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Dominique lost 56 pounds

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Featured Success Story: Dominique lost 56 pounds in about 5 months.  This proud wife and mom of a young child is chronicling her journey on Instagram.  Here is what she shared with us about what changes she made to lose the pounds:

Dominique weight loss mom

Hi, my name is Dominique. I’m a 29 year old wife and mom of one. I started my weight loss journey on Feb. 17th 2014. At the time, I didn’t know how much I weighed or if I suffered from diabetes or high blood pressure. What I did know was that my knee throbbed every time I walked, I had no energy, and I was tired of my five year old beating me when we raced. It was time for a change! I joined a local gym and on my first day I stepped on the scale and weighed in at 355 pounds. I started out doing 30 minutes on the treadmill during my gym visits. Next, I had to tackle my eating habits. I lost weight in the past with Weight Watchers but had never truly changed my diet. I went online and researched clean eating and found a plan that worked for me. Since then I’ve changed my lifestyle drastically in the past few months. I went from being sedentary to working out 5 days per week which includes at least 45 minutes to an hour of cardio and weight lifting. I used to eat fast food 4-5 times per week now I eat clean 80% of the time. Five months later, I’m down 56 pounds! Many people think there is a secret to weight loss and there is; discipline, dedication and most importantly patience! Thank you for allowing me to share my story.

Instagram: @dom_diva28

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Tamiko lost 132 pounds

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Update: Tamiko lost 10 more pounds for a total of 142 gone. Read her update.

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Tamiko lost 132 pounds, going from 277 lbs to 145 lbs. This petite, proud mom of three girls found success with the Weight Watchers weight loss program and lots of exercise.  Here is what she shared with us about how she lost the weight:

Tamiko before and after

“Hi, I’m Tamiko. When I first started my weight loss journey I weighed 277 pounds. I didn’t have any health problems, even though I was extremely overweight. However, I was tired. I was tired of not really living and not being someone my three daughters could look up to.

So, I joined Weight Watchers and stuck to it religiously. I stayed within my points and chose healthy foods and snacks. I searched online for delicious food and snack ideas. I also learned new ways to cook and snack by attending Weight Watchers meetings.

I started working out. I took boot camp classes and hit the treadmill for at least an hour every day. I walked, took the stairs when I could and parked further away from the stores when shopping. I went All Out. I wanted the weight to be GONE. I did Zumba, cycling and other classes. I’ve learned to switch things up or you’ll get bored. I hit the gym twice a day at least 2 times a week, so I work out about 8 or 9 times a week most of the time.

I began my weight loss journey in 2006. By Aug 2008, I was down from 277 pounds to 165 pounds. I went from a size 26/28 to a size 10. Then, I got too comfortable and started to gain weight back. By Mid 2012, I was back up to 218 and started over again. This time I made up my mind I won’t stop until I reach goal.

Today, I weigh 145 pounds and wear a size 8 (height: 5’2″). I have lost a total of 132 pounds. I am five pounds from my goal. I would advise others who are looking to lose weight to hang in there. Don’t look for quick fixes because they don’t work. My weight loss is a result of going hard in the gym and eating right. Losing weight isn’t easy but if you dedicate the time it will happen. You may fall (I did) but get back up and go harder! Quitting is not an option! I have a Facebook page where I talk about my weight loss journey it’s facebook.com/TamikoWeightLossJourney”

Tamiko weight loss

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Bernadette lost 73 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Bernadette lost 73 pounds.  She decided that enough was enough and that she wanted to like what she saw in the mirror.  She changed her eating habits and started exercising regularly to reach her goals.  Read more about her weight loss journey:

Bernadette weight loss story

“I’m Bernadette Robinson and I wanted to share my story. I started my weight loss journey in November 2012. I hated my overall look and decided to change it. My starting weight was 267 pounds. After dieting and exercising 3-4 times out the week, I ended dropping down to 194 pounds by March 2013. That’s a total weight loss of 73 pounds and I’ve maintained my weight loss. I knew how hard it was to begin my journey, but that’s the thing. I began and I conquered!

