Dayjelle Dore shares her transformation with Afro Girl. She shares how she shed her weight below. @_fitfordayz

What led you to want to make a lifestyle change?

What motivated me was the fact that I did not want to feel bad about myself anymore. Its been 4 years since I first began on my weight loss journey. Throughout the 4 years naturally I wanted to give up but the thought of how bad I felt before compared to how good I feel now kept me going. My motivation is found in believing that I deserve more out of life; I do not need to feel bad about how I am because of my health. It is something that I have the power to change. I always kept that in mind.

What did you do to achieve your results? Tell us about your workout routine

Working out became something that I love and look forward to each day I changed my perspective of working out from something that is a chore to looking at it as my ‘me time’. When I started off on my journey I simply did cardio 5 times per week 1 hour each session. I started out very simply; by walking on the treadmill for 30 mins and going on the elliptical for 30 mins. I saw dramatic results from doing that consistently overtime. As I continued to lose weight, I started experimenting with weight lifting; and by the way I never had a trainer at any point in my journey. I started to lift weights and I saw another dramatic change to my body. I lost even more weight and my body shape really started to come in, this was very exciting to me. All throughout my journey I would say that I kept the consistency of working out 5 days per week.




How did you change your eating habits?

I initially started off by eating less of the foods that I was currently eating. When I started off on my weight loss journey I was 256 pounds. Within 2 months of simply eating smaller portions and working out I lost 30lbs. As my weight continued to go down I started to incorporate a body building style of nutrition. I ate a high protein and complex carb diet that included healthy and whole fats like coconut oil, almonds, walnuts, and eggs. As I continued to lose more weight I began experimenting with different ways of eating. Currently I am eating a high fat moderate protein and low carb diet diet, this is something new for me but I am seeing results with this way of eating. The best advice I like to give is to listen to your body do your research and experiment to figure out what is best for you.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?

My starting weight was 256lbs and my current weight is 162lbs I am 5’4.

How long did your transformation take?

I started my journey April 2013 and I lost the majority of the weight within the first year; however maintenance is the most important part of weight loss. It has taken me an addition 3 years to build and maintain muscle which has helped me to keep the weight off. I did not get weight loss surgery.

What was the hardest part about your transformation? how did you overcome it?

The hardest part of my journey was learning how to love and accept myself 100%. Even after losing the weight I still had moments of low self esteem. I thought that weight loss would solve all my self esteem issues but that was not the case. I had to recognize that self love is unconditional. I could have loved myself at 256 pounds just as much as I love myself at 162 pounds. I overcame that issue by having unconditional love for myself regardless of my weight. I put way to much pressure on myself to be perfect; it was unrealistic and quite damaging. Self love is very powerful and so necessary!

How have things changed with you in general?

The relationship I have with myself has changed a lot, I now know how strong I am. I no longer back down to challenges, I have so much more confidence in my self and it translates to every area in my life. My relationships with others have also changed; as I now understand how to set healthy boundaries with people. I no longer let people walk all over me and take advantage of me. My health has also improved. Although I did not have any major health prior to my weight loss, my quality of life is much better. I am able to move around and walk up flights of stairs with ease.




Who or what helped you along your journey?

My mother has supported me a lot during my journey. She was always there for me emotionally when I was feeling down or low about myself. She set the example of health for me because all throughout my life she has remained active. She always had a gym membership and she instilled the importance of physical exercise in me from a young age. It was good having a good example and even though I made mistakes along the way, it paid off. I also give a lot of credit to God as without God, I would not have had the faith or belief in myself to stay strong over the years.

What piece of advice would you give other women looking to start on their own fitness journey?

The best advice I can give to other people who are looking to lose weight, is to do it for you. I know it may seem hard at times but it is something that can dramatically transform your life for the better, you deserve a shot at a better life as you were designed
for much more. Do not let you health hold you back as it is something that you have the power to change. Find inspiration and get motivated and never let anyone tell you that you can not do it!