Major Milestone! My 29.5-inch Waist!

Feb 24th, in Health and Fitness, Weight Management, by Christelyn Karazin

Author : Christelyn Karazin

Author's Website | Articles from Christelyn Karazin

Okay ya’ll it’s brag time. Now I can say FOR CERTAIN that the low-carb, low sugar thing-a-ma-jig is working. I started off four weeks about with a 31-inch waist. For someone who organicly leans toward an apple shape, that measurement rocks. I’m thisclose to my bikini bod. I only have 1.5 inches to go until my waist is a small as it was when I was in high school. I don’t think I’ve ever had anything lower than 28 inches, so I’m just gonna aim for that and call it a day. HOWEVER, this isn’t, and can not be a “diet.” What would be the point? Do all this work just to gain it back?

Nuh-uh.

Okay, let’s make this a universal brag board. Who’s got some weight-loss/inch loss stories to swap?

BlackWomenDeserveBetter 1909 pts

So far I've lost about 4lbs...NOW can I have some cheesecake? J/K...Imma stick with it!

My latest conversation: 108419_3285 « Black Women Deserve Better™

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Christelyn 9250 pts moderator

BlackWomenDeserveBetter YES! Ha! I told you guys it works!! Congrats, Cher!

arlette81 203 pts

i've recently found out that i have pcos so i have to start eating healthly. problem is i love certain bad foods way too much. chocolate is something i dont think i can ever give up ever, i might switch to dark choco but that is it. the only thinng i can give up is carbs and some dairy products. the thing is i am not in any way big but i am unhealthy because even though i dont eat a lot i only eat bad stuff.

arlette81 Arlette, there's some delicious sugar-free milk and dark chocolate, sweetened with sugar alcohols. I just had a couple pieces. Delish. You can have things that taste sweet without the consequences--you just have to seek them out. hth

SheThrives11 315 pts

I'm bordering on size 7 lately and trying to get back down to my size 5 jeans. Lost 2 inches already, but not celebrating just yet. I increased my daily jog mileage to 3.1 miles to 5 miles and eliminated flour products out of my diet (gluten makes me bloat). For 5'6 I look good for a 26 year old black woman, but I have high expectations when it comes to weight loss. May is my next benchmark

ElfeV 7355 pts

SheThrives11 wow! that's awesome! you're lucky to be 5'6". Gluten is evil for my stomach too. :<

ASwirlGirl 3221 pts

Congrats. Congrats, CONGRATS!!! I'm doing your Click challenge (even though technically, I'm not drinking Click). Thursday when I went to the doctor for my annual I was HAPPY to see that I am 15 pounds lighter than I was exactly one year ago. I'm 5'1", in 8's and some 10's, and I want to get back down SOLIDLY in my former 6's and 4's. According to my calculations (and former frame of reference), 15 more pounds will get me there. I'm stoked about this and look forward to reaching my goals. June 1 is my next benchmark.

ASwirlGirl Great news!

Karla00 382 pts

Seven of my colleagues and I followed a low carb, non refined diet until we reached our goal weight. The results were so amazing that the other units and departments called us the "Shrinking MICU"! It's difficult to cut Carbs but what one has to remember is that there are good carbs and bad carbs. In addition to that, it's only difficult when you first start because your body is detoxing from all of the junk "sugar" that it has become addicted to. I don't eat anything white well with the exception of cauliflower. I save my carb load for special occasions which are few and far between. I'm currently a size 4 and healthy and the goal is to maintain that. Good job on losing the weight from around your waist Christelyn, I'm sure that your aware of the dangers that come with abdominal fat.

EarthJeff 3570 pts

Hye, Chris, congratulations! It is really hard to lose weight, and you - as well as anyone else who posts with success stories - deserve all the kudos in the world. Truly.

kiki100 630 pts

Doing low carb and low sugar is tough. Keep in mind you will plateau and will have to add pure fats to your diet. I am doing this and manage to keep in healthy. All I need to do is add exercise to get the belly flatter.

kiki100 "Pure fats?" Whaddya mean? That sounds skawwee...

Christelyn kiki100

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/fats/#axzz1nMusdE1r

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/a-metabolic-paradigm-shift-fat-carbs-human-body-metabolism/#axzz1nMusdE1r

http://pureenergywellness.net/good-oils-vs-bad-oils-with-sally-fallon/

ChristieRJohnson 1143 pts

I was at my highest weight at 19 yrs old, 215pds at 5'3". At 37yrs old, I'm 147pds. This is the smallest I have been in my adult life. How did I do it? For me, most of my physical weight manifested because of my mental weight. Once I started working on that, the weight flew off. Now, I do exercise and have been for yrs, I take an antidepressant Wellbutrion. It's main side effect is decrease in appetite. I do eat as healthy as possible, but I have a weakness for chocolate.

