Comments on: A Year Ago Today

By: Melissa

Melissa — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 19:28:43 +0000

A year ago today, I weighed 345. Today the scale reads 291.7lbs. I should be excited but the weight loss has been up and down. Reading this made me realized…my food has not changed. I have recently began to cook more instead of buying so called healthy options that i still do not know what is in them.

By: Quandabomb

Quandabomb — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 13:45:33 +0000

Awesome thanks for sharing I needed to read this today!!!!!

By: Jenna Thomas

Jenna Thomas — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:20:06 +0000

I LOVE IT!!! Thank you for sharing. It’s obvious that everything you share is coming from a place of passion, purpose and sincerity and I LOVE IT!!! I have spent years making an effort to manage the food allergies and ADHD that presented in my children. All the while, neglecting the need for my own dragons to be slayed. So never mind that I actually knew, understood and daily implemented the principles and practices of healthy living, I only did it for THEM! When I dropped them off to school, the first thing I did was sit down at a Waffle House or IHOP for breakfast. Then I picked up some fast food for lunch. And I would eat my sit down meal after I got them to bed. Yes, it was all emotional. A twisted view of taking time for myself. The struggle to recognize that and deal with it has been……interesting. Now that I am at a different place, free from the funk I was in and ready to say “Hello” to the world in a different way, I can’t wait to say hello to the me I will be a year from today. I so appreciate what you have shared here. It resonates with me. Twenty-two pounds down and about sixty more to go.

By: Jimmi

Jimmi — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:47:03 +0000

Wow! i am doing the same thing in regards to food. I am trying to and for the most part eliminating foods that are over processed. if they have more than 4 ingredients, I pass it by. If the ingredients are compound words that are hard to pronounce, I leave it alone. I really do believe it is the processed foods and the crap they put in it is what is killing us. A friend passed this on and you are fabulous!! You are an inspiration! Keep going! I lost four inches of my waist since August when I began eating healthier. I do back slide once in a while and over eat; it is a challenge.

By: Cassandre

Cassandre — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:38:45 +0000

reading your story gives me hope… i started eating clean about 2 months ago and have lost 10LBS since.. i finally feel like i am making progress, though slow but losing.. i just need to work out the fitness equation… thanks for your continued inspiration.. you show us every day that we can do this and to put ourselves first.. for that i thank you..

By: Beautiful Brwnin

Beautiful Brwnin — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:10:30 +0000

I loved your story, it was very inspirational. Thank you. Oh, and Cheddar Bunnies by Annies are a great organic alternative to Goldfish, and I personally think they taste better, too.

By: Bannef

Bannef — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:50:17 +0000

I love reading this. I haven’t been taking clean eating as seriously as I should (for some excuse or another, don’t worry, I’m getting better) but I recently realized that I’ve had progress too, and it just blew my mind. In terms of pounds I don’t think I’ve lost too much (it’s hard to tell because I wasn’t measuring the whole time), but exactly a year ago I measured my legs to try and find a pair of boots to wear. This year I needed a new pair for something else, and while trying on a new pair I was surprised by how nicely they fit (I’m wearing them right now actually ). I decided to leave a comment on their website, and figured I’d measure my calves just to let everyone know how inaccurate their “shaft” measurements are, and…. Somehow, I have lost an inch and a half in each calf.

I know that seems like the most ridiculous measure, and people claim they have been seeing it elsewhere, but that was the first real concrete thing I could point to, and say my life has “improved” – I can wear these incredibly kick ass boots now, and wouldn’t have been able to a year ago. Part of that is due to you, so thank you so much.

By: Virtual Belinda

Virtual Belinda — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 20:38:03 +0000

My bad, I see it is from December, 2009. It is still inspirational though.

By: Virtual Belinda

Virtual Belinda — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 20:29:18 +0000

You are absolutely fabulous. I had no idea your weight loss was so new. You are an inspiration to me as I work on accomplishing my own fitness goals. Thanks for that.

By: LaDonna

LaDonna — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 20:28:24 +0000

Erika. To an extent this sounds like my stop and start. Or at least paralells it. Because my starts and stops are based on my own inner combat. I get started good. Have an off day that turns into weeks of not doing. Especially if I get on the scale. That really has an effect. On and off is the problem for me. But somewhere along reading this blog I’m getting to a place where I realize that heavy “I don’t feel like it” feeling is a part of this process. The more I press, the more I trial and error the more success will come. My mind is changing. I’m seeing exercise and my diet differently. Bad food doesn’t get an allowance. I appreciate you sharing. I’m inspired to fight myself until my health wins the battle over my “don’t want to”.

