Tiffany lost 35 pounds

Tiffany has lost 35 pounds since March and she it today’s featured weight loss success story.  This proud mom and student embraced running, got the help of a trainer and learned how to change her eating habits to avoid a family history of diabetes and heart problems.  She is getting healthy for her and her children as well as inspiring others.  Here is what she told us about her weight loss journey:

Hello Everyone, I’m Tiffany and I am beyond thrilled and honored to be chosen to share my story!! This site has helped me believe that weight loss is possible and I hope to inspire others with my journey as well. I began my weight loss journey with real determination and a will to change in March 2014. At the time, I had moved to another state and was having curve balls thrown at me from different directions. I was told that I may become pre-diabetic which is not a shock to me as my father and grandparents have diabetes and heart problems. I wanted to break that chain and become healthy for myself and my children.

I am 5’3″ and started this journey weighing 219 pounds with a BMI of 38.8. I now weigh in at 184 and have lost a total of 35 pounds so far and now have a BMI of 32.6. With weight training, I have gained lean muscle and lost pounds of fat. I have also lost a total of 7 inches from my waist and plan to waist train soon. I am hoping to lose an additional 24 pounds to weigh in at 160 pounds. I love having curves so at that point would only like to continue weight training to tighten and tone my body.

What did I do to change my eating habits? I began to eat less carbs that are like rice and breads, and more whole carbs like fruits and vegetables. I love salads, so I started to incorporate more of them into my meals daily. I also began drinking a protein shake every day after my lunch workout at the gym. I had issues with my eating habits initially because I am one of the people that did not eat enough. I would eat only lunch and snacks and neglect breakfast and dinner at times.  To cure this, I began to meal prep to make sure I had my breakfast, snacks, and lunch. I still have an occasional Twix or Snickers, which are my favorites, but I do this only as a treat and try my best not to overindulge.

What did I do in terms of exercise? I began running 1-2 miles every morning prior to work and saw a little weight dropping but was impatient and ready for real results. So, I hired a personal trainer in April 2014 and have noticed great results thus far. I work with my trainer weekly doing resistance training and heavy weight lifting. I recommend weight training along with cardio as you will see great results!! I love working my legs and glutes and the feel that doing so spurs on the weight loss in other areas. Currently, I run 1.7 miles to the gym, workout for about 30 to 45 minutes then run back to work. I do this during the weekdays and rest on the weekend or may jog on Saturday with my children. I also do P90X,  synergistics, planks, mountain climbers, stair stepper, body weight exercises, and array of abdominal exercises to strengthen my core. I even use my kids as weights when working out at home! One of the best exercise moves I know is SQUATS!! I love doing squats, lunges, and step-ups as they are helping to tone my legs, thighs, and behind.

My advice to others: The best advice I can offer is to try not to get discouraged during this process. I have noticed that I have my ups and downs when it comes to my perception of my body and how I feel about doing better with my diet and/or exercise. I am learning not to take things so personal and go with the flow. I sometimes feel as though I am slacking when I need a rest day and start to feel down as if I am quitting on myself. I must realize that as much as I wear an “S on my chest” daily with being a mom, having a significant other, being an employee and a student; that I must chill out from time to time. I also must warn you bout something I call “fat girl syndrome.”

Now, this is a self proclaimed issue I have diagnosed myself with. There are days when I do not see what is actually present when I look at myself in the mirror. This was not a problem I had prior to starting this weight loss journey, if anything I was more comfortable than I am now. Now, I find myself finding problems that I want to be resolved immediately or in the very near future. Please know that patience is the key and a virtue that times I or you may not wish to exhibit. It is necessary to enjoy the process and the rewards of losing the weight the right way. Just know that no fad or crazy diet is going to give you long term results. Stay motivated and ask God to help you along the way. I know this works as I have just come out of a depressing period where I prayed for help because no one saw what I saw in the mirror nor understood where I was coming from.The only thing I could do is pray during this time. I wanted to be honest in this respect because many will only write about the joys of the results and none of the negative emotions you may encounter. Just keep your head up and know that this journey will be one of your best! Please follow me on Instagram @TreasuredTiffany for more information and photos during my journey. Thank you and God bless!