“IT WAS ALL A DREAM”

 
There are 2 types of people in this world: Sayers and Doers. Sayers often have the best intentions in the world, but put little effort into manifesting their dreams into reality. Doers, like Sheena, put action behind their intentions and watch their dreams flourish above their expectations. Sheena has lost an incredible amount of weight and has inspired many others to do the same. Please read her story below:

Congratulations on your amazing weight loss accomplishment! What prompted your current lifestyle?

I’ve spent my whole life being the big girl, chubby girl, BBW whatever you want to label it. In 2013, somehow I came across Aleatha  on Instagram; I followed her for months and loved the motivational quotes and comments she posted. She introduced me to the weight loss community on Instagram. She looked like a normal girl, just like me and seeing her before/ after pictures started to help me believe I can do it to. I was in my second semester of Graduate school struggling, on the edge of failing. I remember posting a quote on my personal IG page that said 3 Choices, GIVE UP, GIVE IN OR GIVE IT YOUR ALL with a caption that read “showing up isn’t enough, gotta stop slacking and get it together”. 

I ended up giving it my all and receiving an A- in both of my courses that semester. The first thing I thought about when I saw those A-‘s, was “Why can I do everything but lose weight?” School was hard, time consuming and expensive but that didn’t stop me when it came to getting my degrees. I was on the edge of failing and did a 360 by the end of the semester. I told myself I would look at the gym as school and eating right as homework.  Same way I went to school when I didn’t feel like it, I would go to the gym (no excuses). With school I can’t just go to class and pass still have to finish homework/exams. Same goes for weight loss, I can’t just go to the gym and lose weight, stillhave to go home and eat right. I opened up my fitness Instagram page and began to document my own story. I told myself no extreme diets, just start making better decisions and take it one day at a time. 

Prior to committing to a healthy lifestyle, which largely includes clean eating and exercise; did you ever attempt any other methods of losing weight? What were they?

 

I’ve been overweight my whole life and tried too many “diets” to remember. I joined Weight Watchers several times since 2002; I would lose 10-15 pounds then stop. Weight Watcher is a good program because you aren’t restricted but I wasn’t ready mentally at the time. I’ve tried the cayenne pepper diet, LA weight loss, Nutrisystem, slim fast and different over-the counter/ prescription diet pills. 

I am a firm believer in breaking habits early in life to avoid a lifelong battle of obesity. Was healthy eating instilled as a child? Do you think this had an effect on your relationship with food to this day?

Healthy eating wasn’t really instilled in me as a child; I come from a Haitian American home, main meals being rice and beans, chicken. I didn’t really eat many vegetables and could have 2-3 carb options on one dinner plate. I think my biggest issue was portion size and being force to finish my plate. My mother also worked a lot (single mother) so I ate a lot of takeout growing up especially Chinese. As an adult I had to learn it was okay to leave food on my plate and what the recommended serving size were. 

It can definitely be a challenge getting your entire household on board with healthy living. As a mother and girlfriend, do you find it difficult to have your household adapt?

I didn’t find it too hard; my son was only 2 when I started my journey so he just thinks it’s normal. I still buy him Happy Meals, cookies and juice on occasion but it’s not the norm.  If I’m making something I don’t think he will eat, then I bake him some chicken nuggets (he would eat chicken nuggets all day if I let him). My boyfriend is use to the changes as well, he still eats whatever he wants but as for my cooking, I try to make meals that work for both of us. Example: Taco night we all have tacos, but I use ¼ cup of yellow rice and 2 cups lettuce, he probably uses 2 cups rice and ¼ lettuce lol. If he cooks turkey burgers, I will eat 2 patties with 1 hundred calorie thin bread and he uses 2. When I meal prep my Chili, I will make enough for lunch for the week plus extra for them to eat.  

What has been your proudest slimming moment thus far?

I’ve been overweight my whole life and although my Dad always showed me how much he loved me, doesn’t mean he didn’t mention me needing to lose weight 1000 times. My father was diagnosed with lung and liver cancer October 2014 and passed always January 20th 2015. I was visiting my Dad and he started his sentence with “Skinny, skinny get the…”, I told him Dad I’m far from skinny but makes me so happy that he got to see me lose the weight. Before my Dad passed I said my only regret was waiting so long to make the change but now I’m just glad I did it while he was here to see. If I would have waited one more year, he wouldn’t have had a chance.

  

What are your top 3 favorite songs to work out to?

Truthfully, I don’t have any favorite workout songs; I usually listen to random Pandora channels while working out or watch something on Hulu (Biggest losers/Extreme weight loss).  Making a workout playlist has been on my To Do list but I never get around to it.

Despite your success, is there anything that still poses as a threat or hinderance to you maintaining your weight loss?

I still struggle with emotional eating. There are times where I eat to eat not because I’m hungry. The mental challenge is the hardest part of this journey; learning to eat to live.

Instagram is a great source of motivation for many. Who inspires you the most?

 (IG: Mbfitsupportsu) introduced me to the weight loss community on Instagram, she lost a lot of weight and kept it off for over 2 years. She inspired me to start my journey and helped me believe that I could do it too.  She never tried to sell anything; she’s just about encouraging others and being honest about the struggle of weight loss/management.

Do you have any advice for someone who feels hopeless and feels that losing weight is impossible?

You have to get your mind right before anything. Losing weight isn’t impossible, you have to stop making excuses and tell yourself you can do it. You don’t have to be perfect, 80/20! Lifestyle change, diets don’t work!