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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Carlee lost 70 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story: Carlee lost 70 pounds.  After fighting the pounds all her life, she turned to things many things to lose weight, even a eating disorder.  Eventually she found that eating right and exercise were truly the way to reach her health and weight loss goals.  Here is what she shared with us:

“I was big all my life. Doctors told me it was impossible for me to get as small as I wanted to be.  They said that it was in my genes to big…genetics. I hated who I was but it wasnt until I chose to love who I was, whether the weight was shed or not, that it worked and now I am 70 pounds lighter.

At my highest weight I was 220 pounds. I never thought I’d be any smaller. I thought bulimia was the cure, which was not good at all.  Eventually, I went away to school and decided I’d come back a new person. I cut out all fried foods, pork and snacks. I drank plenty of water as well.  Cardio became my best friend along with bicycle crunches.  Here I am almost two years later at 150 pounds.  My advice is to love you, first and foremost, and to find what works for you.  It is about you, not everyone else. Be healthy and dont resort to quick fixes.  You are worth it!”

Carlee weight loss photos

Yvonne lost 43 pounds

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Update May 2016 – It’s been almost 3 years since we shared Yvonne’s story. She gained many pounds back over the years, but a year ago she made the decision to change her life again. She’s lost a total of 70 pounds.

yvonne before and after

“I was featured once before on your site in 2013. Basically, I’d gone on a diet and began exercising, which led to losing 43 pounds. My reason for wanting to lose the weight at the time was to be able to fit into my clothes again. Shortly after being featured, I went back to all my old eating habits. Needless to say, all my weight returned and then some. My blood pressure also began to elevate. I was tired and drained all the time. I really didn’t even want to go to the doctor’s for my yearly physical. Finally, I got up the nerve to go, and suprisingly I was given a clean bill of health. I made up in my mind that day to take charge of my health. As of May,  it’s been a year since I re-started my journey. I have lost a little over 70 lbs. I refuse to look back!”

yvonne weight loss story

Oct 2013 – Since April 2013, Yvonne has lost 43 pounds after years of yo-you dieting.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

“I’m on a journey to a healthier me. I will be 43 years old in November. For the past 12 years, I have been a yo- yo dieter. I never wanted to put in the time to exercise and always wanted a quick fix. In April 2013, the elevator at my job was down and I had to walk up the steps. I felt like I was going to pass out half way up and I was totally disgusted with myself when I got to the top of stairs. To top it off, I had to teach on the heart that afternoon. I kept hearing my own words that day. I said, ” The heart is a little bigger than an adult fist and it pumps five liters of blood through the body every 8 seconds.” I knew my heart had to be having difficulty doing such a job and I had not done any cardio in years to help strengthen it. I started exercising consistently from that day forward! I could barely walk a mile, now I run 3 miles a day, 4 times a week. I cut out sodas, chips and junk food and I have lost 43 pounds. I have 40 pounds to go. My starting weight was 250 pounds. (It even hurt to type that) I feel great and everyday I’m excited to be on this journey (a lifelong journey)! The following photos are from April, August and September!”

Yvonne weight loss success story

Megan lost weight in a workplace weight loss contest

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Megan wrote in to share with us how a weight loss contest at work helped her to lose 13 pounds in about a month.  She shared with us how she did it:

Megan weight loss story

“Hello BWLW!!  Here’s a quick story about myself. Up until the age of 21, I’ve maitained a solid 150 frame. It wasn’t until the birth of my daughter in 2003, is where I began putting on pounds. The funny thing is I stayed in between 150-160 pounds for many many years. Moving forward to the present, July 1st this year and at my heaviest, I weighted 176 pounds. I was floored as to the amount of weight I’ve been carrying around it showed. My knees and back hurt, I was tired all the time, I had no energy to do anything. I knew I had to make a change and fast, I just didn’t know where to start. One day while sitting at my desk at work, an employee came up with the idea to host a “Biggest Loser” challenge (July 24th-Septemeber 24th) for any employee who wanted to joined. I thought about and brushed it off. It wasn’t until the last day for signing up that I said to myself “What’s the worst that can happen” so I entered the contest. Initially, it was all about the money and prizes one can win when losing the most weight but after a week of “detoxing” my body. I could care less about the contest and if I won because I felt great! The best I felt in a very long time. I started my weight loss journey 7/24/2013 and in that first week I went cold turkey! I came home, tossed everything out my fridge that was considered a bad food and replaced it with boneless/skinless chicken, fish, fruits and veggies. The first week was hard but I stuck with it and lost 7 pounds!! I was ecstatic! This was the motivation to keep me going. Two weeks later, I shed additional pounds! The weight is coming off slowly but surely due to hard work and dedication. After almost one full month and I went from 176 down to 163 pounds! I’m not a member of a gym yet but in the meantime, I stick to my routine of a 30 minute workout in the morning before work and after work, I do a hour routine of cardio and walking or jogging. I also maintain eating healthy, portion control and drinking plenty of water. I also take pointers from you guys, BWLW which have been a life saver for me. I still have a ways to go in my journey but I’m so happy to have embraced this lifestyle! Thank you BWLW!!”

