I’ve always been the fat, overweight kid. That kid has now grown up to be that fat, overweight wife and mom of seven. I’m a charge nurse at a local nursing home and I really do love what I do. I enjoy date nights with my husband and family nights spent with my kids. They entertain me by singing, dancing, doing parodies and just generally being themselves, unfiltered little darlings! I am the oldest of 8 children, and it’s 7 of us still living, two sisters and four brothers. My father is dead and my mom is disabled and legally blind. I have a lot on my plate. However, I still find life for the most part, fun, enjoyable and exciting. I’m sure that my belief in a Holy God plays a major role in that! My husand and I have been married for almost six wonderful years! He is very supportive of me and my goals. Overall I am a happy, opinionated, emotional creation of God. I wear my heart on my sleeve, so what you see is what you get!
Chandra!! I am so glad I stumbled across your blog and youtube videos. You are an amazing woman! I will keep you in my prayers for your weight loss journey. You are inspiring others every day to get happy and healthy! I am looking forward to following your Journey and would love to connect and support you! We have similar missions
To get Happy and Healthy while supporting others on the same path.
God Bless and Good luck!
Hi Chanda,
<3
You are an awesome , God=fearing women and I thank you for posting your weight-loss journey. I will try the juicing…I have been exercising and eating only fish and chicken plus fruits and veggies and have lost 10 lbs so far. I weighed in at 261 lbs and now at 251 lbs I am 5’7 and starting on my 4th week. Your videos on different exercises are very inspiring and helpful. I also use strengthening bands for toning my arms and legs. I can’t do the squats as well because I have a rod in my thigh and a pin in my knee from a car accident so the strengthening bands are a great alternative. I will continue to watch your videos and will be cheering us both on please feel free to follow me on twitter @toomanylgs and fb gay_loretta@yahoo.com or either Loretta Gay I live in Maryland from Cleveland,Ohio.
Take care and God Bless you!
I think you are amazing! I’m so thankful to have run across your website and youtube videos. You have given me inspiration. I look forward to watching your success, cheering and supporting you, and starting my own journey! Tomorrow, I’m going to do it! I’ve been feeling hopeless, like a failure/loser, and depressed. But tomorrow, I’m going to start being a real loser, lol, thank you for the inspiration.
hey, i was wondering if u had a facebook and if u had any advice for me i weigh 290 and need to lose a lot and i have tried everyt thing and nothin works. i cant seem to have the will power i guess. If u have a fb add me plz im under jenna edwards
I just wanted to start out by saying you give me such great hope. I found your blog this evening while trying to find some sort of support groups for weight loss. I’m a big girl too, I’ve pretty much been this way my entire life. I’ve. Tried different things over the years but I never really had the support from anyone to accomplish my weight goal. I’m only 21 but I am scared to death of not losing the weight. I have history of diebetes and heart disease on both my mom and dads sides of the family. I dont want that to ever be my fate. It seems so difficult at times, expecially when your doing it all alone. I want to be healthy mentally, emotionally as well as physically. I know that God has bigger plans for us then we have for ourselves. I guess I just would like the opportunity to enjoy life again.
With all of this said I know your awfully busy (which btw I think you are doing a
wonderful job) but I was wondering if you could maybe be apart of my support team? A lot of my friends cant relate because they co.t have a weight issue.
I love your just videos. I think you are a really nice person and you’re beautiful both inside and out. I read your story about your struggle with weight and I wanted to share with you what helped me. A few months ago I started what’s called the Body By Vi 90 day challenge (ViSalus); I am here to tell you it is AWESOME! I tried other things in the past and they all were flops. Now I am on my second 90 day challenge; can’t wait to see my results. I also suffer from prediabetes and high blood pressure and since I’ve been using the products I haven’t had any episodes of weakness, fatigue, trembling, or high blood pressure; that alone had me all in. On top of all that it’s nutritional and healthy. I also have close friends, family and other people that have gone on the 90 day challenge that have had some awesome transformations. Sometime I just look at them and say WOW in my head because the transformations are just that touching. I want to share it with you to see if you want to give it a try. I would love to help you.
Thank you. I may give it a shot one day, but I’m about to do some water fasting first!:)
Hi Chanda.
I have been trying to lose 100 lbs before I hit the 300lb mark (somewhere I dont want to be in my 20s) I am looking for support (like you)..
I would like to be on this journey with you..
When did you actually start your journey to lose the weight and how much are you down?
Talk to you soon
Hi Amy! I started this latest journey last year in May and I’ve only lost about 15 lbs..shameful I know! I am about to do a water fast next week though..
Thank you, I so happy I found your website. I am a nurse too and I weigh over 300 lbs. I am really ready to get this weigh off. I’m also afraid of surgery and complications. So I really understand what u going through. Please keep up the blog. I need it.
I will, thank you Angel..my daughter is called Angel, short for Angelica!:)
Hello you are so beautiful I seen some of your videos and I think you look so young and beautiful. I am also a big girl no matter how big I am always love myself no matter who says different and yes my mom and dad are both pastors and they tell me about my weight but you know what I don’t let that effect me. You are a inspiration to all the people who know you and follow you all I have to say is believe in yourself and others will catch on. I been eating to medium bowls of special K a day with silk milk and 2 small snacks of anything you want and 1 large meal a day of fish and veggies and 1 side of fruit why I tell you this is because I lost 30 pounds in 3 weeks and all I say is eat what you want just dont eat after 5pm I learned that from my job why I see so many small elderly people because they don’t eat after a certain time and you know what it works…God bless you” my inspiration” and may all your looking for come true.