By: bianca

bianca — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:10:14 +0000

wow , congrats. you worked hard and derserved it.
I just have a few questions
i am about 190 and want to lose about 50 pds or so.
im really worried about excess skin and stretch marks.
did you have those problems with weight loss ? and what were your solutions ?

By: Beverly Moore

Beverly Moore — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 03:38:09 +0000

Thank you so much for this website Erika, I appreciate your transparency and all the wealth of information you share. I have struggled with my weight for a great majority of my life. I have been on this particular weight loss journey for a year and half now and thus far I’ve lost 75 lbs. I give God the glory because truly I did not have the power to do this on my own. What I will say has also been a contributing factor in my success to date is making the commitment to myself to get this done and agree with God for my health. I pray for other sisters to be set free because being overweight is bondage. I enjoy working out now, I need it, because I feel, better, think better, and look better when I work out. I am doing things now I was previously afraid to like cycle class, and even though I am still the largest one in I do my very best to keep up and I push myself harder every day. Keep up the awesome work in inspiring and informing African-American women and all women to reclaim the power within to be healthy.

God bless,
Beverly Moore
Matteson, IL

By: Carla

Carla — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 12:55:33 +0000

Great job! very inspiring.
That is exactly how I live my life and coach my own clients.
May you be healthy and enjoy!

By: Lorrie

Lorrie — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 20:11:56 +0000

Your words are so validating. I can identify with you in every way. Your writing style is wonderfully well done and I look forward to new posts. You seem to have a similar body type as mine and looking at your pictures at your various stages gives me hope. I completely agree with the cooking home meals only, this has really made a difference for me however I still do “cheat” one day a week although I know you are completely against that from what I have read so far. I have also begun to measure my “fitness” by the way my clothes fit and how defined my muscles are becoming. I hate the scale and the scale hates me. I chose to focus on developing my fitness habits, for example, working out 5-7 days a week (everyday right after work), keeping my fitness bags packed with what I needed to work out, keeping tennie shoes available, investing in good workout equipment such as kickboards, bags, googles, stretchy pants, cute cotton tops to sweat in, etc…then I had to tackle the mental block of working out in gym with people I knew from the community with fat floppin and all! I needed the gym for social interation, daily motivation and to develop a lifelong habit but I had to be okay in my skin while I was doing it fat and all. The psychological challege was the biggest for me. I had already hurdled the hair issues years before, I didnt care whether I sweat or not and I knew how to make time to workout. When people would stare at me I would imagine they were thinking the worst things about me and I didnt realize how bad it was until I verbalized what I thought to my eldest son. The thought would go something like this, “I know he is wondering what this big black.(you fill in)…is doing here.” My son balked at me and gave me this look I wont soon forget like – “What in the hell is wrong with you mother?” and he followed it up with a comment, “Why would you think that?” At that moment, I realized it was all in my head and that even if those people were thinking something horrible it was not my concern. I also realized that some of them may have been liking what they saw regardless of my size. All men do not hate fat women. Once I changed my attitude and learned how to smile more these suspicions were confirmed. I have to be happy in the skin I am in.

By: Wesanda

Wesanda — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 11:44:38 +0000

Keep up the good work and advice….your blog site is exactly what I needed at this time in my weight loss journey.

Thanks…

By: Tracie

Tracie — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 22:46:09 +0000

Hey, I am so glad I found this site, I am just getting back to the basics. I lost 20 lbs a few years ago and was feeling good, but then I get lazy and dont stick with it. In 2007, I saw a picture of me at my 30th bday and almost died, I was huge! I then began to go to water aerobics and cardio workout 5 days a week. We moved to a new state(military) and I just cant find the classes I was taking before. I promised myself that I needed to stay focused because I want to be less then 200 lbs its been 8 yrs since that has happened. I think if I talked to a nutritionist to get an idea of how to change my diet that will be a great start. Thanks so much for taking us on your journey and I hope that I can post some progress of my own soon.

By: LISA

LISA — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 17:32:58 +0000

WHT A GREAT STORY IT HAS REALLY HELPED ME TO LOSE WEIGHT I THANK YOU AND IT WAS A REASON I CLICK ON THIS BLOG AND THATS MY GOAL TO STAY WITH THE PLAN FOR MYSELF AND KEEP READING YOUR BLOG

By: Nadia

Nadia — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:39:35 +0000

Totally inspiring, i hope to achieve even a small amount of the success you’ve managed!

By: Greta

Greta — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 17:58:38 +0000

You’re amazing!! I need to cook more too. I’m so glad to have “met” you on twitter!! Looking forward to collaborating!

By: breukelensfinest

breukelensfinest — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 21:26:56 +0000

truly inspirational! congratulations on your success, you look amazing!

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