Shaneice lost 42 pounds. She is a stay at home mom of 2 boys who keep her busy. After the birth of her second son, she felt like she’d let herself go and retired to wearing sweatpants and sweatshirts. She worked had to find the time to workout regularly and took the time to research nutrition and recipes. That hard work has paid off.
My motivation to lose weight came when I finally took a long hard look in the mirror and said, “I am tired of looking like this.” As a stay at home mother of two boys (ages three and 19 months), I rarely had time to workout or really care for myself. I let myself go after the birth of my second son and became comfortable with wearing sweatpants and sweatshirts. One day, I decided that it was time to let go of all of the excuses that held me back from my weight loss goals. It took some time, and I lost my way at times, but I quickly reminded myself of my goals. In six months, I lost forty pounds.
I started my journey at 272 pounds and I currently weigh 230 pounds. I hope to return 200 pounds, which was my weight before having children.
How did I do it:
I started working out everyday, whenever I had the chance. Whether it was cooking, cleaning or playing with my boys, I incorporated some form of workout into the activity. I searched Facebook and YouTube for quick workout routines that I was able to do. When the boys were asleep, I completed longer workouts with two 5 pound weights and a 25 pound weight plate. I focused a lot on cardio. I was doing jumping jacks, running in place, doing skater dips and my favorite exercise: burpees. To tone, I did a variety of squats, lunges, leg raises and pushups.
My progress stalled because all I did at first was exercise. I learned the hard way that diet does play an important role in weight loss as well. I started by cutting out any sugary drinks and replaced them with water. Within days, I noticed an immediate change, I had more energy and my stomach bloat went down. I made my portions smaller and healthier by eliminating the sweets and alcoholic beverages.
My diet consisted mainly of fruits, nuts, fish, chicken and vegetables. I limited my starches to sweet potatoes and planned out my meals to incorporate the chicken or fish. I would also create a variety of smoothies from the fruits and vegetables as well. I researched many diet plans, such as the Atkins and the Low Carb Diet, and researched recipes. I did not follow any strict guidelines regarding how often I ate. I just limited how much I ate per meal or snack. I took ideas and concepts from various plans and programs and created something that worked for me. After changing my diet, the weight melted off.
My advice to others when they are down about their progression is to remember why you started in the first place. I took a picture on the first day of my journey and kept on taking pictures to see my progress. That is what kept me going. Each day, I would see new changes and definition on my body. Each day, I would become stronger than the last (for example, being able to hold a plank longer than before). It all felt and fells good to see what my body grows in to.
I truly hope to inspire more black women, especially those who are stay at home mothers, to lose weight. I tracked my journey on Instagram: @respek_the_name_shaneice
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