Subscribe
Hellobeautiful Featured Video
CLOSE

 

A childhood of obesity coupled with constant teasing is something health and wellness consultant and author of Half My Size: How I Ate To Lose 150lbs, Caroline Jhingory and I have in common. But that’s not all. We all also share the victory of taking back our health and making a message out of our former misery and struggle.

Must Read: 5 Things You Need To Know Before You Try This Fitness Challenge

With that said, I love her story and am honored to share her weight loss testimony with you. So whether you are trying to lose 10 lbs or 100 lbs, know this: your personal success is on the way. May this interview inspire you, motivate you and prove to you that you too can kick unwanted pounds to the curb.

HelloBeautiful: I often say to my clients and followers that “the body follows the mind.” What moment initiated your journey toward weight loss?

Caroline Jhingory: That “what moment” was really an accumulation of “ah ha moments.” One day a combination of feeling sick and tired of being the “fat girl” and my doctor telling me that at 5’2 and 300lbs, I was pre-diabetic just hit me like a brick. Spending nearly 20 years of my life as morbidly obese, the world had truly made me feel as if I had a deformity or I was some sort of 8th class citizen. I wanted to change this.

HB: That’s incredible! So how much weight did you lose and how long did it take you to lose it?  

CJ: At my heaviest, I reached 307lbs on a 5’2 frame, and I lost over 150lbs. It took me a year and half to lose the weight and learn how to keep it off.

HB: What keep you motivated along the way?

CJ: My motivation came from all over. Positive acknowledgment of my progress from friends and family, the constant “aww baby you look so good.” Also, instead of constantly weighing myself I would buy dresses and jeans a few sizes too small.  I would mark my success by being able to eventually fit into these items.

HB: That’s excellent. I love that! I too am a huge fan of not becoming number obsessed, so using clothes as a motivator is great. What other tips would you give someone trying to lose weight?

CJ: Weight loss is not solely a process of getting rid of the unhealthy food in your cabinets and fridge…you must also get rid of the unhealthy people in your life and unhealthy ways in which you speak to yourself. Most overweight individuals consider themselves emotional eaters or food addicts. Successful weight loss only happens when you give a pink slip to the negative people and situations in your life.

HB: I know that’s right! Again, “the body follows the mind!” So tell me, what’s your secret weapon when it comes to keeping the weight off then? 

CJ: No real secret. I forced healthy eating and regular exercise to become a regimented part of my life just like taking a bath, brushing my teeth or calling my mama everyday.

HB: So it’s a habit. Excellent. Speaking of habits, what is your favorite way to get in exercise/physical activity? 

C: My favorite form of exercise is riding my bicycle around the streets of Washington, DC (my hometown). From the Tidal Basin through Georgia Avenue, it gives me such clarity and perfect peace. It also allows me to cross train with the power walks that I do on my treadmill. When on the treadmill, I zone out by watching reality shows. It is my guilty pleasure and helps the time on the treadmill breeze by.

1 2Next page »

The grand return of the Melanin Awards amplifies and honors the finest Black-owned beauty brands with honest reviews, and discusses the evolution of beauty in Hip-Hop culture.