Shaunay lost 153 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Shaunay lost 153 pounds. At 380 lbs, her doctor suggested weight loss surgery and she tried low carb dieting, but ultimately those were not the right solutions for her. By reconnecting with a weight loss coach that she worked with in the past and recommitting to healthy eating and exercise, she’s been able to release the weight.

Starting weight: 380 pounds
Current weight: 227 pounds
Height: 5’8″

I started my weight loss journey in 2014. I followed Wiltrina Jones’s IUTBU page on Facebook and decided to buy a plan from her. At the time, I weighed 335 pounds. I lost 10 pounds over the course of 5 weeks. However, I was not really committed, so I gave up after 5 weeks.

In January 2016, I went to the doctor for my annual check up. I weighed in at 380 pounds on that life changing day. I was pretty surprised that I’d gained even more weight since 2014. The doctor talked to me about weight loss surgery and gave me a referral. After my first appointment with the weight loss clinic, I decided that I would go through the motions just to see if I actually wanted to go through with surgery.

During my first 2 months with the clinic, I lost 20 pounds on the low carb diet that the dietitian put me on. During one of my last appointments there, I asked, “What would happen if I went back to eating carbs?” I was told that I would gain the weight back. This did not sit right with me. Also, I did not like that the doctor kept telling me that surgery was the only way to keep the weight off and that I could not do it on my own.

In April 2016, I decided to go back to IUTBU and to join a gym. This was the best decision I’ve made in my entire life. Wiltrina gave me a 6 meal per day eating plan. I’m never starving, I don’t cut out any food groups, and still I lose weight. I have been in three of her bootcamps and had one custom meal plan. The bootcamps are contests where you lose weight and have the chance to win money based on people voting on the best transformation in the bootcamp group. Not only are you improving your health, but you could also win money for a new wardrobe.

I stopped eating fast food, and now I eat every 2-3 hours. I eat more vegetables and lean meat. No fried foods or junk food. Every once in a while I have a treat but then I go right back to my eating plan.

Initially, I was only doing cardio for exercise but I realized that my body was not changing. In August 2016, I started following a strength training program. I also did small group training at my gym for 12 weeks. The small group training consisted of HIIT workouts and plyometric training. Now, I work out 4-5 times a week for 1-1/2 to 2 hours at a time.

This is the best investment I have ever made. My life has truly changed since I have lost the weight. I look back on my old pictures and think to myself, “How did I let this happen?” I plan on never going back to the old me. Health is wealth and I want to be rich! My advice is keep going, no matter what it looks like. You are the most important project you will ever work on. If you fall, get back up and don’t stop.

Trainer: Wiltrina Jones, Iusetobeu.com