Natasha lost 76 pounds

Update July 2021: Shout out to Natasha! She wrote in to let us know that she lost 27 pounds for a total of 103 pounds gone. We asked her to share how she has continued to achieve her goals.

How have you maintained your weight loss/continued to lose weight? I maintain my weight loss by working out 4-5 days a week. I love weight training, but I’ve started to include more cardio in my workouts. That change is what really took me over the 100lb mark. I’m down from 447 pounds to 344 pounds!! That’s a loss of 103 pounds. 

It’s especially hard for me to lose because I struggle with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, and my metabolism seems to be at a standstill most of the time, no matter what I do. But, I do my best to maintain a healthy eating lifestyle, which currently consists of plenty of fish, turkey, and vegetables. 

Of the lessons you’ve learned on your journey, which one stands out the most at this point? I’ve learned and experienced a lot on my journey. By posting my journey on my social media accounts, I gained a following, and with that came opportunities to help others. I started a group fitness class, Get Fit With Tot, that caters to plus-sized women. I have been able to help many women begin and become successful on their weight loss journey. I am most proud of myself for helping others and becoming a leader when there was a time that I didn’t believe in myself.

Would you like to offer any new or different advice to women who want to lose weight? The first thing that I tell people is that weight loss does not happen overnight. You have to have patience with the process and yourself. In the gym: cardio and strength training. At home: healthy eating and portion control. Also, take good care of your mental health! – @tot_baby42

May 12, 2020 – Transformation of the Day: Natasha lost 76 pounds. Her turning point came when she had a bad reaction to her blood pressure medication and was rushed to the ER. The reaction that she had to a second blood pressure medication almost took her life. That is when she decided to reclaim her health with exercise and better eating habits.

One day in November 2018, I woke up with a swollen tongue and face. I was rushed to the emergency room and found out I was having a reaction to my blood pressure medication. I was given new medication and had a bad reaction to that one also. The second one almost killed me. I decided then that I was going to lose weight and get off blood pressure medication. I knew I had a long and tedious road ahead of me, especially since I suffer from Hashimoto’s disease, but I was ready. It was time.

January 3, 2020 was my one-year “gymversary.” It was the anniversary of the day that I picked to be the first day in my serious pursuit of healthy living. When I walked into the gym in January 2019, I weighed 429 pounds, but that wasn’t even my heaviest. A few months prior, I weighed in at 437 pounds. I remember being so embarrassed and depressed at that time. I said then that I was going to do better, but I would go to the gym and do Zumba one week, but then I would sit out two.

I started by changing what I ate. I had mostly turkey, fish, vegetables, fruits, and plenty of water. No sodas period! I didn’t deprive myself of things I like (sweets); however I did limit my consumption. I learned to oven fry rather than deep fry and ate sweet potato fries in place of french fries when I wanted a cheat meal.

In the gym, I do Zumba, but my saving grace turned out to be weight lifting. Once I started strength training, the weight started falling off, and my body started transforming. I go to the gym five to six days a week, staggering weight training and cardio.

There have been many times that I have wanted to give up. I’ve done that so many times in my life that I want to see what happens if I don’t this time. Not to mention the fact that I have been posting my journey on my social media and people just started cheering me on. They are calling me all kinds of names that I have NEVER had associated with me; inspiration, motivator, and energetic. I get messages from women who look like me that say, “Please keep going.” and “You’ve inspired me.” Strangers stop me, inbox me and encourage me. It’s AMAZING!

On my gymversary (1/3/2020), I weighed 367 pounds. I had lost 62 pounds in a year. Today, I weigh 353 pounds and TONED! (4/3/20) My weight loss thus far is 76 pounds. I was taken off blood pressure, potassium, and water pills in April 2019, just four months into my journey. My weight loss is slow, but steady. I average about 4 to 5 pounds a month.

There were times when I thought the weight was coming off too slow. I would begin to get discouraged, but I sought advice from my gym family and got back on track.

My advice to anyone that is on the same journey:

1. Give yourself a chance.
2. Don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s.
3. PICK UP THEM WEIGHTS, SIS!!

Instagram: @tot_baby42