My weight loss story wasn’t an overnight success. It took many failures and years of hard work to shift my mindset to that of true lifestyle change. Let’s take a look back at my weight loss journey, what I learned along the way & how I now apply that to helping thousands of women achieve sustainable wellness!
“Growing up...
I was the classic story of the girl who had been overweight her entire life. Growing up, I was the fun, jolly, overweight friend that everyone loved! I was in the arts, so performing was my life and took up the majority of my time. Being active and playing sports was never a priority. And my family loves to eat! We’re of Jamaican descent and needless to say, being health-conscious was never top of mind. We just ate great food and ate it well! Traditional foods were a huge part of our culture and lifestyle.”
“& the weight piled on.
As I got older, the weight piled on. I went from being the cute chubby Tameika to becoming severely overweight. After my first year of university and gaining yet another 20lbs, I’d reached 220lbs. I’m only 5’2, so this weight gain was fairly significant and highly uncomfortable. At this stage in my journey, I hit what I call my breaking point.”
“Breaking point!
The breaking point is the point where you are utterly fed up. You’ve tried everything under the sun, multiple times, and are ready for lasting change. Not the “I kind of want to change, but will do it when I have time” mentality. Rather, it’s the time when you are sick and tired of always feeling sick and tired. Being sad because your clothes don’t fit you the way you want them to. Feeling let down because no matter how much you “try” to lose weight, you continue to pile it on. Ashamed of being the person who can’t play sports, or be active, or even do “simple” tasks like run to the bus stop when you’re late. Always tired because you just want to be the best version of you and you are sad that you have let it get this far. It’s the point where you are sick of feeling sorry for yourself and crying all the time. My breaking point was the point of no return.”
“How my weight loss journey began...
It all started with research. I was a great student and loved to learn. This was during a time when Instagram, blogs, and the wealth of information available today just wasn’t easily accessible. I went to the library and took out books on weight loss. I studied the science of weight loss, my recommended caloric intake, macros, fitness, weight training and the psychology of obesity. I was basically a sponge, absorbing everything I could.”
“It all started with food!
I first decided I was going to make my own food. As a student, that consisted of very basic and affordable meals. But I knew making and preparing my own meals was a first step. Over time it evolved into making my meals really fun, buying healthy cookbooks, and trying new recipes.”
“Then came fitness.
At the gym, it started with fitness classes! Through research, I knew how important strength training was. Initially it started off with just cardio, but I quickly learned that if I wanted to feel strong and be lean, with minimal loose skin, strength training was important. Fitness classes taught me the basics; what a bicep curl was, how to properly squat, how to target different muscle groups. I couldn’t afford a personal trainer back then, so learning through fitness classes was a perfect alternative. My love for training evolved. It snowballed into the weight room and planning out my workouts. I loved the results my body was experiencing (and more importantly, how I was feeling!) and was committed to seeing where I could take this.”
“9 months later...
After 9 very dedicated months, I lost nearly 100lbs! For me, it was a slow and steady wins the race kind of game. Free from extremes (I knew those didn’t work), and just focused on consistent movement and nutritious foods. I lost about 2-3lbs per week and would constantly figure out ways I could elevate my training and eating (taking baby steps vs. drastic measures). ”
“15 years on.
Many years later, I am now in the best shape of my life. I’ve devoted all of my time to helping others through personal and online training. I’m committed to this industry and helping my clients achieve the happiness I’ve found - free from extremes - by developing a healthy lifestyle that works for them!”
“How I’ve maintained it:
What has helped me maintain my weight loss is focusing on the lifestyle element of this journey! Let’s face it, I will never be the girl eating no carbs, taking tons of supplements, and having salad three times a day. I’m a lover of food, so I’ve learned ways to make all of my favorite foods healthier. Do I have more discipline? Yes. But, I never feel without. This is what I now instill in all of my clients.”
“What keeps me motivated?
First, I never want to go back to the point where I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired. I absolutely refuse. When I finally decided to break up with “diets” and “end dates”, my perspective on motivation switched. I realized I am deserving of a lifestyle that I love and don’t want to have to focus on being motivated to get through it. I realized the journey never ends, so it was important to find a way to fall in love with the process. When I did that, motivation (in its traditional sense) was no longer necessary. Instead I focused on finding a way to just love my lifestyle and changing my narrative from “having” to be healthy, to “getting” to be healthy.”
“All in all
All in all, what keeps me going on this journey - I love living a fulfilled life with health at the core of everything I do. I love being the best version of me. I love that I’m treating my body the way it deserves to be treated. I love that I’m doing everything in my power to avoid sickness and disease. I love that I am beginning to create generational change. I love that I put myself first, no matter what I have going on in life. I love that I continue to beat the odds and challenge myself. As women, we do so much for others, be it work, family, friends, strangers – yet some of us can’t even find a half hour each day to devote to our own well-being. Well not me! Not anymore.
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