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Transformation of the Day: Hoda lost 85 pounds. This 26-year-old sista from London shared her awesome transformation story with us. She stepped out of her comfort zone and created a more disciplined lifestyle with intermittent fasting, healthier eating habits, and lots of exercise.

When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take?
My journey started in April 2017 and still counting. It took me 13 months of hard work and dedication for me to drop 85 pounds.

What was your motivation? What inspired you to keep going when you wanted to give up?
My motivation was to strive and be the best version of my self. Also, I just want to be happy. What inspired me when I wanted to give up was seeing the results and wondering how I would look if I continued to carry it on for another six months. Looking at my before and after pictures would also jump start my motivation.

How did you change your eating habits?

I stopped eating out and educated myself on the food I ate, switching to lean meat, veggies, and complex carbs. I would combine intermittent fasting (12 pm-8 pm) and a low carb diet. I would only eat twice a day and have healthy snacks in between. I also drank 2-3 liters of water every day. 

What I’ve noticed is that when I eat healthier and exercise, I feel amazing! My energy levels are through the roof, and I feel like I can take on the world. I feel more aware, focused, and it’s like the fog has lifted from my brain.

What did your workout routine consist of? How often did you workout?
My workout routine consists of training at least four times a week, both weight training and HIIT cardio. I feel like weightlifting has structured my body, which is why I encourage everyone to add weightlifting into your routine (it’s good for you, hun). I also like to get my workouts done in the morning because it powers me through the day and helps me be more productive.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight in April 2017 was 250 pounds and wearing a size 22. Now, I weight 165 pounds and wear a size 12.

What is your height?
I am 5’7″.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
A healthy lifestyle is a disciplined lifestyle. Losing weight has nothing to do with a quick fix or fad diet. It’s about lifestyle changes that are sustainable over the long haul. It’s about being disciplined in your daily actions with food and exercise. This means setting up or organizing your life so you can make healthy choices without a lot of effort. It’s about understanding that a healthy lifestyle does not just happen. You must be intentional and disciplined with your actions.

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
Anything you want to achieve, you can achieve it with the right mindset, consistency, and persistence. Step out of your comfort zone. If you don’t, you won’t grow, and growing is so important because it pushes you forward. You discover new things about your body that you didn’t think you were capable of, and you thrive. You can do this.

Instagram: @hodakadawo

Transformation of the Day: Ayannah lost 101 pounds. In 2018, she realized it was time to deal with her depression and lack of self-worth, and instead start loving herself. She worked out 3-4 days a week and transitioned to Veganism.

What was your motivation?
I was always the “big girl” in the group – never loving myself, no self-worth. I was sad and became depressed after giving birth to my son in 2011. Even though he was the love of my life, I was still unhappy with myself. Fast forward to 2018… That’s when I got tired and decided to change!

How did you change your eating habits?
I stopped eating starch. Next, I gave up on meat. Eventually, I became a Vegan.

What was your workout routine?
I exercised all the time. My workouts consisted of Zumba, walking on the treadmill and strength training exercises (crunches, dumbbell workouts, planks, squats, etc.) I worked out 3-4 times a week, alternating exercises.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
It took a year to go from 302 pounds to 202 pounds. My current weight is 201 pounds. Nothing that comes easy is worth it. It took a lot of pain, sweat, and tears, but I made it. I thank God every day!

What is your height?
I am 5’7″.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that everything takes time. Your body is like a machine. You have to train the body, and with time, what you put into it is what will come out of it.

What advice would you like to share with women who want to lose weight?
We are all human. There will be times when our bodies or our minds may want to give up. During those times is when we find most of our strengths. You may slip up, but don’t stop! Your best is coming, so don’t give up.

Instagram: @made_in_elaine

Transformation of the Day: Lawanda lost 30 pounds. As she was preparing to retire from a 20-year career in the military, she was ready to make a change. After experiencing weight gain over the holidays, she reached out to a weight loss coach for help.

My motivation to lose weight was the fact that I’m getting ready to retire from the military, and after a 20-year career. I no longer have to exercise because someone is making me do it. Now I have to do it because I want to. 

