Name: Keyla
Age: 33
Family Status: Single
Occupation: Weight Loss Consultant
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Height: 5’5″
Starting Weight: 378 pounds
Current Weight: 219 pounds
Current Waist Size: 32″
Keyla’s Weight Loss Interview!
How much did you lose?
I’ve lost 159 pounds! I used to wear a size 32W now I wear a size 13/14!
When did you become unhappy with your weight?
I’ve been overweight my entire life and have been unhappy the whole time.
What made you decide to lose weight?
My mother inspired me to lose weight. I tipped the scales at 378 pounds and I was miserable. I isolated myself and became depressed.
What were the most important changes you made to lose weight?
Cooking all of my meals and preparing them on a daily and weekly basis. I hardly ever eat out at restaurants now.
What was the most challenging thing you had to deal with during your weight loss journey?
Trying to figure out how I can keep being social and still lose weight. Everybody loves to get together and eat out at different restaurants.
How long did it take you to start to see results?
It took me 30 days to see results.
How long did it take for you to reach your current weight?
It took me 2 years to reach my current weight.
Did you have any issues with loose skin after losing the weight? If so, how did you deal with it?
Strength training workouts really helped me a lot and they were great for tightening up different areas of my body.
How long have you maintained your weight loss and what are the most important factors for keeping it off?
I’ve maintained my weight for 6 months. I’m currently trying to lose another 40 pounds. I weigh myself every day and have a meal plan together so I know what I’m going to eat each day.
What keeps you motivated to continue your weight loss success?
What keeps me motivated is my business. It’s called “The Healthier Alternative”. The concept of my business is to eat what you want but just prepare things differently. My business is really keeping me going. I do meal preparation, create meal plans, and cater healthy meals for my clients. My life is consumed with helping others lose weight.
How has your life changed now that you have lost weight?
I used to isolate myself from the world when I was overweight. Since I’ve lost the weight, I’m now living my life to the fullest!
Do you have any advice for others who are trying to lose weight?
Don’t give up on yourself. Eat what you want but prepare it differently. Substitute high fat items for low-fat products. If you like cheese, don’t go for the high fat kind. Try the fat-free version instead. Do you enjoy sour cream? Try using fat-free sour cream instead to save hundreds of calories.
How did ShapeFit help you reach your weight loss goals?
The weight loss articles on ShapeFit.com helped me out a lot. Also, the fitness content on the website was extremely helpful.
Keyla’s Weight Loss Tips!
Weight Loss Tip #1:
Stop making excuses and just do it.
Weight Loss Tip #2:
Try and figure out what triggers your bad choices and work on them. Acknowledge it and move forward.
Weight Loss Tip #3:
We all mess up! When this happens to you, just brush yourself off and get back on track the following day.
Weight Loss Tip #4:
Get moving. Strive to elevate your heart rate daily for 30 minutes.
Weight Loss Tip #5:
Never restrict yourself or say that you can’t have a certain food. You can have anything you want just prepare it in a healthier manner.
Keyla’s Weight Loss Eating Plan!
What do you normally eat for breakfast?
My breakfast includes a homemade breakfast sandwich and fruit.
What do you normally eat for lunch?
I usually have chicken or fish. I also eat starches like potatoes with some dressing. I always have vegetables also. I make sure to eat what I want, but I just prepare things differently.
What do you normally eat for dinner?
I don’t have any restrictions with my diet. I eat whatever I want and just track my caloric intake. I personally cook all of my meals. Last night, I had hash brown casserole, chicken, green beans and a cookie.
What do you normally eat for snacks?
I normally make homemade cookies. I also like to eat fruit. My cookies are low-fat and I find it hard to keep them around because everybody enjoys them so much. They don’t taste like your typical “diet” food.
What type of nutritional supplements do you take?
I do not take any nutritional supplements.
Keyla’s Weight Loss Workouts!
What do you do for weight training?
I am a member of Planet Fitness and really enjoy that gym. They have a strength training circuit that I like doing. The workout is only 30 minutes, but it’s very challenging.
What do you do for cardio training?
I workout three times per week. I started off doing cardio workouts on the treadmill, but now I actually concentrate solely on weight training, so I don’t really do much cardio any longer.