Tonya lost 61 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Tonya lost 61 pounds. Part of her motivation was seeing close friends and people she went to school with not make it to their 50th birthday. Cutting out meat and walking for exercise worked for her. Check out her story.

What was your motivation?
My motivation to change my lifestyle was my three granddaughters. I was also motivated when I witnessed close friends and people I went to high school with not making it to their 50th birthday.

What inspires you to keep going when you feel like giving up?
When I feel like giving up, I pray for strength. I also walk around the mall. It reminds me that I can now shop in single-digit size retail stores… then I feel all better.

How did you change your eating habits?
I used to have terrible stomach aches, and I had no idea why. My stomach was always bloated. I was also tired when I shouldn’t have been. Sometimes, I had no energy.

Before I even knew anything about being vegan, I decided to stop eating meat to see if that would help my stomach. After just 3-4 days, my stomach stopped hurting. I was in disbelief. I started to eat meat again, thinking it would be ok. Nope! The pain came back, so I completely left meat alone.

I don’t believe I need to eat six small meals a day. I fast a lot, and I eat when I’m hungry. I don’t eat often, and when I do eat, I have small portions.

Tell us about your workout routine.
I love to walk. I started walking in my neighborhood. Then, I branched out to trails. Eventually, I joined walking groups to keep me motivated. There’s a group I joined that’s all over and well known called Black Girls Run (BGR). I walk four days a week for 4-6 miles (sometimes on the weekend).

Starting weight/Current weight
I started this journey in August 2017, weighing 211 pounds. By February 2018, I was at 145 pounds. I currently weigh 150 pounds. I still fluctuate (sometimes up to 165), but because I have armed myself with knowledge and I’m motivated by what I need to do, I don’t panic. I get to work!

What is your height?
I’m 5’2″.

Is weight loss surgery part of your journey?
I never nor will I ever have any type of weight loss surgery. However, I do like the b12 and lipo injections for energy and fat burning.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
The biggest lesson I learned is don’t give up before you get started. Also, it’s ok to tell family friends no when what they say is against what you are trying to achieve. For every “No” you lose a pound. For every “Yes.” you gain a pound, and when you just “Go with the flow.”… you plateau.

What advice would you like to share?
Stop analyzing the process. We all know how we got here. Set short term goals and give yourself a timeline to reach them. Also, stop trying to jump on other people’s ways of losing weight. What works for some may not work for most. Last but not least, Listen and Love your body, no matter what size it is. Everything starts with you and ends with you.

Disclaimer: Reference or link to any specific product, diet plan, exercise plan or service mentioned in the weight loss stories we share is for the information of our readers, and does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Black Women Losing Weight.