Sherita lost 73 pounds

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Sherita lost 73 pounds over the course of the last 2 years.  She knows that slow and stead wins the race and that by making practical changes to your lifestyle you can get the results you seek.  Here is what she shared with us…

Hi, my name is Sherita (aka Rita). I was very tired of obesity. I’ve been obese the majority of my life. I was bullied and tortured all my life as well. My weight was the topic that most people dwelled on, besides my skin complexion. In middle school, I tried Taebo and basketball. Yes, Taebo worked but I felt it made me look masculine, so I stopped. I really didn’t care about my weight growing up and when I was young I never did anything like counting calories. “What were calories?” I’d asked. Didn’t care to know any facts about nutrition or healthy eating either. My weight didn’t really stop me for enjoying my life, so losing weight wasn’t a priority.

Fast forward to 2012, I gave birth to my son Torri on Mothers Day. I was 230 pounds. I did breastfeed him for up to six months and had to stop because of the medicine I went on. I did lose 10 pounds post-pregnancy from breastfeeding. However, when I stopped I gained 30 pounds, which meant I ended up weighing 250+ pounds.

I really had a hard and stressful life. I realized that I had always cared about other people’s opinions. Chest pain and wanting to being healthy were my wake up calls for weight loss. I took control of my life and demanded change. I’ve never lost much weight before and knew I needed information. I downloaded the My Fitness Pal app, watched Extreme Weight Loss episodes, did my own research and learned how to eat right. My diet consists of green veggies, seafood, dairy, fiber and protein. I go light on the red meats and eat whole grains and nuts. For exercise, I got dumbbells and a stationary bike. I also started slow by walking 20 minutes; 3 times weekly and then later increased my workouts with workout videos.

I’ve gone from 259 pounds to 186 pounds. That’s 70+ pounds lost in two years. I wanted to lose half my pant size and I did! I went from 18w pants to 9/10 reg pants. I went from wearing 3x to 4 x shirts to large/XL tops! I lost 10 inches off my waist and more all over my body. My waist went from 45” to 35” inches. Now, I want to lose 20-30 more pounds.

My Advice: It’s not that hard but you have to have patience. Do it for yourself. Love yourself! It’s not all about being smaller, it is about your health! Green tea and water works, People. Cut back on sodas and white foods too. You gain a lot when you lose! Thanks for sharing my story. I just want to inspire people like I was inspired by so many!