Don’t worry about how fast you lose the weight

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Weight Loss Inspiration:  Don’t worry about your pace or how quickly you are losing weight. Focus on crossing the finish line. The finish line is your unique weight loss and wellness goals. You will reach them Right on time!!  Just keep going and stay on course.  Victory is on the way and your weight loss journey will evolve the way it is destined to.

weight loss inspiration

Prachel lost 72 pounds

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Today’s weight loss success story: Prachel lost 72 pounds.  Her goal was to be able to wear a bikini and now she competes in bikini competitions.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

Prachel weight loss photos

“On March 17, 2012, I was driving home from work and stopped at In and Out Burger (a popular SoCal burger chain) and had a grilled cheese sandwich, fries and a strawberry milkshake. Then, I drove across the street and had two buttermilk donuts.

I was at an emotional low, after a very turbulent 3 1/2 years, I had gotten up to 222lbs and 38% body fat. After this “meal”, something stirred inside of me to move. So, the same night, I walked 15 minutes on the treadmill, because that’s all I could do. But, I went back the day after and walked again. I ended up walking on the treadmill everyday for 30 days. I had lost 10 lbs in a month and felt great. However, there was still something inside of me telling me to move. So, I increased my intensity with my workouts and by October of 2012 I was down 40lbs.

All the while I had one goal in mind – to walk onstage in a bikini. I hadn’t worn a bathing suit since I was 14 years old. In November of 2012, I hired Fit Diva Dawn Rae to work with me. Dawn taught me things about my body that I didn’t know before and together we worked on my plan to compete in a Bikini Competition. Well, just a few days ago, I achieved that goal and ended up with a first place trophy in my division.

I now weigh 150lbs and am around 26% body fat. I cut out all unhealthy foods and allow myself to have a treat every once in a while. I also don’t eat simple carbs after 5 and eat about 5-6 times per day. I eat very clean, healthy and fresh. I’m never hungry. I also take apple cider vinegar and drink fresh coconut water (from the coconut, not from a can) on a daily basis.

My life has been forever changed and I am so thankful that I listened to that voice inside of me telling me to move. I now know that my purpose is not to sit around and lead a boring life…it is to have fun, be excited and experience adventures. They say to never post anything online that you wouldn’t want on the front page news one day. I am very proud of myself right now and am posting these to hopefully inspire other people to live their dreams out loud. It’s a great feeling to be led by the spirit.”

Jacinta lost 65 pounds

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Let’s show some love to another Sista who wants to inspire others by sharing her success!  Jacinta lost 65 pounds.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

What was your motivation?  “Waking up to my daughter telling me I was fat.”

How did you change your eating habits?  “I completely cut out soda pop and slowly increased my water intake until I was able to drink a of water gallon each day. I also cut out all fried foods and limited my restaurant nights to once a week. I have always been a big veggie eater, but after learning the benefits of raw veggies I began to eat more salads rather than just cooking them.”

What did your workout routines look like?  “Although I was a athlete in high school, after having  kids I became a couch potato and had to retrain myself. I started by buying an walking dvd and walking in my living room because I was to embarrassed of my body to go out.  As the weight dropped, I began to lift weights and slowly began to add on doing internet challenges.”

What was your starting weight? “My starting weight was 230 pounds.”

What is your current weight?  “My current weight is 165 pounds.”

How long did your transformation take? “11 months”

Jacinta weight loss success

BrieAunna lost 40 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story: BrieAunna lost 40 pounds.  She was dealing with a high blood pressure diagnosis since 20 years old and gallbladder issues.  This proud mom of two wrote in to us to share how she lost the weight by working out at home and finding a way of eating that worked for her.

Brie weight loss success story

“Hello BWLW community, My name is BrieAunna. I am 27 yrs. old and I joined this group for daily inspiration to help me along my journey to loose 100 pounds. I love seeing so many of us take our health and happiness into our own hands. So far, I have lost 40 pounds since January by working out six days a week and cleaning up my eating. I hope to loose another 30 lb. by the end of the year. I have stuggled with weight since childhood and developed medical issues related to my weight at an early age. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure at the age of 20 that is only controlled with medication. I selfishly put my two babies at risk by being overweight when I got pregnant. By the grace of God they both made it close to term and were healthy. I have been to the ER countless times thinking I was having a heart attack, but in reality I was suffering from gallbladder attacks all along. I’m bad with medicine and bad with doctors so I knew I had to make a change.

I began by making subtle changes to my diet, I began to drink water only and not waste my calories on sugary drinks. I try to avoid eating out as much as possible, but when I have to due to lack of planning I try to make the best choices possible. I have also began replacing at least one of my meals with a shake, smoothie, or nutriblast.  I work in retail and this works really well when I work night shifts. I make sure to eat 5-6 meals a day, all equally balanced and around the same amount of calories. I use My Fitness Pal to count my calories and to track my exercise.

