Transformation of the Day: Yollie lost 74 pounds. As a single parent, she gave all her time and energy to her kids and career, ignoring her own needs. She decided to change her lifestyle to live a long and healthy life for her family and herself. Over the course of eight years, she figured out what works for her.
My name is Yolanda, but I go by Yollie. I stepped on the scale in November of 2012 to find out I weighed 306 pounds! I was shocked. As a single parent, I had spent most of my time focused on my kids and career and ignored my own needs.
What was your motivation? My motivation was a desire to live a longer and healthier life for my kids and myself.
What inspired you to keep going, even when you wanted to give up? I started my weight loss journey in Spring 2013 by drinking more water, prepping meals, and reading trying to find a solution. I saw results, even though they were slow. By summer, I was down to 289 pounds.
In the Summer of 2013, I used the C25K app to start running. By August, I weighed 275 pounds.
How did you change your eating habits? I joined Weight Watchers to log my food and started using the Fat Flush Plan as my diet plan (which eliminates bad cards and sugar).
What did your workout routine consist of? How often did you work out? I started running with the C25K app three times a week and worked my way up to swimming 60 laps three times a week (I regained my love as a competitive swimmer from the 80s).
I dropped down to 261 lbs by December 2013 and signed up to run the Houston Shell 5K Jan 2014. The 5K run shed light on bone spurs in my heels, and I was scheduled for surgery in February 2014… a big blow to my exercise regimen. I regained some but not all the weight during recovery. I was back to about 278 lbs.
What was your starting weight? What is your current weight? My starting weight was 306 pounds, and my current weight is 232 pounds.
What is your height? I’m 5 feet, 10 inches tall.
Is weight loss surgery part of your journey? I spent eight years learning to eat right and exercise before seeking Gastric Sleeve weight loss surgery to help me reach my goal of a healthier weight of 232 pounds.
When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take? My journey began in November 2012. It took eight years to finally reach a practical weight. Changing my eating habits, exercising, and finally getting the Gastric Sleeve in February 2020 was the catalyst for finally reaching my goal.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far? Never give up. Each day is a reminder of my struggle to remain healthy.
What advice do you have for women who want to lose weight? Find out what works for you. Each journey is different.
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