Over the holiday season of 2019, I gained a lot of weight. I suffer from depression and anxiety, so the medication I take also contributed to my weight gain. Of course, the extra pounds I gained made me sink even further into depression. Every time I thought about getting back in shape, I just couldn’t get over the thought of starting over AGAIN. 

One day, I was at rock bottom and said, “Enough is enough. I’m doing this, and I’m starting today!”

I reached out to “The Weight Loss Doctor”, Terry Starks, on Facebook. I worked with him before and loved his program. He gives you a 5-week meal prep plan and tells you how much cardio you need to do to reach your weight loss goals. Terry Starks promises no crazy diets and no magic pills – just clean eating and cardio. 

A typical day to me is waking up at 0700 and doing my 30 minutes of cardio. It could be a Beachbody at-home workout, running, or walking on the treadmill. After the second week, Terry made me kick it up to two cardio sessions a day. One in the morning and one in the evening. 

My starting weight was 187 pounds, which is not cute on a person who is only 5’1″. When I finished my 5-week plan, I stepped on the scale again, and I was down to 156.5 pounds! I could not wait to do another 5-week round. 

I started my journey mid-March 2020, around the time everyone was getting quarantined at home. Being at home all this time, gave me a great advantage and allowed me to focus on Terry Starks’ program. 

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that losing weight is 80% nutrition and only 20% working out. Clean eating is a challenge, but once I started, I had to stay with it. I tried to have a cheat meal a couple of times, and both times I felt so sick and bloated. It was like my body couldn’t process the salty and fatty foods anymore. 

My advice for any women out there struggling with their weight who are ready to make a change: Reach out to my trainer Terry Starks. You can find him on Facebook and other social media sites. The best thing about him is that he creates a meal plan specifically for you and your body type so you can reach the goals you desire. He’s patient and very motivating. When I felt like giving up, he would remind me that he was praying for me and that I shall have VICTORY over any challenges I faced during my journey. He has truly been a blessing to me. 

Transformation of the Day: Aimee lost 103 pounds. Although she lost more than 200 lbs in 2014, she gained the weight back after giving birth in 2015. Depression, exhaustion, and pre-diabetes did not stop her from living a healthy life for her kids. She decided to have VSG surgery and change her lifestyle.

What was your motivation? What inspired you to keep going, even when you wanted to give up?
I stay motivated because of my three beautiful children. I need to stay healthy for them so I can see them grow up, graduate for college, and get married and be able to meet my grandchildren. 

I previously lost 210 lbs naturally in 2014. However, I gained all of it back after I had my youngest daughter in September 2015. I tried to lose the weight naturally again, but I was not able to do so. I was depressed, tired, and exhausted all the time. My pre-diabetic condition also returned. I decided to seek medical help and had Vertical Gastric Sleeve weight loss surgery in September 2019. I still have another 50 pounds to lose, but I am very thankful to God and blessed to be alive. 

How did you change your eating habits?
I have used an intermittent fasting regimen since February 2020. My eating window is from 1 pm to 8 pm. I don’t eat anything outside of these hours. I do drink water and unsweetened green tea in the morning, during my window, and after 8 pm to keep myself hydrated. Also, I still drink a green smoothie each day. I add protein powder and collagen to my smoothies. 

After surgery, I followed my surgeon’s low carb/high protein diet regimen. I don’t eat bread, pasta, rice, and fast food. I avoid sugar, and I cook and prepare all my meals at home. I currently work at home due to the pandemic; however, I brought my lunch and snack to work daily before and will continue to do so afterward. 

What did your workout routine look like?
I worked out three times a week. Right now, my gym has been closed since early March and just reopened a few days ago. I plan to start going back next week. Now, I do work out at home about four times a week and take daily walks. 

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
Before I started my journey, I weighed 286 pounds. I currently weigh 183 pounds.

What is your height?
I am 5’4 1/2″.

When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take?
I restarted my weight loss journey on May 25, 2019, when I first saw my weight loss surgeon and followed his pre-op plan for 90 days. It took me a year to lose 103 lbs with the help of weight loss surgery. I had VSG on 9/24/2019

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned
I’ve learned that I am very strong and determined. I learned that weight loss surgery recovery is hard and not the easy way out because you can lose weight and then gain it all back if you don’t follow your surgeon’s and nutritionist’s post-op program and exercise. 

