Black Weight Loss Success

The Official Blog of the Black Women Losing Weight Community. Tips, articles and weight loss resources for African American Women.

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how I lost weight

Joetta lost 40 pounds

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Today’s weight loss success story: Joetta lost 40 pounds by going vegan.  She is a proud military spouse who’s husband is currently deployed.  Here is what she had to say:

“I have lost 40lbs since march. I started at 204 now im 163.5.  It was my goal to reach my preferred weight as a gift to myself and my husband who is currently deployed. I wanted to give him a new wife, inside and out. There is no better feeling than, being confident. My problem was food. I became a vegan, no fast food no junk food, only fruits, grains, and vegetables. I sometimes eat fish or seafood.

Joetta weight loss story

Updated: Rochelle lost 85 pounds with gastric bypass

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Check out Rochelle’s weight loss story.

She says, “I had gastric bypass in April 2012. I was weighing 345 now I’m down to 260. I have a long way to go I maintain by not eating slider foods & waiting an hour after I eat to drink.  Everyday is a struggle but I look @ where I was & I don’t want to go back there I love me some me.  This was the best thing I could have done for myself.  I feel good.  I was a size 28. I’m down to a 18. I maintain by eating right & exercise”

Update June 2013 –  It’s been a year and I’ve lost a total of 125 pounds through weight loss surgery. I started out at 350 pounds and now I’m 215 pounds. It has been a long journey. I had to have my mind made up that I wanted a lifestyle change. I have seen so many people have the surgery and gain all the weight back (and sometimes even more of their weight back than when they started). Before the surgery, I started to exercise, cut out fried foods, cut out pork & drink lots of water.  Now, after the surgery, I continue to do the same thing. Some days are better than others but I AM SO PROUD OF MYSELF!

Rochelle weight loss surgery
Updated Photo

Qui lost 106 pounds

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Update: Qui wrote in to share what’s she’s been doing since she shared her story of losing over 100 pounds 4 years ago. She gained some of weight back, but after being diagnosed with PCOS she understood why she’d experienced rapid weight gain and what changes she needed to make to release the pounds.

Qui

I was featured in on your page a few years ago. So much has happened to me since 2012. For the most part, I managed to maintain the weight loss. However, at the end of 2014 and most of 2015, I gained almost 60 pounds. 30 pounds of thoese pounds were gained in about 5 months. I acknowledge that I fell back into some old habits, but I couldn’t figure out why I gained that amount of weight so quickly.

Later in 2015, I met with several doctors who diagnosed me with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome which help to explain a lot. I had a glucose intolerance that didn’t wasn’t helped by the amount of carbs I was ingesting. In December of last year, I set a goal to drop half of the weight that I gained and I will continue with the other 30 pounds this year. In the photos, you can see my before and after. I’ve managed to lose a net total of 28 of the 30 pounds I wanted to lose, so I still have some work to do. I am optimistic about meeting and surpassing my goal this year. I can’t stress enough the importance consulting with a physician before starting a diet, because if I didn’t I would have never known about PCOS and how it could negatively affect my results.

Qui before and after

Today’s Weight Loss Success Story: Qui lost 106 pounds! She focused on nutrition and exercise to get the job done.

QuiApr14

She says,
I absolutely love this site!!!! I wish I would have found it during the beginning of my journey. It is important that we have support during such a transitional period. I lost 106 pounds and finally hit my goal after a few years of struggling. Don’t give up ladies…Keep grinding 🙂  I initially started with my diet. Nutrition is about 80% of the fitness journey. I used the South Beach Diet and the 4 day diet to set the foundation for my current life style. I dont eat white rice, white flour, white sugar, or white bread. I began to do Turbo Jam because I was ashamed to go into the gym. After I lost my first 20-30 pounds I decided to go to the gym. 30 minutes turned into an hour on the elliptical and then I gained enough courage to lift [weights]. Towards the end of my journey I worked out 5-6 days.

Check out her Facebook page: facebook.com/QuisChronicles

Shawna has lost 30 pounds!

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BWLW Facebook member Shawna has lost 30 pounds! She is determined to reach her weight loss goal!

She says, ” I started my journey about a year ago…no surgery I just changed my eating habits letting go of the white and switched to whole wheats…i use to eat only once or twice a day now i eat 5 to 6 times a day small portions.I stopped drinking soda and I started doin Insanity and Zumba..I lost a total of 30lbs and toned up a lot!” Great job, Shawna! For more great before and afters, visit www.blackwomenlosingweight.com

Tiffany has lost 55 pounds

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Let’s show Tiffany some BWLW love for sharing her 55 pound weight loss journey with us!!

She says, “Exactly one year ago in September, I began my healthier living journey. My breaking point was a photo posted to Facebook by a friend. Was that really me?! I kindly asked the friend to remove the photo and send it to me. That became my motivation! Also, because I am a doctoral student in Aging Research, it became quite clear to me that I couldn’t be very convincing preaching about “healthy aging” if I didn’t look the part. Most importantly, I decided that taking better care of my temple should be a priority. I believed that the same God who created the universe would help me conquer unhealthy habits. With that said, I joined a gym, downloaded the MyFitnessPal smartphone app, and got to work! One year later, I am 55 pounds lighter, I eat cleaner, and I exercise regularly. I enjoy preparing my meals in advance, reading nutrition labels, and purchasing my weekly produce from the Farmer’s Market. My favorite exercises are outdoor cycling, kettlebell pump, and running. I started training for my first 5K six weeks ago and I’ve already surpassed 5K distance in nonstop/continuous runs! People tell me I am an inspiration. I think to myself, “Me? An inspiration? Imagine that!” I’m frequently asked about the details of my “diet”, and I am quick to inform people that I am NOT on a diet. A diet implies a definitive end; it implies that I will get to a magic number and just toss my new habits to the wind. Quite the contrary! I changed my behaviors and beliefs about food and exercise for life. My body will decide my set point. With more weight loss ahead of me in Year 2, I am excited about getting into a 2-piece bathing suit on my 35th birthday! I’ll see you at the beach!” www.facebook.com/unc2000

Tiffany, Thank you for sharing your amazing transformation!!!