I am so excited to have Natachy here with us today to share her story of weight loss. She is from the UK! My first success story outside the US and just wait until you read her story.
Her starting weight was 308 pounds just over two years ago:
You ready for this?!? Here she is now:
155 pounds lighter! IN JUST OVER TWO YEARS!!!!
Amazing, right? Check out her story! I just LOVE it!
Tell us a little about yourself, your family, your job, etc…
My name is Natachy, an undergraduate student and I also work. I recently got engaged to my baby (i call him cookies).
I love to cook and experiment on different cultural foods. I will say combining studies and work didn’t put much stress on me. As a child, I was very skinny but as time went by, I grew into being big. All through my secondary school, I was big but after an accident that left me bed bound, I added more weight and I couldn’t stop gaining. I just got bigger and bigger. My taste buds increased and I couldn’t stop eating rice in particular. I didn’t eat fast food or fizzy drinks but rice was my weakness as I could eat it all day and at night without knowing when to stop. At 308 lbs and standing 5’3″, I wore UK size 26 (22/24 in US) in jeans and I now wear UK size 12/14 (8/10 in US).
How long did it take you to get to your ideal weight? Are you there now?
It has taken me 2 years to get to 153.2 lbs. My ultimate goal is 135 lbs.
What was your motivation to lose weight?
My mum motivated me to lose weight. She would cry and watch me while I sleep. She would always tell me that at my age, I was not suppose to look like this. My fiance encouraged me all through my journey. He never for one day pushed me into losing weight. He would say, I love you fat or slim and that gave me the courage to continue. Some people’s negative comment about my weight also motivated me to push harder, just to prove to them that I can do it. By the time I lost my first 15 kg, I knew i could do it.
I never want to be the fat girl anymore! I want to be able to wear what I like and look my age. My health was at stake at 308 lbs with knee and joint pains. I knew I had to lose weight.
What made you decide to start your weight loss journey?
My mum’s crying and sadness about my weight made me start my journey.
I wanted to see if really I can lose weight at all.
What kept you on track losing weight?
First, I set S.M.A.R.T goals. My goals were specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound. I knew that the fat I carried around has been accumulated over a long period of time and losing it wasn’t going to be easy. I set my mind to it and told myself the truth that I had a lot of weight to lose. I gave myself 3 years to lose the weight!
The support I got from my mum, my fiance and my siblings kept me going. I kept a journal of what I ate and made improvement where necessary. I started in 2010 and in 2011 I joined a weight loss forum online, mainly for Africans where you have to log in what you eat.
Tell us about a typical day in terms of eating and exercise.
I never forget to eat my breakfast because anytime i do, I over eat. My breakfast most times is protein like egg whites and plain Greek yogurt.
My lunch consists of carbs with vegetables.
More protein for dinner and I usually eat something light.
I take snacks when I am going out. I snack on fruits like apples, clementines, or oranges. Then nuts like almonds, walnuts and peanuts.
I love working out! I work out in the evening time, and it consist more of strength training than cardio. I use videos that I see on you-tube because i don’t go to a gym. I tried the gym once but it demotivated me in a way that I cannot explain.
The cardio I enjoy are jumping ropes, jogging, walking and little dancing (I don’t like cardio). However, I enjoy weight training a lot!
What is the biggest difference you have noticed because of your weight loss?
I have more energy! Before I felt like I was carrying another person around while walking around. I can now wake up full of energy and ready to move. Shopping is more fun than before! Now I enjoy trying on clothes and finding what fits me is now very easy and affordable too!
How do you keep the weight off in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle?
By keeping track of my daily activities because it is easier for the weight to creep in again. Although I am not done with my journey, I have done well in maintaining it so far and I will continue even after I get to 135 lbs.
What advice can you give to others struggling to lose weight?
You can do it! Never ever think that you are too fat to start losing weight. If I did it, so can you.
Give us a quote or a motto that you have used to keep you focused.
“A year from now, you might wish you had started today”…….Unknown
I am soooooo happy that i started this journey and the time, patience, determination, motivation and hard work is what is needed to make those changes.
Natachy-WOW. What a story! I love the part where you said you make S.M.A.R.T. goals. I am also a big goal setter! I also love that you set out to prove people wrong! You did it girl! And you are so right, no one is ever too big to start losing weight.
THANK YOU for sharing your story! I needed some motivation today and you gave it to me!
What did you love about Natachy’s story?
You can continue to follow Natachy’s weight loss journey through her blog, Facebook, and Twitter!
