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Paula lost 110 pounds

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Success Story of the Day: Paula lost 110 pounds. She lost the weight and has kept it off for a few years with consistent exercise, portion control and low carb eating.  Check out the details that she shared with us about her journey.

Paula weight loss story

I’ve lost 110 lbs (5’5″), going from a size 18/2X down to a size 4/XS. I started working out of 1-2 hours Mon-Fri and completely changed my eating habits, using diets here and there strictly as motivation. I’m 27 years old, but I started my journey as a Junior in college in 2009. It took me almost a year to lose the weight and so far I’ve managed to keep it off. I don’t have any kids and was heavy my entire life. I just finally got serious about my life.

The advice I would give to others is to look at it as a lifestyle change and not a diet. Also, what works for me is to simply eat more protein and less of everything else! I have better portion control now and I eat on smaller plates to make me visually feel as if I’m eating a large meal.When I feel hungry, I first drink 2 glasses of water and if I’m still hungry, then I’ll eat. This is a way I “test” myself to see if I’m truly hungry, or not. I did try several diets, and some worked…but I only did that as motivation because seeing the scale move made me feel accomplished!! I also would get rid of the clothes that were too big, because saving them was really a way of saying that one day I would gain the weight back and wear them again. Diet wise, I did SlimFast, Atkins, Weight Watchers and the Grapefruit Diet just to name a few.

Currently, I mainly watch my portions and I eat 5 small meals per day. I also don’t deprive myself when I have a craving. If I’m craving cookies, for example, I will grab a few (1-3) and break it into small pieces. Usually after eating a few pieces, I feel bad for eating unhealthy and I won’t even finish them. I’m a big snacker, so I snack on healthier foods like cheese strings, almonds, fresh fruit and etc.

Protein can cause you to gain weight, if you aren’t cutting back on everything else. Sometimes, I replace an entire meal with a protein shake. I use a medical grade protein made by Unjury because it has less sugar, calories and carbs. My breakfast is normally all protein (eggs and a breakfast meat). My lunch and dinner are normally about 6oz of a lean meat, 2 green leafy vegetables and if I have room I’ll have a starch. I don’t count carbs/calories but if an item has a sugar free or low sodium version, I’ll get it because that normally means less carbs/calories.

I used to do at least 5 days at the gym with 1 hour of cardio (treadmill, elliptical, bike, stairclimber, Zumba, hip hop dance etc) and 1 hour of weights. With the weights, I’ll do squats, arm curls, leg press, chest press, and etc. I now try to workout 5  days a week for 30-45 min (cardio and weights still) because I don’t want to keep losing weight.

My Instagram name is @ReeziRee. I never show my old photos because it’s a hard reminder of a place I never want to revisit.  However, I just posted my picture on Instagram because I was inspired by someone you follow. Thanks for sharing my story and I hope to inspire more black women.

Paula before and after

Deborah lost 80 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Delta Sigma Theta soror Deborah lost 80 pounds since January.  Her weight loss coach, Wiltrina Jones (who has lost over 205 pounds), encouraged her to send in her story.  This single mom of 3 went from a size 3XL shirt to a small and from size 24 pants down to size 10.  Here is what she shared about her journey:

Deb weight loss story single mom

My name is Deborah Harvin. I’ve lost 80.9 pounds and I’m on my way to my goal of 100 lbs, GONE. I began my journey 1/24/14, weighing 280, wearing a 3XXL SHIRT, 24 tight pants. Today,  I am wearing a juniors small shirt and size 10 pants. I reached half my original size in 7 months.  I got sick and tired of being sick and tired. Not physically sick but tired, run down and lethargic. As a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, I attended our Centennial Celebration in D.C, and I was uncomfortable at many of the events because of my size and limited choices in fashionable clothes. I’ve carried this extra weight over 25+ years and it got worse after each child, life event, etc.  However, I have no illnesses associated with being obese and I realized that was my blessing, but I needed to keep it that way for me and my children. I’ve been a single mother of three for nine years, I operate my own business, and have tried over the years EVERYTHING to lose weight. I’ve seemingly been on a perpetual diet.

I stumbled across Wiltrina Jones: I Use To Be U on FB  and watched her and her clients for about a year. My thinking was, “Wow, she looks like me, is shaped like me, she did it. It’s possible.”.  Well, on January 24, 2014, I finally decided to try her plans. In July 2014, I won $1000 in her 12 week body transformation contest.  Having customized meal plans has given me my life back. I eat real food that I buy, cook and enjoy. No shakes, pills, etc. I have learned how to meal prep, use portion control, understanding my body’s signals. I changed my eating habits by eating clean, measuring my food, no processed food, such as chips, fast food, ice cream, deserts.  I eat fish, chicken, ground turkey, fresh veggies, brown rice, all baked, no fried foods.

