Gwen lost 140 pounds | Black Weight Loss Success

Transformation of the Day: Gwen lost 140 pounds and fell in love with fitness. Her wellness journey began when her now-husband (then fiancé) was diagnosed with Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. As a result, they decided to change their eating habits together. Today, she’s run 2 10Ks and developed a love of strength training.

My name is Gwen (@gwenglowsup on Instagram), and I’m 29 years old. I started my journey in 2017 at 320 pounds. Over the last five years, I have lost 140 lbs. I currently weigh 180 pounds, and my height is 5’5″. 

When did you start your journey?
I started my journey when my boyfriend (now husband) was diagnosed with NAFLD [Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease]. As a result, we both decided to change our eating habits to help address his health issues. 

Eventually, I went on to try Keto and ended up eating that way for two years. I lost a majority of my weight that way. Today, I no longer do Keto, but I am still losing weight by counting my calories/macros. 

What’s your motivation? What keeps you inspired, even when you feel like giving up?
The thing that kept me going even when I wanted to quit was how much better I feel on a daily basis. If I went back to my old habits, I know I would no longer feel as good as I do now. It’s less about the actual weight loss and more about the feeling of accomplishment and living a healthy life that I am proud of.

What was your workout routine?
When I began my journey, I would walk on the treadmill and do Beachbody on-demand workouts. I really wanted to be a runner, so I got a treadmill and started the C25K program. I worked my way up to being able to run and have now run two 10K’s. 

I also fell in love with strength training. I currently do CrossFit 4-6 times a week, and I love it! Fit was something I never thought I could be, and now fitness is one of the things that brings me the most joy.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
The biggest lesson that I have learned so far is that it’s okay to change what you are doing and try new things. At the start, you have no clue what might work for you. What worked for someone else might not be right for you. So you need to trust yourself and do what feels good to you. 

What advice would you like to share with women who want to lose weight?
The biggest advice I would give to someone else starting their journey is to just take it one day at a time and give yourself grace. This process may take longer than you think, but that’s okay because the healthy habits you are building will last for the rest of your life.