What advice do you have for people who want to lose weight?
This journey is not easy, but it is so worth it. You can do anything you put your mind to. You are worth living! You don’t have to suffer in silence. You can make a change in 2020, even with this pandemic. 

Instagram: @aimeenaturals
Website:  aimeenaturals.com

Update Sept 2020: Aimee has lost 107 pounds.

 

 

 

 

 

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Happy #transformationtuesday

A post shared by Agosthina Louis (Aimee) (@aimeenaturals) on Sep 8, 2020 at 1:39pm PDT

Transformation of the Day: Darneasha lost 82 pounds. After a high blood pressure diagnosis, she knew it was time to take action. She made practical changes to her eating habits and committed to working out 5 to 7 days a week.

My journey began when I was diagnosed with High Blood Pressure. I was given blood pressure medication, fluid pills, and potassium pills. I knew then that I had to do something to get healthier.

I returned to the doctor a little over a year later and was taken off of all my medication (This was after going without those meds for a reasonable amount of time as a trial.) My doctor was confident that my blood work and tests showed that I no longer needed them. It is possible to get off of medication, but it takes a lot of discipline and dedication.

How did you change your eating habits?
I didn’t adopt any particular diet. It is my opinion that we know what is good for us and what is bad for us when we look at our plates. I began to make healthier decisions when it came to food.

What did your workout routine consist of? How often did you workout?
My workouts mostly consist of cardio and bodyweight exercises. I do a lot of jumping rope, and I participate in HIIT workouts. I started with a workout routine that included working out six to seven days a week. Now, my usual workout schedule is five days a week.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight is 262 pounds, and my current weight is around 180 pounds.

What is your height?
I’m 5’3″

When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take?
I started my journey in April 2019. I was motivated to while there was a weight loss competition at my previous job. So, it has taken a little over a year, and I’m not done yet!

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
The biggest lesson that I have learned is that consistency is better than intensity.

What advice do you have for women who want to lose weight?
I would tell them to create a goal. You should know what you want your body to look like and feel like. The most important thing is that you are healthy. Personally, I don’t honor the scale. I go on how I feel and what I see in the mirror.

Instagram: @loila_ma

Transformation of the Day: Ashley lost 92 pounds. She was using unhealthy food to cope with anxiety. This emotional eating led to weight gain, low self-esteem, and even more anxiety. She broke the cycle by seeking out help from a personal trainer and committing to healthy eating habits. Consistency and patience are key to her success.

I’m generally a happy glowing and always smiling person, but I also battle with anxiety and emotional eating. Smiles were not always present on my face. I often used fattening and sugary foods to cope with my anxiety, thinking that if I eat chocolate cake and fattening foods, the anxiety will quickly disappear! Nope. That’s not how any of that works.

I started to realize that consuming all those fattening, sugary foods only brought on negative results, such as expanding my waistline, lowering my self-esteem, and reducing my confidence. All of this made my anxiety worse by the day! Eventually, I realized that something else needed to be done!

I then started to seek guidance from personal trainers to keep me focused and accountable for my actions. That choice sent me in the right direction to where I ultimately am today in my healthy lifestyle!

What was your motivation?
What motivated me to make a change was a desire to live longer! As a black woman, it seems we are more susceptible to diseases and obesity, and I simply want to live a long life.

What inspired you to keep going, even when you wanted to give up?
What inspired me when I wanted to give up was my excellent trainer! She really kept pushing me through my journey. She didn’t give up on me!

How did you change your eating habits?
My personal trainer put me on a keto-based, low carb diet. If I did consume carbs, it was healthy carbs like fruits and oats. I also changed my portion sizes.

I don’t eat like I used to. I eat in a stricter, more structured manner with discipline. I wrote down everything I ate in a food log to keep me on track. I stopped eating tons of sweets, like cookies, candies, cakes, etc. I also cut out all sodas and sugary juices as those contain sneaky sugars that can quickly add to weight gain.