I work out 4-5 days a week and began going to the gym about a month into my journey. Once there, I immediately began lifting weights as I was fearful of having loose skin and my Coach always says, ‘Keep the weights in your hands’. My exercise routines also include walking, boot camps, jump roping, weighted ropes and the treadmill. No matter what method you use, discipline, prayer, hard work, sweat, a few tears, and focus have to be part of the journey. If I can do it, I believe anyone can, but you have to get out of your own way!

Instagram: @debduncanharvin

Deb before and after

Starr lost 68 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Starr lost 68 pounds by eating clean and working out regularly.  After a terrible car accident and loss of her brother, she didn’t know if she’d be able to accomplish many of her goals, but she’s put the pieces back together. She is a survivor! Here is what she shared with us…
starrsept14blog

I’m 33 years old. My journey started in January 2014 and I have lost 68 pounds. My lifestyle change continues…

What was your motivation?
My motivation was to accomplish the things that I thought I would never be able to accomplish due to the fact I was in a car accident in 2002. Were was hit head on by a drunk driver. The accident killed my brother and I broke everything but on my right side from my neck all the way down.

What inspired you?
It’s not what inspired me, its who inspired me; my two cousins from Saint Louis Missouri. They have always being my inspiration. Lady Eriqua & Kor’Ree Manson

How did you change your eating habits?
I changed my eating habits by eating more clean foods.  I don’t eat beef or pork. I also don’t eat rice, potatoes or pasta. Bread I only have 2 times a week. I only drink water and I started eating more fish, vegetables and fruits.

What did your workout routines look like?
I workout 6 days a week.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 268 pounds. My current weight is 200 pounds. My height is 5’5″.

How long did your transformation take?
I have been working out since Jan of 2014.

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
My advice is that it’s not easy but it’s worth it. Just imagine yourself 6 months from now and you’ll be motivated.

Instagram:  @Star_Struckent_

starr weight loss

Lesson 6: What I See in the Mirror

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mirror lesson weight lossLesson #6: Today’s weight loss lesson is super simple, but also very powerful. You will need a mirror for this challenge, preferably a full length mirror (use what you have if you don’t have a long one).  You’ll also need pen and paper.

Lesson 1 | Lesson 2 | Lesson 3 | Lesson 4 | Lesson 5

Stand in front of your mirror and look at yourself for at least 60 seconds.  Take up to 3 minutes to really stare at what you see and take it all in.  Don’t censor your thoughts, just let the assumptions, thoughts and emotions flow.  Don’t judge what you are thinking or feeling.

Part 1 – Write down the answers to these questions. Write whatever comes to mind and is your truth.  No judgement.

  1. When I look at my face I feel ________, because ________.
  2. When I look at my body I feel ________, because ________.
  3. When I consider the shape of my body I feel _________, because________.
  4. I think that my body is _____________. (use 1-3 words to complete this sentence)

Part 2 – Consider what you like and don’t like about your body.  Write down 5 things you like and up to 5 things you would like to change.

Part 3 –  Ask yourself whether the things you would like to change realistic and why or why not?  I want you to have a dialogue with yourself about the reasons you want or need to change.  Are you being truthful.  Are you being hurtful to yourself.  Can you actually accept some of the things you want to change as good or unique.

Part 4 – How do you feel now?  Do you feel down and deflated?  Do you feel enlightened? Do you feel motivated?  Do you feel proud of yourself?  Do you feel healthy?  It is time to review your answers and decide on your next action.

  • Think about how you would like to feel about your body?
  • If you are feeling down about the way you look, you have to decide what the true source of those feelings are?  Did someone tell you that you’re too fat or not attractive, or is that feeling coming from you.  If you don’t like things about the way you look, and it’ can’t be changed how will you find happiness.
  • If you are happy with the way you look but know you could be healthier, what are your next steps?  What actions are you willing to take?
  • What positive action can you take today?  If you love your body, take actions that will make it healthier and keep it healthy.  If you want to change some things, start brainstorming about the actions you can take.

We have to be real with ourselves about how we feel about our bodies.  Our body is our temple and we have to show it love.  Love may be positive change.  Love may be accepting that you will not be a size 2.  Love may be leaving alcohol, soda and fast food alone.  Love could be walking for 20 minutes a day or training for a marathon. You have to find out what love is for you. 