I prefer to workout from home. With my schedule and two small kids the gym is not worth the hassle. At home, I can wear what I want and not worry about keeping up with others, or about finding a gym with childcare and working around their hours. I get up before everyone else and knock it out so I can start my day. I also plan to turn my garage into a gym space soon. I have been using workout DVD’s to lose the weight. I have done Zumba, Turbo Jam, Turbo Fire, Chalean Extreme, and sometimes throw a youtube workout for kettlebells in the mix. I love weight lifting the most. It helped me break through a plateau and changed the shape of my body. Lifting weights will not make you look you manly. It leans you out and muscle burns fat. My starting weight was 271 pounds and at my heaviest I was 290 pounds. I currently weigh 231 lbs. I hope to get to 200 by January and lose another 30 pounds after that. I still struggle with my blood pressure but I don’t have the constant headaches associated with it any longer.

My advice to anyone looking to lose weight is just get moving. Don’t think to hard about it, just get up. Find things you enjoy to do so it doesn’t seem like a chore. Plan your meals ahead of time to avoid being caught in a tough situation. Don’t drink your calories!!! Most importantly don’t give up until you get where YOU want to be. Thanks for letting me share.

Weight Loss on a Budget Tip #17: Consider Joining a DietBet

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dietbet articleIt’s time for Weight Loss on a Budget Tip #17: Consider Joining a DietBet.  So, what is DietBet?  It’s a online diet contest/weight loss betting pool site that gives you 28 days to lose 4% or more of your weight.  If you meet the goal you get a cut of the pot of everyone’s bets.  Bet amounts vary.

“DietBet is a game where you’ve got 4 weeks to lose 4% of your starting weight. To begin, everyone puts money into the pot. After four weeks, whoever’s hit their 4% goal is a winner and splits the pot.” – dietbet.com

Kinda cool, right?  It’s a new school take on the old school practice of weight loss pots at the office, among friends, etc.  You can start your own dietbet and compete with friends, with family or you can find a contest on the DietBet website.

Is it legit?  They have a lot of controls to try to ensure fairness.  You can check out the details on their website.

“Players will submit official weigh-in photos at the start and end of a game. DietBet will verify each photo and certify the final winners.”

“Two days before your game begins, you’ll be prompted to submit your official starting weight.
Our standard weigh-in process involves you submitting two photos, one of you on a scale in airport security attire; another of the scale’s readout with your weigh-in word.”

The weigh-in word is a great idea.  You don’t find out what the word is until 2 days before the contest starts to put it in your before photos (on a piece of paper).  You get a new word at the end of the contest for your after photos.  That makes it very difficult to cheat. Here is the list of dietbet games that are currently going on.

Erica lost 77 pounds with weight loss surgery

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Let’s show some love to Erica.  She lost 77 pounds after having gastric sleeve weight reduction surgery earlier this year.  She went from 300 pounds down to 223 pounds. Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey:

“My name is Erica. I was a diabetic, had high blood pressure, and my knees & ankles were getting bad. My blood sugar levels were running anywhere from 250 to 270 and they started me on insulin. My doctor suggested gastric sleeve surgery to get my weight down and stabilize the sugar or death was the possibility I would face. I had weight lost surgery on January 29 2013. It was the start of my new life and I had the Gastric Sleeve done. My starting weight was 300 pounds and as of today, I weight 223 pounds (8 months later). I’m down 77 lbs. My goal weight is 190 pounds, so I have 33 lbs to go. I eat small healthy portions of food. Drink plenty of water and walk 5 days a week.”

What did you do to change your eating habits?

“My eating habits were a complete 360 from what I was use to. I started baking all meats. I eat baked chicken & fish. I use turkey products and cut beef & pork from my diet. Also, fresh vegitables are a big part of every meal. My portion sizes were cut to a 4th of what I use to eat.”

What did you do in terms of exercise?

“I work out 4 days a week. I walk a mile a day and lift weights to help try to tone my arms.”

What is your advice for other ladies who want to lose weight?

“My advice for others is to determine your love for yourself and make a commitment to yourself to take each day one at a time and if you have the will power to do it one day you will have that same power to do it the next day. You have to get healthy in the mind also to put it into action. And finally surgery is not all bad it can be a blessing for those that feel like they tried it all. I am no longer on diabetes medications or high blood pressure medication and I feel wonderful.”

Erica weight loss success story

Chandra lost 61 pounds

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Today’s weight loss success story: Chandra lost 61 pounds.  This proud mom was motivated by her son who is fighting obesity as well.  Here is what she shared with us about how she is losing the weight:

“I’ve lost 61 pounds so far from my highest weight. I plan to lose 50 more. I’ve done this by switching to a high protein, low carb diet, drinking plenty of water, and exercising at least 3 days a week. I had to finally make up in my mind that I was ready to make a change.

My first motivation is to be an example to my son who is struggling with obesity. Secondly I just want to live a healthier lifestyle so I can live longer. I’ve struggled with weight all of my life and I’m ready to change for good. My starting weight was 336 pounds and my current weight is 275 pounds. My goal is 235 pounds. I’ve been working with a nutritionist who has been helping me with a high protein, low carb plan. I eat between 1200 and 1400 protein calories a day and no more than 30 grams of carbs a day. For exercise, I workout on the elliptical for 30 minutes, 3 times a week and other multiple machines that target my thighs, stomach, and arms.”

Chandra weight loss success story