Working out at the Gym to Lose 55 Pounds

Ramona has lost 55 pounds after starting to work out at her favorite gym. Thanks much for sending in your story, but for future references, please folks, do not send me promotional emails that center on pushing a specific product/service..

My name is Ramona Tiberia and I’m a 34 year old hair stylist from Michigan. I've struggled with my weight on and off and while I’ve tried other gyms in the past I've never truly attained the success I want. That is until I started to hear great things about a new gym called Art of Strength from my co-workers. The day AOS West Bloomfield head trainer Mike Knight came into the salon changed my life.

My personal workout preference is that I need someone to yell at me. I don’t want anyone to sugarcoat it, I want someone to get in my face. While I wanted that feeling, I also wanted to be a part of a communal environment where everyone is working hard. Art of Strength was just what I was looking for. It’s really like working out with your family, everyone wants to see you succeed and they offer a good support system.

As for my workout regimen, AOS isn't an average workout. It's much more intense. You’re burning a lot of calories and having fun while you are doing it. The trainers don’t throw you on a treadmill for a half hour and that’s your session. Every visit is better than my last and that type of variety is what keeps me on my toes.

Since I began working out at AOS, I have lost a total of 55 pounds and am still going strong.

Reversing Sleep Apnea with Weight Loss

Michael, who is 5'8" tall, weighed 245 pounds when he was diagnosed with high blood pressure and sleep apnea.

His doctor told him he could either have esophageal reconstructive surgery or sleep with a (CPAP) machine. He said if he didn't choose one of these options he could die in his sleep or a have a stroke or heart attack.

At first Michael slept with the machine but continued his sedentary lifestyle and nutrition void eating habits. But then he decided to get active and gradually change his diet away from junk and processed foods. Within about 9 months he was at the ideal weight for his height (165 pounds) and felt like a completely new person.

Check out his inspiring story here.

Amanda Has Lost 130 Pounds

Amanda during pregnancy

Amanda after losing 112 pounds

Amanda at 256 pounds

Thanks much to Amanda for sending in her weight loss story. She weighed 383 pounds at the end of her pregnancy and has since lost 130 pounds. She has not reached her goal yet, but can be very proud and happy with her progress so far.


I've always been overweight.  At the start of my second pregnancy I
was 333lbs.  Through the course of 9 months I managed to put on 50lbs
and get gestational diabetes.  The diabetes scared me.  A lot.  The
weight gain itself was a whole new kind of awful.  Even though I've
always been fat, I've never been disabled by my weight.  I never had
trouble DOING things.  Until I reached the point where I was closer to
400lbs than 300lbs.

Everything on my body hurt.  I couldn't walk; really I could barely
move.  Rolling over in bed hurt.  If there was ever going to be a wake
up call this was mine.

Most of the baby weight came off pretty quickly.. well, quick(ish).
By 3 months I only had about 15 more lbs to go to get to my
pre-pregnancy weight.  The rest stayed on til my girl was 6ish months
old.  In April 2011, I had a very short lived attempt at a workout
program.  I think I held in there for about a week!

When my girl was 7 months old (May 2011) I really committed.  I had
joined a weight loss challenge for moms and I REALLY wanted to win! I
started working out with my (now-ex) husband.  He had been doing P90X
for 5 months.  I started doing it with him.  If I ever got more than
3-4 workouts done in a week it was a small miracle! "I do my best and
forget the rest"  (You hear that a lot on the P90X dvds)  I lost 22lbs
that month, and still came in 5th lol

I took a hiatus in December 2011 and January 2012, but I'm back on the
wagon.  In Feb 2012 I started doing the program.. Really doing it.  As
of this writing I'm on day 22 and I've lost 80lbs doing P90X.  From
the day before my daughter's birth (17 months ago) I've lost 130lbs.

I'm documenting my progress and keeping myself accountable on my blog A Real Woman's Sweat Journal

Going From Size 12 to Size 0

Jocelyn lost a lot of weight and changed the shape of her body and has maintained this weight loss for four years. She used to wear size 12 pants. When these started to feel snug, she decided to change her lifestyle. She's wearing size 0 jeans now. Check out more pics and her blog at Habitual Weight Loss.

What It Feels Like When You Reach Your Goal

Tammi, age 34, has succeeded in her weight loss goal. She's lost 130 pounds! She was at her heaviest after giving birth at 275 pounds and is  now in the 140's.  Here are close-ups of her face at her heaviest and current weight.

It's not that often people show close-ups of the changes in their face before and after the weight loss so it's neat to see the transformation.

But Tammi also has lots of other great pics of her front view, side view and back view along the weight loss journey. So check them out, they are very inspiring.

Also read her thoughts about what it feels like at 149 versus 275.

No More Need for Comfort Food

Thanks to Gayle for sending in these pics and story!

Every year I was getting bigger. Snacking was an entertainment and comfort to me. But then I would get bigger and go to food for more comfort. Well, you get the idea!

My small frame was putting on the pounds and I was getting increasingly uncomfortable, both physically and emotionally, from how my body was changing.

Then I was introduced to Weigh Down Ministries' weight-loss classes, The Weigh Down Diet book, and the Rise Above book, all by the program's founder, Gwen Shamblin. I love these resources, and Weigh Down Ministries makes them so affordable - some are even free: weighdown.com and remnantfellowship.tv! They are full of common sense and heart-changing examples that showed me how to stop running to food for comfort. It made so much sense! I put it into practice, and the weight started coming off immediately.

I continue today in what I have learned: how to eat like a thin eater, satisfied and not controlled by any longing for food. My weight has been steady for over 10 years... and this is my high school weight! No diet foods in this program; I get to eat regular foods. Also, I am very active; but there is no regimented work-out program here. No more depression; but so much JOY!

I started to change by applying Weigh Down principles when I was 46, and now at 59 I feel so young! I LOVE sharing this with others, because it changed my life in so many wonderful ways!

Weight Loss After Personal Crisis

Thanks to Jason for sending in these pics and story!

I was 288 lbs at my heaviest after years of being lazy in a bad marriage. A divorce and my fathers death triggered a chain reaction that led me to a healthier life style. Eight months in the gym, 6 to 7 meals a day with a proper nutrition led has put me at my current weight of 218lbs!!

I'm not finished yet. I'm concentrating more on body fat % then weight. I started above 35% and I'm down to 15% now. I'm shooting for 9% body fat at around 205lbs.