Lanisha lost 40 pounds

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Success Story of the Day: Lanisha lost 40 pounds.  Like many in our community, she had high blood pressure and was put on medication for hypertension.  She decided to take action and change her lifestyle to lose weight and get healthy.  Here is what she shared about her journey:

Lanisha before and after photos

My motivation to lose weight was for health reasons. My doctor advised me to lose weight because of hypertension (high blood pressure). He put me on medication and I hated taking them everyday. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I started to make healthier decisions instead of impulse eating. I was an emotional eater. Instead of chips, soda and fast food, I substituted those things for water, fruits and veggies. I honestly put myself on a restricted calorie diet. In the beginning of my weight loss journey ate 1000 calories a day. Then after I started to see results, I decided to up my calorie intake and began tracking it using My Fitness Pal so I could maintain my weight loss success.  Then I started to add walking and bicycling Monday thru Friday. While I was walking, I started to add a light jog. Jogging became my stress relief.

My transformation took about 8 months. I started at weight size of 190 pounds and I’m currently 150 pounds (My height is 5’4″). I would tell others to not think about dieting but about lifestyle change. I changed the way I live. I still eat some snacks when cravings kick in, but only in moderation. I live an active life that also keeps my weight balanced. In addition, I take my vitamins and eat small meals throughout the day. Losing weight is more about determination then anything else. If I commit to something I give it a 100% or nothing at all. Thanks for reading my story.

Instagram: @neegreen.

Marissa lost 76 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Marissa lost 76 pounds in 9 months. She credits the My Fitness Pal app as a major part of her success and encourages others to find people to partner with on this weight loss journey for encouragement.  Here is what she shared about how she lost the pounds…

Marissa before and after

My name is Marissa Preston. I’ve lost 76 pounds in 9 months by eating all natural, healthy food, using My Fitness Pal and working out. I have reached my weight loss goal, but I continue to eat healthy and workout as a lifestyle!

My motivations are my husband and two sons who are 2 and 7 years old. What also motivated me was the fact that I was 214 lbs and I didn’t even weigh that much when I was pregnant. I started my weight loss journey in November 2013 at 214 lbs and I am currently 136 lbs (height: 5’3″). I use an app on my phone called My Fitness Pal where I count my calories and track my exercise. My Fitness Pal calculates my calorie intake based on my height, age, weight, and personal profile. I watch my carbs, cutting out white breads, white rice, pasta and potatoes. I also don’t drink any sodas.  I’m watching my sugar intake, which means cutting out candy, cookies, etc. Drinking 10-12 cups of water a day has helped as well. Most importantly, I eat 4-6 small meals a day.  Exercise wise, I workout about 4 times a week and when I first began my weight loss journey I did a lot of cardio to get the weight off. Now, I’m trying to transition into doing more weight lifting and toning.

The advice that I give my to any one who is trying to lose weight is to find foods that are healthy but also taste good and are enjoyable. You can still go out to dinner because a lot of restaurants now have lighter menu choices. Also, get a workout partner, who could be your  husband, friend, co worker or child. You can also join a fitness group. Having a partner will make your workout easier. Don’t get discourage if every week when you weigh in you don’t lose weight, because there may be weeks when you don’t lose any weight.  I also suggest that you give My Fitness Pal a try. It’s very user friendly and you can add friends on the app so that you will be able to see your friend’s food diary, which can help you with your food choices.

Monique lost 80 pounds

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Success Story of the Day: Monique lost 80 pounds.  After years of dieting and bad eating habits, she decided that she wanted to prove those who doubted her wrong.  However, along the way her motivation turned inward and her journey became all about her feeling good and being healthy. Here is what she had to say…

Monique before and after

Instagram: @thatssomoe
Youtube: Thatssomoe

My name is Monique, and my journey started in 2012 at 280 pounds! My whole life, I was a heavy girl, so I really just came to the conclusion I would always be that way. I would try little diets and I knew how to workout, but my bad eating habits would always ruin my progress. One day I was talking to my then Ex-boyfriend about how I really wanted to go on a diet and change my life. He just said “You always say that. You’ve been on 20 diets already, just let it go”. While I don’t really think he knew how those words affected me! The journey started off trying to prove everyone wrong who had ever written me off, especially him, but a month into things it became more about me. It became more about how I was feeling and treating my body like a temple!