My problem now is trying to reconcile my new body with my old mind. I bought jean recently that were a size 4 (from the Limited and they were cut large. I"m usually a size 6 in jeans). Yet, in my mind, I still see fat girl. I don't see myself as skinny or thin or svelte. I still feel like that 19yr old college student, combined with the fact that I'm almost 40 (which is a whole other issue).

How does one remove the "fat girl" filter?

That's a really great question, Christie...it's worth getting an expert in I think. ChristieRJohnson

ChristieRJohnson i'm amazed at how much difference distribution makes. I'm 148(5'3" and a half) and couldn't get into a pair of size 6 jeans today if I greased myself and laid down to squeeze in!!! LOL

I'm of no help with the perceptual thing. I've always felt 'too fat' or not quite whatever, even BITD when i was like 108 and looked like a rat in the face. Looking at old pix , I can see now that I looked 'haint-ish' but, in the moment, back then I felt like I could still lose a few. hmm.

I also know now that it wasn't so much my weigh that I was never pleased with but my basic frame/shape. My best weight range, including face, was from 125-135.

ForestElfQueen Easy to do when you have no hips or butt. However, when one area is lacking, other areas are the bomb. For me, it's my legs. I got a killer pair of legs, if I do say so myself.

ChristieRJohnson My mom has great legs too, it seems to go with the body type.

ForestElfQueen ChristieRJohnson Maybe you need lots of legs muscles to hold up the boobies? Just a guess...

Christelyn ForestElfQueen I'm a C cup. I don't have lots of boobies. lol

Christelyn I have never found that to be a problem....

Toni_M 20075 pts

ChristieRJohnson I kind of understand how you feel. My perception of myself has always been off. First, not realizing how big I actually was and then as the weight came off, not appreciating how much weight I lost. I do go back in forth between seeing myself as too big and seeing myself as much smaller than I once was. I'm also in the same boat of this being about the smallest I've been in my adult life. As I shrink, I get smaller than I was even in high school. That can really throw you for a loop, having no point of reverence where you weren't overweight, if not seriously obese.

I feel like once I reach where I visualized myself weight wise, this will stop, because in truth, when I think of myself in the future, I always see myself as smaller and smaller. I've even gotten in the habit of having a "goal" item of clothing, at a desired size that I use to measure progress and motivate myself to keep going. Being able to fit, and eventually being too small for the item helps to cement my current size in my brain and give me some perspective of where I am and where I want to go.

Because I always visualize myself going forward as smaller and smaller, I don't think so much about how much bigger I once was or see myself as that person. That's the only advice I can offer. Be in the present and planning for future goals; don't allow yourself to be caught up in and imprisoned by who you were in the past. Think of your most optimal version of self, and if that's where you are, congratulate yourself. :)

The quickest way to remove the fat girl filter is to simply not think of yourself as a fat girl. I don't quite know how to explain it, aside from what I've said about visualizing. Just try getting it in your head that you're not, and doing whatever you can to reinforce that eventuality (or present situation).

Toni_M Thank you for this. I see your point. I guess since I"m not comfortable in my skin it's difficult to see myself as not obese.

I need a goal. I don't have one, I just exercise, try to eat right and not gain weight. I did this in order to see if I could do it and what I would look like.

Toni_MChristieRJohnson

" ...I've even gotten in the habit of having a "goal" item of clothing, at a desired size that I use to measure progress and motivate myself to keep going."

I do that too! For a while I'd gotten into the whole "only have clothes that fit your current bod in the closet" camp but I remember seeing a weight loss thing on a French show and the Dr. told the woman to go out and buy a pretty dress in her goal size. Dunno if it was pressure of it being recorded for television or the goal dress but she totally lost the weight. ...during the process, she had the dress hanging up in her dining room area. lolz.

Woo-hoo! ...i'm in-between the 'apple' and 'hourglass' so I know how 'grrrr' the dreaded waist measurement issue is. Good work, C!

For myself, i went from a size 12-14 of 'baby weight' (DD was almost 4 yrs when i started getting serious about this... Factoid: I topped out at about 190 lbs. during the pregnancy...not cool at 5'3") to about size 8-10 now. My goal is size 6 but even if i get a tummy tuck or lipo, my stomach will never be viewed publicly(save doctors) again. LOL

ForestElfQueen wow FEQ, you and I are the same height! So...yeah. Overweight is so much more pronounced on short folks.