I was looking at myself one day and I was tired if what I was seeing. Fat, rolls, tummy lol. I started eating more vegetables (because lord knows I wasn’t eating nearly as enough as I should have been). I drank lots of water and cut out sodas completely. I also ate smaller portions instead really big meals. For exercise, I worked out at the gym 3 times a week. I workout on the treadmill, elliptical machine and stationary bike.  I do squats, pull-ups and 150 crunches a day. The advice that I would give to others is: If you want to change the way you look, do something about it! I know it is not easy to make that first step, but it does get easier in the long run! Most importantly, do it for YOU.”

Bernadette before and after Bernadette before and after

Lanitra lost 46 pounds

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Weight Loss Story: Lanitra lost 46 pounds.  She cites the help and support from a friend who was into fitness as a major motivational factor in her success.  Here is what she shared about how she lost the weight:

Lanitra weight loss

“My name is Lanitra Wilson and my weight loss journey began about two years ago. I have struggled for years with my weight and I could not find the motivation nor the best plan that worked for me. I truly believe that in life we meet people who will have a lasting effect on our lives. I met a good friend who was totally into fitness and who actually believed that I could loose the weight that I had been carrying for years. Just having someone believe in me and push me when I couldn’t push myself gave me the strength to start my journey. I was also motivated by the fact that I have a 16 year old daughter in which I want to be around to see become a young woman and have a family of her own.

I began working out at the gym initially up to 3 times per week then I was able to increase the number of days to 5 and I actually began enjoying it. My workout consisted of doing intervals on the treadmill and total body weight lifting. As time progressed I concentrated more on cardio and completed about 50 minutes a day and then incorporated light weights. I also began changing my eating habits by cutting out fast food and incorporating salmon, fruits, vegetables and drinking plenty of water.

I still have more pounds to shed but I wanted to share my journey with other women to let them know that they can do this. My highest weight was 271 pounds and I’m currently down to 225 pounds and counting.”

Andrea lost 68 pounds

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Weight Loss Success Story of the Day: Proud mom Andrea lost 68 pounds in 7 months by changing her habits to create a healthier lifestyle.  Here is what she shared about how she lost the weight:

Andrea before and after weight loss

“My motivation to lose weight was a better ME. Once I became a mother (9 years ago), I just let myself go and put myself last in everything. I knew I had gained a lot of weight (number wise) but I never saw myself as being as overweight as I really was (reality hit looking at pictures of myself before and after my weight loss). I am blessed to not suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol issues, or any other disease associated with being overweight and I wanted to ensure that remained the case as I approached the “dirty 30’s”. The ultimate motivation/goal was that I wanted to lose at least 50 pounds by my 30th birthday.

I changed my eating habits mainly with using the “myfitnesspal” app in counting calories. I cut back on sweets as this is my biggest struggle (I cut them out completely in the beginning), no sodas, rarely eat fast food and when I do I eat healthier choices. I hardly eat fried foods and I make moderations to what I eat.  For example, if I eat a sandwich, I use one slice of wheat bread and I use mustard instead of mayo. I am more conscious of what I eat and how much I eat and counting calories is the biggest help of all.

My workout routines consist of walking/running on the treadmill 3-4 miles 5-6 days a week. I did Hip Hop Abs for 3 months along with monthly challenges on Black Women Losing Weight page. I have only exercised at home; no gym membership!

My starting weight was 249 pounds (my heaviest) when I went to the doctor in April 2013 and that is when I started making small changes with foods and slowly walking at least 1 mile a day on the treadmill every day. I went back to the doctor May 2013 and weighed 246 pounds and that is when I kicked into high gear on this weight loss journey. As of December 12, 2013, I weighed in at 181 pounds. My goal weight (after losing the first 50 pounds) was 175 pounds by my birthday (December 15). Although I missed that goal, I am still so very proud of myself and how far I have come. I am now aiming to get down to 165 pounds (hopefully by May 2014).