Cardio really helped drastically drop the weight. Once I got to a certain weight I incorporated weights to tone!

When I first started out I kept a strict protein/veggie/fruit diet. I also drank lots of water. No fried foods and no salt in order to lower my blood pressure because it was high! I did not eat very many starches! For snacks, I ate a variety of nuts, protein bars, and dried fruits if I wanted something similar to candy. I really just had my mind made up about eating better. I knew had to get a control on things before they got worse, and I believe that’s how I stayed faithful to my diet! When I started working out I focused on cardio and that really helped drastically drop the weight.. Brisk walking helped build my endurance. Once I was able to run I would do interval training, walk for 2 min run for 1 min. That’s what helped with dropping the weight all over! Now to tone I still do interval training, but now I also weight train.

I’ve lost 80 lbs so far (Height 5 feet, 6 1/2 inches”)!I would tell anyone who is about to embark on a journey, have your mind set and made up! You will not change your body until you have changed your mind! Of course I’ve detoured on my journey a bit but I’m not giving up!

Monique weight loss story

Tiffani lost 54 pounds

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Update Oct 2016 – Tiffani has maintained her love of fitness and her weight loss for 2 years.

tiffani before and after“Since my last submission a few things have changed. I’m so excited to share them with you! I am now a certified personal trainer and healthy living coach. I’ve competed in 5 Bikini Competitions. In my most recent competition, I placed 2nd overall. I’ve also managed to get my body fat % down to 14%. The thing that changed the most is that I am now vegan/pescatarian. I say “pescatarian” because I only eat seafood and “vegan” because I don’t consume any eggs or dairy products. I love the difference my new lifestyle change has made in my life! And I can’t want to share my next progress picture with you all.”

tiffani

September 2014 – Weight Loss Success Story of the Day: Tiffani lost 54 pounds.  This strong petite diva gained 60 pounds during pregnancy and shared with us what she had to do to get rid of the pounds.  She recently competed in her first bikini competition in Aug and  wants to now be in the fitness business.

Tiffani before and after

In June 2012, I had my son. I gained 60lbs during my pregnancy. After having my 9 lbs 1 oz son via c-section, my body was stretched everywhere and I was still carrying a lot of fat. I am 5´4 and I weighed 170 lbs after delivery. I participated in my first 5k race the month after I had my son and I loved it! From there, I started training for my first full marathon. I started walking a lot more and running a little. I lost a little weight but I was still far from where I wanted to be. In February 2013, I ran/walked the full marathon (26 miles). After completing the marathon I felt like I could do anything and so I decided to change my lifestyle completely.

I started eating more often and smaller portions. I downloaded the my fitness pal app and started watching my daily calories. I began doing Zumba class and running much more. I got down to 148 pounds. In June 2013, I lost my grandmother and all discipline went out the window. I began eating and drinking everything in sight. I got back up to 156 lbs. On August 28, 2013, I decided enough is enough! I was ready to change my life and health for good! I started prepping my meals for the week so that I never got hungry enough to eat badly. I went back to using my fitness pal to track my caloric intake versus how many calories I burn exercising. I met lots of people who were on the same path as I am who could keep me accountable and I could do the same for them. This helped a lot!!

I stopped eating red meat and almost all processed foods (no white anything i.e. bread, pasta, rice, etc). I also cut high calorie drinks from my diet. No Starbucks, no soda, no sugary juices. I started drinking at least a gallon of water a day, 100% fruit juices, or black coffee with almond milk instead of cream and no sugar. I began working out between 5-7 days a week. I would do at least an hour of cardio before weight training. After every workout, I would consume a high protein meal or shake to help feed my muscles. I got a workout partner who wouldn’t allow me to show weakness or give up. In May 2014, I started training for my first bikini competition. My diet became much more strict, I had to train much harder, and I had to use much more discipline when it came to how often I ate and the portion size. The day of my competition on August 23, 2014 I weighed 116lbs and I took 4th place! I’ve never been more proud of my determination and drive to complete such a hard task! In the process of just trying to “lose some weight” I fell madly in love with fitness! I’ve changed my major from nursing to physical therapy, I have started the process to starting my own health, fitness, and nutrition company. I’m also training to become a personal trainer!