Christelyn oy, is it ever!

Ricky T 481 pts

SCORE!

Olivia 72 pts

Very impressive; congratulations!

Jamila 7677 pts moderator

I went to the gym yesterday for the first time in a very long time and my entire lower body aches. I had intended on going to the gym today too but I'm too sore. I'm trying to get a bikini bod but boy oh boy is difficult!

Jamila we'll be the judge of that! pics please! ;)

Ricky T Jamila LOL Ricky T

gagagirl 343 pts

You talk alot about black women loosing weight to look good....have you ever thought about doing a post on getting rid of acne? Just a suggestion...It might be a nice change :-)

I've done acne before. In fact, I'm working on a piece about light therapy and acne control. But as far as "lightening" up on weight management and health? I will when black women stop leading the pack as the most obese. gagagirl

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Christelyn gagagirl yeh. & diet, exercise/fitness, skin, hair, sex/attractiveness, fashion, & mental state are kinda all intertwined IMO. For me weight loss and fitness are a huge piece so I appreciate these posts to no end.<3

ForestElfQueen Christelyn gagagirl Same. These posts always seem to show up just when I'm tempted to slack. :S

Toni_M Christelyn gagagirl "....These posts always seem to show up just when I'm tempted to slack. "

Exactly! haha.... yesterday I was flipping through the catalogue that came with the V-day chocolates. Now, I'mma throw it in the garbage and de-bookmark the site. LOL

I need tough love. ^.^

ForestElfQueen Christelyn gagagirl LOL, I think Chris is watching us. O.O

Ricky T Since you asked, I WILL take a picture and document my progress. This if officially day two and I hadn't intended on working out today but a friend of mine is dragging me to the gym.

I'm crossing my fingers my legs don't cramp up and I fall out on the treadmill.

Jamila Ricky T Jamila, just make sure you up your protein intake with what your muscles will need. Even a cheapie protein powder from WalMart will help. A magnesium supplement will greatly help with the muscle pain too.

Christelyn Ricky T Thanks for the suggestion about the magnesium. I knew I was going to need to up my protein intake, but now I just have to try and figure out what foods are high in protein other than chicken. I don't want to take TOO many supplements though.

I'm seriously considering investing in that CLICK protein drink. You keep saying it actually does taste good but I'm not sure if I'll like an "expresso" flavored drink. Does it taste like coffee?

Do another post on the CLICK please!

dani-BBW 1840 pts

Jamila Yes, please! I co-sign the CLICK post. I'm in my 12th week of working out and I've begun to plateau, so I've realized modifying my diet (I'm a pretty healthy eater anyway) and changing my protein intake is probably necessary. I'm pleased with my initial results though, my arms and legs are noticeably more defined. But I still need more ab work and would like more improvement in my arms.

chocolate_girl 20 pts

CONGRATULATIONS! after 4 children you deserve some kind of medal for this kind of accomplishment!!! i keep hearing that low carb is the way to go. do you do lots of cardio in addition to your yoga routines? also, any recommendations for vegans? i'm one and this spring i plan on incorporating elements of raw veganism into my diet. do you know of or have any recommendations for folks like us? by the way, congratulations on your ten year wedding anniversary. i wish you and your husband many more decades of a lifelong happy marriage!!!

chocolate_girl I do [some] cardio, but much of the cardio I do is from the vinyasas, or yoga flow work. Believe me, it works up a sweat! And the muscle building aspect leads to a higher resting metabolism rate than just cardio alone. It's best to do both. As far as vegans go..that's tough, because lots of fruits and veggies are high in carbs and sugar. But I'll look into it and let you know.

Christelyn thanks!

The Working Home Keeper 6964 pts

Good for you! I have about 5 pounds I need to lose. Doesn't sound like much, but its stubborn!

The Working Home Keeper Hey, I know what you mean. The hardest is that last little bit that wants to cling.

Christelyn The Working Home Keeper "...last little bit"

or that last lotta-much in my case. haha ...I've got about 15-18 lbs left to get passable. (back to my hamster wheel)

For my part I've been losing weight since 2009. I'm not sure how much I've lost in terms of weight (I'm guessing about 80 lbs), but I know I've dropped like 4 sizes on bottom and 6 on top (pear shape. ^^'). I'm still working to get where I want, but I can safely say that I'm much closer to my goal than I am to where I first started. :)

I said so on Twitter, but congrats on the transformation. :) I'm really taking the low sugar thing to heart and doing what I can to eliminate and substitute it. It's only been a few days so I'll have to wait a few weeks to see if there's a real noticeable difference.