pre-diabetes and hypertension, she decided to fight for her life. Through clean eating and exercise she has transformed her body and found greater wellness. Check out what she shared with us about her journey.
Hello, my name is Mellenie B. and I lost 54 pounds naturally, through clean eating and exercise. I have kept the weight off and have been on my journey for 3 years. I was prompted to lose weight after my health began to rapidly decline. I was extremely upset after visiting my physician; I was told that my weight was a major contributing factor to the health issues that I was experiencing.
At that time, I weighed 205 pounds and I only stand 4’11. I was told that I was suffering from high blood pressure, I was pre-diabetic and that I had hypertension. I was also told that the anxiety attacks I had just recently been experiencing a few weeks prior to this appointment were also weight-related. I was given a multitude of prescriptions, but I refused to fill them. I decided to fight for my life instead.
I was inspired by the many women that I saw on social media, ones that went through what I was going through and still managed to emerge triumphant. Seeing these images helped me continue to push myself further and further, they made me realize that anything is possible if you want it badly enough.
How did you change your eating habits?
I changed my eating habits by making meal prep a daily and consistent part of my life. I began to eat clean (little to no processed foods). I also invested in a juicer and began juicing regularly. Water was and still is my drink of choice.
I did not drink alcohol for the first few months of my new lifestyle, and have limited my intake to once a month/socially since then. I also cut fried foods, sugary beverages, and almost anything that wasn’t clean.
What did your workout routines look like?
I started out exercising at home, doing cardio 5-6 times a week. I would use YouTube and Xfinity On Demand for free workouts. These workouts included cardio kickboxing, ab and lower body circuits, HIIT, and dance workouts. Once my body became more adjusted to working out, I began incorporating strength training to my routine. After losing about 40 lbs, I joined the gym and started working with a trainer.
What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 205 pounds and my lowest weight was 156 pounds. I currently weigh about 168 pounds due to an injury that left me unable to workout for 5 months.
How long did your transformation take?
This is a complex question. I’ve been on my weight loss journey for 3 years. It took me about a year and a half to lose 54 lbs, and I’ve had periods throughout this journey where I’ve experienced weight gain. It’s truly a never ending journey!
What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
Stop making excuses. We are capable of doing anything that we put our minds to, that includes losing weight. Understand that the results you desire will not happen overnight. It didn’t take you a month to gain weight, so don’t expect to reach your ideal weight in that amount of time. You have to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and apply yourself 150%, just as you do in other areas of your life. Trust me, it will all be worth it. Understand that anything worth having will not come easily; be willing to make sacrifices that will push you towards your goals.
I love to inspire other women to take control of their life and happiness, one pound at a time. I have a blog, “Fluffy Ain’t For Me“, that has been helping women with weight loss and the struggles that we all face.
My Instagram: @mellbfit
Website: www.fluffyaintforme.com
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