Instagram: @MISSTNT_FLYYNFITT

Tiffani weight loss story

Amanda lost 55 pounds

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Weight Loss Story of the Day: Amanda lost 55 pounds.  She credits working out with her personal trainer and adopting a low carb/no carb eating plan as the major factors in her success. She tells us that without a change in your eating habits, you won’t see results.  Read her story…

Amanda before and after

My journey started 2 years ago when I hired my first personal trainer. He struggled with me because I never changed my eating habits and never successfully lost weight. My breaking point came 2 years later after high blood pressure caused my doctor to place me on the mirena iud. I gained a whooping 20lbs. At 300 pounds, I grew very depressed and I gave up. I stopped working out with my trainer and stayed to myself… Away from family… And friends. I didn’t want people to see me that large.

On December 30th I stepped on my bathroom scale and I saw that I’d reached 313 lbs. I refused to get any bigger. I started with my personal trainer again who challenged me not to quit and to give it my all. I workout with him 3 days a week doing strength training along with cardio. I do hour long cardio sessions on my own for the other 4 days. Yes, I workout EVERY SINGLE DAY!! As for my diet, I started eating smaller portions and raw vegetables with every meal. I’m slowly preparing myself to become vegan! My eating habits are based on a low/no carb diet with vegan dishes here and there. No sweets! When I crave sweets, I simply ate fruit. I’m so proud of myself!! I’m doing it!!! I would like to encourage others to keep at it and challenge themselves! Working out without changing your diet will not yield good results.

My trainer, Derron Flood, has been my rock and a great support system. He has kicked it up a notch in the cardio department! He had me run/walk a mile every day that I work out with him. Now, he has incorporated straight up RUNNING! Yes running! Lord, I thought I would die from it but I’m getting better and stronger everyday! I still lift weights and do lots of stair climbing as well! I’m now down 55 lbs and feeling great! We can all achieve our goals with hard work and consistency! #fitnessFirst ladies!!

Instagram: @a1m1ya

Amanda weight loss photos

Carmen lost 48 pounds

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Success Story of the Day: Carmen lost 48 pounds and saw an 20.8% reduction in body fat.  Her awesome trainer, Kurt Dixon of Body Refined, sent in this Delta Sigma Theta soror’s story.  She shared with us the ups and downs of her journey over the years and talks about how important mindset is.
carmen before and after
“I was always a curvy girl, but this was not curvaceous, it was just plain fat!”

  • Down 47in, (girth measurements)
  • 48 pounds Gone
  • 20.8% Reduction in Body Fat

My light bulb moment was over a year and a half ago when I saw a picture of myself and was like, “is that me?” Even my husband hinted and eventually shared with me that I had definitely gained weight since we had gotten married three years earlier. I was always a curvy girl, but this was not curvaceous, it was just plain fat! I didn’t like my picture at all and stopped taking many pictures. I actually spoke with Kurt of Body Refined a few months after that moment, but thought I could lose my extra weight on my own because I had done it before. I didn’t even think that I had gained that much weight because it crept up on me through the years. I would just buy new clothes if something didn’t fit. I went up two dress sizes, but actually kept thinking that I would be able to lose the weight when I wanted to in the near future. After 6 months of trying it on my own and using a variety of methods, nothing was really helping. I lost a whopping total of 4 or 5 pounds only. I was disgusted and fed up and decided to give Body Refined a call.

There have been moments in my life when I was overweight and I would just change my eating habits and lose weight quickly. I have never been skinny. In high school I was bigger than several of my friends and would just watch what I would eat during the summer to lose pounds. At the end of my first year in college I gained a lot of weight and my dad sent me to a weight doctor the summer of 1993. I lost the weight and went back to college much smaller than I had been that previous year. I used to go to the gym and really focus on my weight during my college years. After I graduated, I lived with a college roommate who always kept up with her weight and did a variety of workouts. We took a kickboxing class, did aerobics, and stayed busy constantly. I noticed though that over the recent years, I didn’t focus on maintaining my weight like I had in the past. I just chalked it up to “well, everyone gains weight as they get older.”

Being overweight does run in my immediate family, unfortunately. As a result, it does create health issues like blood pressure problems and heart problems.  It compromises your desire to work out and be healthy, and just the ability to be comfortable as you do daily activities. I didn’t want to get to that level and didn’t want a health problem to be the reason I had to finally lose the excess weight.

My weight journey has been a trek! It has been a long, arduous trip. The reason I say that is because I have always felt like I needed to be smaller, but I didn’t always focus on the health portion of my weight. Health and weight are closely linked together. I realized that in my 30s losing weight didn’t occur as easy or fast as it was in my 20s or teens and just changing a few things in my diet was no longer working. I also joined the gym thinking that working out would solve my weight problem and it didn’t at all. I didn’t want a quick fix because I always realized that I didn’t gain the extra weight quickly. I wanted to really eat better and know what nutrients I was putting in my body. I was focused on how I can keep my body healthy for the next 30 years if possible with my food choices and right exercise.