My advice to others is to never give up! Gaining weight is easy and losing it will be one of the hardest things you ever have to do. It is hard, takes commitment, strength, determination, will power, and faith. There are good days and bad days but when you have a bad day, pray about it and start over tomorrow-don’t beat yourself up. I have been on this journey for 7 months strong and I have days when I fall off the bandwagon but I just get back up and keep going. Every step and effort you make makes a difference and equals a step closer to a better and healthier you! I encourage others to lose weight for themselves and no one else because when you do it for the wrong reasons, it probably won’t last as a weight loss journey is about a lifestyle change for the rest of your life. No two stories and experiences are alike so you have to do what works best for you and your life. The Black Women Losing Weight page is an excellent source for women on a weight loss journey as it gives women hope and motivation that if “she” can do it, so can IJ

***Picture on the left is from December 2012 and picture on the right is from November 2013***”

Ashisha lost 65 pounds

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Today’s weight loss success story: Ashisha lost 65 pounds in 7 months.  She lost the weight by working out at home and changing her eating habits.  Here is what she shared about her weight loss journey:

“Hi, My name is Ashisha. During my weight loss journey, I’ve lost a total of 65 pounds. I’ve always been slim, but over the last 5-6 years I gained weight. Reaching a high of 190 lbs as seen on the pic on the left, I decided that I was not going to reach 200 pounds.  I started on Sept. 2012 and 7 months later, in April 2013, I reached my 50 pound goal. Today, I weigh 125.5 pounds.  That’s a total of almost 65 lbs. I changed my eating habits and started eating healthier. I limited breads & pastas, chose baked meats vs. fried, drank lots of water  vs. sodas or juices.  I also added more green veggies & fresh fruit to my diet,  but no sweets. I limited my calorie intake to 1500-2000 calories a day, including what I ate  and drank. I walked on the treadmill at home 6 days a week for 30-45 min, as well as did jumping jacks, crunches, used 3 lb dumbbells for my arms and did leg lifts 6 days a week. I even tried planks but never mastered them. My kids, husband, and other weight loss success stories I would read about were my motivation during times of tears and wanting to give up. If I could do it, anyone can. I would tell anyone if they want to do it; DO IT and don’t look back.  Get yourself a good support group and just do it. I look at old pics and thought “there’s no way I was that big”. I love it when I see people that haven’t seen me since my weight loss and they don’t recognize me at first.” Check her out on Instagram: @hishaw

Ashisha weight loss success story

Updated: Helen lost 54 pounds

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Update from Helen (posted Oct 2013): “I just want to share with you that I’m finally down to 64 pounds [down from 310] doing the same thing I was doing. Here’s a couple pictures so you can see the results.”

Helen weight loss success story

Original Post

Let’s show some love to Helen.  She lost 54 pounds down, from 310 pounds.  Here is what she shared about her weight loss transformation so far”

“Here is my weight loss journey. Since last September (2012), I’ve lost 54 lbs. My goal is to lose 46 more pounds by the end of this year.  My motivation to lose weight was because of my health.  It was time to take action. How I took action was by eating healthier, cutting out salt and not drinking soda pop.  I also drank more water. I workout for 30-45 minutes per session. I do the elliptical for 15-20 mins, then lift weights for about 5 mins, then I do the treadmill and the step aerobics machine for the remainder of time. My starting weight was 310 pounds now I’m currently at 256 pounds. My weight loss so far has taken about a year.”

Helen weight loss

 

Amazing Weight Loss: Veronica lost 274 pounds

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Update 2016: Veronica’s story was featured on the Dr. Oz Show on May 10, 2016 – Video

Update 2015: Veronica is down over 290 pounds! Check out what she shared with us about her transformation and videos from her journey below.

veronica weight loss story

Who wants to see my fake belly button? So when I had my skin removal surgery my surgeon completely removed my belly button. But he replaced with this cute new one! Actually I had a cute one before too but this one is smaller. It feels kinda weird, itches sometimes and I don’t really like to touch it. But hey I’ll take progress at any cost. And speaking of cost I’ll finally be doing that video on the entire procedure complete with the shocking before and after, surgery costs and the entire healing process. Thanks to #beachbodychallenge for making this dream possible. I might even be able to bare my midriff some day. Oh and don’t mind that love handle I’m working on it! #transformationtuesday on #flexfriday #meonlybetter #fuckbeingfat #believeandachieve

A photo posted by Veronica (@meonlybetter2013) on

Sept 2013 – We have an amazing weight loss story for you this morning.  Veronica wrote to us to share her 274 weight loss journey.  She has gone from 457 pounds to 183 pounds.  After a terrible accident, her weight ballooned, but she found the strength to change her eating habits and embrace exercise.  It took a number of years, but she lost the weight over time.  Here is her story:

Veronica lost 274 pounds

Growing up I was always the “big girl”. Weight has been a constant struggle for as long as I can remember. I was pretty well resigned to live with the fact that I would always be Plus Size. Some how I came to terms with that. After a terrible and disfiguring automobile accident my weight just skyrocketed. I was hit head on by a drunk driver. Eventually the pain dissipated but I was left with a grotesque keloid scar on my face. The unsightly scar left me feeling hopeless and desolate. Depression set in and my weight soared out of control. Soon my weight was even more grotesque than the scar. Because I felt so ugly and ashamed of my appearance, I simply gave up on taking care of myself. Eating to end my suffering. All the while the eating only exaggerated my suffering. My weight ballooned to a staggering 457 pounds and I literally believed my life was over.