Thank you so much Akaya!! How is your lifestyle change coming along?
Hey, I just wanted to say that first of all, I didn’t know that there was so much stuff on youtube. Just Sayin. I have stumbled upon your videos and I want to tell you that you are amazing! I have battled with my weight since childhood, but my weight gain came from abuse. I have been unable in my adult life to let those feelings escape from my mind. I am tired of feeling like it is controling me and want to take charge of this part of my life and lack confidence. I also lack a support circle and would like you to be there for me or at least be part of my circle. I probably could give you every excuse imagineable as to why tomorrow is always better, but I need to gain control of the life I was meant to have. I know that God has given me a pretty crappy hand in life, but it is making me stronger and making me realize things I would not have otherwise. I feel that God has so much in store for me and this is just a hard time for me, but it is making me a stronger person, so much stronger than I ever thought I was. I weigh, as of 1:06 a.m. on January 14th, 2012…hold on…I gotta stand up and weigh myself…348.2. The heaviest I’ve been was 356.8 about 6 months ago. I haven’t dieted or anything like that, just stress. I feel like I’m rambling and can’t wait to hear from you! I have two busy boys who are 5 and 8 and I’m single. So…would you be part of my support system?
Take care and may God Bless you!
Melissa R
YES, of course I will! Melissa, I’ll do everything in my power to help you! I just ask that you keep me updated! I’m always going to respond to the people who email me on hotmail and then reply to this blog before I respond to my messages on youtube. Sometime, it can get so frustarting becasue I know that I’m getting back to people slowly and some not at all. But I try! Just please, keep in touch and let me know of how I can be of assistance! I’m so happy that you are ready to do this! Two boys 5 abd 8, I have the same ages myself! Whooo, I KNOW that you’ve got your hands full! Even more reason to lose weight and keep it off for good!!:)
Hi Melissa, there are people out here who really care about others. I as well would try to motivate you every way possible. I believe that if GOD is in the picture that we are more than conquerors. I pray that you have faith and believe that our GOD is a great GOD and he will not fail us. Stay encouraged!!!
Melissa,
Loved your reply to Chandra and I to am a big girl and would love to be part of your circle of support! Email me and we can discuss it. I look forward to hearing from you!@!
Laura
Hello I LOVE the video you just put up with you running, i think its a really good motivater. when you make videos for the world to see, becus as you push yourself you are pushing others too. losing weight is hard we all know that, but dont let yourself get stressed about it. just know every pound you lose will add up in the end. if you mess up okk sooo, just get back up and keep on pushing
. I am just starting out trying to lose weight and seeing you girl has really push me plz believe. plz keep posting videos becus i will be looking forward to seeing them. yah bless you and your beautiful family
Thank you! Good luck to you on your journey and I will be posting a LOT of videos in the future so don’t worry, lol!:)
I too, am the oldest of eight. I have three sisters, and 3 brothers. One brother died in 2000, from complications of hypertension. I had a health screening, where the test checked for the likelihood of strokes, clogged arterties, and other conditions. My test were all good, but my BMI of 55 was a great negative. I want to live, and have good health. I thank God that I ran into your website. I work long hours on my job, but I am going to make whatever adjustments ncessary for me to lose the weight. I am going to make a maintenance program, so I can maintain the weight lose, once the weight is gone. Thank you again, for the website, and God bless you.
Thank you Joye, may God bless you as well! My goodness, I’m so sorry to hear about your brother, what a great loss to you and your family. I’m so glad that your test results were good with the exception of your BMI, but I know that you will do what you need to do to bring that number down. Please keep me updated on your journey, It would be such a blessing to me to follow your progress!:)
Hey Sis! You’re doing a great thing! Keep your eyes on the prize!! I don’t know if you’ve ever tried Weight Watchers but it really is a good program. I didn’t think it was going to work for me but when I was doing it I really saw a diffrence. They teach some really good things. Keep up the good work girl!!
I have, it was not for me, but I don’t know, maybe I will give it another go! Thank you so much for even caring, lol!:)
here for you:) you can do it!
Thank you Devinre!
I admire you for sharing your story, it most closely relates to my own. In response to people saying you can’t be a Christian because you are fat; what I always want to say to these people is that we are all sinners but there are a few of us who can’t hide our sins like others can. You can hide abusive behaviors, addictions, etc…we can’t hide the fact that we overeat.
I need to lose 200 pounds and just have pretty much given up hope that I can so I was searching the web for inspiration when I came upon your videos and blog today. Thank you! I have been overweight all of my life.
I just want to encourage you that you can do this! You have it in you to do this because God is in you and He makes beautiful things! He will bless you because you are willing to affect the lives of others through media and He can use you.
Many blessings!
Thank you so much!! You can and will do this as well! I love what you said about other sinners being able to hide behind it while ours is out for the world to see. That’s why we are treated so badly! That’s about to change though right? We are finally going to do something about it!:)
Right!
Thanks for the encouragement!