At this moment, I am not completely satisfied with my body yet. I know there are improvements I can still work on. I want to be more toned and firmer. I am short and I like the way I feel physically with the weight off. Losing a few extra pounds would help me maintain my goal weight. I still need to lose a few more pounds and focus on consistent workouts. I also want to narrow in on my food prep planning. I did a solid job this year at work prepping and planning my meals for lunch and want to maintain that this upcoming year. This will really be the test if I keep up my healthful eating patterns and exercise the upcoming year.

The most important lesson I have learned is that 80% of my weight comes from food planning and only 20% is from working out, so I want to focus on eating the right foods. I need to think about what I am putting in my mouth before I eat it. I can eat a cookie or have something sweet if I want it and if I am willing to eat the appropriate serving size. I look at the labels of food which I never really looked at serving size and all of the nutritional details. I couldn’t do that in the beginning because I needed to cut out lots of sugar which I had been accustomed to eating in most of the foods I ate often.

You have to be ready to lose weight. It takes a mindset that you really want to change and develop better eating habits. Most of us are in denial; I was completely in denial, and became comfortable with what I was eating, the size I wore, the way I looked in my pictures, and my health status. However, each person has to come to a personal decision that they are fed up and they want to improve their health and appearance. I would hear people say that and was like “oh, yeah, everyone says that.” I realized that you can’t actually lose weight successfully unless you take control regardless of what program, health coach, trainer, or doctor you decide to work with on your weight journey. No one is going to feed you or force you not to eat bad things. We all do those things on our own and we have to want to take responsibility for those changes.

I feel so much better in so many ways. My knees feel better, I sleep better, I get around quicker, and my most current medical physical was excellent. My doctor was so impressed with my blood pressure and weight until he high fived me in his office. I feel like I received a newer body and don’t want to go back to feeling tired and exhausted like before.

My support has been excellent. I didn’t tell a lot of people I had a health coach because I wanted to see if I would lose weight like the other people on the Body Redefined site. My students have been so supportive and some of my biggest supporters. They have been my personal cheerleaders and impressed with my weight loss, especially since they see me almost every day. They would encourage me to eat any “bad foods” the other teachers had after school and once or twice when I wanted to cheat, my after school kids would say, “do you really want or need that Mrs. LJ?” So, they were my unsolicited food police. My family has been thrilled with my weight loss and have encouraged me to keep it up. They actually encouraged me to lose weight. My friends have been super complimentary and very proud of me for sticking with it. It so much fun to shop for clothes. Even my work colleagues and some parents of my students have been cheering me on and positive about my weight loss. Since I started, I have dropped three to four dress sizes and I like the pictures I am taking now. I don’t have to find outfits that will hide something because some of that extra is gone. The transformation was difficult, but the results have been positive.

As I said earlier, I have always tried something to lose weight and the difference is that as I got older it became harder to lose weight. I knew I had to do something different that was good for my body. This time the focus was on the types of food I was eating, how much I was eating, when I was eating, and the nutritional value of the foods I was taking in daily. I never focused on food this much in my life and learned more about how to eat than ever before. It changed how I view food and I see food for the value it has and not just for fun or comfort.

I ended up working with Body Refined because I looked at the Facebook posts and the transformation stories of current clients. Some of their stories sounded just like mine and they were experiencing positive results. After thinking I could do it on my own, making excuses about my work schedule and a workout schedule, and gaining weight while doing it on my own, I decided to follow up with Body Refined. It has been a very good decision. Once I listened, stopped making excuses why I could not eat clean or workout and followed the plan that was designed for me, I started losing weight. It took me a little longer than some other clients and I will say once again a person’s mindset is very important. Once I followed everything and became more determined, I saw the changes. It hasn’t been easy, but it has been beneficial.

I would recommend people who are really focused about losing weight and at a point where they acknowledge that they need to make health changes. If you just want to lose 10 pounds for an outfit or an event, then Body Refined is not the program for you. It is not a diet plan and includes you following up with the health tips and meal plans that you are given. Kurt can be kind of curt and hard, no pun intended, but often when you start on this journey you need that type of rigor so you don’t feel like it is okay to never lose the weight or just continue with the same old eating habits. If you have the mindset that you are ready to change, then Body Refined is definitely the program you should check out.
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