Zakiya lost 40 pounds

Zakiya lost 40 pounds. Tracking her daily food intake, intermittent fasting, and working out early in the morning worked for her. She committed to life-long changes and giving her all to creating a healthy lifestyle.

My name is Zakiya, and I have lost 40 pounds by eating healthier and incorporating life-long changes into my lifestyle. I am excited to keep going and lose another 40 pounds this year!  

What was your motivation? What inspired you when you wanted to give up?

I had to determine what my “Why” is. I had to be honest with myself and admit that I was not satisfied with my overall health. Initially, I set out to lose 40 pounds. I wanted my next pregnancy to be a healthier one. As I started losing weight, I realized this was something I needed to do for myself. Instead of losing 40 pounds, why not lose 89? 

I was inspired by other stories featured on this page, especially Carlywontquit. I was excited to see another tall girl like myself lose weight and transform their lifestyle. I would watch my favorite vlogger, ShayCurrie, on YouTube to keep me inspired and motivated. I also had to remind myself to take it one day at a time. 

How did you change your eating habits?
I didn’t use a specific program, but I did cut a lot of foods from my diet. I gave up pork and red meat. I rarely eat fast food anymore. I love water, so giving up soda and juice was not a big deal. 

I still struggle with sweets and snacking. Recently, I started intermittent fasting, which helps with my daily calorie intake and looking for healthier snack options. I use MyFitnessPal to track what I eat in a day and to reflect on what I can improve on. 

Meal prepping has also been a great resource. Not only does it save me time and money, but it gives me peace of mind. When I come home, I don’t have to worry about cooking, and I don’t have to worry about what’s for lunch the following day.

What did your workout routine look like? How often did you workout?
Monday- Friday, I work out at 4 am. I like to get it done at the start of the day. You never know what might happen, so I feel accomplished knowing it’s already done. Either I get on my elliptical or complete a dance workout from YouTube. I am working on incorporating strength training into my routine. 

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 289 pounds, but I am sure I have weighed more than that at some point. Today, I weigh 249 pounds. I have set a goal to lose another 40 pounds this year. 

What is your height?
I am 6 feet tall.

When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take?
I started my journey in January 2019. It took close to six months to lose 40 pounds, but I gained some weight because of surgery. I am excited to say I finally feel like myself again, and I am excited to get back into the swing of things. 

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
Your journey is YOUR journey. Comparison is the thief of joy. I would compare myself to others, which would leave me downplaying all the things I have accomplished. I have made life-long changes to sustain my weight loss. 

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
Start with your diet. I see the biggest changes when I am honest with my food intake and make healthy decisions. Even though it may be painful to see and track your food, it was amazing to see how much I used to eat in a day. 

A year may seem like a long time to give towards your goal, but either way, a year is going to pass. I saw someone post this message (I’m paraphrasing), and it hit me! It was like an epiphany. A year IS going to pass no matter what I do, so I might as well give it all I got. 

 I recently started a weight loss Instagram page to keep me on track! It’s @G08lchaser. I am so excited to share my story and hopefully inspire someone else.