I cut out chips and salty snacks as well. Now I eat tons of veggies. I love salads, and I eat mostly chicken, turkey, and fish. I have cut back on pork and red meat because those take longer to digest and raise blood pressure. I battled high blood pressure for a while due to the excessive weight I was carrying. I drink lots of water now and have soy milk now and then.

Tell us about your workout routine.
I hardly ever worked out when I was heavier because my joints hurt. I developed osteoarthritis in my knees from being morbidly obese. Now I work out three days a week with my trainer. We do HIIT workouts and strength training. I also walk a few miles on days that I don’t do personal training to stay consistent with my goals.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 270 pounds, and my current weight is 178 pounds. By the way, I’m still in the process of losing more weight, but I’ve have come along way from where I started!

What is your height?
I’m 5’2″.

When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take?
I started my journey a little over two years ago. It took me about a year and a half to get a huge chunk of my weight off.

Was weight loss surgery part of your journey?
No weight loss surgeries were involved in achieving this goal. All sweat and dedication!

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is what my trainer would tell me, “Don’t cheat yourself, treat yourself.” I’ve learned to push myself to the fullest.

What advice do you have for women who want to lose weight?
Always remain consistent even when things seem not to be going the way you want. Despite that, you have to remain consistent and patient. Remember, it’s a lifestyle change and not a quick fix change.

Instagram: @ash4everash

Transformation of the Day: Jennifer lost 77 pounds/35kg. Her lifestyle change has been all about discipline and patience. She meal prepped, maintained a calorie deficit, and worked out consistently because she was focused on her big why: Health.

My journey began in Oct 2019, when I stopped at a pharmacy on my way home after work to weigh myself. I knew I had gained a lot of weight but was unprepared for what I saw on the scale. I was a little above 110kg (242lbs)! Knowing that there is a history of diabetes and high blood pressure in my family, I knew I needed to make a change. That realization set me on the path I am today.

What was your motivation? What inspired you when you wanted to give up?
My biggest motivation is my desire to be healthy and live to the fullest. I want to be able to chase my kids around and be there for my family. I also want to feel strong and confident, and exercise makes me feel that way. On the days when I feel down, or I just want to let go, I anchor myself to the reasons I decided to change, and that helps me push through. I’ve also come to rely on being disciplined.

How did you change your eating habits?
I cut out junk, sugary/fizzy drinks, processed foods, and over refined carbs. I also incorporated intermittent fasting, which helped me control my calories and keep me in a caloric deficit. I didn’t use any specific plans. However, I plan out my meals weekly to help me stay within my calorie goal and ensure I’m not overindulging.

What did your workout routine look like? How often did you workout?
My exercise routine from the beginning of my journey to date includes a combination of strength/weight training and various forms of cardio. I exercise 4 – 6 times a week.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Jennifer Williams (@officialfitjen) on Jun 4, 2020 at 7:14am PDT

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 110kg (242 pounds). My current weight is 75kg (165 pounds).

What is your height?
My height is 5 feet, 4 inches (164cm).

When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take?
I started my fat loss journey on the 3rd of October, 2019, and have been at it for eight months now. My mission is far from over, as this is a lifestyle change. However, my goals keep evolving. I’m loving every aspect of this journey.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is ‘Impossible is nothing‘. Anything is achievable if you’re willing to put in the work to achieve it.

What advice do you have for women who want to lose weight?
To love yourself first and be patient with yourself. Work at being consistent, disciplined, and anchor yourself to your ‘Why’. I’ll also say this; Know that some days, you may fail, overindulge on the wrong things or simply not want to exercise. Get through that day and move on. Do not wallow in that failure and let it pull you back into the abyss you’ve been trying to escape. You have what it takes!

Is weight loss surgery part of your journey?
Surgery has not been a part of my journey. Thankfully, I have seen a lot of progress from portion control (calorie deficit) and exercise.

So far, I have lost 35kg (77lbs), and I’m still pursuing my goals of being the healthiest version of myself that I can be. I hope my story can inspire others to be the best version of themselves and know that weight loss is achievable with a lifestyle change, consistency, and patience.

I thank your page for sharing these stories and inspiring black people the world over. 

Instagram: @officialfitjen