Little by little, I began to change my eating habits and slowly but surely the weight started coming off. I started with the very simple change of eliminating all sodas. Still craving sweet drinks, I switched to fruit juice and gradually made the change to drinking only water. I then began to eat less at each meal. Though I still ate the same types of foods, I just ate much less at a sitting. Through these simple changes alone I was able to drop 80 pounds.

My small leaps and gains encouraged me to want to do more and step it up in a big way. I started watching my carb intake and began doing a variety of workout programs. I decided to embrace a low carb lifestyle. Eliminating all sugar, white flour and starchy foods or vegetables. I know focus on proteins such as meat, pork, poultry and fish. Also included are dairy such as cream, and cheese as well as fresh vegetable and low sugar fruits.

In conjunction with my low carb eating plan I have also incorporated more vigorous and extreme workouts. I manage to fit in some form of excercise at least once a day. I do have one rest day every week in which i generally like to take a leisurely walk around the city and just enjoy my new physical fitness. Healthy food choices, daily exercise and positive thinking are now part of my everday life.

The difference between success and failure this time is that told myself this journey would not be easy. It would not be quick. It would take dedication. Then I committed myself to putting in the work. I knew that realistically it would take up to a year to lose 100 pounds 2 years to lose 200 pounds. Instead of focusing on how much time i had ahead of me I took it one day at a time.

I’ve lost a staggering 274 lbs and i’m well on my way to goal. I currently weigh 183 lbs and will reach goal at 150 lbs. I started my journey doing a 40 minute mile on the treadmill. You start where you can and you’ll get where you’re going. My life used to be about food and what I would eat that day. It still is but in much more positive and healthier way. I am amazed and astonished by my success. If you are one of those people who used to believe like I did that good things only happen to other people I’m here to tell you it can happen to you too!

www.facebook.com/veronica.spriggs

instagram: @MeOnlyBetter2013

Rachael-Lea lost 47 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story: Rachael-Lea lost 47 pounds.  Here is what she shared with us:

Writing you from Toronto Canada. I tried EVERYTHING…every diet, you name it. Well, I’m down 47 pounds thanks to help of myfitness pal, and the wrong persons saying the wrong thing to me at the right time. Gave me the encouragement to prove them WRONG.

What was your motivation?
I want to tell you that the reason I lost weight is because a doctor told me I needed to. To be honest, I was teased, by the wrong person at the RIGHT time. My heart sunk when I heard the words “you’re too fat”. I realized that it wasn’t just that moment, but many moments where I just got tired of feeling the way I was feeling. What started out as an “anger” run on the treadmill, ended with a very successful way to use negative energy and make it positive.

I was also a “pre-lapband” client. I didn’t lose the weight. I even ended up working at that clinic and saw so many women who were not successful. Many are…many are not. After frustration and years of no weightloss, I took the band out. I was told I’d continue gaining weight (the doctors told me), I wouldn’t be able to do it on my own. Well, proved them wrong! And now I’m band free.

Facebook page: Burn the Girdle

RachaelLea weight loss

How did you change your eating habits?
I did change my eating habits, however, diets in the past didn’t work. I would always buy unrealistic, Yucky foods that would end up sitting in my fridge. I decided that I would watch my calorie count while incorporating better choices. However, sometimes a girl just needs a bag of sour cream and onion chips. And I do that. I give myself permission to eat what I want, I just watch how much I eat. I will tell you Myfitnesspal has been the BEST THING EVER! I use it religiously and always promise to be honest. I think that’s the key. If you stop clocking what you’re eating, or pretend that you never saw it go down your throat, that’s when you do yourself an injustice.

