Mo lost 30 pounds

Update April 2021: In 2014, Monica started her transformation journey and lost 30 pounds in six months. She’s worked very hard to maintain her success over the years. Check out her update.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle during this pandemic without access to a gym has been a huge adjustment. Fortunately, we’ve remained consistent and disciplined with home workouts and clean nutrition. Being home 24/7 has allowed me to be very creative in the nutrition area. I’m maintaining and looking forward to the day to return to the gym. 

What is your current weight?
Current weight: 162 pounds
Highest weight 184 pounds (43 years old)

How have you maintained your weight loss/continued to lose weight?
I do cardio 3-4 times per week (walking, HIIT, or peloton bike) and weight training three times a week. I also track my macros, drink a gallon of water each day, and get 6-8 hours of sleep daily.

Of the lessons you’ve learned on your journey, which one stands out the most at this point?
Always make changes that are sustainable for a lifetime and stay consistent—no quick fixes or gimmicks. 

Would you like to offer any new or different advice to women who want to lose weight?
Remember, it’s a lifestyle, so don’t beat yourself up over a bad day. Take one day at a time and stay consistent. Don’t let one day turn into a week, month, or year. @teamblacklifestyle

Originally posted in 2016 – Transformation of the Day: Mo lost 30 pounds in 6 months and has kept it off for 2 years. She and her husband started their fitness journey together, but realized that their exercise efforts were being sabotaged by bad eating habits. Once she committed to healthy eating, the results were undeniable. Check out what she shared with us.

My name is Mo. I’m a 38 year old mother (15 yr old) and wife (6yrs). I decided in 2014 that I needed to recommit to a healthier lifestyle after reaching my highest weight of 184 pounds. My husband and I worked out faithfully but our eating habits were preventing us from reaching our fitness goals. I decided that I really needed to buckle down on my eating habits and stop wasting my time in the gym. I was so tired of losing and regaining the weight over the years. We had to take a long hard look at ourselves and start to practice what we preach.

It took me 6 months to lose 30 pounds and I’ve maintained the weight loss for almost 2 years. I’m 5′ 4″ tall and my current weight is 155 pounds. Losing weight is the easy part, because the real battle is maintaining that weight loss and continuing to live a healthy lifestyle. I’m so happy that I’m finally back to my pre-marriage weight and I feel great. My goal is to continue to living a healthy lifestyle and inspiring others to do the same.

How did you change your eating habits?
Mainly, I gave up the frequent happy hours. Margaritas were my favorite drink. I started to eat clean and meal prep on a regular basis because when you are eating out you tend to make unhealthy choices. Even when choosing “healthy” options on a menu, you don’t really know how the food is prepared.

What did your workout routine look like?
We workout out 5-6 days per week doing a combo of cardio and strength training. I’m a runner, so initially I did running for cardio. I recently changed up my cardio routine to include the stair master and Plyo moves. I do cardio 6 days a week and on 2-3 of those days I include strength training.

What is your advice for others who want to lose weight?
My advice to anyone who would like to lose weight is to stay consistent with your workouts and clean eating regimen.

Updated Instagram: @teamblacklifestyle

Update June 2020: Shout out to Monica! We’ve been following her journey since 2016 when she told us about how she lost 30 pounds.

“I’m still maintaining a healthy weight, healthy habits, and living a lifestyle. I’ve transitioned from weight loss to weight maintenance. I’ve been on this journey for a long time and have adopted the lifestyle. My current goal is to continue to maintain my weight loss while getting  stronger and build lean muscle.” – @teamblacklifestyle

Update May 2019: Mo is still going strong! She’s kept the weight off for more than four years. “I’m currently maintaining at 156lbs, down from my highest weight of 184 pounds.” @teamblacklifestyle