What did your workout routines look like?
My routine is running mostly. I like running and took it up years ago, before the big weightloss ever happened. Right now, I have to careful with one knee, so I moved from outside to indoors on a treadmill. I also love to dance to SOCA! It’s a great way to get work done on the waist! I’ve recently started incorporating weights into my routine. I don’t love it, I’ll be honest, but I do love the results. I work out 5-6 times a week for at least 30 minutes.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 192 pounds. I am now 145 pounds.

How long did your transformation take?
I started working on the transformation Feb 18th 2013 to be EXACT! 🙂

Thank you for the facebook page, you’ve inspired me to inspire women as well.

Ashley lost 40 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss before and after story:  Blogger Ashley lost 40 pounds with MyFitnessPal, clean eating, exercise and the Couch to 5K running program.  She says that she decided that if she made healthy choices for her body the weight loss would come naturally.  Here are the details of her weight loss journey that she shared with us:

I began my most recent weight loss attempt last September when the scale hit 184.6 pounds, but I have been trying to lose weight since I was little girl. My highest weight ever was 216.4 pounds when I was in middle school. I was obese and miserable.  the summer before high school I started going to Weight Watchers and got down to the 160s. My weight started to yo-yo after that. I would let my weight get up into the 180’s then decide I needed to go on a diet again and get back somewhere between 150 and 160. I never managed to make it to my goal weight, but I also never let myself leave Onederland again (the 100s).

Fast forward to my first year of law school. I was stressed out and eating badly but I let myself believe I hadn’t gained that much weight. I kept telling myself that fiction right up until I was too big for all my favorite dresses and I had to buy size 18 jeans because none of my old ones fit anymore. In late August I decided to find out how much damage I had done during my first year of law school so I ordered a bathroom scale for my apartment. When I stepped on it for the first time I was horrified. I was dangerously close to 190 pounds. I decided it was time to get to work and reach a healthy weight once and for all.

What was your motivation?
The first time I lost a large amount of weight, I did it because I wanted to be thin like the other girls in my school. This time when I decided to lose the weight, I did it for myself. I decided that I wanted to be healthy and fit. I wanted to live a better life than I had been living. I wanted to be happy.

How did you change your eating habits?
I started by counting calories and tracking what I ate in MyFitnessPal. At first I ate a lot of Lean Cuisine and other diet foods, but as I started doing more research about weight loss and eating healthy.  I realized that eating primarily frozen and processed meals wasn’t a healthy way to lose weight even if I was staying within my calorie budget. I slowly started to ease into clean eating. First, I gave up soda and learned to like water. I started trying new fruits and vegetables. I started cooking more. Eventually, I found clean replacements for the processed foods I loved. I started eating Peanut Butter Cookie Larabars instead of the peanut butter cookies I used to get at Subway as a treat. I started making my own pizzas with healthy ingredients instead of buying Lean Cuisine ones. I started doing most of my grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s where I could find healthier, less processed foods than I could get at a regular store. As I made these changes, I started to feel better. I started focusing more on getting healthy than losing weight. Somewhere along the way I decided that if I made healthy choices for my body the weight loss would come naturally. So far, that approach has worked fairly well.

What did your workout routines look like?
When I started losing weight, I was really out of shape. My first forays into the gym involved setting the treadmill at an incline and walking for an hour at a time five or six times per week. I would see the other gym-goers running on the treadmills next to me and wish I could be like them, but at that point I didn’t think I would ever be able to run. Sometime in October, I came across the Couch to 5k program online. It was supposed to help you ease into running with interval training where you run for a minute or so then recover by walking for a couple of minutes. Eventually the running intervals get longer and the walking intervals get shorter until you are either running thirty minutes at a time or 5k (3.1 miles). I didn’t follow the program exactly, but I was able to run for twenty to thirty minutes at a time by the end of December and was running 3 miles several times a week by the end of January. The more active I became, the more active I wanted to be.  I started venturing to local parks and greenways and found that I love hiking.

What is your current weight? How long did your transformation take?
At my last weigh-in my weight was 145.4, but I’m not done losing weight. My current goal is to weigh between 130 and 135, but I mainly want to get toned up. My transformation up to this point has taken 10 months. I am still a work in progress, so you will have to read the rest of my journey on my blog: downsizingashley.blogspot.com/.

ashley weight loss before and after